Higher transport taxes not the answer, says minister

Higher taxes on gas guzzling cars and air travel are not necessarily the answer to rising emissions, the government has said.

Responding to a report by a committee of MPs, which has called for an increase in taxes on road and air transport to cut greenhouse gas emissions, transport minister Stephen Ladyman said that while increases could not be ruled out, he was not convinced that raising taxes would have the desired effect.

The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee says the Department of Transport has taken a "fatalistic" attitude towards cutting the growth in emissions caused by increased travel.

The report calls for speed limits to be cut or rigorously enforced and cites proposals by the Sustainable Development Commission which suggests increasing the top band of vehicle excise duty to £1,800, with bands decreasing by £300 intervals down to the least-polluting cars, which would be tax-free. It also suggests a return to the fuel tax escalator.

As regards air travel, the committee suggests that duty should be charged per flight, rather than per passenger and could also be extended to cover air freight.

The Committee said that transport was the only sector of the UK economy where carbon emissions have risen consistently since 1990.