UK Gas Guzzler Tax Kicks In April 2010 - £950 Levy For Most-Polluting Cars - BBC

[hatrack]

The chancellor has set out new plans to encourage the use of less polluting cars in a bid to tackle climate change.
The most polluting vehicles will face a £950 "showroom" tax that will come into effect from April 2010.

The government is also introducing a new top band for the most polluting vehicles that emit more than 255g of carbon dioxide per kilometre.

Transport is the second-largest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK, accounting for 28% of all emissions.

Companies are being encouraged to opt for less polluting vehicles in their corporate fleets, with all but the least polluting vehicles set to face higher tax rates.

EDIT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7291643.stm

[PSPS]

1. Maybe a step, but it could be far better

This will simply increase the "swagger" value of gas guzzlers because the extra tax will be meaningless to the wealthy. Now there will be a race to exhibit one's wealth by how many of these people are able to buy and show off to the neighbors.

Just mandate mileage requirements and be done with it. Why provide the wealthy a meaningless hurdle to overcome in exchange for dooming our planet's future?

[eppur_se_muova]

2. Meanwhile, US tax credits for hybrid vehicles are expiring ...

but Dems in Congress are trying to pass legislation for new tax credits for plug-ins.