Hedge backs diesel protest
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• Used truck dealer Chris Hodge is offering his full backing to hauliers demonstrating on the streets against Government tax policy. "They should have done it years ago," he believes.
He accuses the Government of imposing inflationary taxes on transport that will increase the costs of British businesses while making life easier for foreign hauliers.
"The number of foreign-registered trucks on our roads these days is quite awesome," he says. "They have the advantages of low Vehicle Excise Duty and cheap Continental diesel, and they often run overloaded." he contends.
In the aftermath of the Budget a number of opera
tors contacted Hodge to say they wished to dispose of their trucks because they were leaving the industry. "What we're seeing is the rapid erosion of privately owned haulage
companies," he believes.
His London-based firm remains busy, but much of the business he does these days is outside the traditional hire-orreward sector.
One thing he has noticed is that there has been no overwhelming post-Budget swing in favour of 6x2s among his customers. "The ones on Continental work know that you can get huge fuel tanks on 4x2s which they can fill up with diesel on the other side of the Channel."