Dear Editor,
Whilst I agree with some of Sandra Pressman’s views on Tolls on SCUT roads (Letters, Algarve Resident, July 2), I cannot agree that the annual road tax in Portugal is “ridiculously cheap” in comparison with the UK.
The new scale of charges is very complicated to understand, but as an example, I pay approximately 265 euros for an average family saloon (petrol) which I consider far from cheap.
I’ve lost touch with the UK’s road tax rates, but a quick check on the DVLA site throws up another very complicated table. However, I don’t think I’d be paying as much over there as I am over here.
CO2 emissions now play a big part in calculating the cost of road tax. To raise the tax any more would make motoring almost prohibitive.
Maybe Ms Pressman drives a vintage car which is exempt from tax, or a teeny-weeny car that runs on fresh air.
Or maybe she’ll get a nasty shock next time she taxes her car. I do hope not.
It would be nice to think that someone’s getting a good deal, even if I’m the one that’s subsidising it.
June McDonald
by email
