Alliance says green car tax can only function if it is fair

5.01.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 4th Aug 2008

Alliance Sustainability Spokesperson Cllr Alan Lawther

Commenting on the Westminster proposals on environment-based car tax charges Alliance Sustainability Spokesperson Cllr Alan Lawther has said he welcomes green initiatives but says these plans are deeply flawed. He said that the government had not conducted enough research on the impact the plans would have on poor people who own older cars.

Antrim Councillor Alan Lawther said: "I would support any move that will help protect the environment; however these plans are deeply flawed. This tax is retrospective and in principal no tax should be of this nature. This charge would be fundamentally unfair as it penalizes people with older cars and this will hit poor people where it hurts.

"The government has not does its research and these proposals are merely a half-baked plan.

"We need radical, creative and fair measures to lower emissions. Increasing fuel tax is a far better way to protect the environment. The government needs to employ more of the 'polluter pays' principal in its policy if it wants to be successful in helping the UK go green."

ENDS