RHA Recovery Group says "Give us a break Mr Livingstone"
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RHA sends a last ditch plea to Chancellor
The latest fuel price survey shows that the average price of a litre of diesel has risen by 5 pence so far this year. This amounts to an increase of £3,000 per annum on the fuel bill for the EVERY heavy goods vehicle.
"On the eve of his Budget, we urge the Chancellor not to add to the acute financial burden of haulage operators by putting an extra 2 pence per litre on fuel duty," said RHA Chief Executive Roger King. "It makes no sense to increase the UK's transport costs at a time when these are playing an increasingly significant role in putting UK businesses at risk. Furthermore, if the Chancellor believes that another rise in fuel duty sends out an environmental message, he is grievously mistaken. Hard pressed haulers are having difficulty financing their fuel costs, never mind being in a position to buy new trucks and to embrace technology changes designed to make their logistical operations more efficient."
The RHA warmly welcome the proposal by the Scottish National Party to introduce a fuel duty regulator, designed to off-set world increases in fuel with a reduction in duty. The RHA petitioned the Scottish Parliament on this very proposal and received considerable support. "Whilst we want to see a wholesale reduction in fuel duty to bring it in line with that paid elsewhere within the EU, the introduction of a regulator would stop this difference become even more excessive," concluded Roger King.
