Fuel prices - ranting to a solution

Truckers who are protesting about fuel prices might like to have a chat with miners who remember the 1980's. When they were fighting for their jobs (While I disagreed with the methods, they did have a point about the impending mine closures) I don't recall much support from the road industry who seemed happy to ship the stuff around. Now the haulage industry is in a similar state. Everyone who has a HGV licence and some redundancy money set themselves up as a business - the upshot of which is that there are too many supplier. People like Stobarts are busier than ever but the small guys are finding it very hard.

Now I ought to be all in favour of any tax cuts on petrol. I drive an old camper van with a laughable MPG. And I have the time this year to get out and use it. The trouble is I also firmly believe in public transport and know that if petrol gets cheaper, more people will get on the roads and off the trains and buses.

So some solutions, serious and not:
1) At the date of sale, a fuel price should be marked on vehicles. That will be the price that the owner will pay forever. With the regular changing of cars, people will still pay the ever increasing price. Of course, I will be paying 33p per gallon but that's OK :-)

2) Cut the tax on fuel that public transport buys perhaps by making it VAT exempt for licenced operators. That tilts the balance in favour of bus and train use thus supporting the "green" agenda. Of course that won't happen 'cos our Government hates public transport.