More efficiency, less tax please
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ROAD TRANSPORT organisations have welcomed a report on carbon emissions by the Commission for Integrated Transport (Cf IT).
This suggests that the best way to cut carbon emissions is by increasing driving efficiency and reducing empty running, rather than by hiking up taxes. It also highlights the efforts of manufacturers to produce cleaner vehicles.
James Hookham, the Freight Transport Association's director of policy, says: "The report's conclusion that the route to carbon savings is not through higher fuel duty is particularly welcome. The FTA has long argued that escalating fuel duty robs smaller businesses of much-needed cash to invest in eff iciency measures. It adds that for the haulage industry, "green measures are often the same as lean measures".
The Road Haulage Association says truck drivers should be role models for motorists in fuel-efficient and courteous driving: "Road haulage drivers are trained professionals in terms of driving techniques. With diesel by far the largest variable cost — the average articulated lorry uses around £45,000 worth of fuel a year — fuel efficiency is integral to the way they drive," it explains.