FairFuelUK calls for support as Chancellor dithers over duty
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laura.hailstone@rbi.co.uk CHANCELLOR OF THE Exchequer George Osborne (pictured) has given his strongest indication yet that he is open to abandoning the fuel duty rise in April. But FairFuelUK says it needs every haulage irm to sign its petition to convince the government that it must not back away from the issue.
When questioned on BBC Radio West Midlands last Thursday, Osborne said that plans made by previous Chancellor Alistair Darling to increase fuel duty on 1 April by 1ppl could be overridden.
FairFuelUK campaign leader Peter Carroll says: “It means the government is listening but we really need everyone in the industry to get behind the campaign, so the Chancellor can feel the strength of feeling behind the issue of fuel duty.” The FairFuelUK online petition has more than 36,000 signatures, but Carroll wants between 300,000 and 400,000 by 2 March when he will present the petition to Downing Street.
Road Haulage Association head of communications Kate Gibbs says: “The response to the petition has been good but it needs to be better. The representative bodies of the industry are pushing to make a difference but we are only as good as the support we receive.” ● To back the campaign, go to www.fairfueluk.com and to get your FairFuelUX bumper sticker email commercial.motor@rbi.co.uk