Drivers told pay-per-mile tax is 'inevitable' as motorists could be 'forced off-road'

Pay-per-mile tax has been described as 'inevitable'
-Credit: (Image: Pete Stonier / Stoke Sentinel)


Motorists have been told that pay-per-mile tax could be 'inevitable' as the Treasury grapples with the potential loss of nearly £30billion in fuel duty receipts. The Government is now considering new ways to fund critical infrastructure like motorways with options such as pay-per-mile schemes.

This development comes as a recent survey revealed that nearly a third of UK drivers have already reduced their driving in 2024 due to rising costs, highlighting the financial pressures motorists are currently facing.

Sir John Armitt, chairman of the National Infrastructure Commission, told The Telegraph: "Politically, it's a very difficult issue. Many people will say road pricing is inevitable. Personally, I don't see why it should be any different to anything else.

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“We pay for all our other infrastructure services as we use them." He even proposed a more advanced system where drivers "could pay a different rate, per time of day, per type of road you were driving on, anywhere in the country and you just get a bill because it would all be monitored remotely."

A survey by car finance lender Carmoola suggested that 29 per cent of respondents have had to reduce their driving in 2024 due to escalating expenses, GBNews reports. And 30 per cent of 17 to 24-year-olds and 25 per cent of 35 to 44-year-olds said they are under financial pressure to sell their cars as they are forced off the road due to rising costs.

Aidan Rushby, founder and CEO of Carmoola, added: "The news about the introduction of a pay-per-mile road tax could exacerbate this trend driving more motorists off the road. It's clear that Brits are already struggling, and the new initiative, planned to launch in October, will have serious implications, especially for younger drivers and those living in rural areas who rely on their cars for essential activities like work and education."

With limited public transport options in rural regions, such a tax risks further isolating vulnerable populations. The average motorist could face costs of around £444 per year, while those in rural areas may see bills increase by £600 for covering 10,000 miles yearly.