Since Alastair Darling’s spring budget owners of post 2001 cars and the motor trade have been thrown into confusion over VED.

All the Government seem to have to offer the millions of drivers and businesses affected by their actions is a possibility that there “might” be some announcement in the autumn pre-budget statement.

Cold comfort indeed with some MPs rumouring they would like to go further.

As the Association of British Drivers chairman Brian Gregory has commented: “This cavalier attitude to the value of what is most people’s second most expensive possession and to the future prospects of those involved in the used motor trade is totally unacceptable.

“The value of used cars is effectively in limbo until the situation is made clear.

“Car traders are now forced to gamble on purchase of stock and valuation of existing stock, which will be hugely affected by the proposed changes.

“Owners of affected vehicles are faced with decisions on repair bills for vehicles with an uncertain value.”

ABD spokesman Nigel Humphries said: “Most drivers don’t have a clue what is about to hit them as the Government has failed totally to spell out which cars are affected.

“Most journalists and broadcasters have taken the government spin at face value.

“This has unsurprisingly concentrated on new car figures or on the most popular sellers in 2007.

“These are of course the latest, most efficient models. What the public has yet to wake up to is that the facts are far worse as earlier models built between 2001 and 2006 will be far less efficient and drivers of quite mundane average cars are to be hit very hard indeed.

“For example, several non sporting Vauxhall Astra and Focus models will be paying £270 a year and some VW Beetle and Mondeo automatics £430 a year.

The only place that detailed CO2 figures for older cars can be found to our knowledge is on the SMMT website.

“The Government could publicise these figures but they choose not to.”

Michael Morton Bruce Street, Even Swindon