Fuel

[Dave1258]

I know all about the insane amounts of tax we pay on our fuels (god bless you mr chancellor) but can someone explain why diesel in this country is more expensive than petrol.

In all the other european countries diesel is cheaper than petrol and i was always lead to believe that diesel is the cheaper product to produce by the oil companies, so why?


<hr width=100% size=1> Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

 

[britemp]

The vast majority of the price of fuel is duty, not cost of oil. The govt. adds duty to fuel (so they say) in relation to the relative damage it's use does to the environment. Diesel pollutes most, then petrol, then LPG, hence the levels of duty on each fuel type.

NB - the above is paraphrasing the govt's excuse for high fuel prices, I don't necessarily buy it myself! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif


<hr width=100% size=1><< Sig removed at request from Kim Hollamby - he thought it might scare forumites! >>

 

[longjohnsilver]

TAX!!

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[PaulF]

As it is more economical for the people to use diesel our thieving chancellor is taking advantage of our good nature and squeezing the soft bits. He does it because he can, because we can do sod all about it.

Lets face it if we found a way of running vehicles on tap water, he would damn soon slap a tax on it. It is just part of the enourmous drain full of money that this government sucks out of it people because it thinks it can spend it better than us. Faster, and on a lot of unnecessary things, like MP's pensions for example, but definately NOT better.

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[KevB]

It's because the Government pushed the car manufacturers into creating lean burn petrol engines for cheap green brownie points then suddenly diesel engines became greener and more refined. So now the Govnmt Tax diesel more to pacify the car manufacturers who invested all their money in lean burn.

Unless you are buying an out and out performance car why would anyone choose petrol over diesel if buying new?

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://static.photobox.co.uk/public/images/45/99/10714599.s.jpg?ch=97&rr=16:00:39>Nirvana</A>

 

[Dave1258]

I think that we simply cannot carry on killing people around the world without funds. If fuel prices were less, how could we possibly afford to send our lads over to foreign climes to slaughter those who get in our way. America is fortunate in as much as it has low fuel costs but is able to raise revenues from countries it has either invaded, or blackmailed to sell their natural resources to them so they can afford the very best killing machines. Futhermore, America is determined to hang on to number one spot in the pollution of our atmosphere as they think that their polluction will only effect other countries. Strangley, although mother nature is hammering their shores with hurricanes the Yanks have still not seen the writing on the wall. I think a large earthquake is needed to wake them up.

I don't mind paying higher prices for fuel if I knew the money was being used to benefit our health service, reduce environmental damage etc but i fear that is not happening.

High fuel prices and congestion charging etc also helps to limit the likes of us using the roads, to free them up a bit for company directors whose costs are simply written off against tax.

I notice the Queen has gone green using only LPG for her Daimlers. What a terrific example to all other Daimler owners. Maybe Big Ears will get his Aston Martin running on LPG. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif


<hr width=100% size=1> Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

Simple really.

Don't drive and don't own a car.

Well, OK, my wife drives and has a car, but at least its diesel and sn't used too much, mostly to get us to the boat/relatives or for her business

<hr width=100% size=1>Two beers please, my friend is paying.

 

[jhr]

Dunno about Big Ears but for years, his dad got around Central London in a battery powered van (and may still do, though I suspect its lack of potential as a getaway vehicle, in the event of a visit from the guys with big beards and Kalashnikovs, may have rendered it redundant).

Phil's a bit of an ecologist, on the quiet, when he's not peppering pheasants with buckshot......... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>Je suis Marxiste - tendance Groucho

 

[DRH]

Well didn't it used to be cheaper than petrol? Oh, then it became more popular so the government put the price up cos they can't have people getting something at a reasonable cost can they! Still, as long as Prescott can be ferried around for his lunches that's all right then.
Honestly, who of genuine integrity & having a true interest in the benefit of the people would have such an ignorant twat for a deputy PM.

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[gandy]

Is it really a party political issue? I don't remember fuel being cheap under the Tories.

Tony S

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[DRH]

I just remember diesel being cheaper than petrol years ago when there were fewer diesel vehicles on the road, and I do appreciate that they may pollute more than petrol vehicles, but the question still is why do the government put such an extreme duty on fuel? Then they give themselves an above average allowance for it. Does that make you feel like it's fair for all?

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[Trevethan]

Oh so bio-diesel which is environmentally neutral -- releases as much CO2 when burnt as the plants abosrbed lasy summer when they grew lasy summer -- has no tax at all.....

They obviously haven't realised this and will lower the duty very soon.
I know I can count on Mr Brown to do the right thing.





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