Haulage firms from across the UK have called on Government to take action to cut fuel duty, stimulate the economy and save haulage businesses.
Led by the campaign group FairFuel (FFUK) hauliers from all over the UK entered the House of Commons to vent their frustrations to MPs at the crippling cost of record fuel price and the effect they’re having on their businesses.
Christine Jones owner of P Jones Haulage said that she was considering closing her business unless MPs cut fuel duty “We are debating as to whether to throw the towel in. We have been driving for 42 years. And the Government does not seem to want to listen, they are blind.”. A report created by the Centre for Economic and Business Research shows an immediate 2ppl cut in fuel duty would create 180,000 jobs and provide a 0.33% GDP boost at no additional cost to the Treasury.
Last year Chancellor George Osborne cut fuel duty by 1ppl and froze any further duty rises, however a 3.02ppl rise is planned for August.
Later, hauliers and lobbyists gathered in the House of Commons for a rally where Conservative MP Martin Vickers voiced his support for the campaign “The Treasury will only act on evidence and the evidence in this report is quite compelling. The government is in a deep financial hole and money is in short supply. But this does not mean we should stop our hard work.”
Karen Dee the FTA national policy director said that if the government was to cut fuel duty it would give competitors a chance to compete with one another as well as having an overall positive benefit on the economy.
The turnout from the hauliers was praised by RHA chief executive Geoff Dunning he said the past 15 months have been effective. Those price rises would have happened if it wasn’t for FFUK. With the number of people who attended today they hopefully saw some 250 MPs. That means they know the big issue is fuel.”