Get off the escalator
Page 3
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This week's message to the government is clear and we're saying it loud: enough is enough, get off the fuel duty escalator, and get off it now.
We can debate rural fuel discounts, a fuel duty stabiliser (which the Prime Minister seems happy with, but the Chancellor less so), and the decoupling of car and truck taxation until the cows come home, but the fuel duty hike of lppl planned for April must be abandoned.
And, frankly, we'd rather not wait for an announcement at the Budget on 23 March; the sooner the government confirms abandonment of the April hike, the better Not just for the industry's peace of mind, but so we can all move to the next stage, namely putting forward a robust argument for the introduction of a duty stabiliser and other 'fair fuel' mechanisms.
But it all starts right here, right now. Peter Carroll's FairFuelUK campaign has whipped up a storm, garnering acres of national media coverage and the support of the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association (see p6). Commercial Motor and its sister titles, Motor Transport and Truck & Driver, are backing Carrol[s campaign too: we've signed the petition, and you'll find a bumper sticker promoting the campaign in next week's issue.
If you haven't signed the petition, then do so as soon as possible: it will only take a few seconds and could cut your future cost base.
$.0 • There's still time to take part in this month's Trucking Britain Out Of Recession survey. Go to www.roadtransport. com/britain to take part.
Justin Stanton "0,0•—■,„
Commercial Motor the official UK journal of the International Truck of the Year and International Van of the Year Awards