The government has been forced to clarify the level of import tariffs to be placed on new trucks in the event of a no-deal Brexit after a document revealed it has been hiked from a promised 10% to 16%.

An estimated 42% of new HGVs are articulated and will attract the 16% tariff.

Last month industry leaders were told by government officials that a planned 22% tax on HGV imports was to be reduced to 10%, bringing it into line with the car industry.

However, a government document ‘Non-preferential tariff rates and quotas on imports if the UK leaves the EU with no deal’, revealed that the import tax will be 16% on new and used “road tractors for semi- trailers”.

Responding to the confusion, a government spokesman told MT that all HGVs (including rigids) that have a 22% tariff under the EU (and in the UK’s March announcement) now have a tariff of 10%.

“This reduction strikes a better balance between the needs of producers and the UK haulage industry including SMEs, supporting critical fleet replacement programmes that help to reduce pollution,” he said.

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