Publications
Partners
LONDON, England - The UK is planning to scrap road-tax discs in 2014 in favour of a new online system.
According to a poll by vehicle trading site Motorpoint.co.uk, 60.6% of drivers backed the decision by Chancellor George Osborne to axe the tax disc after more than 90 years.
More than 1500 people participated in the survey.
‘SAD TO SEE IT DISAPPEAR’
The UK tax disc was introduced in 1921 to show that drivers paid vehicle excise duty. It was revealed in the UK 2012 budget that it was no longer needed with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and police relying on an electronic registry.
The new online system will also allow drivers to pay their road tax by monthly direct debit. Drivers without internet access will still be able to pay by phone or in person at their local post office.
Imagine doing away with the tedium of queuing at the traffic department to obtain your licence disc as many people still have to do in South Africa? Perhaps we could learn from the UK and save our road users unnecessary stress.
Managing director of Motorpoint, Mark Carpenter, said: “The tax disc is part of the fabric of motoring and I am sure it will take some getting used to not having it on show in our windscreens. However, with the widespread use of real-time online systems by the police and other agencies to combat avoidance, the role of the tax disc has become largely symbolic."
Do you think SA should implement the same online road-tax/licence disc system? Email us and we’ll publish your thoughts on Wheels24.
According to a poll by vehicle trading site Motorpoint.co.uk, 60.6% of drivers backed the decision by Chancellor George Osborne to axe the tax disc after more than 90 years.
More than 1500 people participated in the survey.
‘SAD TO SEE IT DISAPPEAR’
The UK tax disc was introduced in 1921 to show that drivers paid vehicle excise duty. It was revealed in the UK 2012 budget that it was no longer needed with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and police relying on an electronic registry.
The new online system will also allow drivers to pay their road tax by monthly direct debit. Drivers without internet access will still be able to pay by phone or in person at their local post office.
Imagine doing away with the tedium of queuing at the traffic department to obtain your licence disc as many people still have to do in South Africa? Perhaps we could learn from the UK and save our road users unnecessary stress.
Managing director of Motorpoint, Mark Carpenter, said: “The tax disc is part of the fabric of motoring and I am sure it will take some getting used to not having it on show in our windscreens. However, with the widespread use of real-time online systems by the police and other agencies to combat avoidance, the role of the tax disc has become largely symbolic."
Do you think SA should implement the same online road-tax/licence disc system? Email us and we’ll publish your thoughts on Wheels24.
