Scots hauliers plan continental bases
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• Two large hauliers are leading a Scots exodus from the UK having decided flagging-out is the only way to survive.
Dumfries haulier Currie European Transport is to decide finally within the next fortnight whether to register part of its fleet in Holland, while Greenockbased G&S International will start operating from Luxembourg in the next "four to six weeks".
Curries managing director David Ross is seriously contemplating registering an initial 20-25 trucks at its Dutch base in Nijmegen.
"Flagging-out is still an uncertain policy," he says. "It looks great on paper. However, we must be cautious."
George Brown, managing director of G&S International, is so confident that flagging-out will save his company "six figures every year" that he is taking his whole fleet of 30 trucks over the water.
"We have spent a year and £30,000 in research on this," he says. "Our diesel in Luxembourg will cost us 50% less and our road tax will be £350 per truck a year."
• Even Kent County Council is considering flagging-out its transport fleet to either France or Belgium and save, it says, .£1m a year on fuel and road tax costs. The council's 500-strong fleet includes HGVs through to panel vans and mobile libraries. Safeway, however. has denied reports that it is planning to flag out its transport fleet. Wincanton Logistics says it is keeping the subject under review-.