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On the road to discontent

16th September 2004
Page 68
Page 68, 16th September 2004 — On the road to discontent
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Peter Orr travels through Italy

reflecting on the cost of diesel and the Lorry Road User Charge.

Cock your ear in the direction of the English ChanneLthat rumbling noise you can hear drifting over from France is not a had case of indigestion but discontent at the increasing cost of diesel.

The favourite topics of conversation in French Routiers today are the rising price of fuel coupled with the responsibility of George Bush andTony Blair — and therefore anyone British — for the above.

Which leaves us all wondering whether our French counterparts are going to do their usual and blockade the roads/ports etc.

Mind you, Chancellor Gordon Brown should be extremely careful in case the next thing to drift across the Channel is inspiration...

This month's epic voyage saw me pulling over early in the morning in a service area on the autoroute that passes high in the hills above Monaco. Looking down you get a fabulous view over the whole principality — it's well worth the stop.

Onward then into Italy and on to an autostrada that offers glorious glimpses of the Italian Riviera.The road wends its way through 76 tunnels and over as many viaducts as you head towards Genoa.

There! turn inland onto another road that turns back over and under itself so many times you end up dizzy They don't make 'ern like that over here.

The reason for this trip to Bella Italia was to collect peaches and nectarines from a packing station, which last year employed about 60 beautiful Italian signoritas. Sadly this year, due to modernisation, it now employs only 12 grannies and two men to load the trucks. It's a tragic blow for an area which required that work to keep families going.

lam surprised that so many in our industry seem to have fallen hook, line and sinker for Gordon's little ploy; the Lorry Road User Charge (LRUC),It seems almost fraudulent to charge us to use what we already own, indeed what we have paid for many times over and is now a road network in such a state of deterioration that it is almost worthless. At least those who do choose to pay for the toll road— shame on them — get quality asphalt underneath their tyres.

If LRUC supporters actually read a decent newspaper, they would be aware that the EU requires fuel price harmony. Petrol has almost reached that point but derv, our dery in particular, requires Gordon to make at least a 25% cut in the price.

Shock, horror, we might be competitive with the remainder of the ELT at last.

But his ploy to regain what will be lost revenue is seemingly the LRUC.What odds on the concept of revenue neutrality slowly fading from view? Its massive start-up costs will have to be recovered and thenjust watch the cost rise as we have seen it so many times before. After all, when did you last see a tax rate go down? Gordon's head really must zip up the back, just like the Freight Transport Association and Road Haulage Association's.

And one last thing while I'm here — happy fourth fuel protest anniversary to all those who took part, it was fun while it lasted. •


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