Sammy volunteer drivers' threaten to leave transport service in tax row

Some of the steering wheel helpers who keep Sammy Community Transport on the road could walk away in protest next year.

They are unhappy the taxman is refusing to increase the 40p a mile allowance they claim for working for the charity. The amount has stayed the same for several years in spite of the soaring cost of fuel.

This means the drivers are being hit in the pocket for helping transport their passengers to essential appointments with doctors and hospitals.

The past year, according to the AA, has seen the average national price of diesel soar by almost 30 per cent to 128.4p per litre. Petrol has gone up just over 20 per cent to 115p per litre. That increase had a real financial impact on drivers who covered 59,154 miles for Sammy in the last full year.

Sammy manager Tara Gregory said: "It's a real possibility next year that we could lose some of our drivers because of this.

"One woman told me she was willing to give us her time but not her money. I've also had a few drivers say to me that they will not be able to continue to drive for us if the price of petrol goes up much further. If any of our drivers are not willing to help, it's going to hit us transporting the hundreds of people we see each month."

Mrs Gregory wrote to the chancellor, Alastair Darling, to call for the allowance to be raised to take account of the soaring cost of petrol.

But his exchequer secretary to the Treasury, Angela Eagle MP, replied the government would not raise the allowance. It was considered that other motoring costs, such as car values had declined, to cancel out the increased petrol cost.

"I think an increase to 45p a mile would be a help," said Mrs Gregory. "There is a petition going round calling for this.

"It's a case of lobbying our MP and getting in touch with Mr Darling to get everyone behind us as much as possible."

MP Nick Gibb, the charity's patron, made clear his commitment to Sammy's case in its annual report at last Friday'sannual meeting. He wrote: "One of the biggest issues Sammy has faced this year, together with other transport providers, is that of the unending increases in fuel costs.

"This has become an issue for the community car service drivers as the Inland Revenue are sticking with the 40p threshold that a volunteer can claim before they need to declare tax.

Likewise, it has put a strain on Sammy. Having eight vehicles to run but still wanting to be able to provide a service to the community at a reasonable rate is a fine line to distinguish."

Sammy's 23 voluntary car service drivers receive the allowance for filling up their cars, paying for their MoT and to help compensate for depreciation. But the impact of record petrol prices is also hitting Sammy directly.

The charity buys petrol needed for its five minibuses and three adapted cars which a further 21 volunteer drivers operate. They covered 25,055 miles in the year to the end of March.

The cost of the fuel rose by a staggering 71.4 per cent in that period to 6,298..