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168 
P BUSINESS MONITOR
Page 6
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HGV road pricing fears dismissed by Lib Dems
By Joanna Bourke
CM EXCLUSWIE
POLITICIANS HAVE played down the opposal of 95% of operators to potential lorry road user charges, claiming that a lack of understanding blinds them to the potential benefits.
The Liberal Democrats hit back at CM'S Michelin business monitor results, saying the 95% who are anti-lorry road user charging may change their tune if they realise it could level the playing field with non-UK hauliers.
A spokeswoman for the party rubs more salt in the wounds of the 99% of survey participants who demand VED is scrapped if a lorry road user charge is implemented. The Lib Dems say that if they were elected. VED would remain static for lorries during the party's first two terms, even though a lorry road charge would be enforced in the group's motorway and trunk road scheme.
Lib Dem shadow transport secretary Norman Baker claims there will be a fairer footing between domestic and foreign hauliers: "Foreign lorries would be charged when they left the country based on mileage used. We are also asking the Channel Tunnel to lower fuel amounts allowed into the UK via lorries."
If a lorry road user charge is introduced, 100% of operators questioned by CM insist fuel duty must he reduced. Baker says the party would fight for fuel costs to be dropped by 10% to ease the financial burden.
A huge 84% don't believe trucks should be included in congestion schemes and Theresa Villiers, Conservative shadow transport secretary, said last week at CM's Green conference: "Congestion is a drag on our competitiveness. The answer is not persecuting people with more taxes.
"We believe there is a role for road pricing in a certain context, like helping dealing with foreign lorries paying no road tax."
Referring to low-emission zones (LEZs), Baker does not think it is helpful to tie up congestion with emissions and says this is why people get confused. He considers it a politician's duty to inform operators as to why precisely taxes and rules are introduced.
A Department for Transport (DfT) spokeswoman would only say: "Congestion is a top priority. That means focusing on places where it is a problem now."
• Turn to CM/Michelin business monitor on page 24 for full results.