Using Eurotunnel May Save the Environment but Gordon's Flight Tax Won't

"No good for the Environment, but a boost for Eurotunnel and the ferries" - that's the verdict of Shepway Lib Dems on the doubling of Air Passenger Duty (APD) which took effect on 1 February.

Air Passenger Duty is a flat rate tax paid on air passenger tickets. For economy seats on domestic and European flights, APD doubled from £5 to £10, and for long-distance economy flights APD is now £40 for the outward flight.

Shepway Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman, Toby Philpott, claims the tax is a poor environmental measure, but may prove a welcome boost to the cross channel trade. Toby said:

"The Government sold this tax rise as a measure to tackle global warming and climate change.

"The reality is that it is nothing of the sort. It is simply a tax rise camouflaged as a green measure that will do nothing to reduce the pollution from aircraft. It will do a great deal to boost Government coffers - Gordon Brown will rake in another £1 billion a year from this tax rise and he has not used it to cut taxes elsewhere.

"In the short term, a few people may choose to avoid the flight to go on holiday - you could now get a return Eurotunnel or ferry crossing for Dover for a car and 2 people for less than the TAX a couple would pay on a flight to Florida! [*] In the long term however, the tax will be ineffective against cutting pollution - because its based on taxing people, not taxing pollution.

"The Lib Dems support real green taxes based on the amount of pollution certain activities cause. For example, we will scrap Air Passenger Duty and replace it with a charge on the plane based on the pollution the plane causes.

"The more fuel efficient a plane is, the less pollution it causes and the less tax charged on it. It will be a direct incentive to airlines to buy cleaner, greener planes.

"But any extra taxes raised from green taxes must be used to cut income tax. We believe people pay enough taxes already and we will not increase the overall burden. Indeed, if you have a cleaner, greener lifestyle, the amount of tax you will pay under the Liberal Democrats would go down."

[*] A couple would now pay £80 APD on a flight to Florida (£40 per person). A 5 day saver fare on Eurotunnel for a car with up to 5 passengers (departing 10pm Sat 24 Feb, returning 8pm Wed 28 Feb) would cost £78. A return on Speedferries from Dover - Boulogne for a car and 4 people (departing 8am 12 Feb, returning 11am 19 Feb) would cost just £48!