It is the Road Fund Licence and whilst it is supposed to fund roads, rakes in so much revenue that it pays for a vast amount beyond roads.It was changed as other charges were introduced that were Taxable rate charges. On fuel, purchase tax etc.But in essence it remains a duty payable and set by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. A Tax.In fact if all the revenue from the last 70 years from Road Fund Licences was accrued and spent on roads only we could have had the motorway network fully completed 45 years ago and a tunnel network under much of London and several other cities. And a myriad of completed road network improvements which would have benefitted the whole of the UK. Not to mention separated cycleways incorporated into most projects. The 100 year old Great West Road, the first with a cycleway was state funded and was supposed to be the benchmark. The Second World War and the cost to the UK put paid to that for generationsWhilst Taxpayers may fund roads in general income tax, it has to be remembered that motor vehicle owners and operators pay extra tax to use the roads, tax on mandatory vehicle insurance, tax on fuel, tax on purchase, tax on maintenance and parts, and a Charge on MoT to ensure safe vehicles. Pay for a state licensing system and test. All a substantial chunk of anyone's incomeSo what does a Cyclist pay? Not even Insurance, any form of proficiency test, any annual safe machine test and yet can use the roads.So playing with words is not really the reality.
Raymond Havelock ● 6d