- Budget 2009
- Save money on motoring costs
- Top tips on lowering your car insurance premium…
- Budget facts
- Balancing the books
- Budget Disasters

When he delivers his Budget speech on Tuesday, Alistair Darling needs to play his part in safeguarding the jobs of 800,000 at-risk Brits workers employed in our ailing motor industry.

With respect, the man didn't have a clue when he was Transport Minister. And he's performed even worse as Chancellor. Frankly, he needs all the help he can get. So, for what it’s worth, here’s some from Mike Rutherford - 10 ideas to save the car, the motor industry and those jobs… while at the same time helping out the beleaguered private motorist and others in the UK.

1) Offer motorists who trade-in their old bangers for factory-fresh cars a standard cash incentive of £2,000.

2) But don’t scrap all those nine years (or older) trade-ins. Instead, let Britain donate the best ones to teachers, health professionals/volunteers and other essential workers in Third World countries. Also, a few Brit-made spare parts, tools and manuals in the boot of each car wouldn’t go amiss.

3) If motorists do the environmentally-responsible thing and trade in their existing old cars against ultra low-emission, super fuel-efficient, unused models that are officially capable of more than 65 mpg overall, the cash incentive from Government could rise to, say, £3,000. Although they are not cheap, there are several cars capable of 65mpg plus, including credible models such as the Ford Fiesta and Focus Econetic, VW Polo BlueMotion, and Skoda Fabia Greenline.

4) Drivers who haven’t got an old car to trade-in might qualify for a 10 per cent Value Added Tax rate if purchasing an unused 55mpg car, or a five per cent VAT levy when buying a 65mpg machine.

5) All cars built by tax-paying British workers, in British factories should have ‘Made In Britain’ stickers proudly plastered over them in the showrooms, thereby identifying their origins. Such cars need to be VAT-exempt. Sales of Bentleys built in Crewe, Lotuses (Norfolk) Jaguars and Land Rovers (Midlands) and Rolls-Royces (Goodwood) would increase, thereby making the factories and workers more secure. The Made in Britain badges would also help consumers work out which Nissans, Toyotas and Hondas are made in the UK and which ones aren’t.

6) Tata of India (owner of Jaguar and Land Rover) to receive the state subsidies/loans it needs in the UK on one condition - that it builds some of its Tata Nano budget cars over here.

7) Free parking spaces in ALL national and local Government cars parks, 24 hours a day - but only for drivers who have been socially responsible by investing in THE cleanest, most fuel efficient cars. Ministers, MPS, councillors and civil servants would be banned from using these parking bays unless they too invest in and drive such kind to the environment vehicles.

8) Free bus travel for ALL full time school, college and university students, plus every child or adult attending evening classes. Many buses run ridiculously empty for much of the day and night. By providing free rides for those educating themselves, such public transport vehicles would go some way towards justifying their currently questionable existence.

9) Grants for employees who give up the desks in their traffic-choked city centre offices and work from home instead, thereby relieving the pressure on the public transport system. These workers could qualify for free or subsidised British-built computers and office furniture for their home offices in spare bedrooms or outbuildings. An added bonus is that they would help put life back into their local small towns and villages where cafes, restaurants and take-away food outlets would have far more customers on their doorstep.

10) The smallest cars (such as Smarts and Toyota iQs), to enjoy 50 per cent reductions in on-street and car parking fees. Why? Because they occupy half the space (or less!) of conventional cars.

- Budget 2009