RHA chief executive Richard Burnett says the association has sought legal advice and now intends to honour its commitment to members.
“As the representative body with sole responsibility for UK road freight operators, we consider ourselves duty-bound to acknowledge and act upon our members’ wishes,” insists Burnett.
“They have made it clear that they feel aggrieved at the news of a truck pricing cartel and are looking to us to represent them.”
The news follows last week’s meeting of RHA’s board of directors (elected individuals from RHA member companies) to consider the £2.5 billion fine imposed by European Commission on Daimler, DAF, Volvo/Renault and Iveco – with MAN escaping a charge estimated at €1.2 billion because company management went public on the cartel.
“Their unanimous decision was that the association should progress compensation claims on behalf of its members,” reports Burnett.
“This is a serious issue for the haulage industry – both for hauliers in general and our members in particular,” adds RHA national chairman Jim French, director of PD Portcentric Logistics.
“The road transport sector works to extremely tight margins and the truck itself is the largest capital investment our members make. Therefore they are looking for compensation.”
French says that, given for the large number of interested parties, the process will be complex but: “We have been in discussions with our legal advisors so we can progress the matter further”.
And French concludes: “We are keen to maintain the amicable and close working relationship we have always enjoyed with the truck manufacturers, as they have with their customers.
“We would seek to act in a way which resolves the interests of our members as swiftly and as appropriately as possible.”