RHA Recovery Group says "Give us a break Mr Livingstone"
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"Stop the Fuel Duty Rise" says RHA
The RHA has written to the new Chancellor, Alistair Darling, urging him to defer next October’s 2ppl increase in fuel duty the then chancellor Gordon Brown announced in his March Budget.
“We cannot believe that with oil prices back up to last year’s record levels that a duty increase makes any sense” said RHA Chief Executive Roger King. “Indeed when they were last up at around $78 per barrel the chancellor froze further duty increases. We are asking the current chancellor to emulate the policy of his predecessor who is now, of course prime minister”.
The RHA again points out that the growing number of foreign trucks operating within the UK do not pay UK fuel duty and thus enjoy a competitive advantage over UK operators.
“In October, this will mean a fuel price differential of around 28ppl, a huge competitive benefit”, said Roger King. “All hauliers have to accommodate the world price of oil but only the UK singles out its own hauliers for punishment by taxation. We hope Alistair Darling responds positively”.
(The RHA's weekly survey of the prices paid by hauliers for bulk delivered diesel shows an increase of 4.25ppl (5.7%) since the start of this year.)
