Fleet News General Election Overview

With just days to go before the General Election, Fleet News presents the three main parties’ key manifesto pledges that will impact on fleet managers, their drivers and their employers.

Commit to a new high-speed rail line and invest in existing rail services
Extend hard-shoulder motorway running, alongside motorway widening
No national road pricing in the next Parliament
Ensure 100,000 electric vehicle charging points within five years
End default retirement at 65, introduce more rights for working fathers and ensure the National Minimum Wage rises at least in line with average earnings
Introduce a ‘bonus’ tax, a 50p tax rate on earnings over £150,000, add 1p on National Insurance Contributions and reduce tax relief on pensions for the best off
£4 billion to provide capital for growing businesses
Make business taxation “competitive” and ensure SMEs are not turned down unfairly for finance
Reduce the costs of regulation by more than £6 billion by 2015.
Establish a Green Investment Bank to invest in low-carbon infrastructure

For the full labour manifesto click here

Click on the topics below to hear audio interviews:

Paul Clark, Labour Transport Minister:
> workplace parking levies > local congestion charging and transport innovation funding > Road Safety > Speed Cameras > National Road Pricing > Driving for Better Business > Reporting Crashes to the HSE

Begin work on a high speed rail line
Help cut work-related travel
Stop government funding for speed cameras
Establish a new electric car recharging network.
Consult on a ‘Fair Fuel Stabiliser’.
Introduce a new system of flexible parental leave
Investigate abolishing the default retirement age and review to bring forward the date at which the state pension age starts to rise to 66
An emergency budget within 50 days of taking office
Ensure greater availability of credit for SMEs
Create an independent Office of Tax Simplification and reduce the number of forms needed to register a new business

For the full conservative manifesto click here

Click on the topics below to hear audio interviews:

Theresa Villiers, Shadow Transport Minister for the Conservatives:
> workplace parking levies & local congestion charging > carbon reduction > low emission company cars > electric car subsidy >Road Safety > National Road Pricing > Road Building > Professional Driver Qualifications > Intelligent Speed Adaptation

Cut rail fares, open closed lines and establish an infrastructure bank to invest in high speed rail
Work for a zero emissions target for all new cars by 2040 and extend targets to other vehicles.
Prepare for revenue-neutral national road pricing in a second parliament.
Introduce a rural fuel discount scheme
No income tax on the first £10,000 of earnings and introduce a one-year economic stimulus and job creation package.
Get banks lending responsibly
Reduce unnecessary red tape.
Reform business rates, make small company relief automatic
Better maternity and paternity rights
Scrap compulsory retirement ages, restore the link between the basic state pension and earnings and make tax relief on pensions only at the basic rate

For the full liberal democrats manifesto click here