The FTA has described plans to increase fuel duty by 2 pence per litre in the UK as “unthinkable” instead insisting it should be cut by 25 pence per litre to bring it in line with the rest of Europe.
As it currently stands duty for diesel in the UK is 50 pence per litre, twice the European average. Following the liberalisation of EU regulations on cabotage, which will allow foreign vehicles to carry out haulage on a contractual basis in the UK, the FTA is concerned UK operators will not be able to compete and says a reduction is “essential”.
James Hookham, director of policy at the FTA, said: “The threat of increased and unfair foreign competition must be considered as great a problem to the commercial operation of UK transport as the cost of fuel. Reducing diesel duty to a level more in line with the rest of Europe would help to create a level playing field and a far fairer competitive environment.”
