Over the weekend Londoners removed ‘Red’ Ken from office and voted in Blue Boris to be London’s Mayor. But what does this change mean for London’s HGV industry?

• Boris has stated he will halt the planned £25 a day congestion charge. This will be a welcome relief for small businesses and families in the capital. Advantage HGV spoke to Brian Gomez, a self employed heating engineer. ‘The threat of a £25 a day Congestion Charge would have bankrupted me,’ said Gomez, ‘I can’t afford to buy a new van, yet the old one would have cost me over £6,000 a year to visit customers in London, I’m over the moon Ken’s gone.’
• Mayor Johnson has also said he will review the Western extension of the Congestion Charge - if this removed it will again provide blessed relief for the HGV and haulage industry working in and delivering to the capital
• The LEZ also looks set to be reviewed - with a hope that the current draconian punishments for HGV firms who can’t afford the costly uprgrades, be scrapped

On a wider national level, the election results look set to benefit HGV drivers, firms and individual motorists across the UK. Gordon Brown’s Labour government took such a beating last Thursday - that the Prime Minister will be forced to re-evaluate some of his controversial tax rises. Hopefully we can expect to see:

• A cancellation of the proposed 2% fuel duty rise in October
• A review of the controversial road tax rises based on engine size
• Re-introduction of the 10p tax rates

If the above happens, then we can be thankful for Boris and what he has achieved. HGV training costs will be kept lower if fuel price rises are scrapped and HGV operators will find it easier and more profitable to operate in London.

Advantage HGV Training & Jobs - 1st in the UK for HGV / LGV News & Information