Lorry road-user charging scheme could go live by 2015
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
CM COVER STORY
dominic.perryfarbi.comk A LORRY ROAD-USER charging scheme could be in place by 2015 if the government heeds the advice of a new report from the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT).
The report, Lorry Road-User Charging A way fotward for the UK, suggests distance-based scheme, charging truck operators up to 15p per mile depending on the vehicle type, backed up by incab technology similar to that used in Switzerland.
Worryingly, it admits that EU rules would prevent UK hauliers from receiving a fuel duty rebate to ensure "revenue neutrality". Instead, it proposes a number of financial incentives to boost the take-up of cleaner vehicles, encourage driver training and reduce empty running, akin to those offered to German hauliers under its motorway charging scheme, the Lkw-Maut.
"This revenue should be used to support the UK haulage industry, specifically to assist current operators to become more efficient and thus more competitive, and less polluting."
It estimates that this would enable an annual payback to the industry of £1.5bn to i2bn every year for at least three years. Nonetheless, it acknowledges that this will principally benefit those truck operators with up to 20 vehicles and adds: "However, it would not be possible to guarantee that the scheme will be revenueneutral for all UK hauliers,"
A significant cut in empty run
ning as happened in Germany when the Maut was introduced would also potentially indicate further industry consolidation, but the report says this should be "balanced against the significant potential for UK hauliers to compete for international business".
The government already appears to have moved away from the CBT's plans, looking instead at a very simple scheme.
The RHA also rejected the plans It says: "It is hard to see how this proposed scheme would do little more than pile cost and administrative complexity on the industry."