A fair playing field needed for UK hauliers

Recently published statistics show the extent to which non UK registered lorries have been taking over our roads in the last ten years. The number of trips to and from Britain by non UK lorries has more than doubled in the last ten years to 1,672,000 in 2008. The figures also show that the number of UK haulage vehicles fell from 72,000 to 48,000. And, sadly, the number of traffic offences by drivers of non UK registered lorries has gone from 29,000 offences by non UK registered lorries in 1997 to 125,000 in 2008. These numbers include traffic violations from accidents to unsafe vehicles.

 

Much concern has been raised by UK hauliers about the future of their industry. These figures demonstrate that there is substance to their concerns. UK hauliers say they have to pay fuel tax, road tax as well as tolls while travelling overseas. Meanwhile they point to how non UK registered lorries are often able to fill up overseas and use the UK's roads for free.

 

There is nothing wrong with free markets and open competition. Yet competition must be fair and take place on a level playing field.  Ideas have been advanced for lorry road tolls, BritDiscs, fuel duty rebates and pollution congestion charges. Haulage is an important part of our transport economy - whichever method is chosen needs to level things up.