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So what does the Budget do to boost to cycling?

Not much, at least directly…

Alistair Darling’s budget reveals increased fuel duty and incentives for drivers to scrap old cars in favour of new less-polluting models but what will it mean for cyclists?

Fuel duty will increase by 2p per litre from September and then by 1p per litre above inflation each April for the next four years which could well force even more drivers to consider pedal power, bolstering sales of bicycles, which are already reported to have seen a recession-related boost.

There will also be a "car scrappage" scheme under which people trading in cars older than 10 years for new ones will get £2,000 to boost the ailing motor industry.

But while £2,000 would make a reasonable-sized dent in the price of a new car, it would go far further if you were spending it on a bike! Here's a novel idea. Why not divert some of that cash to already popular cycle to work schemes to make new bikes for commuters even cheaper.

See the BBC’s full budget report here

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6 comments

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cactuscat | 14 years ago
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one of the main things that dissuades people from cycling is cars. so i think there's mileage in giving away a bike for every car scrapped. redress the balance. okay, people might not use them but at least the number of cars is going down, and the number of bikes going up...  1

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TRs Blurb n Blog | 14 years ago
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I think bikes are cheap enough already. Even if government gave away a bike with every scrapped car it still wouldn't dissuade motorists from not choosing to use a car. I believe that the things that stop people from cycling are; safety, hills, rubbish weather, kids, getting sweaty.
Maybe a incentive would be to give a discount on technical clothing and baby carriers?

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Tony Farrelly | 14 years ago
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Indeed, but the majority of the cars bought here aren't made here either - they're imports. The vast majority of British car production is for export - so this scheme will have no direct effect on those British jobs.

Nor is it likely to be insurance against car makers not axing jobs in the UK, because nearly every other European country has a car scrapage scheme too.

If people don't want to buy new cars this is unlikely to make much difference - it probably amounts to a few months depreciation; and equally the majority of people who buy new cars don't tend to be driving 10 year old motors either - they drive much newer cars.

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Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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A nice idea but the idea is simply to boost production and keep nearly 1million people employed directly in the new car manufacture and retail sector in work. I would love to see cycling become cheaper but how many major bike brands are based and manufactured in the uk?

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wild man replied to Jon Burrage | 14 years ago
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They should go ahead with the bike idea and make everyone buy a Pashley!

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Tony Farrelly replied to wild man | 14 years ago
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Quote:

They should go ahead with the bike idea and make everyone buy a Pashley!

… and Bromptons, Mercians, Roberts… wouldn't mind any of those, and there's more… nearly said plenty more, but that might be stretching it

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