The cabinet will abandon its plans to introduce a kilometer tax on driving if members of the ANWB motoring organisation are opposed to it, transport minister Camiel Eurlings appeared to tell reporters after Friday’s weekly cabinet meeting.

Last week, the ANWB announced plans to poll its four million members on the introduction of the tax, which will replace road tax and the sales tax on new cars.
Eurlings said the ANWB’s support is extremely important to the success of his plan, which he says will cut jams and air pollution. ‘If the average motorist is against it, there won’t be a tax,’ news agency ANP quoted the minister as saying.
When Eurlings launched the plan late last year, he said the new tax had the backing of the ANWB. According to ANP, the organisation’s previous and current heads Paul Nouwen and Guido van Woerkom, were involved in devising the system.
Last November, Van Woerkom apparently demanded Eurlings come clean about the extra rush-hour charges before the ANWB gives its backing.
Eurlings claims most motorists will be better off with a kilometer tax because other motoring-related taxes will be scrapped.