Isle of Man motorists could see road tax climb by 10% in April

The proposals include a new payment option and tax on zero emissions vehicles

Motorists on the Isle of Man will face a 10% rise in road tax later this year, if Tynwald approves the move.

A charge on zero and low emissions vehicles, and a six-month vehicle duty payment option have also been proposed by the Department of Infrastructure.

Infrastructure Minister Chris Thomas said the changes were needed to pay for continued maintenance of Manx roads.

If approved by Tynwald members in March, the 10% rise in most road tax categories would take affect in April.

The changes, which include the first change to road tax on the Isle of Man since 2020, would "modernise the way vehicle duty is collected", Mr Thomas said.

The new £65 minimum rate of duty for electric vehicle owners was needed to bring them into line with the tax paid by hybrid and fossil-fuel vehicles, a spokesman for the infrastructure department said.

Under the proposals, drivers who want to use the six-month payment option rather than yearly payments would have to pay an additional £6 fee per transaction.

Mr Thomas said the department was also looking at introducing the option to pay using direct debits.

Vehicle owners on certain disability benefits would be exempt from paying the new minimum £65 duty, while those with vehicles registered more than 30 years ago will pay a £28 annual fee, a rise of £2.