Smaller businesses
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) claimed that they would like to see transport policies that don’t unfairly penalise smaller businesses.

FPB Campaigns Manager, Victoria Carson, said: "The lowering of fuel duty would be of benefit to those firms in the haulage industry that are already burdened by regulations and unfair competition from foreign competitors using cheaper fuel from abroad."

"The cost of road charging must be proportionate to the saving made from the cut= in fuel duty, otherwise this will be just another burden on UK hauliers."

Environment
FPB member Tracy Hoather runs Sameday Plc a haulage company in Knutsford, Cheshire. She acknowledges that balancing the needs of her industry with those of, for example, the environment is not an easy task.

Mrs Hoather said: "The problem is that transport is the lifeblood of the nation and we all want the freedom and independence of our own vehicles. Proposals for charges to use our roads= are nothing new, but what is the cost of the technology required and the administration needed to use the system?"

The Conservatives haven’t set out what technology they would use to enforce the system, or the cost. Mrs Hoather has warned of the danger of further red tape for firms. She said: "The Congestion Charge and tolls on bridges and roads are already costly and difficult to administer for the smaller hauliers without adding more rules and regulations."

The proposals by the Conservatives are made as Network Rail spelt out aims to take 12,000 lorries from our roads by moving their loads onto freight trains in plans thought to cost half a billion pounds. Mrs Hoather is sceptical as to whether more dependence on the rail system would be a positive move.

She said: "That would shift more power into the hands of rail unions and realistically the flexibility of using the roads can’t be matched."

The Department of Transport is still investigating a road charging system. Meanwhile, UK hauliers are concerned that they will be put out of business by foreign competitors if they continue to pay much higher prices for diesel compared to hauliers in France.

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Susie Hughes
The Editor © Hardhatter 2006