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Hauliers excluded from duty discount

8th March 2012, Page 9
8th March 2012
Page 9
Page 9, 8th March 2012 — Hauliers excluded from duty discount
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Keywords : The Treasury

By Chris Tindall A SCOTTISH Western Isles MP is demanding that the Treasury closes a loophole in a 5ppl fuel discount scheme, after it was discovered it doesn’t include fuel delivered in bulk to hauliers.

SNP MP Angus MacNeil says the cost of fuel has risen by 20ppl since the pilot scheme was irst mooted, and so there are questions over whether islanders will feel a beneit.

“The whole point of this scheme was to help households and businesses with the soaring cost of fuel, but before the pilot is even underway the Treasury has excluded hauliers from the beneits of the scheme,” he says. “This is a Treasury issue. Danny Alexander, as chief secretary and a highland MP, must step in to ensure that hauliers are not excluded from this scheme.” The issue has arisen as hauliers serving the Western Isles have attacked the government’s decision to increase ferry crossing rates by 50%. Phil Flanders, regional director at the Road Haulage Association, has added his voice to those calling for the fuel scheme to be reviewed: “I have a lot of sympathy for people on the islands. Fuel prices have gone up but not quite as much as on the islands, where it’s 5ppl or 6ppl more, which raises some questions. I’ll give them the beneit of the doubt and call it an oversight. But they should review it.” • Hauliers relying on the Erskine bridge to move goods between West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire, near Glasgow airport, could face ive months of delays and tailbacks during the installation of lorry-proof barriers. The bridge is in the middle of a £3.5m structural improvement project. In September engineers will it highstrength crash barriers, which will be capable of withstanding the impact from an LGV.


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