Germans get toll relief
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• The German government has won its hauliers exemption from road tolls in part of the old Soviet Union, but UK drivers will still have to pay the transit charge. Since January tolls of S70-$155 per trip have been levied on foreign vehicles crossing Belarus, adding to those imposed elsewhere on the Continent.
The Freight Transport Association says: "UK operators are already paying more tax than those in any other European country. Germany, Denmark and the Benelux countries are giving their hauliers rebates on road tolls. This inequality must be made up by the Chancellor in his Budget." Andy Byrne of Transhaul in Leicestershire says: "It's unfair that we are charged for full road tax here and then expected to pay tax and tolls abroad. We operate to Switzerland through France and Belgium. Each leg of the journey costs us extra and we don't get any money back. Hauliers who evade duty are branded 'tax-dodgers', but they would happily pay it if the system was fair."