Diesel / BioFuel Classification

Diesel Vehicle Bans / Increased Taxation and Classification

I received an email today with a really sensible question:

The answer, I suspect, is that the diesel driver is screwed!

The government has been surprisingly tolerant of bio fuels for many years now, not subjecting low mileage users to tax duties, etc. This, I suspect, is mainly because it was more trouble than it's worth to try and police the system. The downside of this, unfortunately, is that there’s no register that I’m aware of for bio-fuelled cars.

Yes, I drive a diesel on Veg Oil, but no one officially knows... in the eyes of the Law I still drive a diesel.

DVLA Classification

Why can't we be classified as eco-drivers by the DVLA? Veg Oil isn't a poluting fossil fuel after all.

Unfortunately, whilst I can drive on Veg Oil, I can just as easily drive on diesel - because that's the nature of Veg Oil conversions.

Consequently I'd be classed as a Diesel driver and even IF a register existed, because folks COULD drive on diesel rather than veg oil, The Government would have to TRUST the motorist to drive of veg oil and not diesel, and Government's tend not to be big on trust.

Because of this, I suspect with or without a DVLA register, a diesel engine would still be a diesel engine, regardless of what FUEL it consumes.

Unless the DVLA grants exemptions (as they do with combustion engines being replaced with electric ones), I fear it's simply a case of the diesel driver suffering higher fuels prices / duties and bans.

Some things never change : )