Rachel Reeves was correct to avoid backlash following last week’s Budget, according to a leading motoring expert, amid concerns the Chancellor would hike costs for motorists.
According to new research, 77 per cent of drivers said Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not do enough to support them in the Autumn Statement.
The survey found that motorists feel “overtaxed, overcharged and underrepresented” following the Budget, citing that changes made did not align with what was needed to support British drivers.
The majority of motorists and experts were surprised that the Chancellor extended the five pence per litre cut to the rate of fuel duty, despite many assuming the Government would hike the rate in line with inflation, which could have been a 7p per litre jump.
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Many drivers said they expected more from the Chancellor’s Budget
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Chris Rosamond, current affairs and features editor at Auto Express, said: “Rachel Reeves made a politically adept move to swerve the backlash that would have followed a hike in the rates of duty charged on petrol and diesel.
“Existing rates are already seen by many drivers as totally excessive, and our letter to the Chancellor prior to the budget made clear our thoughts on why tightening the screws at the pumps would be unfair and hit the worst-off drivers hardest.”
Recent data from the RAC found that fuel was still at a three-year low despite a brief price jump last month in the global price of oil following tensions in the Middle East.
Petrol prices currently stand at 135.2p per litre, while diesel now costs just over £1.40. Despite the massive drop in costs since January, diesel in the UK is still the most expensive in Europe.
The Autumn Statement also outlined that the Government would provide a nearly 50 per cent increase, on 2024-25, in funding for local road maintenance.
This will go hand-in-hand with Labour’s pledge to fix an additional one million potholes across England each year.
Prior to the General Election, Labour identified potholes and roads as a key pledge for motorists, highlighting how there are 100 more potholes on English roads than there are craters on the moon.
A £500million boost was included in the Budget, taking the total investment to maintain and renew the nation’s roads to almost £1.6billion.
However, 72 per cent of motorists said they wanted Chancellor Rachel Reeves to keep Labour’s pre-election promises to redirect £8.3billion of scrapped HS2 funding to potholes.
Many motorists have also noted how the extra £500million was “not enough” to address the UK’s crumbling roads, with eight in 10 supporting this statement.
Rosamond added: “Our post-budget poll shows drivers are highly cynical over the government’s promise to spend £500m fixing a national pothole crisis – which the whole country knows requires billions of investment – with more than 80 per cent saying the measure doesn’t go far enough.
“Hopefully this feedback will reinforce the message to Chancellor Reeves that drivers feel overtaxed, overcharged and underrepresented when it comes to the issues that matter most to them.”
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Labour pledged to repair one million more potholes per year in its manifesto
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In September, Transport Secretary Louise Haigh visited Blackpool to see how technological solutions can identify potholes and repair them in an efficient manner.
The Project Amber scheme uses an “advanced imagery system” which takes high-definition images of the roads to detect potholes and compile data on which areas need to be addressed.
Haigh said: “For too long, this country has suffered from a pothole plague. Our roads have become a constant and visible reminder of the decline in our country’s infrastructure, which stunts economic growth.”