AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

Brown promises 44-tonners and impounding in new Bill

23rd March 2000, Page 6
23rd March 2000
Page 6
Page 6, 23rd March 2000 — Brown promises 44-tonners and impounding in new Bill
Close
Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

• Despite offering little to level the playing field between UK and foreign hauliers the government has finally promised some help for the industry in the form of a general haulage 44-tonne limit and legislation on impounding.

In his Budget speech last Tuesday Cordon Brown kept the fuel duty rise of 2p/lit pegged to inflation, claiming this was prompted by a global rise in oil prices. However, the Government later admitted that the net fuel price rise this year will be the same as it would have been with the fuel duty escalator still in place.

Better news for hauliers came in the form of a £500 reduction in VED for 38tanners and 41-tonners with an £1,800 reduction for five-axle 40-tonners.

In a post Budget statement Transport

Minister Gus Macdonald promised to "protect the competitiveness of legitimate UK hauliers" by finding time in the Transport Bill to introduce legislation on impounding cowboys trucks. He also pledged to raise the entry requirements and damp down on the illicit use of red diesel.

Macdonald added that six-axle 44-ton ners will be allowed from January 2001: a firm date will be set in July. Hauliers will pay £2,950 in VED.

Despite the fuel duty freeze being linked to oil price rises, deputy prime minister John Prescott said: "A package to boost the competitiveness of UK hauliers while protecting the environment shows we have listened to sensible representations and acted upon them."

Road Haulage Association chairman John

Bridge said: "The situation could have been significantly worse but there is still much to be done. It doesn't address the fact that fuel duty in the rest of Europe is still far lower than in the UK. But at least the government is beginning to recognise the problem and this is the first inflation-only increase since 1989. We will be recalculating our figures to include these new measures and will resubmit our evidence to the Select Committee; I still expect it to show that UK hauliers are much less competitive than our European counterparts."

Geoff Dossetter of the Freight Transport Association said: "We are generally quite pleased. At last the worm has turned and we are seeing a reduction in taxes on our Industry and that has to be good news. Were pleased that the Chancellor has shied away from aboveinflation increases of diesel duty--he has kept it in line with inflation, which is exactly what we asked for. The introduction of 44 tonnes on six axles is extremely welcome and the culmination of a 25year campaign."


comments powered by Disqus