This nation is on it’s knees. Our coffers are empty. Do we think it’s time for a UK Vignette? Why should we pay through the nose for tax and tolls, whilst they are given everything free?
Time for it to happen . Opinions please. And this is not an anti foreigner rant.
bigvern1:
This nation is on it’s knees. Our coffers are empty. Do we think it’s time for a UK Vignette? Why should we pay through the nose for tax and tolls, whilst they are given everything free?
Time for it to happen . Opinions please. And this is not an anti foreigner rant.
I will 2nd that & i have been saying it for years 
as the driver of a foreign truck i wouldn’t mind paying a vignette for the UK, BUT remember under EU law the brits would have to pay it as well just like the belgies and dutch pay the vignette on top of roadtax so be careful what you wish for 
as for us foreigners “getting away with paying nothing” did you know that spanish trucks pay roadtax in spain but still pay for tolls so its just the same for us, the brits (or anyone else for that matter) don’t pay roadtax in our country.
unfortunately it can’t be done in this country under e.u law because we have toll roads!! i know everyone is going to start jumping and say where, what ect but until we get rid of all toll roads we can’t have a extra tax system for foriegn trucks. well that was what i was told several years ago. if you notice abroad only countries without toll roads are still included in the vignette system all the rest have had to leave 
wildfire:
unfortunately it can’t be done in this country under e.u law because we have toll roads!! i know everyone is going to start jumping and say where, what ect but until we get rid of all toll roads we can’t have a extra tax system for foriegn trucks. well that was what i was told several years ago. if you notice abroad only countries without toll roads are still included in the vignette system all the rest have had to leave
The only one who has left, is the Germans as they brought in the Maut to replace the Eurovignette.
Holland have toll roads, Belgium have toll roads and so do Sweden
bigvern1:
This nation is on it’s knees. Our coffers are empty. Do we think it’s time for a UK Vignette? Why should we pay through the nose for tax and tolls, whilst they are given everything free?
Time for it to happen . Opinions please. And this is not an anti foreigner rant.
While in principle it is a fine idea it would only mean increased costs for UK hauliers as well. Legally any road charging system has to be applied to all vehicles, the Germans pay the Maut, the Dutch Belgians, Danes, Swedes and Luxembourgers all buy the Vignette for example. The only legal way would be for it to be introduced for all vehicles and the Government do away with, or rebate, our RFL and the chances of that happening is unlikely, wouldn’t be popular with the green vote removing a tax on big smelly trucks. Even if they did do away with the RFL in favour of a new system, unless the charge per day was so small as to hardly be worth it then most UK hauliers would still end up paying more per annum than they do now.
Unfortunately wanting a road charging system for foreigners introduced is akin to a turkey voting for Christmas, so for that reason I’m out.
Don’t know about that but they should of been repaid by the banks by now as they like to brag about bonuses that they are paying each other again, IMO there should be no bonuses for them until they have repaid all the tax payers wonga, and the government should be doing more to ensure this happens instead of making cuts to vital services & picking on those on benefits, and while I’m on me soapbox all the top politicians should be forced to take a 40-50% pay cut and have all expenses cut also, as without that they are just hypocrites after all if they seriously expect us to suffer they they should suffer too ,greedy tw"ts is what they are
tommy t:
Don’t know about that but they should of been repaid by the banks by now as they like to brag about bonuses that they are paying each other again, IMO there should be no bonuses for them until they have repaid all the tax payers wonga, and the government should be doing more to ensure this happens instead of making cuts to vital services & picking on those on benefits, and while I’m on me soapbox all the top politicians should be forced to take a 40-50% pay cut and have all expenses cut also, as without that they are just hypocrites after all if they seriously expect us to suffer they they should suffer too ,greedy tw"ts is what they are
What he ^^ said…
French green tax on trucks will raise a billion a year
France’s public agency for the funding of transport infrastructure, the AFITF, estimates that the“green” tax levied on hgvs will generate annual revenue of €1.24 billion (US1.68bn) after it is introduced from mid-2013.
The French government has awarded a tender to a consortium, led by Italian group Autostrade per l’Italia, to collect the tax through a satellite-based toll system.
State-owned SNCF, the country’s biggest road and rail freight carrier, is a minority partner in the consortium.
The tax will be levied on commercial vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes at an average rate of €0.12 per km.
