Road user charging for the UK?

Road user charging is being considered for the UK.
By MJ Woof November 17, 2020 Read time: 1 min
As electric vehicles proliferate on UK roads, road user charging will have to be introduced to replace duty on fuel - image © courtesy of Mike Woof

Road user charging is being considered for the UK as a future means for raising revenue. The plans are being revealed now as a way of generating revenue as the switchover from electric and diesel fuelled vehicles to electric vehicles continues. 

Both petrol and diesel fuels are heavily taxed in the UK. This provides significant revenue for the British Government. But as EV use grows, there is a need deliver another source of funding to replace the estimated £40 billion generated by duty on fuel.

The concept of road user charging is by no means new, having been mooted several times in the past. But with far more EVs now being used on the roads, the concept has once again been suggested. Technology has advanced considerably in recent years and with most modern vehicles now featuring GPS systems, determining location would not be as difficult as previously.

There are numerous different models being considered, though the most logical would be to set rates based on factors including distance travelled, whether journeys are made at peak times and if trips are made in congested urban areas. Drivers travelling at night along quiet country roads for example would be required to pay considerably less than those using busy urban routes during the peak rush hour times.

Highway & Network Management

Related Content

  • The use of telematics in construction machines is growing
    May 20, 2015
    Demand for telematics technology is growing, as equipment users begin to lean the value of these systems – Alan Dron reports With construction projects increasingly operating to wafer-thin profit margins, any technological assistance that can keep the accounts in the black is welcome. This is particularly the case with those projects where contractors can share a larger slice of the profits if they complete their work ahead of schedule. The downside, of course, is that they also share the pain if the
    Read More
  • Lowering construction machine exhaust emissions
    November 6, 2017
    The alternatives to diesel fuel as a power source continue to grow as firms move to cut emissions - Mike Woof writes. Only the most myopic could have failed to notice that times are changing in terms of engine technology. In the on-highway automotive sector as well as for the off-highway construction machine segment, manufacturers are looking to lower tailpipe emissions. Similar technologies have been employed in both on-highway and off-highway sectors, although those solutions have been adapted to better
    Read More
  • Upgrading a busy A road link in the UK
    July 4, 2018
    The upgrade to the UK’s busy A14 route will address a significant traffic bottleneck - Mike Woof writes The UK is suffering badly from traffic congestion, a problem that is particularly severe in and around its major cities. Lack of investment in road construction over many years has resulted in a major backlog of work, while the country has seen growing vehicle numbers. To make matters worse, there have been few additions to the major road network since the late 1980s and early 1990s. And the combinatio
    Read More
  • China's economic growth fuelling vehicle increase
    March 14, 2012
    China is at a turning point in many ways. The country's continuing economic growth is fuelling a massive increase in vehicle numbers, with no signs of slackening. This is most acute and most visible in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, where traffic jams are now a frequent occurrence. One recent Beijing tailback stretched nearly 100km along a major highway and was caused by roadworks at a particularly busy stretch of the road.
    Read More

Highlighted Content