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P GENERAL ELECTION 2010
Page 6
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CM kicks off industry's 2010 election demands
justin.stanton@rhi.co.uk THIS WEEK, Commercial Motor, sister title Motor Transport and Roadtrarrsport.com unveil their election demands, as the UK's political parties prepare to hit the campaign trail.
Drawn from meetings with industry stakeholders and reader feedback, we have compiled the actions any new government must undertake to ensure a competitive. highly professional road transport industry is able to fulfil its task of delivering to the UK economy.
• First, in recognising the vital role the industry plays for the UK economy, and ceasing to treat it as nothing more than a cash cow, the next government must abandon the fuel duty escalator.
• Second, in order to compensate for the revenue shortfall arising from the first action, a charge must be levied on foreign-registered trucks entering the UK.
The revenue raised should be ring-fenced for investment in road maintenance.
• Third, enforcement efforts must be increased to drive rogue domestic operators out of the industry and to clamp down on cowboy foreign operators.
• Fourth, the new government must commit to delivering the truck-parking strategy that was launched in November 2009.
This will address widespread industry concerns about the quantity and quality of truckparking facilities, and go some way to reducing truck crime.
• Fifth, funds allocated for infrastructure investment, whether at national or local levels, must he ring-fenced.
• Finally, the new government must issue clear, formal guidance on applications for night-time deliveries in urban areas that local authorities must follow.
We would like to hear your reactions to our demands. Email your thoughts to: christopher. walton@rbi.co.uk • CM has launched its coverage of the general election: turn to pIS for our investigation into what some parties are offering. For more election coverage, log on to IVVP6'. roadtransport.com/election2010