What Your Politicians Pledge to do for Motorists if they are Elected

The UK goes to the polls on May 22nd to elect 73 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs). On the same day there are also council elections across the country – although not in Nottingham and Leicester.

With the General Election also a year away, it’s set to be an important 12 months for the UK’s democratic process. And, voters will have to decide on which party to support based on a range of policy issues.

So, where do the major parties stand on motoring and roads policies? Keep reading to find out what we know about the major parties and their plans for drivers.

Labour

If elected, the Labour Party wants to implement a long term strategy for Britain’s roads. They would provide funds for maintenance and repair of roads to solve Britain’s pothole problem and to create new jobs.

They would also set aside funds to deal with emergency road repairs such as the floods that hit the country this winter.

The party also wants to make car insurance more affordable for younger drivers. John Woodcock, shadow transport minister, said, "With over one million young people unemployed, we need to remove as many barriers as possible to finding work,

"The sky-high cost of car insurance for young people is making it impossible for those who need to drive to be able to take up a job opportunity or stay on in education and training.

"Instead of simply pricing young people out of driving, insurance firms could help responsible young drivers by offering a choice of cheaper products that provide insurance at specified time to those who need their cars for work, education or training and are prepared to avoid the situations where more accidents occur."

UKIP

The UK Independence Party has already called itself ‘the motorists’ party’. They want to improve the pothole situation immediately and improve the standard of road repairs.

UKIP have also committed to tackling high petrol and diesel prices by reducing the level of fuel duty. They also oppose road tolls, comparing them to ‘another tax on motorists’. The party would let any existing road toll contracts expire.

The party also oppose EU measures to introduce new fuel into the UK to comply with its renewable energy directive. UKIP\'s Head of Policy Unit Tim Aker said: "This is another example of barmy green madness.

"This inefficient EU-favoured petrol will cut motorists miles to the gallon in the name of the bonkers green agenda.

"The EU should keep its nose out of UK motorists’ business. British motorists do not need to be lectured by inadequately briefed foreign bureaucrats about how they must pay more to drive. In fact Britain needs to seriously look at bringing down the cost of petrol instead of putting it up."

Conservatives

The Conservatives claim that they have invested more into the country’s road network than any government in 40 years. Since they were elected in 2010, the party has committed three times the amount of funding previously given for repairs, maintenance and new roads.

The party have also chosen not to raise fuel duty on four separate occasions, meaning that the cost of a litre of fuel is potentially 13 p lower than it could be now.

While in government the Conservative Party has also brought in law changes to deal with the so-called ‘compensation culture’ that has pushed up the cost of car insurance.

Liberal Democrats

As part of the governing Coalition, the Liberal Democrats have helped increase the funding available for Britain’s roads and secured money for a number of high profile improvements.

They also support the introduction of road tolls or other ‘cost neutral’ road pricing policies as well as measures to improve young driver safety.