• by NMI Daly British hauliers are being replaced by
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Belgians at Ferryline Trailers as the double whammy of ferry price rises and UK fuel and VED increases continue to take their toll.
Of Ferryline's 20 trailers, a quarter are already being hauled by Belgians and this figure is likely to increase.
Ferryline Trailers managing director Bob Humphreys stresses that the company is offering the same rates to UK and Belgian hauliers—but he adds that the work is becoming less viable for UK operators.
"One UK haulier recently called it a day and was replaced by a Belgian firm," he says. "We are very sympathetic to the plight of UK hauliers, but we are also being squeezed." Customers are simply not willing to absorb the price hike of 10-15% on ferry costs which happened last December, says Humphreys: "We were gobsmacked at that and speechless over the recent tax and fuel rises.
"It's tough enough for UK hauliers, and just as we expect loyalty from our subcontractors we would not undercut them," he adds. Humphreys warns that UK hauliers are getting desperate—he reports that he has been approached by several recently who have been offering to undercut current UK rates by 2-3p per mile.
The news foilows the recent disclosure from Purfleet-based HN Transport that 20 UK owneroperators have lost their work to Belgian competitors who can run on cheaper continental fuel ( CMI5-21 April).
The company estimates that the switch will save it as much as /250,000 a year.