Dump The Pump

FROM CAROLINE

subject dump the pump day

This was forwarded to me by a friend, just in case any of you are
interested,

Fact 1
When the petrol price was hiked in America last year, that's precisely
what they did. Nobody bought petrol for a day. The
loss of revenue was crippling for some of the big players. They rallied
round and forced the prices down again.

Fact 2
If you live in the UK, you are taxed at 85% on your petrol. Petrol is
now
approaching 84.90 per litre.

(Approaching? It's more than that round here!)

That's nearly Ł4 a gallon. For every Ł50 fill-up, you're just giving
the government Ł43 out of your own pocket.

Fact 3
For the average family, a 1p increase per litre in the cost of fuel
means an extra Ł100 a year out of their pocket. Work it out for
yourself. In the weeks leading up to mid June, you all took a salary cut
of around Ł700 a year.

Fact 4
Fuel duty has little to do with the environment. Leaded petrol was
supposedly taxed highly for environmental reasons. Why
then, when it was replaced with LRP did the price not come down? Diesel
fuel is cheaper, yet produces more carcinogens and particulates.; LPG is the cleanest fuel there is but you don't see the government promoting that do you?

Fact 5
Ł38billion is sucked out of motorist's pockets each year in tax. You buy
the planet's most expensive petrol, but do you see that money going back
into the roads? No you do not. A recent study pointed out that most of
Britain's roads are up to 15 years beyond their structural refurbishment
date.

Fact 6
Freight companies are suffering - so is our trade with the EU. When a
haulage company has to fill it's tanks with diesel taxed at such a
ridiculous rate, it's running costs become so expensive that companies
take their business to haulage firms based on the continent. That in
turn means a loss of income for our country.

Fact 7
Public transport is not an option. Buses and coaches become more
expensive again because of the underlying cost of running them. The
privatised rail and bus companies continue to slash services and close
branch routes because running them is not "cost effective." i.e. the
shareholders aren't getting their dividends. And the government are
doing nothing about it. Rail companies have been under performing and
missing targets as stipulated by their contracts ever since
privatisation. Yet they're all still in business.

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So Act!
There is no major organisation that represents the British driver when
it comes to matters of fuel duty. The government are
bleeding motorists dry. Why? Because they can. As long as public apathy
continues, and we keep paying ludicrous prices for our petrol, the
government will keep laying on the tax.

Starting on Tuesday, August 1st 2000, BOYCOTT THE FORECOURT PUMPS ON THE
1ST OF EVERY MONTH UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACTS AND CUTS THE TAX. Don't buy
any petrol or diesel. Spread the word and force the government to
listen. For once, let's stand up with a unified voice and make them
understand that we will no longer be quietly steamrollered into a
transport system that's crumbling under our feet whilst we pay for it
through the nose. Tell them you have had enough of Rip-Off Britain.

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If you work in a petrol station and support us: I suggest you start
printing on the receipts how much your punters just
paid in tax. If people start getting receipts that read Ł40
(Ł32=tax),then they'll start to take notice.

Official websites:; http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/boycott
http://www.dumpthepump.co.uk