COMMENT
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A start, but just a start
Better than nothing, it's true, with a purely inflationary increase on fuel duty—yet this week's Budget still leaves British hauliers paying way over the odds for a litre of diesel compared with every other European country. And even though it's less of a blow than it would have been with the escalator still in place, the price of diesel has gone up yet again— significantly raising costs for an industry that finds it notoriously hard to win even minor rates increases from customers.
It looks as if UK hauliers will continue to find themselves battling against the odds with European competitors for some time to come.
But there are at least some signs that the industry's recent protests have been noted, with extra money set aside for the road infrastructure, some movement on VED, 44-tormers confirmed for general haulage and impounding as part of the forthcoming Transport Bill. If this shows anything, it's that government can be swayed by public opinion.
And with a general election coming soon, the government will be more vote-conscious, more susceptible to public opinion than ever for the next 12 months.
So, with UK operating costs still unfavourably high, the fight must go on. Now is the time for the industry to speak with one voice. And perhaps it's time for it to turn to other groups for help, as exemplified this week by the Hauliers & Farmers Alliance in Newcastle upon Tyne (see news story, page 5).
Farmers aside, perhaps it's also time to get the public on our side with a targeted campaign to show that it's not just CV operators but the mart in the street who is STILL paying through the nose for a litre of fuel...