UK scraps tax disc

[John_D]

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25223631

I wonder will our archaic system ever catch up?

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

Not ideal but it seems like a positive step towards a better system for the UK motorists, I like the pay monthly thing too

[Curran]

If it could be implimented for a reasonable cost, and it would result in cheaper motor tax, in the sense that printing and postage costs, etc can be cut down....then happy days....but I fear the typical Irish thing will happen!! Great idea, spent a huge wedge of cash on a system that is rubbish and it'll be binned...much like the e-voting machines!

[TouchingVirus]

The only thing I don't like about it is the surcharge for paying monthly. What's the craic with that - 5% is brutal, and would be more brutal over here for the bigger engined folks. If the system is automated like say a toll card or London's congestion charge there should be very, very little in terms of transaction charges or extra hassle so why the need for the loading? If they're worried about compensation for Joe who takes the habit of non-payment or changes card and forgets to update levy him with a 5% charge or a fixed penalty when the monthly payment fails. Once again, incredibly easy to automate. A surcharge (interest) is fine for things like loans because you're getting the full value of the thing you're paying interest on before paying for it fully. But if you buy 1 month of road tax it's good for 1 month - you shouldn't have to pay a value >1 month.

I'd love to pay my tax monthly, or even every three months but at the minute the government will cream 10% extra if I do it that way, €197. That's 1/6th of my insurance premium, or the cost of a basic service, or two tanks of petrol, or some mods for the car etc.