FIGHT BACK!
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The Freight Transport Association appears more concerned with raising the gross weights of lorries to 44 tonnes than in lobbying for a reduction in vehicle excise duty. This clearly demonstrates that the FTA does not speak for those of us in the hire-andreward sector of road haulage. While this situation exists the Road Haulage Association should shelve any plans it has fora merger.
When asked by the national press about the higher costs of a British HGV compared with a French HGV, the reply from the FTA spokesperson was breathtakingly inaccurate. He replied that the difference was not so great, as French hauliers have to pay road tolls. Is it possible that a spokesman for the FTA is unaware that British hauliers also have to pay road tolls in France as well as exorbitant levels of road tax at home?
The last Budget saw yet another hefty increase in diesel duty. Which member of the FTA will admit to being on the radio "thanking" the Chancellor for what he was giving to the haulage industry? How can the word "taxing" be translated to "giving"?
Here is a word which describes what is happening in our industry the word is "displacement". That means that as hauliers are unfairly taxed out of one market they have to move closer to home. We can already see that runs to the Middle East and Khazakstan are bereft of British hauliers, but where have they gone?
A truck's costs are not solely dependent on a driver's wages and benefits. If they were, the Dutch, Germans or Swedes, for example, would have no chance against the British haulier. It is the costs imposed by his own government that make it so difficult for the latter to compete on equal terms.
Our leaders appear quite happy to see an everincreasing number of foreign trucks using our roads displacing the British trucks and paying nothing for the privilege.
The attitude of the DOT with regard to cabotage bears this out. The bureaucrats raised no objection to our foreign competitors using our roads for free until it seemed that British hauliers were doing the same thing by flagging out.
It will not be long before Eastern Bloc hauliers are in the European Union. The odds are they will circumvent the finer points of cabotage rules with ease. And it is not in the economic interest of the Bulgarian Transport Ministry, for instance, to investigate which of its drivers should be undertaking any such work in the UK. Meanwhile the British haulier will continue to be the most heavily taxed and overregulated in Europe while sliding into oblivion.
We can stop the slow death of our industry and even become a force to be reckoned with. The Transport Forum Should be rejected as just a talking shop. Our demonstrations should continue and more direct action should be considered.
How about blocking all the freight ports and Dover Western docks, allowing in only trucks who have paid British VED or an equivalent vignette for their time in the UK?
Let's build alliances with other groups whose livelihoods are threatened by government policy. The Newcastle hauliers have shown this to be effective. And let's pull in others who should be worried about the loss of trade if there is no British haulage industry—truck and trailer manufacturers, tyre suppliers, repairers and so on.
We should not continue to capitulate to the politicians and bureaucrats who heap unfair legislation on us. Currently an innocent haulier faces a 22,000 fine if he becomes the victim of a criminal act, lean asylum seeker gains access to his trailer without his knowledge.
If the trade associations sent trucks en masse to any port where one of their members was fined without cause they would double their membership overnight.
Now I lay down a challenge for all those who are appeasers in the organisations referred to. You have not represented us with vigour and determination, and the effect on our industry is there for all to see. If you disagree with that statement, prove me wrong. Otherwise resign and make way for people who really care about the future of the British haulage industry.
Robin Vaughan, Thetford. Norfolk.
In reply to the article regarding Andrew Spence (CM13-19 July), I was very disappointed to see Andrew trying to pull the HFA and Len Johnson down.
I am a part of the HFA, which was Trans-Action North. We had two peaceful, well organised and very well supported protests around Newcastle which Len and Tina Johnson put a lot of hard work and effort into.
They worked very closely with the police to ensure noone was put in any danger as at the end of the day these protests were meant to draw the government's attention to the plight of hauliers.
We are a small haulage company and, like many others, we are finding it very hard to find all the extra cash to cover the enormous, endless rise in fuel.
Some people in the haulage industry are not even making the basic minimum living wage after paying their running costs.
We must not get distracted from what all honest, hard working hauliers are aiming for—and that is to get a much needed essential user rebate.
By the way, Andrew knows as well as I do that if there was a demonstration arranged tomorrow the HFA have still got a big following.
The hauliers would still turn out if they thought there was any chance that the government would take notice, as the fuel duty is killing the haulage industry day by day. Jacqueline Marshall, Hexham, Northumberland.