RHA welcomes chancellor's autumn statement

Date: 30/11/2011

The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has welcomed today's (November 29th) statement that January's proposed fuel duty increase will be cancelled.

In his Autumn Statement, chancellor George Osborne revealed that the planned increase for the start of 2012 would be cancelled, while the 5p per litre rise scheduled for August 2012 will be reduced to 3p per litre.

Geoff Dunning, chief executive of the RHA, which has been supporting the FairFuelUK campaign, said that today's announcement represents a "victory" for drivers.

"For many, today's announcement will offer some respite but the fact remains that if the UK economy is to stand any chance of recovery, a much longer term solution is essential."

Although Mr Osborne's message was on the whole optimistic, the RHA did say that road freight operators remain at a disadvantage compared to their overseas counterparts.

With this in mind, it welcomed the news that £5 billion is to be invested in the nation's road infrastructure, with improvements set for the Midlands and the south-west, while tolls on the Humber Bridge are also to be reduced.

Posted by Mary Treen