Heavy costs
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/The reading of your comment in CM dated 14-20 October on heavy
haulier John Golding being unable to compete with Dutch rivals because of high British VED rates, reminded me of a response that I had forwarded to the Yorkshire Post earlier in the year. It responded to comments from the pro-rail lobby, Transport 2000, which said that hauliers do not pay for the cost they cause the roads and environment.
It said: "In order that you may be in a better position to assess the level of contribution that the Government receives from the road transport industry I hereby list the contribution that my company made during 1992.
1 Fuel tax £473,000 2 VED £137,000 3 Employment tax £414,000 4 VAT £366,000 5 Corporation tax Nil (no profit) The above totals £1.39m and arises out of operating 55 large goods vehicles giving an average of £25,000 for each truck.
It would be of great interest to be made aware of what the net contribution of rail was on the same basis."
If John Golding, the subject in your comment, is not able to survive, then the Exchequer will certainly be without his similar contributions.
The requirements of the Government will have killed the company that pays the tax. Such action is certainly analogous to the politics of the madhouse.
J Barber
Oughtibridge, Sheffield