Will motoring matters have an effect on how you vote?

Politicians from all parties have hit the campaign trail ahead of the general election in Might, producing promises on the NHS, the economy and the household.

But what about the motorist?

Sadly, no politician seems keen to woo the motorist vote, even even though the average auto owner pays much more than their fair share of taxes.

In reality, of the £582.6 billion raised in UK taxes last economic year, nearly 10% came from motorists.

Duty calls

UK voters with cars and other cars pay £26.9 billion in fuel duty alone, according to the AA.

That’s a lot more than UK companies pay in company prices (£26.8 billion) and practically the exact same amount as the government collects in council tax (£27.5 billion).

Motorists stump up a additional £6.1 billion in car excise duties, and £25 billion from VAT on fuel and car sales, firm auto tax and insurance premium tax.

Let’s not neglect the countless hidden ‘taxes’, such as penalties for minor visitors and parking infringements. They need to add up to very a fairly penny.

Exchequer mate

You’d feel the generous contribution to the chancellor’s coffers would win motorists some support in Westminster.

But no. Today’s drivers have to place up with potholes, puddles and parking permits. They typically have to drive in the dark, also, with several roads now blacked out soon after midnight.

In a recent AA survey, the state of the roads in basic – and potholes in particular – came out as the quantity 1 concern for drivers.

It’s no wonder. Specialists reckon potholes lead to up to one particular in 10 mechanical failures, costing motorists an estimated £730 million a year.

Potholes and poorly maintained roads are also a threat to road security, particularly if you ride on 2 wheels rather than 4.

Price evaluation

The cost of motoring is also higher on the list of worries.

Petrol costs might have come down in current months, but numerous motorists are suspicious of the huge oil organizations and would like to see greater transparency more than rates at the pump.

The abolition of tolls in England and Wales would also be a vote winner.

Edmund King, president of the AA, says: “We will continue to oppose tolls and think tolls need to be dropped from essential river crossings, as they are in Scotland.”

Driving poor

Then there’s undesirable driving. Motorists are increasingly aggravated by poor driving standards.

They would consequently like to see a lot more cops in automobiles to target unsafe behaviour such as tailgating and use of mobiles at the wheel.

There is also a call for better road safety education within the national curriculum from an early age.

But do Britain’s 35 million motorists have any political influence? Well, votes from Mondeo man helped to propel Tony Blair to energy in 1997.

A lot more lately, the AA effectively campaigned to outlaw rogue wheel clamping on private land.

King’s speech

But the AA is realistic. King says: “The AA is apolitical and we comprehend that elections are not won or lost on motoring issues alone. Wellness, education and the economy have a tendency to sway the results.

“However, transport and motoring are important to financial development in the UK and shouldn’t be side-lined.”

The AA is calling on political parties to commit to 5 Cs:

• Situation: eliminate potholes, ring-fence funding, enhance parking

• Congestion: remove bottlenecks, boost bypasses and capacity

• Casualties: eliminate unsafe junctions, improve education

• Co-operation: get rid of conflict, enhance driver behavior

• Expense: get rid of unfair tolls, improve fuel price transparency.

Drivers can show their assistance on twitter with #Vote4BetterRoads.

They can also query potential parliamentary candidates on their plans to aid drivers, assuming they manage to steer clear of the potholes on the campaign trail.

 Image: Voting by redjar is licensed under CC BY-SA 2. 

Will motoring matters have an effect on how you vote?