No help on diesel
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• Hauliers must brace themselves for further increases in fuel prices — and can expect little sympathy from the Government, according to the Road Haulage Association's director general Bryan Colley.
Speaking at the RHA's annual conference, he hit out at the Government's refusal to intervene over oil prices. Colley criticised the Prime Minister for "peddling the oil companies' line" while increased prices put an extra 27m a day into the treasury.
Speakers also encouraged delegates to invest in quality management systems and improved communications — but several operators voiced their frustration at being told to spend money that they did not have in today's tough market.
Chairman Bobby Heaton said hauliers must take an active role in cleaning up the environment and pay for control equipment on their vehicles. "We cannot sit back and wait for the inevitable legislation to be announced," he said. However, last week's reduction in interest rates was hailed as "light at the end of the tunnel" by Colley. Paul Garland of Lloyds Bank predicted further drops of up to 4% by next autumn. He added that hauliers must "get more clever" at business planning if they are to persuade banks to back road transport.