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Tue 3 Apr 2012 15:08

Any - Less cars - barney100

Is it my imagination or are there really less cars on the road now. I think my area has less traffic due to people cutting back mileage due to fuel prices...diesel past £1.50 a litre here and I guess most other places too. My MP has has replied that the Government is doing a good job on keeping prices down.......
Aviation fuel is now taxed adding considerable cost to flights, rail fares are high too. Travel is getting to be a luxury.

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 15:37

Any - Less cars - unthrottled

Aviation fuel is now taxed adding considerable cost to flights

No it isn't. Air Passenger Duty is much, much less would be the equivalent fuel duty. Air travel appears to be expensive until you realise the staggering distances involved. A family of four flying economy class from Heathrow to Florida have a combined total of 32,000 passenger miles. At 80 miles per gallon per passenger, their combined fuel consumption is 400 gallons. Total APD= £65/£81*4=£260/£324.

Total tax payable on 400 gallons of road fuel =£2.40/gallon duty+20% vAT on the duty

=£2.90/gallon*400 gallons=£1160.

Air travel is still a bargain.

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 19:22

Any - Less cars - oldroverboy

went to london from west wales last week (sunday) and a lot less traffic on the road, came back A40 (weds) as don't like paying the bridge and much quieter. M4-A48 stretch from J43 quiet too at 5pm! But even with fuel the price it is, still cheaper AND more convenient by car. By driving gently almost 50mpg from the epica! sadly our bus services leave a lot to be desired here, and train fares to london seem to have shot up quite a bit. even thr cheapie tickets have gone up a lot.

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 19:36

Any - Less cars - mss1tw

I was the fastest thing on the A3 to and from work today. Even the blue ovals and four ring crew weren't sat 2" from my bumper. Makes a change.

I was flat out, which sounds good until you realise that's an indicated 90mph. 85 in reality maybe?

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 19:51

Any - Less cars - Bobbin Threadbare

I was wondering this last week - doing my usual trip down the M6 to work, it seemed much quieter over the whole week. Perhaps people are on holiday, taking advantage of the cheap air prices...?

Flat out does sound good. I enjoy journeys like that! I have tested my speedo using GPS and when it reads 91mph I am doing 85mph. I have had independent confirmation of this.

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 20:06

Any - Less cars - FP

"...when it reads 91mph I am doing 85mph. I have had independent confirmation of this."

By speed camera, perchance? :-)

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 23:24

Any - Less cars - Bobbin Threadbare

"...when it reads 91mph I am doing 85mph. I have had independent confirmation of this."

By speed camera, perchance? :-)

I was going to leave a witty comment, but I will just grin :-D

Edited by Bobbin Threadbare on 03/04/2012 at 23:26

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 19:55

Any - Less cars - barney100

According to news reports long haul will be considerably more expensive, how can adding tax to fuel not make it more expensive to flyunless the airlines absorb the cost which I feel is unlikely.

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 21:29

Any - Less cars - unthrottled

It's been underpriced for far too long. It's still cheap for what it is. Why do people expect to fly 4000 miles for pennies?

The 'huge' increases are as follows:

Band A £12 rising to £13

band B £60 " " £65

Band C £75 " " £81

Band D £85 " " £92

So a £800 return flight to Australia will rise to an unbearable £807. Deal Breaker!

If £7 is unbearable, perhaps gallivanting round the world isn't the best hobby.

As far as traffic is concerned, I haven't noticed fewer cars, but I have noticed people driving at very tedious speeds.

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 21:45

Any - Less cars - jamie745

This is why you shouldn't believe news reports. News stories about how air travel is being crippled by air passenger duty is absolute nonsense, these are the same news outlets which questions why drivers complain so much about fuel tax.

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Tue 3 Apr 2012 23:22

Any - Less cars - Bobbin Threadbare