The Home Secretary’s announcement of plans for a protected lorry parking zone in the port of Calais has been welcomed by the Freight Transport Association. FTA deputy chief executive James Hookham says the association is “delighted” with the announcement of a zone to protect drivers from “gangs of migrants” who have allegedly threatened and intimidated them.
“End this madness now,” is the Freight Transport Association’s message to the French Government after ferry workers threatened a second week of cross-Channel disruption. A four-day strike by MyFerryLink workers saw burning tyres thrown on the Eurotunnel tracks and 30 miles of lorries stacked on the M20 in Kent. Industrial action was suspended on Thursday but further walk-outs are threatened from next Tuesday and FTA deputy chief executive James Hookham says enough is enough.
Foreign truck drivers have handed over more than £17 million to the taxpayer in the past 4 months thanks to a new charge. More than 618,000 levies have been purchased for over 112,000 vehicles from 76 different countries since the HGV road user levy was introduced in April 2014 – which has seen drivers coughing up enough cash to patch more than 320,000 potholes on our roads.
The Freight Transport Association has welcomed the freeze in fuel duty confirmed by the Chancellor in yesterday’s Budget, but has expressed disappointment that he has not taken the opportunity to boost the economy by reducing fuel duty by 3 pence per litre.
The Freight Transport Association has welcomed the publication of a Parliamentary Bill that will introduce a charge for foreign-registered vehicles using UK roads. Under the HGV Road User Levy Bill all heavy goods vehicles of 12 tonnes and over will be required to pay a levy before being able to travel on UK roads. For UK operators the Bill confirms that this cost will be rebated through an equivalent reduction in Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). Operators of foreign registered vehicles will be required to pay the levy at a daily, weekly, monthly or annual rate, depending upon how long they intend their vehicles to remain in the country.
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