RHA Recovery Group says "Give us a break Mr Livingstone"
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"Lib Dems up a Cul-de-Sac" says RHA
The Liberal Democrat transport policy as outlined by Norman Baker their transport spokesman, does nothing to provide solutions for the country’s transport needs says the Road Haulage Association.
The party proposes to improve Britain’s railways by a dedicated transport fund which would be subsidised by a tax on long distance road freight.
“So don’t live in the West Country, the Highlands of Scotland or other remoter parts of the Kingdom” said RHA Chief Executive Roger King, “because the cost of living will rise and jobs will disappear as factories close, the result of exorbitant transport costs. And don’t think rail freight is the answer because access to the system is often non-existent, and where available often hopelessly uneconomic”.
Collecting such a tax would be fraught with problems. At what distance would the tax be liable? Would it be the freight itself or the truck? What if the goods were transferred en route? How would a foreign trucker pay? Would the EU approve?
“This proposal has driven the Liberal Democrats’ transport policy up a cul de sac. We say turn round and have a rethink”.
