Guarded welcome from RHA for PM's fuel duty pledge

While applauding the Prime Minister's pledge to "keep going" to block future fuel duty rises, the Road Haulage Association is still, as one of the original backers of the hugely successful campaign group FairFuelUK, committed to finding a permanent solution to the thorny issue of high fuel prices.

Commenting, RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning said: “Of course we welcome the news that there is little prospect of any duty rises before the next general election in 2015. But the fact remains that UK hauliers are still paying the highest levels of fuel duty in Europe and this is an issue that must be addressed as a matter of urgency. Our members have to watch every penny; they can’t afford not to. This is an industry where any increase in the price of fuel or the rate of fuel duty can mean make or break”.

FairFuelUK spokesman Quentin Willson said: “The Prime Minister’s recent promise to keep fuel duty down will come as an enormous relief to haulage companies all over the UK. Road hauliers represent the lifeblood of our economy and we have to keep the cost of transport in this country as low as possible.”