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Motorists' lobby holds key to kilometer tax

Friday 22 January 2010

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.

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Readers' comments

How do we (or the government) know that the ANWB will communicate this to their members without bias? One way or another? It seems a completely logical tax to me. Scrap a one-off tax that encourages more driving and a hefty sales tax and replace it for a pay-as-you-go tax. Problems?

By Rich | January 22, 2010 5:37 PM

Looks like we are finally going to learn who dictates the transport policy of the Netherlands: the ANWB and their four million members. Is there any chance that the rest of the population could get involved, especially those who are rightly concerned about CO2 emissions?

By Michael Dawkes | January 23, 2010 3:18 AM

poll was a good idea.... but

1. seemed to allow anyone (not just members) to participate. Allow opponents to ask ALL to take part.
2. Wording of the poll was terrible and seemed biased toward approving the tax. I think the minister and staff prepared it.
3.Items such as popups were poorly implemented by the web design firm (http://www.ruigroknetpanel.nl/).

By bobsocks | January 24, 2010 8:17 PM

@Rich - Big problem... we already have a pay-as-you-go tax which you pay per kilometer. It is levied on petrol. The advantage of this tax is that it is a) already in place, b) simple to levy and administer, and c) not an invasion of privacy for every motorist in the Netherlands.
There is no need to create a seperate new pay-as-you-go taxation scheme when a hike in petrol tax would achieve the exact same outcome without added burden (except to motorists of course).

By Marc | January 25, 2010 1:26 PM

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