Letter: Shropshire hauliers and the high cost of fuel
Thursday 17th February 2011, 6:00AM GMT.
Letter: Reference the recent letter from John Thornicroft, “Hauliers must act”.
Hauliers on strike over fuel prices is not a good idea as it would never work.
Most of the larger haulage firms work under contract where they have a fuel escalator in place and most likely a clause that prevents them going on strike.
A majority of hauliers are struggling for survival and to park their vehicles up for a week would be another nail in the coffin.
On a more positive note, I and the regional director and area manager from the Road Haulage Association Bristol, along with two fellow Shropshire hauliers had a meeting at the Shirehall on January 21 with four Shropshire MPs. We discussed the problems our industry is encountering with high fuel costs.
Most people don’t realise that the average fuel consumption of a 44 tonne artic is just 6mpg and that is 40 per cent of the vehicle’s earnings, so it is therefore a major concern to operators.
Our four MPs took everything onboard especially Owen Paterson, who was a former shadow transport minister.
We are hopeful that the planned increase in April does not take place and that we get a fuel stabiliser.
Elliott PW Blackmore
Chairman
Road Haulage Association
Shropshire Sub District
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I do think most people are aware of how much running costs are involved in HGV work . However I fear the small guys will be pushed out, and the big boys will remain. As will happen with many businesses through this crisis .
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Aren’t hauliers the new farmers, always moaning….
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Yes Simon they are moaning, and with good reason.
Take into account the initial cost of a new 44 tonner, very high annual road tax and insurance, and then the fuel prices, and anyone with half a brain must sympathise with them.
If they did go on strike for any length of time what’s the betting you would be moaning too when you could not get what you wanted from the supermarkets, garages etc. because there were no deliveries.
Everything you use in your day to day life has been moved by lorry at some time or other, think about that before getting on your high horse.
Unlike Mr. Blackmore, I have no hopes that MPs will do anything about the situation. The road user is a captive source of tax for the government, and they will not let such a profitable source escape.
They,(MPs, do not pay for the fuel they use YOU, the taxpayer does, so why should they care?
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No. Farmers can use red diesel for their commercial vehicles.
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And how many put it in their cars, 4×4, etc I knew two farmers who filled cars up with it and have done so for the last 20 years.
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why are’nt they out with blockades/go slows like they did when fuel was just £0.80p a litre?
Oh to be just £0.80p again.
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its about time somebody did something its absolutely ridiculous the price of fuel in the uk, just look at what pitance they pay for fuel in the usa and they have got to be the biggest users in the world. but hey ho lets just rip off the hard working people of this country again and agian and again who cares!!!!!!!!
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The simple answer is, everybody cares, but what can they do about it? NOTHING.
You cannot boycott filling stations as you need your car, van etc. for work, as I said, you are a captive source of income.
The only ones who could make a difference are the hauliers with a general strike. OK, the little men would find it hard, but if a strike would make the dem-cons think again then ALL would benefit. Surely the bigger fish, Stobbart etc.could chip in and help the solo operators for a while.
When the public find themselves unable to get the basics in the shops, then the outcry should be enough to make the government think again.
Yes, it would be hard for all , but, no pain, no gain. YOU ARE being ripped off day after day by successive administrations. They send shed loads of cash to foreign countries, bail out banks etc. etc. and when they need to recover this cash, where do they look? Got it in one, tax on essentials.
Come on you truckers enough is enough. Time to stop complaining and DO something. I think you would find the country behind you all the way.
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Hello Elliott, nice to hear from you again. I hope you do get your fuel stabiliser in April, but I am not holding my breath. As I see the scenario fuel taxation is a surefire massive revenue stream for the government and they are hardly likely to let this go, particularly in light of the apocalyptic debt left by the last government. It is more likely they will not introduce a stabiliser and leave you to pay higher operating costs, in the knowledge that you will have to on pass those cost increases to your customer, which means that prices in the shops will go up and the consumer will have to pay the increase in the end – or more hauliers will go bankrupt. Too many have gone bankrupt in the past because of a marked reluctance to increase their rates – they feared losing traffic to competitors – and lost their businesses in the end, to the benefit of the big boys, as traffic levels do not diminish. Remember the old slogan “If you bought it a lorry brought it”??? Never truer than now, so I think you need to increase your rates to ADEQUATELY cover the cost increases you will have to bear, and accept your role as an unofficial government tax collector!! Good Luck!!.
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