EC halts tax
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• An injunction against the proposed German lorry tax has been imposed on Germany by the European Court in Luxembourg with a full court hearing scheduled for tomorrow (6 July).
The entry tax was due to come into force on 1 July on lorries over 18 tonnes, and has been bitterly opposed by other EC member states. The UK's transport trade associations have fought the proposals through the International Road Transport Union.
Despite the temporary lifting of the tax threat, many UK hauliers have been forced to re-route or re-schedule services into Germany in case the new levy was introduced when planned.
Hollis Transport of Reading, which is owned by German company Kuehne Nagel, is using alternative routes "until we get a definite yea or nay on the tax", says transport manager Phil Henderson.
"It's been fairly disruptive getting vehicles out there. We've been going out different ways to avoid Germany as much as we can."
Essex haulier WA Lane, which takes mainly refrigerated loads to Europe, cannot avoid . • going through Germany. "We take about three loads a week through Germany on the way to Turkey. We would have to pass the costs on to our customers."