‘Pay per Mile’ Road Pricing for Lorries on the way – and cars MUST follow too

The government is consulting on plans to introduce pay-per-mile road pricing for lorries on UK roads, but road pricing for cars is inevitable too.

The Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, has announced the government is consulting on plans to introduce a pay-per-mile road pricing system for lorries using UK roads. Which seems eminently sensible.

There is already a system in place – the HGV road user levy – which charges UK lorry owners to use UK roads and is collected at the same time as VED, and  overseas lorries have to pay a levy before they enter the UK – ranging from £1.70 to £10 per day – depending on their vehicle.

But Chris Grayling is looking to set up a proper road pricing system which will automatically charge lorry drivers based on the mileage they do, when they do it and where they’re driving. 

Grayling reassured car drivers that the government has no plans to introduce a road pricing system for car drivers in the UK ‘for the foreseeable future’, but it’s really the only thing that makes sense.

Yes, road pricing is a regressive tax, but it is going to be the only way the government can protect the huge revenues it garners from fuel duty in a world where plug-in hybrids, BEVs and FCEVs dominate, and autonomous cars provide basic transport needs for many.

Addressing congested roads with pricing which deters non-essential traffic at peak times makes absolute sense, and will ensure that all vehicles using the roads pay a rate commensurate with their usage.

The ‘foreseeable future’ Grayling referred to probably makes it clear there will be no road pricing for cars in this government, but fast forward to a post-Brexit UK and it’s all but certain we’ll all be paying tax based on when we drive and where we drive within the decade.

And it looks likely road pricing for lorries will arrive by 2020.