FTA: less carbon should imply less duty

The Freight Transport Association (FTA), in its pre-Budget report submission to the government, states that HGVs / LGVs which achieve the smallest carbon dioxide emissions should pay a smaller amount of fuel duty.

Both the Road Haulage Association (RHA) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA) issued its wishlist for the pre-Budget report in the last few days. They also stressed the importance of keeping fuel prices as low as possible for the haulage industry. Both associations specifically asked the government to discard its plans for a rise in fuel duty which is intended for April 2010.

In broader terms, both FTA and RHA are highly critical of the government’s present approach to fuel duty which is higher in the UK compared to any other European country. The RHA said that a typical 44-tonne truck presently pays above £24,000 in fuel duty in a year, which is up by £2,500 compared to what was a year ago. It also said that since November the duty hikes have added £500 more to the annual figure.

Both associations also dispute that the competition from overseas operators should also be regulated, so that European LGVs / HGVs do not carry on having an unfair advantage.