RHA: Fuel duty “Still no progress on foreign competition”
While acknowledging that the Chancellor’s decision to stagger the 1ppl (plus inflation) increase in fuel duty planned for April 1 is a step in the right direction, there is still a very long way to go according to the Road Haulage Association.
With a General Election bearing down on us, the last thing Mr Darling wants to do is alienate the vote-casting road user”, said RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning.
“However”, he continued, “road hauliers are voters too. Although we are to see a lower increase in fuel duty than was expected, the long term future for the UK haulage industry still looks grim.
“We are still paying the highest level of duty in Europe, we are still facing harsh competition from our European counterparts who contribute nothing to operate on UK roads and for many operators, there is still the prospect of imminent bankruptcy.
“We have been promised repeatedly that the Government will address the situation regarding foreign lorries, yet increasing fuel duty by even one penny just makes matters worse”.
Road Haulage Association – phone us first
For more details, contact RHA Head of Media Relations,
Kate Gibbs
Tel:+44 (0) 1932 838917
Mob:+ 44 (0) 7979 531451
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