It will affect around 600,000 French trucks and 200,000 foreign-registered vehicles, plying over 12,000km of French highways — the aim being to encourage shippers to use modes of transport other than road.
The scheme would make provision for vehicles to be equipped with special badges enabling them to be tracked by satellite.
France’s leading road haulage federation, the FNTR, has opposed the tax since it was first mooted, estimating that it will add 5-10% to trucking firms’ operating costs.
A spokesman told IFW: “While the legislation accompanying this tax makes provision for hauliers to pass on the cost to shippers and, ultimately, consumers, applying it is likely to be a complex and time-consuming exercise — in short, an additional administrative cost.”
The Autostrade consortium would collect an annual fee of €240 million for running the scheme and local authorities, which have responsibility for the upkeep of public roads, would receive €160 million. The remainder of the €1.24 billion income will go towards financing new transport infrastructure projects.
The tax scheme, initially earmarked for introduction between 2010-2012, has been put back on several occasions, due largely to technical problems.
ifw-net.com/freightpubs/ifw/ … e7e866d022
Le turkeys et Le christmas 
We should be more like the Frrrrrr… Oh sacre bleu 
bigvern1:
This nation is on it’s knees. Our coffers are empty. Do we think it’s time for a UK Vignette? Why should we pay through the nose for tax and tolls, whilst they are given everything free?
Time for it to happen . Opinions please. And this is not an anti foreigner rant.
The major drawback with the idea of the UK looking after its own interests is its EU membership. Everything is done for the good of ‘the community’, which is supposed to be member states, but in reality is global/multinatioal business’s.
Ah well…Just a thought!
Coffeeholic:
bigvern1:
This nation is on it’s knees. Our coffers are empty. Do we think it’s time for a UK Vignette? Why should we pay through the nose for tax and tolls, whilst they are given everything free?
Time for it to happen . Opinions please. And this is not an anti foreigner rant.While in principle it is a fine idea it would only mean increased costs for UK hauliers as well. Legally any road charging system has to be applied to all vehicles, the Germans pay the Maut, the Dutch Belgians, Danes, Swedes and Luxembourgers all buy the Vignette for example. The only legal way would be for it to be introduced for all vehicles and the Government do away with, or rebate, our RFL and the chances of that happening is unlikely, wouldn’t be popular with the green vote removing a tax on big smelly trucks. Even if they did do away with the RFL in favour of a new system, unless the charge per day was so small as to hardly be worth it then most UK hauliers would still end up paying more per annum than they do now.
Unfortunately wanting a road charging system for foreigners introduced is akin to a turkey voting for Christmas, so for that reason I’m out.
What if the UK had a MAUT type system that charged considerably more for 5 axle trucks plated to 40t?
The more responsible foreign hauliers would equip themselves suitably (if their own laws allow them too) and the less interested might go off and haunt somebody else.
The Government could sell the idea of encouraging more enviormentally and road friendly trucks to the Green Lobby just like they did when they allowed 44t trucks in the first place.
W
AlexWignall:
What if the UK had a MAUT type system that charged considerably more for 5 axle trucks plated to 40t?The more responsible foreign hauliers would equip themselves suitably (if their own laws allow them too) and the less interested might go off and haunt somebody else.
The Government could sell the idea of encouraging more enviormentally and road friendly trucks to the Green Lobby just like they did when they allowed 44t trucks in the first place.
W
so in your eyes all the european trucks with 5 axles on 40t are irresponsible even though they are complying with their own laws 
i also beleive that uk hauliers who run 5 axles pay more tax already?
welshboyinspain:
AlexWignall:
What if the UK had a MAUT type system that charged considerably more for 5 axle trucks plated to 40t?The more responsible foreign hauliers would equip themselves suitably (if their own laws allow them too) and the less interested might go off and haunt somebody else.
The Government could sell the idea of encouraging more enviormentally and road friendly trucks to the Green Lobby just like they did when they allowed 44t trucks in the first place.
W
so in your eyes all the european trucks with 5 axles on 40t are irresponsible even though they are complying with their own laws
i also beleive that uk hauliers who run 5 axles pay more tax already?
Not at all.
That’s not exacltly what I said is it? I must have a point if I have touched such a raw nerve.
