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United we stand, united vve fall... will you stand up to be counted?
Page 26
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ASA relatively new LGV operator, having been granted my licence for two vehicles and four trailers in early October, I find myself suddenly appalled by the state of the industry I have been part of for over 20 years.
Diesel has greatly surpassed the £1/lit threshold and! find the Road Haulage Association just wants to talk to the government and opposes the industry taking any hands-on action.
The RHA is trying to recruit my business to its "elite club" at the moment, as it does with any new entrants in the industry. One point it makes in its self-promotion is its ability to lobby MPs and Parliament on behalf of hauliers to allow us to get on with our business.
I cannot believe that fuel has been allowed to reach this level of cost to our industry without serious lobbying—and in fact without the RHA realising that the only time we achieved anything was when blockade action was taken.
I would be honoured to be a member of an organisation such as the RHA if I thought it was doing this industry justice, but this is not the case.
The fact headlines are saying that one in three operators will be at financial risk in 2008 should be reason enough for us all to get our acts together and take action as is appropriate. Like other industries we should not be just surviving—we should be prospering.
The Prime Minister. Chancellor andTransport Minister have no realisation of the impact the withdrawal of our services would have on this countiy.This is not the action that we should be taking but perhaps we are going to be left with no options. Go on strike or go to the wall. What a choice!
Why doesn't the government issue foreign trucks with a timed and dated document on arrival in this country which must be handed in before departure? This would allow a charge to be made on vehicles that arrive with 1,500 litres of cheap foreign fuel and leave without buying a drop of our expensive UK fuel.
They should also be forced to produce their tachograph charts for analysis before leaving the country so any fines could be paid along with the toll charge.
I have touched on two points I believe would go a long way towards making a more level playing field and, more importantly, a safer road network.The revenue could then offset the ridiculous tax implication forced upon our industry in the UK. I am a minnow in an enormous ocean full of some extremely large and strong fish.! wish these bigger fish would get together and form some sort of organisation that would pull this industry and the government into the 21st century.
By starting my business I have achieved a major goal and I am determined to not only survive but to prosper. My belief is 'united we stand — divided we fall'. I am willing to unite, but how many of the rest of you are?
Patrick Allam Director, Springer Logistics