With the mood music from Whitehall suggesting that a fuel duty increase is on the cards for the first time in five years, the FTA’s submission – that cutting duty would make an important contribution towards the UK economy – may not cut much ice.
Nevertheless, the FTA used its opportunity to raise the results of independent research that shows cutting duty would deliver significant economic benefits.
Indeed, FTA’s submission suggests that even freezing fuel duty again would boost household spending power by “more than £5 billion”.
“FTA has welcomed the government decision not to go ahead with any increases on fuel duty in the last Parliament,” comments Karen Dee, FTA director of policy.
“As the UK economy continues on its path to recovery, this move provides just the kind of stability needed to give businesses the confidence to invest in their futures.”
FTA’s submission also included: the need to address a continued skills shortage in the freight and logistics industry; the importance of investing in infrastructure; and measures it believes are necessary to ensure that the transport industry can continue to supporting the economy as it grows.
For the FTA, all that starts by “easing cost pressures on businesses and families by adopting a different approach to fuel duties...”