Report lays into trucks
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by David Craik • The Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution has launched a stinging attack on the haulage industry and suggests a number of changes to be made including the introduction of a charge to all trucks using UK motorways and higher fuel prices.
In the commission's 20th report, published last week, it says this is the best way to make truck operators pay for the damage they are causing to the environment.
It states that a vignette should be used as an alternative to any increase in vehicle excise duty to cover the cost of damage made by HGVs to the nation's roads.
Despite claiming that the
commission is aware that an increase in VED would affect the competitiveness of British hauliers abroard, the report says a vignette charge would have to be "sufficiently large enough" to cover environmental damage.
It is not clear whether it is calling for the UK to join the EU scheme or create its own. The report also calls for: • The average rate of fuel duty to increase by more than 6% a year; • The Government to improve the take-up of freight facilities grants and to finance gauge enhancement to allow carriage of full height trailers in piggyback operations; • Action to be taken to reduce the distances over which goods needs to be moved; • Manufacturers and retailers to source supplies and sell goods closer to home; • Forget extensive bridge strengthening—concentrate on bridges which encourage lorries not to go through town centres.
The ETA reacted with "outrage" to the vignette proposal, saying: "British lorries already pay more than enough to use these roads."
But Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott welcomes the report's "vital contribution" to the Government's future blueprint for transport. "The report is in tune with much of our thinking," he says.