In just 39 days time, major changes to car tax will come into force, which will alter the way you pay to keep your vehicle on the road .

The proposals were announced two years ago by the then Chancellor George Osborne and will mean some motorists will have to fork out hundreds more each year to tax their car .

Last year, 12,685 new cars were registered in the NW postcode area, which includes Ealing , Brent and Harrow , and in the W and WC postcode, which includes Hammersmith and Fulham , Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea , 12,608 new cars were registered.

So if you are thinking of registering a new car this year, you may want to have a browse through the changes to the car tax system.

The new rules come into force on April 1

Why are the rules changing?

The current structure, which is based on CO2 bands, was introduced in 2001, when the average emission of a new car in the UK was 178 gCO2/km.

The amount of carbon dioxide in a car's exhaust is calculated using a standard European test, with results showing the average amount of carbon dioxide produced for every kilometre that the car drives, measured in grams.

Two years after the band structure was introduced to measure the CO2 produced by cars, a Band A threshold was introduced, which meant cars with an emission below 100 gCO2/km were not subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), or road tax, as it is also known.

Since then, average new car emissions have fallen to 125gCO2/km to meet EU emissions targets, which means a large number of ordinary cars now fall into the zero or lower-rated VED bands, meaning they do not have to pay tax.

(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

How will I be affected?

Cars registered before April 1 2017 will not be affected.

All vehicles with zero emission will be exempt, namely electric and hydrogen cars.

Petrol and diesel vehicles will be subject to a £140 yearly flat rate and 'alternative fuel' vehicles, such as hybrids and bioethanol, will be charged £130 per year.

If you have a car emitting 99g/km which you bought before April 1, it will be free of road tax for life.

Those bought after that date will cost £120 in tax for the first year and £140 a year thereafter.

Cars emitting 131g/km will see a tax rise from £130 to £200, those emitting 151g/km will be charged £500 instead of £180, those emitting 171g/km will have to pay £800 instead of £295, and those emitting 191g/km will be charged £1,200 instead of £490.

Cars emitting over 255g/km will be charged £2,000, which is £900 than before.

However, the tax on high-polluting cars will fall every year after the initial high tax in the first year.

(Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

What about expensive cars?

For all new vehicles listed at £40,000 or more, an additional rate will be added to the vehicle tax, this will be £310 payable for each year for 5 years from the end of the first vehicle licence.

After the 5 year period the standard £140 rate will apply.

Zero emission vehicles listed at £40,000 or more will also be subject to the same 5 year charge, but will then pay £0 after the 5 years.

What can I to do?

Founder of the car buying site carwow.co.uk , James Hind says: "Some models will cost significantly more to tax each year, so there are long-term savings to be had by buying before the new system kicks in.

"Hybrid cars and small petrol-powered city cars will be cheaper to tax if you buy before April 1."

And if that is not possible for you, it is worth thinking about buying a used car, as it will continue to be taxed under the old system.

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