We have become wedded to our cars and the government knows it. This budget has, as usual, increased the cost of motoring but only by an amount that will not stop us buying fuel and hence swelling the governments tax stream. This would be OK if we could be sure that the revenues were used to improve transport efficiency and reduce pollution, but we cant as the tax take disappears into the black hole of government spending.
The soaring cost of living brought widespread calls for the fuel duty rise to be postponed, while threats of new taxes for larger cars had been made.
But was the Budget 2008 good or bad for motorists?

Fuel duty rises postponed

 April’s 2p-a-litre rise in fuel duty has been posponed until October but with a real term increase of 0.5p a lt from 2010
 

Showroom tax increased

Changes to the road tax regime will mean support for lower emission cars but higher charges for larger family vehicles, 4×4s and executive cars. From 2009 there will be new tax bands for the most polluting cars.

From 2010, the lowest emission cars will pay no tax in the first year, while the most polluting will face a higher first year rate not yet revealed.
Road pricing

Unpopular moves to introduce road pricing throughout the UK took a step forwards, with the announcement of new funding for exploring local congestion schemes and charging for car travel.
EcoFamily advice is think green if you can, pollution these days does not pay ( literally ) if you think green the options available will usually be the most cost effective.

You might also want to watch this video about the current green car show at the impressive Eden centre.