AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

RNA puts Chancellor on spot over taxes

10th June 1999, Page 13
10th June 1999
Page 13
Page 13, 10th June 1999 — RNA puts Chancellor on spot over taxes
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• by Pete Swingler Chancellor Gordon Brown Felt the full anger of the haulage industry last week as the Road Haulage Association told him his high taxes were driving companies into exile.

Michael Farmer., director of the RHA's Midlands and Western region, told of the hauliers' plight in no uncertain terms at a high-profile meeting between Brown and the Confederation of British Industry last Wednesday.

Brown heard that British hauliers are being forced to compete with one hand tied behind their backs.

'Fuel duty in Britain is the worst in Europe," Farmer told him. "If a foreign operator buys a litre of fuel in this country then he would be raving mad. The situation is so bad that my association is now actively helping our members to register their vehicles abroad."

Farmer drove home the point that a 40-tonne, five-axle truck was taxed at 2486 in France, compared with 25,750 n the UK.

"Foreign operators are able to run rings around us through no fault of our own," he said. "In fact British and Dutch operators are the most efficient and reliable in Europe."

Brown's reply was that a forum had been set up to thrash out the industry's grievances. "We are encouraging the industry to go through the forum to discuss with us the problems and Challenges you face," he said.

"It is true we have raised fuel tax," the Chancellor added, "but we have sought to alleviate the effect by freezing vehicle licence fees, cutting tax on lowsulphur diesel and cutting business and income tax."

Farmer replied: "While you have pegged road tax on smaller vehicles you have not frozen the licence fees on 40tonne, five-axle vehicles which are the standard vehicles used by the haulage industry."


comments powered by Disqus