Motorists will be hit in the pocket for buying environmentally-friendly family cars because of flaws in George Osborne’s plans to shake up road tax, a study reveals today.Some will be paying hundreds of pounds more because of a policy shift in vehicle excise duty rates from April next year.But owners of many gas-guzzlers will benefit from what will effectively be a tax break for dirty cars.It is claimed the changes, being brought in because the popularity of greener vehicles means the Government is missing out on valuable income, will yield an extra £5billion windfall for Treasury coffers over the first six years.The study, by car price experts Parkers, says most of the extra revenue will be generated by additional tax on buyers of cars emitting 1g/km to 130g/km of CO2. ‘The cleanest motorists will foot the largest slice of the tax rise,’ the report says. ‘This is inherently unfair.’Drivers of some of the greenest family cars such as the Toyota Prius hybrid, Ford Mondeo, Nissan Qashqai and the Mini will be the biggest losers over the six years under the road tax shake-up.

A special rate will apply in the first year of ownership, ranging from zero up to £2,000, depending on the engine’s green credentials. After that, most owners of green cars will pay a flat rate of £140 a year. So a driver buying a hybrid car, which uses electricity and petrol and is currently exempt from road tax, will pay £10 in year one and £140 a year thereafter.30cc backpack blower Plans to shake up road tax: George OsborneBut owners of many high-performance cars and gas-guzzlers will be quids in because of a flat-rate payable after the first year.66l backpackNew cars costing more than £40,000 will attract an extra fee of £310 a year for five years.akona backpack dive bagThe changes to vehicle excise duty (VED) do not affect existing cars, only new purchases, so families who already own green cars, or buy them before April 2017, will not be affected. gas guzzler backpack

Motoring groups predict a surge in new car sales to beat the rule change.Under the overhaul of the road tax system the current 13 bands of tax will be replaced by a three-band system where cars will be classified as zero emission, standard and premium. Only cars that emit 0g/km of CO2 – only electric vehicles for now – will pay nothing, while all other cars will pay £140. The exception is cars that cost more than £40,000, which will be subject to the extra £310 charge, meaning many will face a £450 annual road tax payment. This applies even to cars that emit 0g/km which will have a £310 bill.There are still 13 bands for the first year of a car’s life, with those that emit less CO2 paying less tax.Parkers studied the small print of the Chancellor’s VED plans, announced last July, and cross-matched it with their own data to calculate the winners and losers. The report says: ‘Government policy will hit the very owners who are lapping up cleaner cars, while some buyers of higher-polluting vehicles will see their road tax drop.’

Gas-guzzling winner: The Jeep Wrangler V6 (pictured in file image) is among the cars that will be taxed lessThe owner of a Toyota Prius producing 70g/km of CO2 will pay £725 over the first six years of the new car tax regime compared to nothing under the current system. But Ford’s Mustang GT fastback producing 299g/km will cost £925 less to tax over six years.AA president Edmund King said: ‘We believe the current system could have been reviewed to give more incentives for those that opt for lower emission vehicles.’All revenue from VED in England will go to a new roads fund to build and improve major routes. I've have a lot of people ask me about my consecutive bus, bike, and hike adventures in the Olympic National Park. Most trips only costing $3.00 round trip travel expense. That's not bad option when compared to driving a gas guzzler automobile. Particularly I use the Olympic Connection service that connects Port Angeles to Olympia, Wa (weekends limited currently).

This is a multi-bus route that is serves this rural area. To help answer questions about this service, I've decided to write up a some basic ideas for hiking by bus on the Olympic Peninsula. I will only cover the options from west of Port Angeles to the south ending in Quinault. Taking a bus out of Seattle or Seatac? Be sure to read my related article on public transportation to the Olympic National Park. Bus Out of Port Angeles I suggest leaving Port Angeles via Gateway Center on the earliest bus, but not to early that the tourist wont be around to pick you up when hitch hiking up the various park roads; since there is no free shuttle service to trailheads and most are 15 miles or so off of Highway 101. I personally utilize the 0930 Forks Bus (route 14), because it still gives me the ability to make some miles on the trail; after the bus drops you off. Elwha Valley Trails: 20 minute bus ride from Port Angeles. Bike or Hitchhike around 5 miles to Elwha Ranger station.

Various trail systems can be accessed from this point. Elwha Trail starts another 5 miles up the Whiskey Bend Rd. (check if the road is open) *travel cost $1.50 each way Lake Crescent Trails: 30 minute bus ride from Port Angeles. Bike really not necessary, since the unofficial trialhead is right under Highway 101; at the designated bus stop for Barnes Creek. Most popular of these trails are Storm King, Marymere Falls and Barnes Creek Trail which leads to the Aurora Divide Trails and gives an expert backpacker access to the whole Park. *travel cost $1.50 each way Sol Duc Trails: 52 minute bus ride from Port Angeles. Bike or hitch hike around 14 miles to the Sol Duc Trailhead. Most popular of these trails are Sol Duc Falls and the High Divide Trail Loop (Seven Lakes Basin). An expert backpacker can access the whole area. A weary hiker can relax at the Park owned Sol Duc Hot Springs; for a non-modest fee. Hoh Rain Forest Trails: 1 hour 40 minute bus ride from Port Angeles (includes the Jefferson County Shuttle Transfer layover).

Bike or hitchhike around 15 miles to the Hoh Visitors Center. Most popular of these trails is the Hoh Valley Trail which accesses the Rain Forest and Mt. Olympus (High Divide can also be accessed from the Hoh) *travel cost $1.50 + .50 for Jefferson County Shuttle each way Lake Quinault Trails: Roughly 4 hour bus ride from Port Angeles (includes the Jefferson County Shuttle and Grays Harbor Transit Transfer layover and travel times). Bike or hitchhike a various distance of 13 to 20+ miles of paved to unpaved roads. Most popular of these trails are Enchanted Valley, Skyline Primitive Trail and North Fork Quinault which is also known as the Press Expedition Trial. I suggest getting off the bus at the Lake Quinault Lodge via the Grays Harbor Transit at the Quinault Merc. *travel cost $1.50 + .50 for Jefferson County Shuttle + $1.00 for Grays Harbor Transit each way Olympic Coast: La Push and Rialto Beach can also be accessed by taking the La Push Bus (5 mile hitchhike or bike ride is required from Mora Road).