RHA considers legal action for livestock haulage firms
Date: 10 September 2007
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The Road Haulage Association (RHA) is considering taking legal action on behalf of livestock haulage firms in the wake of the recent foot and mouth outbreak in the UK.
Many hauliers were left out of pocket when a ban on transporting livestock and animal products was introduced following the outbreak on a farm in Surrey.
Roger Wrapson, the secretary of the RHA's livestock carriers group, commented: "Livestock hauliers were instructed to stop moving animals when the outbreak was reported and then, when the blanket ban was lifted, faced onerous restrictions and limitations on the work they could do.
"These were sensible precautions for the government to take but nonetheless resulted in considerable loss of work and revenue."
He said it was "essential that hauliers be compensated for the loss of work and difficulties they have suffered as a result of this outbreak, due to no fault of their own".
The livestock transport industry plays a crucial role in the meat supply chain, helping farmers to operate effectively and to keep the supermarkets stocked with meat. Many hauliers are still recovering from the impact of the more serious foot and mouth outbreak in 2001.
The RHA has also criticised the government for not temporarily relaxing driver hour rules so as to help clear the backlog of livestock.
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