laskett plea o Thatcher
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l•ritain's hauliers want ne Minister Margaret tcher to ensure they get treatment from the oil 'parties.
oad Haulage Association ctor-general Freddie ikett wants Thatcher to :e sure the oil companies in under pressure to give r customers a fair deal dery prices.
a letter sent to her last :lc, the RHA suggests a irous investigation into ing practices and etures.
'he aim is to capitalise on recent bad publicity the oil ipanies have received from Government.
The RHA's approach to the ne Minister has been le in the light of the rernment's recent unents on the failure of the or oil companies to absorb recent increase in tax on price of petrol, and cuIation that the ernment might be sidering mounting an dry into oil company fuel ing practices," it says. has also sent Thatcher papers and evidence .rnbled in support of its nit complaint to the Office 'air Trading about the oil ipanies. It hopes it will st the Government if re action is considered. 'hen the OFT turned down the RHA's claim that the major oil companies abuse their operation in the bulk dery market. But the OFT said that it was concerned that smaller hauliers are less likely to negotiate the larger rebates.
Oil industry observers say that the Government will have to feel that it is on very strong ground before it can attempt to begin an inquiry.
Independent figures show that UK operators are most penalised by Government dery duty and VAT compared with their foreign competitors.
UK operators are charged
an average of $184 per in3 for bulk derv, excluding VAT and duty, which is the lowest in Europe.
'Personally, I don't think the RHA is on a very strong wicket," one observer told Commercial Motor.
Shell says it has little to fear from the RHA's move to Thatcher. "Once the RHA sees the arithmetic behind the pricing of the products they will be fully assured that the oil companies are passing on the benefits to their members." It adds: "Mrs Thatcher will see it too."