Heavy haulage ta
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• Britain's heavy haulage industry is beginning to feel the burden of the massive twelvefold rise in excise tax on their vehicles imposed in March's Budget.
Some hauliers' tax bills have shot up by as much as £15,000 a year, and they warn that unless added costs can be passed on to customers, their profits wil plunge.
Many of the heavy hauliers who licence between two and 20 trucks for special types work expected the staggering rise in duty from £130 to £1,600 after Department of Transport plans to make these vehicles pay more towards their track costs were published in Commercial Motor (11-17 February 1988).
The increase, however, has only just begun to bite, 12 weeks after it came into force, giving hauliers 14 days to re licence their vehicles. "The increase is eating into profits," says Iven Jackson of Hills (Pyebridge), which runs 10 special types trucks. "We have to pay an extra E18,000, but we're not in a position to put our rates up. We tried to increase rates with customers, but they wouldn't wear it."
Airdrie operator West of Scotland Excavation runs eigt specials, mostly for transport. jag plant and construction vet des. Its costs will go up alma as much and it agrees that cu tomers will not accept higher rates in such a cut-throat mar