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Mystery fuel duty demo plan
Page 14
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British Hauliers leader John Bridge is busy planning an "innovative" fuel duty protest — Guy Sheppard reports
MAVERICK HAULAGE leader John Bridge is planning a new form of protest to highlight the level of frustration felt about high fuel prices.
The former chairman of the Road Haulage Association was expelled from one of its regional councils earlier this year when he set up the rival British Hauliers pressure group.
He says that since the fuel protests of September 2000 the Government has failed to fulfil its promises to hauliers, while established trade associations have failed to properly represent their feelings about the fuel issue.
"Obviously. they [the Government] have contingency plans to make sure it does not happen again," he adds. -We are looking at different, innovative ways of getting our message across."
His comments coincide with a leafleting campaign to recruit members, and oil prices reaching a 21-year high of $50 a barrel. The Treasury has kept a threatened increase in fuel duty under review since July. It says no announcement is planned before Chancellor Gordon Brown gives his pre-Budget report in November or December.
Bridge wants the Government to consider introducing an essential user rebate scheme, arguing that the imposition of the Lorry Road User Charge is too far off to help operators struggling to compete against foreign competition.
He will not discuss what form of protest he is considering, saying this would remove the element of surprise. British Hauliers is a division of Cambridgeshire Chamber of Commerce, where Bridge is chief executive.
The only fuel protest to be staged so far this year was organised by owner-driver Martin Palmer in Cardiff (CM 10 June). Another demo was planned for last month (September); Palmer says this was shelved partly because potential supporters were too busy with work.