Former Liberal Democrat Councillor Nick Hollinghurst who represented Tring on Hertfordshire County Council says,
“It’s good to have air travel accessible to the many – unlike 40 years ago when it was really only for the wealthy few.”
“But now we are more aware of the dangers of uncontrolled climate change.”
“Aviation fuel is untaxed nearly everywhere, while fuel for other modes of transport usually is not.”
“This is a hidden subsidy which is not longer either appropriate or justified.”
Nick is suggesting a small, ‘earmarked’ tax on aviation fuel to incentivise
* fuel saving,
* reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and
* cutting out air pollution from unburned fuel
The revenue is then ‘earmarked’ to be used by governments to offset public transport costs in their countries and encourage a shift from inefficient private cars to affordable and accessible trains and buses.
Nick Hollinghurst concluded,
“This is certainly not a new idea, but with air transport fuel being tax-free word-wide no country wanted to be first to introduce this. But now, I suggest we have little choice but to take the Climate Emergency seriously and for measures like these their time has come.”
“We’ve all seen the disasters that have hit Libya, Australia and the USA – when Ashridge, Epping Forest and the Yorkshire Moors have gone up in smoke and London’s hit by flooding it will all be rather too late!“