Fuel Duty Rises

What does this all mean for your wallet? According to the AA, each 1p adds up to 50p extra a tank when filling up and if you're a family running two cars, the organisation has calculated that the overall increase is actually higher than the average increase in council tax for 2010-2011.

Company Tax Cash Crash

Company car tax payers would have rejoiced when they heard that the amount of tax payable on their company motors will half if they pick up a "ultra-low carbon car". Trouble is to qualify for such a juicy discount, you' ll need to buy one which emits between 1 and 75g/km of C02. Alas, there are no such cars actually available with emissions that low but it's worth bearing in mind that the scheme will be in place for five years from April - so there could be hope yet...

As for drivers of zero emissions motors such as electric vehicles, you can enjoy being exempt from company car tax for the next five years from April.

Pennies For Potholes

In an announcement aimed at clearing up potholes, Darling revealed £100 million is being handed out to tackle those wretched ruts in our road - which have been causing untold damage to cars across the country. While that might sound like a significant sum, road repairers Asphalt Industry Alliance have already said to fix all the potholes in Britain would cost around £ 10 billion.

Hard Shoulder Highway

Darling is throwing £ 285 million to help ease congestion on our motorways at peak times by expanding the M42's "hard shoulder running" to other motorways - the scheme lets motorists use the hard shoulder as an extra lane. Motorways that could see hard shoulders being used include sections of the M3, M4, M5 and M27.

A Sting In The Tail

Don't forget the new "Showroom Tax" announced in the 2008 Budget, which from April adds a one-off payment of up to £950 to a new car purchase depending on its C02 emissions.

 

Adam Phillips, 7th April 2010