NOBODY driving on UK motorways over the last six months could have failed to see the enormous increase in the number of foreign trucks.

Sadly, many of these vehicles are here because of our Government's policy of ultra high duty on diesel and ultra high Vehicle Excise Duty on trucks - the UK has the highest rate of transport taxes in Europe; highest by a mile! A UK 40 tonne truck pays £25,800 per year in fuel tax and VED - the same French vehicle pays just £11,500.

Because of their ability to operate on cheaper taxes than UK operators, foreign trucks are able to offer cheaper haulage rates. They are now making serious inroads into both UK international and domestic haulage - they are taking business from our transport industry.

Because of UK transport taxes the cost of transport to British industry is about 15pc higher than elsewhere in Europe. If the Government delivers on its promises for further increases in diesel duty, then by 2002 this figure will increase to 20pc. This means that it is not just our transport sector that is suffering - it is the whole of UK industry.

The Government claims that this policy is "good for the environment" because it is supposed to encourage lorry operators to move goods less. In fact it hasn't saved a single lorry journey - lorries have to travel on our roads because companies and people want goods moved.

High transport taxes are hurting the transport sector and the whole of UK industry. They are not improving the environment.

The Government simply must scrap this damaging policy.

Heather Crocker

Regional Policy Manger

Freight Transport Association

Horsforth, Leeds

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