Road freight groups join forces to fight for fair fuel

Friday 14 January 2011

In a highly significant move, the two major trade associations representing the road freight industry are joining forces to campaign for fairer fuel prices. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) and the Road Haulage Association (RHA) are joining forces with the FairFuelUK Campaign. The campaign aims to have the fuel duty rise planned for April scrapped and for the Government to intervene and stabilise fuel prices. That these two major organisations are uniting behind a common cause is a sign of the enormity of the fuel crisis and will itself be a stark signal to the Government that the pressure of action is growing dramatically.

Geoff Dunning, Chief Executive of the RHA, said:

“The continuing rise in the price of fuel is a major threat to so many of our members. Many of these are the small and medium sized transport companies that form the back-bone of the UK road freight industry. Many of these companies have long and proud histories in the industry. With margins already squeezed to unsustainable levels many of these firms are threatened with going out of business.”

Theo de Pencier, Chief Executive of the FTA, said:

“The situation regarding fuel is threatening the whole economy. So many people are suffering. We feel that the general business community and the motoring public now have common cause with our industry. This campaign is the opportunity to put maximum pressure on the Government to win some form of concession to get the pressure off.”

The campaign does not support any kind of blockading or other disruptive action. It is being co-ordinated by Peter Carroll who is involved in the road freight industry. Peter founded and orchestrated the Gurkha Justice Campaign of 2009. Peter said: “We need hundreds of thousands of people to sign up to www.fairfueluk.com. The Government will only feel the pressure if this becomes a matter of the national mood.”

FTA Press Office

01892 552255
press.office@fta.co.uk