Honda’s views on expansion of fuel tax credits scheme

While previously available only to specific industries and heavy vehicle operators, the expansion enables off-road fuel concessions, providing benefits to professional users of landscape and gardening equipment, including lawnmowers, brushcutters and blowers.

According to Ray Briffa, the reforms to the scheme are welcome news for the garden care industry, particularly in light of the rising fuel prices, water restrictions and dry conditions experienced in recent years.

This resulted in a decline in demand for regular garden maintenance. Including garden service providers in the tax scheme will help them recoup some running costs.

Ray Briffa acknowledged the rising fuel cost pain as a widely felt sentiment in the industry, but is further encouraged by plans for the rebate to double in four years.

According to Ray Briffa, the enhanced sales of Honda's advanced four-stroke product range this year marks a trend, in which operators of traditional two-stroke equipment are making the transition to more fuel efficient products.

He feels that equipment operating costs are an important consideration for all businesses and for contractors using equipment for eight hours a day over the course of five or six days, the fuel savings are considerable.

Further benefits of four-stroke equipment include reduced exhaust emissions, quieter operation, minimal vibration and the ability to use regular unleaded fuel rather than an oil and fuel mix - eventually these factors lead to a more efficient and productive work day.