Fuel demos hinge on what Reid offers industry forum
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• by Miles Brignall
The fate of next Monday's day of action will be decided today (Thursday) by hauliers leaving the first Government forum on the problems facing the industry. If the Government gives some ground the protest wit be cancelled.
Earlier this week Trans-Action's Frank Stears still hoped to join the forum, which will be attended by Transport Minister John Reid, the Road Haulage and Freight Transport Associations and a Treasury minister.
Last week the two trade associations met Trans-Action and other organisations to discuss how to tackle the Government on fuel duty, vehicle excise duty rates and the
problem of unfair competition from foreign hauliers.
At that meeting the RHA director-general, Steven Norris, said he wanted three or four hauliers to attend the forum to back up what the associations will tell the ministers. He promised that the RHA will not stay unless the Government is serious, and conceded that the forum had largely come about as a result of Trans-Action's London demonstration, which closed Park Lane on 22 March.
"I think we are starting to get through to Reid," says Norris, "He seemed genuinely surprised when we pointed out the reality of Government poky. He was unaware that 41-tonne trucks were not allowed to operate abroad and was surprised to hear that the UK could do nothing to stop trucks with 11.5-tonne drive axles entering from Europe."
Most of the hauliers, manufacturers and others present at that meeting agreed that Trans-Action had earned the right to be part of Reid's forum.
Trans-Action is ready to cancel next Monday's demo if the Government makes a substantial offer at the forum, but it is not clear how substantial such an offer would have to be.
If the demo does go ahead. Steers has called on both the RHA and FTA to attend.