What Fuel Crisis

Currently we are going through another fuel crisis with the truckers protesting in the streets and every news broadcast suggesting that there is no way we can survive if the cost of fuel stays the way it is. If a household spends over ten percent of their income on fuel then they are apparently in "fuel poverty" if they have to spend more than forty percent of their income on fags, booze, sky TV and clothes does that push it into "entertainment poverty"?

I think that I have a solution. We can't reduce the tax on fuel as it is there for a very good reason, to reduce our dependence on carbon fuels. As the tax office are benefiting from the increase on fuel duty as the price rises then they should have some cash to spare. If we where to give that back to the general population and businesses in an even way it would ease the burden on people while still encouraging the increased use of alternative fuels. Each person or business would get an even dole out regardless of the mileage they incur so the individual with the large gas guzzler would get the same handout as the person who always takes the bus. The haulier would get the same tax break as the battery company.

Maybe if fossil fuels have a cost that is more representative of their real affect on the planet then we might finally start to take the alternatives a little more seriously. If individuals or companies that think they are dependent on fossil fueled vehicles start to feel the pinch then they will start to seriously seek alternatives. For a while the cost of transport will rise but in the west we can more than afford that but after a time as we start to depend more on the alternatives the overall price will drop.

I think that it is the role of the government to give the markets a little nudge now and then to make sure that we have a longer term future. They should make the tough decisions for all our good and not knee jerk reactions to get the popular vote.