Freight haulage group issue joint plea over fuel duty hike
Date: 01 October 2007
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The Road Haulage Association (RHA) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA) have made a joint appeal to the government against the increase in fuel duty, which will affect courier firms and other haulage companies.
From today (October 1) fuel duty has increased by 2p per litre, with further increases scheduled over the coming year and a half.
This will obviously put huge pressure on haulage firms and courier companies, whose largest variable cost by far is fuel. The change will bump up the price of diesel to more than £1 per litre.
"It is therefore vital that the chancellor pays heed to our plea to abandon Monday's 2p per litre fuel duty increase," said RHA chief executive Roger King.
"We are not just acting on behalf of our members, this is in the interest of the country as a whole because the responsibility for running an efficient and cost effective modern economy lies with the providers of road transport.
"Ours is an industry that desperately needs an incentive to continue; not a deterrent."
The groups are urging the government to postpone the fuel duty increase while oil prices remain high; to introduce a fuel duty rebate mechanism for hauliers and other essential vehicle operators; and to introduce a database of foreign-registered goods vehicles entering the UK "to allow the effective enforcement of UK driving regulations and vehicle safety standards on visiting vehicles".
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