Putting the Budget rises into rates
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• The 18,000 members of the Road Haulage Association this week received a letter signed by the national chairman, Mr. P. H. R. Turner, drawing their attention to the considerable increase in costs which the Budget measures will cause, and advising hauliers to lose no time in approaching ,customers to negotiate on rates.
The letter mentions some of the remarks about rates in the recent PIB report, and reminds operators that implementation of the 40-hour-week award is another factor to be taken into account in computing charges.
Commenting last week on the Budget, the RHA estimated that the higher taxes, plus the effects of GPO charges, would put 5 or 6 per cent on the costs of a typical haulier.
In his letter this week Mr. Turner stresses that plating, testing and associated measures are going to mean cost increases, to meet higher standards, which it will be difficult to quantify exactly. This, he says, makes it all the more essential that a proper level of rates should be established before this new situation is reached. But, in line with PIB's past strictures, the RHA is not suggesting any specific rates rises to hauliers.
Early reports suggest that actual increases sought are very varied. Scottish long-distance operators—hit particularly hard by the fuel tax increase—are said to be asking an extra 6 per cent on rates, Allisons Freightlines prominent among them. On Thursday of last week RBA members meeting in Newcastle upon Tyne decided to raise their charges by between 5 and 7 per cent, while a few big operators in Yorkshire spoke of increases of 3, 3i and 4 percent.