We spotted the following this week in the latest edition of Target magazine (Feb 07). Actually a Bourne End publication, their article was describing how the winter was progressing from a boatyard proprietor's perspective, but the comments reproduced below are equally relevant to all river users.
Just in case anyone was uncertain about how extensive stealth taxes are becoming, here is yet another example. Is it Brown or is it EU? And did our future PM (he will be the shortest serving by a long way!) agree to it??
Back in December it was announced by our highly regarded and revered supreme sovereign power, the EU in Brussels, that we are to lose the duty incentive on diesel fuel as used by private boaters. This means that we will have to change over from the 'Red' diesel to 'White', the same as you purchase at roadside garages. The price will increase considerably, possibly to a bit more than the garage prices. This is a great disappointment to the boaters who have already had to suffer a 12% increase in river licence fees and this will be for the next three years, year on year.
I find this all a little bit strange as the Government, via the Environment Agency, are looking to increase activity on the river in terms of boating, sailing, walking, running, fishing, canoeing etc but at the same time they are pricing users off the river. If any politicians or accountants out there are reading this and can explain how it all works, I would really like you to call in and explain it all to me. The view among the river folk is that the government seems to believe that if you have a boat you must be of certain means and therefore ripe for yet an other stealth tax... Come the revolution!
The reason why diesel has always been free of tax on the river is, I assume, because the boats were used for commercial purposes. The tax free status being similar to aviation fuel, and, as I recall, farm machinery?
And can I not recall that a few years ago we were assured that diesel would always be taxed a little less than petrol??? Pah!
Can someone explain what all the increased income via boat fuel and rivercraft licences will be used to pay for? Dredging the Thames to reduce the risk of flooding? Mmmmm... I wonder.
Just in case anyone was uncertain about how extensive stealth taxes are becoming, here is yet another example. Is it Brown or is it EU? And did our future PM (he will be the shortest serving by a long way!) agree to it??
Back in December it was announced by our highly regarded and revered supreme sovereign power, the EU in Brussels, that we are to lose the duty incentive on diesel fuel as used by private boaters. This means that we will have to change over from the 'Red' diesel to 'White', the same as you purchase at roadside garages. The price will increase considerably, possibly to a bit more than the garage prices. This is a great disappointment to the boaters who have already had to suffer a 12% increase in river licence fees and this will be for the next three years, year on year.
I find this all a little bit strange as the Government, via the Environment Agency, are looking to increase activity on the river in terms of boating, sailing, walking, running, fishing, canoeing etc but at the same time they are pricing users off the river. If any politicians or accountants out there are reading this and can explain how it all works, I would really like you to call in and explain it all to me. The view among the river folk is that the government seems to believe that if you have a boat you must be of certain means and therefore ripe for yet an other stealth tax... Come the revolution!
The reason why diesel has always been free of tax on the river is, I assume, because the boats were used for commercial purposes. The tax free status being similar to aviation fuel, and, as I recall, farm machinery?
And can I not recall that a few years ago we were assured that diesel would always be taxed a little less than petrol??? Pah!
Can someone explain what all the increased income via boat fuel and rivercraft licences will be used to pay for? Dredging the Thames to reduce the risk of flooding? Mmmmm... I wonder.
