FYLDE'S tourism leader has slated plans to increase vehicle excise duty.

Coun Simon Renwick, Fylde;s cabinet member for culture and tourism, has added his voice to calls for a postponement in the 2p per litre increase in Vehicle Excise Duty set to be implemented by the government.

He fears that not only will Fylde's families be hi, but that the increase will also put even more visitors off visiting the Fylde's tourist areas at a time when businesses are starting to feel the bite.

Coun Renwick said: "We've had the scrapping of the 10p tax which made 5.3 million working families less well off - and now we have the changes in the VED which will see local families paying more for owning a car.

"The average Fylde family will be paying £80 a year more.  The government is out of touch and is adding to the growing misery of living in Brown's Broken Britain."

Some will pay the largest £245 increase, equivalent to more than a week's take home pay, while the average family hit will pay £80 more by 2010/11 - around two days' take-home pay.

The government still refuses to publish any detailed assessment of the impact of its Vehicle Excise Duty on those on low incomes.

Created on 16/07/2008