Will motoring matters impact how you vote?

Politicians from all parties have hit the campaign trail ahead of the general election in Could, making 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 vehicle owner pays a lot more than their fair share of taxes.

In fact, of the £582.6 billion raised in UK taxes final monetary year, almost 10% came from motorists.

Duty calls

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

That is more than UK businesses spend in business rates (£26.8 billion) and nearly the exact same quantity as the government collects in council tax (£27.5 billion).

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

Let’s not neglect the numerous hidden ‘taxes’, such as penalties for minor traffic and parking infringements. They should add up to quite 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 put up with potholes, puddles and parking permits. They often have to drive in the dark, also, with many roads now blacked out after midnight.

In a recent AA survey, the state of the roads in general – and potholes in certain – came out as the number one particular concern for drivers.

It is no wonder. Experts reckon potholes lead to up to 1 in 10 mechanical failures, costing motorists an estimated £730 million a year.

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

Expense analysis

The expense of motoring is also high on the list of worries.

Petrol costs may have come down in current months, but many motorists are suspicious of the massive oil firms and would like to see higher 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 believe tolls should be dropped from key river crossings, as they are in Scotland.”

Driving bad

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

They would therefore like to see far more cops in cars to target harmful behaviour such as tailgating and use of mobiles at the wheel.

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

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

Far more recently, 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 troubles alone. Health, education and the economy tend to sway the benefits.

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

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

• Condition: remove potholes, ring-fence funding, enhance parking

• Congestion: take away bottlenecks, increase bypasses and capacity

• Casualties: take away harmful junctions, enhance education

• Co-operation: take away conflict, enhance driver behavior

• Expense: take away unfair tolls, increase fuel cost transparency.

Drivers can show their support on twitter with #Vote4BetterRoads.

They can also question prospective parliamentary candidates on their plans to assist drivers, assuming they handle to stay away from the potholes on the campaign trail.

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

Will motoring matters impact how you vote?