Car tax hike hits drivers' pockets

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Motorists are being warned they'll have to pay out billions of pounds extra after the Government's move to increase car taxes.

Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said the rise in vehicle excise duty is "stealth taxes dressed up as green taxes".

He was responding to Gordon Brown's recent claims that the move is necessary in order to address "economic stability, the need to fund public services and the need to promote energy efficiency".

Mr Herbert said despite the Prime Minister's reassurances, the resulting effect on the environment would actually be "very low indeed", with emissions being cut by less than 1%.

He said that 80% of motorists - or 12.5 million people - whose vehicle is less than eight years old would have to pay out more as a result of the increase in duty.

The rise is yet another additional cost to motorists, who are already feeling the pinch due to soaring fuel prices and a hike in car insurance premiums.

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