The Road Haulage Association has welcomed government plans to charge foreign lorries for using UK roads. “This is a happy day for road hauliers,” said RHA chief executive Geoff Dunning.
The government has been consulting since January on the proposal to charge foreign vehicles up to £10 a day. New transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin revealed the government’s intention to go ahead with the plan yesterday.
Dunning said: ““We were encouraged when this proposal was first announced at the beginning of the year. At that time it was suggested that a charging system would be in place and working by 2014. To hear that the government intends to have a system in place no later than the end of the current Parliament is a real added bonus.
“We expect a charge of about £1000 per year”, said Dunning. “This is not enough to give us a level playing field as regards the rest of Europe. But it is a good start and will help no end in beginning to prepare the ground.
“We are pleased that Mr McLoughlin has seen fit to bring forward this legislation so early in his tenure as transport minister; he is obviously very aware as to the important role played by UK hauliers in rebuilding the economy, increasing UK competitiveness and boosting growth.”