The new rules will mean drivers have the option to pay by direct debit, which 53 per cent of drivers said they would opt for, according to money.co.uk. Although the tax can be paid annually with no extra cost, those choosing to spread the cost by paying twice a year or monthly will incur a five per cent additional charge. This is half of the ten per cent surcharge that is currently applied to six-month tax discs, used by 23 per cent of drivers, the study found Hannah Maundrell, editor in chief of money.co.uk, said: 'Changes to the vehicle tax system are no bad thing and we fully welcome the introduction of direct debit payments, particularly for consumers who may be struggling to keep up with the soaring cost of driving. 'It will also help to eliminate the problem of people who genuinely forget to renew their tax and end up being stung with a hefty fine. 'However, I suspect the new system may experience some teething problems so drivers really need to make sure they’re on top of their game.’Over 1.7billion tax discs have been issued since 1921 – if they were put in a line, they would go around the world three times.Last year, the DVLA issued 42.2million tax discs weighing over 72 tonnes – that’s heavier than a Challenger 2 tank.