Industry steps up fuel duty protests
Page 4
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
by Rob Willock and David Craik • The Road Haulage Association and the Transport & General Workers Union shared a platform for the first time in 10 years last weekend as hundreds of hauliers gathered in Gloucester to protest against fuel duty increases.
Dozens of the 480 trucks attending parked in formation to spell out the slogan Fair Play on Fuel.
Mike Kent, vice-chairman of the RHA's Midland & West region, which organised the day, said: "Our power is absolutely awesome. Let this be a warning to Messrs Blair and Brown. Enjoy your summer recess—it's going to be a long, hard winter."
RHA director-general Steven Norris paid tribute to the pioneering work of TransAction in bringing media attention to the issue. "By the end of this Parliament, the extra cost of fuel will result in 21,000 people in our industry losing their jobs," he warned. "We take our hats off to TransAction, but this is the way to do it. Today takes things further."
The RHA proposes an Essential User • Drivers Eddie and Dove of 11 McGill said they were not involved with Trans-Action. "It's better now we've got the weight of the RHA behind us because people will remember this more," they added.
• Russell Woof and Michael Brown, both drivers with George's of Somerset, said: "We were not involved in the Trans-Action demos. This is much better and we're not causing anyone any problems. We ore all standing here together."
• Pat Jagger, a member of Trans-Action in Shropshire, said: 'We helped to kick the RHA into gear to get this going, and this would not be happening if we had not done what we did. But this is not a 'them and us' situation. We will give support to anything which will put the message across.'
• Jim Jordan, also of Trans-Action in Shropshire, added: 'Icon see Trans-Action continuing, but I would like to see demonstrations being used to advertise our issue, not cause problems."
Rebate, similar to the fuel duty rebates available for bus operators.
T&G national secretary Danny Bryan said it was scandalous that a decade had passed since the RHA and T&G had last stood together. "The problems facing this industry now demand that we use our combined resources to ensure we are heard and taken seriously," he said.
Bryan told hauliers not to be pessimistic about the prospects of changing the Government's mind over the fuel duty escalator. "We did it on eyesight and diabetes," he said.
The RHA is planning another rally, at Brooklands on 20 August, followed by an event in the North of England. "After that we'll host national rallies that'll make this look small," said Norris.