Fuel duty increases could be "desperate" for hauliers
Date: 29 October 2007
Haulage Exchange's Transport News-feed provides the very latest news for the transport industry, owner operators and haulage companies. For the latest haulage and transport news, please visit the Haulage Exchange news page.
A further fuel duty increase in April next year could lead to a "desperate" situation for haulage firms, an industry expert has warned.
Kate Gibbs of the Road Haulage Association was speaking to the Daily Mail after the price of oil rose to a record £46 per barrel, threatening to push the cost of diesel beyond the already hugely expensive £1.01 per litre.
The government recently introduced a 2p per litre increase on fuel duty for hauliers, and has plans to introduce further rises next year.
Ms Gibbs said: "There is no way that these next increases can go ahead. Not just for our industry, but for anyone using any form of motoring transportation. It's going to be absolutely crippling."
For haulage companies, fuel costs make up a significant proportion of total operating expenses, so these changes can have drastic consequences.
British firms also face increasing pressure from foreign hauliers who can fill their trucks with cheaper fuel on the continent.
More than 60 per cent of the price of a litre of petrol goes to the government.
For more of the latest haulage and transport news, please visit the Haulage Exchange Haulage News page - all the latest for owner operators and haulage companies.
User Comments
No Comments