Disc Goes in Autumn

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05 December 2013 | Updated 01 January 1970

Originally introduced in 1921, to show that vehicle excise duty had been paid, Chancellor George Osborne announced in the Autumn Statement today (Thursday), that it was no longer needed as the DVLA and police now relied on an electronic register.

The decision will come into force in October 2014 and owners will be able to opt for paying on a monthly basis, rather than the current six- or 12-month instalments.

Commenting on the move, Paul Watters, Head of Roads Policy at the AA, told TWinFM: “The tax disk is now technically redundant with real-time online records available to the police and other agencies. In AA – Populus polling this January, 46% supported abolishing the tax disc and 28% opposed this, with a quarter undecided. 

“The tax disc has been with us a long time and it will take some getting used to as drivers may well like displaying the fact they have paid, shaming others whose discs are out of date or not there at all. However, reducing bureaucracy, improving efficiency and security, will save money that can be better spent on improving other DVLA services.” 

Not everyone has been enthusiastic with some saying this could lead to greater surveillance, through data gathering and others wondering if buyers of second hand vehicles might find it difficult to  get verification of payment.

Article written by Mike Gannon | Published 05 December 2013

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