Road tax: Flat rate £25 charge for motorcycles among new proposals

A flat rate of £25 could be charged for road tax on motorcycles

Motorcyclists on the Isle of Man could be charged a flat rate of £25 in road tax under proposals to "simplify" the system.

Charges are currently divided into bands based on the size of the engine's cylinder capacity ranging from £16 to £80.

If approved, the plans will see road tax for other vehicles rise by 3.2% in the first increase since April 2018.

The changes are due to take effect from 1 April 2020.

Under the proposals by the Department for Infrastructure (DOI), road tax for veteran and historic motorcycles would also be increased.

Vehicle duty for veteran vehicles, over 30 years, will rise from £16 to £25 as will the charge for historic vehicles over 25 years old.

DOI Minister Ray Harmer said: "Finding a sustainable way to fund our roads is a complex challenge and the changes being considered now are the first steps on that journey.

"How the new funding model may develop over future years is in the process of being finalised and I look forward to announcing proposals in due course."

The planned introduction of a £14 charge for electric vehicles has not been included in the changes.

However, the DOI said a new 10-year model for charging vehicle duty in future, in the wake of the publication of the government's action plan to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, was being finalised.

Those plans are due to be announced later this year.