Select Committee on Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence


Memorandum by Sissons Commercial Painting (RH28)

  I applaud the action taken by the Environment, Transport & Regional Affairs committee in undertaking this inquiry, which will highlight the plight of this essential industry and the unfair advantages that recent legislation has given to its competitors abroad. The full extent of the damage will be shown in the loss of employment prospects and the increase in State dependency.

  In North Yorkshire the Haulage Industry, closely linked to Agricultural Industry, is responsible for and essential to the everyday running of hundreds of business concerns. The majority of goods, commodities of every conceivable nature, are moved by road. There is no adequate alternative means of supplies and equipment reaching our industrial estates, farms and businesses, which represent a livelihood for the working population. The road network is the circulation system of the country.

  Whilst it is recognised that fuel emissions and the upkeep of roads are of national concern, hauliers are doing all they can to help, with road friendly suspension, more efficient engines, greener diesel, speed limiters and elsewise conforming to current legislation.

  The tremendous increase in the price of diesel (over 20 per cent in the last 12 months) and the large increase in vehicle excise duty has had a seriously adverse effect upon the haulage industry and related businesses.

  British hauliers cannot compete with foreign hauliers, of whom we see more and more on our roads. Foreign hauliers pay far less for their diesel and vehicle duty than we do and are being used by our big concerns, as an economic measure at the expense of our own industry.

  Those British Hauliers who are in a position to so do, are flagging out (registering their vehicles abroad) and their growing numbers represent an increasing loss of revenue for the Government and indicate that an important industry is being sabotaged. Over the last 12 months my own business, which is shotblasting, painting and signwriting commercial vehicles, has seen a distinct downturn in sales. My customers, coping with the huge increases in running costs, have had to hold back on remedial work and with the future of the haulage industry in the balance have not had the confidence to purchase new vehicles. This last year the number of new vehicles painted to fleet colours has been a fraction of the number painted the previous year.

  I am in touch, daily, with hauliers operating in the north from the Midlands to Dumfriesshire, who are being forced to consider their viability. Unless the Government reduces these excessive duty levels the future for everyone connected with the haulage industry, parts manufacturers, paint shops, mechanics, body builders etc, appears to be one destined for recession and redundancies rather than healthy stability and growth.

R.I Hughes
Proprietor

February 2000


 
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