'Highway robbery' claim
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THE RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT Society, a voluntary body lobbying the expansion and improvement of rail transport, has hit out against lorries in a leaflet entitled Stop this highway robbery now!
Published with it is the society's response to the Department of Transport's consultation paper on changes in the hgv taxation system. It calls for lorry operators to be charged fully for costs they impose on the industry.
It states: "Lorry taxes raised £1,035m in 1979 but the cost of building and maintaining roads for them outstripped this. Tens of thousands of the heaviest lorries did not cover their full track costs they were indirectly subsidised by other tax payers to the tune of £800 each.
"The total annual hidden subsidy to juggernauts is Cur
rently estimated at £100m," it says. This figure includes working time lost through accidents and injury; fire service, police and court time and a national costing for pain and grief.
The leaflet hits out at costs that have to be met by ordinary road users for policing roads, stopping pollution and noise, and cutting out vibration coming from lorries.
It points out that the £100m given to hauliers could pay for well over 125 miles of main line electrification, giving faster, quieter, pollution-free transport for people and goods.
"The cost of one year's road accidents in Cambridgeshire could pay for a fleet of 18 four car diesel multiple trains or some lightweight two-cartrains."
Commenting on these views, a Freight Transport Association spokesman told CM that operators paid £400m excess road tax per year. Claims that lorries do not pay their way are unjustified, he said.
The Road Haulage Association echoed these sentiments.