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The TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) has launched a major new campaign with the Petrol Retailers' Association (PRA) highlighting the burden of excessive fuel taxes in a bid to raise pressure on the Treasury to cut fuel duty.
More than 5,000 notices will be displayed at independent forecourts across the UK so that customers can see exactly how much of their cash is going straight to the Treasury.
The notice displays a breakdown of where money spent on filling up the tank actually goes.
When drivers pay £30 at the pump, around £18 of that is paid straight to the Government, with only the remaining £12 covering the cost of the fuel - including just £1 to the retailer.
This is an interesting tactic and I have a feeling many motorists will be genuinely surprised at how much they pay the Government each time they refuel, however I doubt it will achieve a great deal.
The problem, in my mind, is threefold. Firstly, we're fighting a deficit and the Government will simply re-emphasise the point that no-one is immune from this process and now is not the right time to cut vital duties.
Secondly, it has the motorist in the palm of its hand. We have to buy fuel, we have to make journeys and we need to use our vehicles.
Thirdly, if we look at this from a green perspective, it has to place pressure on motorists to encourage us to desire more fuel efficient and greener vehicles.
If I was a fleet manager I therefore wouldn't be pinning my hopes on this campaign working, and I'm sure many aren't. However I would be working hard to ensure my fuel bill remains as low as possible.
What continues to surprise me is how few companies take any real action at all, especially when evidence shows that with the right tactics fuel expenditure can be reduced by up to 25%.
Buying fuel at the cheapest outlets, fuel efficient driving, avoiding unnecessary journeys, car sharing and better journey planning can all add up to more money in a company's bank account than in the Government's pocket. And this is certainly more likely to deliver a tangible saving than praying that the Government will sacrifice a slice of its cake!
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