Transport industry welcomes fuel duty cancellation 06 December 2012

Yesterday's (5 December 2013) Autumn Statement brought good news for hauliers as the Chancellor cancelled the 3% rise in fuel duty planned by Labour for January 2013.

However, although the news was instantly welcomed by all quarters of the commercial vehicle world, some are treating it with trepidation.

Geoff Dunning, chief executive of the RHA (Road Haulage Association), for example, says: "The fact remains that for many hauliers, this will only be seen as a delaying tactic."

Dunning says the RHA's research shows that a three pence per litre reduction in fuel duty would deliver a net gain of 70,000 jobs and a GDP growth of 0.2%.

For him and for others, fuel duty hikes need to come off the government's agenda way past the end of the current Coalition term of office.

Commercial vehicle tyres specialist ATS Euromaster's managing director Ian Stuart agrees, and urges government to do more to help fleets, hauliers and growth.

"The Chancellor's avoided delivering a hammer blow to the economy with his decision on fuel duty. But what we really needed to hear was a 3—6 pence per litre reduction," insists Stuart.

"That would encourage growth and consumer spending, while cutting distribution costs to everyone's benefit," he says.

Author
John Challen

Related Companies
ATS Euromaster Ltd
Road Haulage Association Ltd

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