Filling a tank

Chancellor George Osborne has postponed the 3ppl fuel duty rise planned for 1 August until January 2013.

Following lobbying by FairFuelUK (FFUK), culminating in a threat from the Labour Party to force a vote on an amendment to the Budget legislation earlier today, Osborne announced the freeze.

However FFUK founder Peter Carroll says: “There are serious longer-term issues to address on fuel taxation and pricing – but for today, we thank the government for listening and acting.”

Robert Wilcox, MD at Massey Wilcox Transport, based in Avonmouth, Bristol, says he is “delighted” with the news, adding that targeting hauliers has been an easy way for the government to raise tax for “too long”.

He says: "All along we have just wanted stability, and this will help provide that. Most hauliers are running with a fuel surcharge, but it’s not always easy to get the costs back.”

Meanwhile, Andy Boyle, MD at ABE (Ledbury), describes the news as “a wonderful result”. ABE, S&S Distribution and Eurovision Logistics became the first operators to back FFUK financially earlier this month.

Boyle says: “If the industry wants further proof about how you get results -  and if this is not a result, I don’t know what the hell is - they need to dip their hands in their pockets and back FFUK financially.”

Lee Smith, MD at S&R Smith & Son, based in West Thurrock, Essex, says: "This is good news, the guys involved in FFUK have put a lot of effort in, it's a worthy cause, and they've done really well.

"In our case, we have ratcheted our customers to rises in the cost of fuel, however its particularly good news for hauliers who are really struggling at the moment."

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