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More gloom than boom
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The latest CM/Michelin survey highlights a growing feeling of unease among operators about their prospects for the coming year.
Almost 75% of operators in our survey reported a pre-Christmas rush — with an almost identical number enduring the equally traditional January slump.
In addition, almost 30% of firms said their business confidence was worse than the previous quarter and over 75% expected their businesses to contract or stay the same this month.
Speak to operators and they offer a similarly downbeat view of the industry. Martin Goodall, director of Ellesmere. Shropsh irebased reefer operator Jones Transport, says: "Hopefully it will get a bit better; this time of year is quieter anyway. Unfortunately one of the companies we work for has just lost a contract so we're a bit uncertain about where we'll be in the future.
"We're not struggling at the moment, but things do change as you go along:' His comments were echoed by Paul Ha mpson, director of Hampson Haulage, which is based in Smethwick. near Birmingham and runs 16 trucks:" It isn't great at the moment — the levels of work aren't looking brilliant.
"If you ask me, it's down to the government increasing taxes and the burden on small business, and more and more legislation that we have to comply with."
He says that this January has been even quieter than usual, although there are some signs that things are beginning to improve. But he cautions: "The main problem we tend to have seems to he that most of our customers are in manufacturing and all of them are extremely quiet.
"Everyone seems lobe going to cheaper countries and on top of that there's the cost of fuel and the level of enforcement we have to put up with. There are so many foreigners that are coming in and doing work at cheaper rates."
Forfar-based agricultural ma chinery and plant haulier Sandy Kydd adds: "t isn't magic right now. It should be a lot busier than it is, to he quite honest. Farmers aren't buying machinery because they don't know where they are going to be. It's a shambles."
Although only a small number of operators (13%) were thinking of expanding their fleets this year. 10% said their buying decisions are being influenced by the approach of the October deadline for Euro-4. •