W
you haven’t touched any nerve, raw or not, i’m just curious how you deem “more responsible” foreign hauliers if they run at 6 axles?
what would be the point? more tare weight therefore less cargo weight therefore less money also less space for fuel tanks so more expensive fuel which also means less money?
to be “equipped suitably” would be to run at whatever is the norm for their own respective countries wouldn’t it? the vast majority of europe has a 40t on 5 axles limit so why invest in something that only can be used in the UK, belgium, holland and parts of scandinavia?
welshboyinspain:
you haven’t touched any nerve, raw or not, i’m just curious how you deem “more responsible” foreign hauliers if they run at 6 axles?
what would be the point? more tare weight therefore less cargo weight therefore less money also less space for fuel tanks so more expensive fuel which also means less money?
to be “equipped suitably” would be to run at whatever is the norm for their own respective countries wouldn’t it? the vast majority of europe has a 40t on 5 axles limit so why invest in something that only can be used in the UK, belgium, holland and parts of scandinavia?
I thought the OP wanted a Road Tax system that could legally benifit UK based Hauliers. All I’ve done is suggest one.
I am quite sure that Foreign Hauliers who have the werewithall and legal latitude to equip themselves suitably would act responsibly and equip themselves for work to the UK.
Unfortunatly for those Foreign Hauliers who are not responsible enough to run the right equipment or simply cannot legally run the right equipment, they will have to pay a higher “UK MAUT” charge.
As a UK based driver working for a UK based haulier I fail to see a problem.
W
AlexWignall:
I am quite sure that Foreign Hauliers who have the werewithall and legal latitude to equip themselves suitably would act responsibly and equip themselves for work to the UK.Unfortunatly for those Foreign Hauliers who are not responsible enough to run the right equipment or simply cannot legally run the right equipment, they will have to pay a higher “UK MAUT” charge.
As a UK based driver working for a UK based haulier I fail to see a problem.
W
so now your idea would see “responsible” foreigners buying 6 wheelers just to come to the uk even though when they get off the ferry in france they can still only run at 40t.
the maut in germany is cheaper if you have lower emissions not more useless axles, you should give up driving and get a job in the government your ideas are as good as theirs
A. Wignall: how about banning all foreign vehicles from UK roads?
Anyway, this vignette thing got me thinking the other day; not UK one specifically, in general; how much does it actually make? Bugger nothing, believe it or not.
Assume there’s 500,000 foreign lorries in the UK every year, each spending here on average 3 days, each paying £10/day, that’s…£15mil.
A brand new 3+3 motorway costs ~20mil per mile…
One mile of motorway costs about £250k to maintain / repair every year, so vignette can pay for upkeep of ~60 miles of motorway. If the system costs nothing to run it…
welshboyinspain:
AlexWignall:
I am quite sure that Foreign Hauliers who have the werewithall and legal latitude to equip themselves suitably would act responsibly and equip themselves for work to the UK.Unfortunatly for those Foreign Hauliers who are not responsible enough to run the right equipment or simply cannot legally run the right equipment, they will have to pay a higher “UK MAUT” charge.
As a UK based driver working for a UK based haulier I fail to see a problem.
W
so now your idea would see “responsible” foreigners buying 6 wheelers just to come to the uk even though when they get off the ferry in france they can still only run at 40t.
the maut in germany is cheaper if you have lower emissions not more useless axles, you should give up driving and get a job in the government your ideas are as good as theirs
If Foreign Haulers decide to operate six axle combinations at a commercial disadvantage in France what concern of that is mine?
The OP wants a tax system that benifits the UK and hopefully UK Hauliers. All I have done is suggest one. If you think my idea is so bad why don’t you suggest a better one?
W
HomoFaber:
A. Wignall: how about banning all foreign vehicles from UK roads?Anyway, this vignette thing got me thinking the other day; not UK one specifically, in general; how much does it actually make? Bugger nothing, believe it or not.
Assume there’s 500,000 foreign lorries in the UK every year, each spending here on average 3 days, each paying £10/day, that’s…£15mil.
A brand new 3+3 motorway costs ~20mil per mile…
One mile of motorway costs about £250k to maintain / repair every year, so vignette can pay for upkeep of ~60 miles of motorway. If the system costs nothing to run it…
Why stop at banning foreign lorries? Why not ban all traffic, then you wouldn’t have to maintain the motorways at all?
I didn’t ask for a UK Vignette the OP did… If you don’t like the idea of it tell him.
W