RHA disappointed with government decision

The Road Haulage Association in the UK has expressed its disappointment at news that Chancellor, George Osborne has decided not to reduced excise duty on diesel.

The Chancellor has confirmed his pledge to freeze fuel duty until next year, but has stopped short of implementing a duty rate reduction.

RHA Director of Policy Jack Semple said: “UK fuel duty is still by far the highest in the EU, adding costs to businesses and to everything we buy, quite apart from the burden on UK hauliers. The RHA has been lobbying long and hard, along with FairFuelUK, to head off any duty increases. Of course we welcome today’s freeze, but we consider that more could have been done.”

“FairFuelUK’s sustained campaign, backed by the Road Haulage Association, has already seen duty held back by 13 pence a litre, compared with the course set by the Treasury in spring 2010. Hauliers remain under intense pressure on costs and the cumulative impact of the past five years on the road haulage community, for hauliers and their drivers, has been severe. Demand for road haulage services is still well below 2007/8 levels. Hauliers must be able to reinvest in their businesses with modern vehicles – a reduction in fuel duty today would have meant they would have been more able to afford to do so.”