Willson: we need you to sign FairFuelUK petition
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laura.hailstone@rbi.co.uk QUENTIN WILLSON is urging the haulage industry to back the FairFuelUK campaign, as new inlation igures released this week threaten to push the planned April duty hike of 1ppl to almost 4ppl for every haulier.
Speaking to CM, Willson says: “We’ve got tremendous support from the public; they understand what’s going to happen if we get to £8/gallon. But we really need the haulage industry to come out strongly for us. We’re missing the hauliers at the moment, and it’s the hauliers of all people who are really going to suffer if this carries on.” The FairFuelUK campaign team made its boldest statement yet on Monday when a delegation made up of representatives from the Road Haulage Association (RHA), the Freight Transport Association (FTA), the RAC, two hauliers and Willson, pulled a 7-tonne FairFuelUK liveried truck 60 yards along Whitehall to Downing Street (see picture). A giant banner calling for the Chancellor to ‘have a heart’, as it was Valentine’s Day, adorned the truck.
Willson then handed in a personal letter to the Prime Minister, calling on him to scrap the April fuel duty hike and to bring in measures to stabilise the price of fuel. Bob Russett, MD of Palletline Logistics and one of the truck-pull team, says it is “a disgrace if hauliers don’t sign the petition” .
“It’s a cause that all hauliers should support. It effects us all drastically and we need to ight our corner. Everybody whinges [about fuel], but they’ve got to do something about it.” Jack Semple, RHA policy director, points out that the next rise will mark a “25% rise in duty in 28 months” .
“RHA members’ customers are increasingly not prepared to pay more, so there’s a real issue of cashlow for the industry if the next rise goes ahead.” FTA chief executive Theo de Pencier adds: “If we remind the Chancellor and No.10 everyday between now and the Budget, then we will have done our best to ensure the right decision is arrived at.
“We believe from talking to MPs that this is one of the biggest items in their postbags, and if MPs on the backbenches are getting restless, then hopefully the government will listen.” However, campaign leader Peter Carroll stresses that the chance to do something about fuel tax is right now. “To all those jaded souls who’ve seen campaigns before, even if they think it won’t make a difference, this is the time to get on the FairFuelUK website and sign the petition. The only thing that will stop us getting a major concession now is if we don’t have enough signatures on the petition – it’s as simple as that.” ● On Wednesday 2 March the petition will be handed in to the PM at Downing Street. Sign it now at www.fairfueluk.com
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