Around 6,000 people have signed a petition just this week over proposed changes to the way vehicle tax is worked out amid fears motorists could be hit by ’crippling’ increases.

Francessca Ellison, who started the online campaign, said that although the plans to change the way road tax is estimated, to be based around weight, have been shelved, she fears they will be introduced at some stage and could hit many motorists hard.

Infrastructure minister Tim Baker has now admitted that it is not the right time to impose changes to vehicle duty. He believes he should have waited ’for a more suitable time’ and also accepts changes may now have to be made to the proposals.

Miss Ellison, aged 33, from Ramsey, drives a Land Rover and started the petition this week after consulting with a fellow group of driving enthusiasts she belongs to.

She told the Manx Independent that she estimates the road tax on her 4x4 would jump from £261 to between £500 and £600 a year.

She fears the changes to the vehicle duty would impact many people including:

Families that require larger vehicles to cater for their children, businesses that use HGVs or Vans, camper van / motorhome owners, classic car enthusiasts, 4x4 enthusiasts, anyone who owns a diesel vehicle and electric vehicle owners. She claimed: ’The proposal will discourage people from buying electric cars as they are substantially heavier than the equivalent petrol vehicles. For example, a Nissan Leaf which is currently zero tax, would become £385 to £585 in 2027. This goes completely against our government’s own green policies.’

But Miss Ellison added that the issue of six monthly tax payments which was due to be in place by the end of 2020 has also been postponed.

She said: ’The Manx people need this more than ever now we are in the third lockdown of the pandemic. Every person I have spoken to is in favour of six months tax and the post office counters already have the functionality programmed into their tills. To delay this, again, makes no sense. This is an awful decision by Mr Baker.’

Miss Ellison, who runs her own gardening business, said: ’Families with family cars will potentially pay more than £500 due to the weight of their vehicle.

’Small businesses will be crippled by the proposed increase.

’The government don’t call it ’road tax’ because our roads are an absolute disgrace and they should be ashamed.

’Why should people who have "weekend cars" or campers suffer because the government want to squeeze that little bit more from us to make up for their bad decisions. It’s about time they followed Jersey and put the duty payable on fuel.

’That is the fairest way for everyone.’

Tim Baker, MHK, minister for infrastructure confirmed the government will not be progressing the planned changes to vehicle duty until later in the year.

The Vehicle Duty Order 2021 had been due to be considered by Tynwald this month. He said: ’The proposed new Order was due to bring in small changes this year - a general increase of 1% to the current rates alongside some measures designed to support the climate change agenda, such as the introduction of a £30 surcharge on older, more polluting, diesel vehicles.

’The longer term changes were based on vehicle weight. Whilst for most people these would not come into force until 2025, these changes are more complex.

’These proposals were the subject of consultation before the start of the pandemic but over a year has passed and it is clear to me that ideas that were accepted almost two years ago now seem more challenging.

’This Order was placed on the March Tynwald agenda before the current lockdown started.

’Had I known then that we would be facing a surge in the number of cases and that people would be worrying about the future, I would have waited for a more suitable time. The next best thing is to withdraw the motion and to bring it back at another time, reflecting then on any changes that need to be made. That is what I will be doing.

’Sadly, this does mean that the option to pay road tax for six months will also be delayed. I remain committed to allowing payment by instalments but that will not now be available from April.’

He said current vehicle duty rates will remain in force until a new Vehicle Duty Order is approved by Tynwald.

He added that vehicle duty raises a total of £13.5m annually, all of which is spend on maintaining and improving the island’s highways. The proposed order was due to increase this amount to £13.7m, an overall increase of just below 1%.’