The HGV road user levy, which was introduced in April 2014, has generated more than £17 million in the past four months.
More than 618,000 levies have been charged for over 112,000 vehicles from 76 different countries since April. Data from the Department of Transport shows that 95 per cent of heavy goods vehicle operators are now paying the levy in the UK.
All hauliers driving trucks of 12 tonnes or more must pay the levy before using UK roads, UK hauliers pay the levy when buying their vehicle excise duty.
Before the levy was introduced foreign HGV drivers could fill up on the continent, pick up business in the UK and return to mainland Europe without buying fuel in the UK and therefore avoiding paying to maintain Britain’s roads.
Robert Goodwill, transport minister, said: “I welcome these figures which show that the levy brought in by this government is really working. We anticipated the levy would generate around £20 million a year – to take £17 million in just 4 months is impressive and shows that compliance has remained high since introduction.”
The levy is part of the coalitions plan to provide UK hauliers with a fairer deal as well as cutting the duty paid on standard diesel and freezing HGV vehicle excise duty during this Parliament.
