2017 Spring Budget...

..is coming tomorrow (Wednesday 8 March), the last such Spring event; future ones will be in the Autumn, inc. this year, replacing the Autumn /Statement. There'll presumably also henceforth be a Spring Statement!

So this thread is for coverage and comments.

For an initial BBC item, mostly guesswork, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-39187570

From what I've heard the economy is doing ok, their is some spare cash in the budget but it's all getting thrown into the big brexit pot as we'll need it for later.

Higher rate pensions relief is prime for the plucking

The usual BBC live-news feed is now online, at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/business-39155802

How about the diesel scrapage scheme, it has been talked about?

A Government incentive to scrap older cars to help us to reduce deaths by air pollution. The last scheme was supported by most, brought in by Gordon Brown. He could make it that new cars would need to be UK made/assembled.

How about the diesel scrapage scheme, it has been talked about?

 

A Government incentive to scrap older cars to help us to reduce deaths by air pollution. The last scheme was supported by most, brought in by Gordon Brown. He could make it that new cars would need to be UK made/assembled.

The best thing would be to replace diesel with electric vehicles in cities, and with the diversity in supply chains I'm not sure that we could reliably provenance any vehicle as 'made in the UK'

The best thing would be to replace diesel with electric vehicles in cities, and with the diversity in supply chains I'm not sure that we could reliably provenance any vehicle as 'made in the UK'

There isn't enough spare electricity generation capacity.

There isn't enough spare electricity generation capacity.

I expect the market would respond to that. Only about 30% of cars a diesel, so the proportion being driven solely in cities must be lower. What sort of increase in demand do you think it would create for every household in cities to replace their run-about second diesel car with an electric?

But as far as I know, the reason to replace diesels is based on air quality. On that basis, I am not sure a diesel scrappage scheme would deliver significant enough benefits if it just made people switch to petrol. I have seen data suggesting that Uber taxis are responsible for a significant amount of the pollution. Removing diesel engined taxis and buses would probably go a long way to solving the problem.

The most efficient way would be to reduce car journeys altogether, increasing tax on diesel fuel to invest in cycling and public transport.

I expect the market would respond to that. Only about 30% of cars a diesel, so the proportion being driven solely in cities must be lower. What sort of increase in demand do you think it would create for every household in cities to replace their run-about second diesel car with an electric?

 

But as far as I know, the reason to replace diesels is based on air quality. On that basis, I am not sure a diesel scrappage scheme would deliver significant enough benefits if it just made people switch to petrol. I have seen data suggesting that Uber taxis are responsible for a significant amount of the pollution. Removing diesel engined taxis and buses would probably go a long way to solving the problem.

 

The most efficient way would be to reduce car journeys altogether, increasing tax on diesel fuel to invest in cycling and public transport.

As all but the teeniest tiny commercial vehicles are diesel (with no alterntives available in most sizes) thats very much a tax on business.

As all but the teeniest tiny commercial vehicles are diesel (with no alterntives available in most sizes) thats very much a tax on business.

And a tax on me.

I bought a diesel golf because the greens said it was the right thing to do for global warming and such.

You tax me for forking out extra money to save the planet and I'll bloody well not do it again. I'm already hacked off that it has to go back to vw to have the economy lies taken out of it.

I bought a diesel golf because the greens said it was the right thing to do for global warming and such.

I'm not opposed to full EVs or hybrids at all (I enjoyed owning a full-EV 50cc scooter-alike as daily commuter 11 years ago or so), as none of our cars has to be a diesel (I went for diesel again this time, only because Merc + diesel + regular quality maintenance = intergalactic trouble-free mileage).

But AFAIK, one still can't do a 300 mile trip on a single electric charge, never mind 600 (-which is an annual requirement for our family wagon).

When electricity recharging points become as common and ubiquitous on motorway stations as fuel pumps, and recharging times to full charge shorten, I'll give EVs full and due consideration as alternatives for the main family wagon. In the meantime, hybrid at best, and probably a petrol-electric hybrid next time (diesels are just getting too complex and expensive to run, between DPFs, urea additives, <etc> and we just don't do the mileage).

Like the twice-yearly 600 mile trip (one way), a 4-seater convert is another requirement (they're not mutually exclusive in principle, but incompatible in practice due to boot space requirement for the long trip). I'd swap the convertible Mini Cooper S for a full-EV, if there was a decent or even semi-decent convertible EV available, because while its fun-to-drive factor is nearly up there with adult fun, it's a thirsty beast, expensive to keep in tip-top shape and one of these days it's gonna kill me if I don't get rid. But I'm not aware of any convert EVs at this time.

And a tax on me.

I bought a diesel golf because the greens said it was the right thing to do for global warming and such.

You tax me for forking out extra money to save the planet and I'll bloody well not do it again. I'm already hacked off that it has to go back to vw to have the economy lies taken out of it.

But when you change your car you have the option of buying another golf, with a tiny efficient petrol engine with a turbo on it. Mr van 3.5tonne van driver doesn't have choice. Neither, to the best of my knowledge do Hgvs. It's diesel or diesel.