Topic: that private car transport should be taxed to pay for public transport
Some people argue that taxes on private car transport should be used to pay for public transport.
One way in which such a tax is collected is through petrol taxes. In New Zealand at present a variety of taxes are collected from petrol. The largest tax on petrol goes towards the National Land Transport Management Fund, 50.5 cents for every litre of petrol (MED, 2012). The fund collected $ 2394 million in 2011-12 (NLTM, 2012, p. 190). Some of this money goes towards public transport. In 2011-12, $220 million was given to public transport operations, and $31 million to public transport infrastructure (NLTM, 2012, p. 192). In contrast, $900 million was spent on state highway improvements and $500 million on state highway maintenance (NLTM, 2012, pp. 190-1).
Car supporters, such as the Automobile Association argue that using public transport is a ‘private choice’ and should not be subsidised by private car drivers (AA, ‘Petrol tax,’ 2013). They also argue that most of the population chooses private car transport, with 80% of travel in Auckland by car (NZPA, 2011). However, public transport campaigners think that more of the petrol taxes should go towards public transport. They argue that private car transport has a social cost that is not shown by government accounts alone. For example, cars and roads prevent people walking or cycling where they want. Much of a city’s surface area is taken up by road area. In contrast, a railway line is narrow and does not take up much space. The Campaign for Better Public Transport argues that in American cities, where there is little public transport, highways take up half of urban land, whereas in Japan, where is more public transport, highways take up a quarter of urban land (Pitches, 2009). Indeed, in Japan not only is their more public transport, there is greater taxation on cars, which also encourages more walking for short trips (Pitches, 2009).
Also, cars require the importation of fossil fuels, which are becoming more expensive and which place a strain on the whole economy. The anti-fossil fuel group Generation Zero argues that New Zealand spends $8 billion annually on importing fuel and that this amount might double by 2020 (Generation Zero, 2012). Also, car usage contributes great amounts of pollution. Generation Zero argues that cars contribute 40% of New Zealand’s carbon dioxide emissions (Young, 2012). However, the Automobile Association argues that cars contribute only 8% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gases, which is a broader group of chemicals (AA, ‘Driving and climate change,’2013).
Private car usage also causes more accidents and deaths than public transport. The Ministry of Transport has found that in 2007-2011 for every million hours spent travelling by each mode of transport there were ten deaths or injuries of car drivers and seven deaths or injuries of car passengers, while only 0.7 deaths or injuries of bus passengers (MoT, 2012, p. 3). In the same period for every 100 million kilometres travelled by each mode of transport there were 27 deaths or injuries of car drivers, 18 deaths or injuries of car passengers, and only 3 deaths of injuries of bus passengers (MoT, 2012, pp. 3-4). However, one should note that car transport is not the most dangerous mode. The most dangerous is motorcycling, where for every 100 million kilometres travelled there are 540 deaths or injuries. This is followed by cycling at 245 and walking at 120 (Mot, 2012, p. 3). Thus, the modes of transport which are environmentally friendly are not necessarily the same as those that are safest.
There are also social justice arguments in favour of public transport over private cars. Some sectors of the population are simply unable to use cars, even if they want to. There are sick and disabled people, especially the elderly, who are unable to physically drive. There are also young people who are legally prohibited from driving. In 2006-2009 the age groups of 5-14 years and 15-24 years were the heaviest users of public transport. “They spent more than twice as much time and travel more than twice as far compared with other age groups on average” (MoT, 2010, p. 3). There is probably an element of economic element to this finding, as younger people are also less likely to be able to afford a car. However, it is not a straightforward economic issue, as the same survey found that those on incomes above $60,000 per year were just as likely than those with incomes under this amount to use public transport (MoT, 2010, p. 1).
In conclusion, I think more petrol taxes should be used to fund public transport. The current private pricing system does not reflect the full social costs of private car transport nor the full social benefits of public transport. Admittedly, public transport could be funded by types of taxation other than petrol taxes, such as general income tax. However, petrol taxation is not only a source of funding towards public transport but also a deterrent against car usage.
References
AA (2013). Petrol tax. Automobile Association. 2013. Retrieved 2013, April 23 from
AA (2013). Driving and climate change. Automobile Association. 2013. Retrieved 2013, April 23 from
Generation Zero (2012). Why 50/50? Generation Zero. 2012. Retrieved 2013, April 25 from
MED (2012). Duties, taxes and direct levies on motor fuels in New Zealand From 1 August 2012. Ministry of Economic Development. 2012. Retrieved 2013, April 23 from
MoT (2010). Public transport household travel survey. Ministry of Transport. 2010, January. Retrieved 2013, April 25 from
MoT (2012). Risk – introduction and mode comparison. Ministry of Transport. 2012, September. Retrieved 2013, April 25 from
NLTMF (2011). Annual report 2011. National Land Transport Management Fund. 2011, June 30. Retrieved 2013, April 23 from
NZPA(2011). Drivers 'slugged for Auckland public transport bill'. NZ Press Association. 2011, March 28.Retrieved 2013, April 23 from http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4816459/Drivers-slugged-for-Auckland-public-transport-bill
Pitches, C. (2009). The REAL cost of automobile dependency. Campaign for Better Transport. 2009, April 10. Retrieved 2013, April 25 from
Young, P. (2012). Road emperors have no clothes. Dominion Post. 2012, June 11. Retrieved 2013, April 25 from
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