UKWA chairman calls on Tories to honour pre-election pledge14 July 2010

Derrick Potter, chairman of the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) has called on the Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, to fulfil the Conservative Party's pre-election pledge to introduce a fuel duty stabiliser.

In June's emergency budget, Chancellor George Osborne stated that the impact of the fuel duty stabiliser is to be the subject of an investigation, the results of which will be made known after the summer.

Speaking at the UKWA's AGM, held at London's Dorchester Hotel, Potter said: "While I welcome the investigation into the fuel duty stabiliser scheme, the freight logistics industry needs decisive action if it is to be able to plan for the future.

"Unfortunately, some of the flagship policies of the pre-election Conservative manifesto appear to have been quietly dropped, or at least diluted, since the party's successful courtship of the Lib-Dems. It would be particularly regrettable if the Tories do not follow through with their pre-election commitment to a fair fuel stabiliser."

Potter also criticised the decision to go ahead with the planned increases in fuel announced by the previous government – due to come in to effect in October this year and January 2011.

"The price rises, coupled with the increase in the rate of VAT will make it even harder for UK hauliers to be competitive with their foreign counterparts," he stated.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
UKWA

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