MP takes Mountain Rescue funding fight to the Treasury

3.00.00pm GMT Wed 9th Jan 2008

Local MP Tim Farron is pressing the Treasury over exempting Mountain Rescue vehicles from paying Vehicle Excise Duty. VED on 4x4 vehicles rises to £400 in April, which will saddle Mountain Rescue nationally with a bill of some £40,000 per annum.

This would seriously endanger the chances of survival of what is a vital service, funds raised by charitable donations would have to be diverted from paying for the services activities to enable them to pay their tax bill.

Tim Farron said:

"The Mountain Rescue Service performs an invaluable job, this was never more obvious than after the train derailment at Grayrigg in February last year. The MRS were able to access the site quickly and easily because of the nature of their vehicles, and it would be disastrous if the service had to shut up shop because of excessive VED charges."