11:13am Monday 22nd June 2009
By Robert Downes
A RECENT study from the Automobile Association confirms that UK petrol prices have risen dramatically since the middle of May.
The AA is concerned with the impact of rising fuel prices upon the motorist but, in the past four weeks alone hauliers have seen the equivalent of an extra £1,000 per vehicle slapped on to their annual fuel bill.
“On 22 April 2009, the Chancellor in his spring Budget stated that he expected energy prices to come down,” said RHA Head of Communications Kate Gibbs. “The opposite has happened, adding even more weight to the case of the UK haulage industry to see September’s proposed duty increase of two pence per litre abandoned. "If the worst case scenario becomes a reality and we do see a further increase in September it will be the third rise in nine months equating to a tax rise of 12 per cent.
Again, in his Budget statement, the Chancellor stated that the Budget “will build on the strengths of the British economy and its people, speed the recovery, providing jobs and spreading prosperity”.
“The health of the UK road freight industry is key to the recovery of UK plc. The healthier the industry, the more rapidly the economy will recover. Surely the Chancellor realises that the imposition of a fuel duty increase will have a damaging effect on what is an already depleted haulage industry in particular and the future economy of the United Kingdom in general. It will damage UK companies that hauliers work for and it will push up the cost of food, clothing and other essentials for already hard pressed families.”
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