Britdisc is the favourite for Chancellor's Budget plans
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• by Dominic Perry The "Britthsc" has emerged as the most likely concession to be offered by Gordon Brown at his autumn statement on 310ctober.
National press reports indicate that the Treasury is warming to proposals to introduce charges on foreign hauliers entering this country, and to raise entry fees into the industry from 26,000 to 212,000 A system of charging foreign hauliers to enter the UK has been recommended by the Transport Select Committee. it would also allow the government to claim it was helping the industry, while not bowing to the demands of protesters.
However, a treasury spokeswoman has played down the rumours: "There is an awful lot of speculation in the run up to the pm-Budget statement Certainly a return to cabotage has been one suggestion from the road haulage industry; however, we will have to wait and see,' A Freight Transport Association spokesman says that although these proposals would be welcomed they do not address its prme concern. "The idea of a Britdisc is nothing new," he adds. "But it's yet another signal from the government that they are looking at a variety of measures to help the industry. As welcome as other measures may be, they can only be supplementary to what must be the primary need of a reduction in fuel duty,"
The rumours of a shift in the government's stance follow an allegedly secret meeting between Leeds hauliers and the Chancellor on Friday 6 October. This meeting was due to have been between hauliers and Transport Minister Lord Macdonald—Brown's appearance surprised the assembled group.
Bryan Sissons, director of Leeds-based OW Sissons & Sons, describes Brown's appearance as "totally out of the blue". "I don't want to go into detail at this stage," he adds, "but we think it went well. He listened and seemed receptive to ideas."
The meeting's organiser and ETA board
member, Stuart Archbold of Leeds firm Archbold Freightage, says the meeting was very positive: "Our intention was to share with the ministers our concerns in a very constructive and calm manner. The ministers were very appreciative of listening to us. The main issue now is if anyone takes notice and does something."
A Treasury spokeswoman says: "He [Gordon Brown] regularly meets with different industry sectors."
About 10 northern hauliers were present, with representatives of the FTA's executive board, ETA members, and the RHA.