FUEL TAX CANCELS OUT PROGRESS' C ONCERN over the recent increase
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in fuel tax was expressed by the chairman of the Road Haulage Association, Mr. A. R. Butt, in a speech last week at the annual dinner of the North Western (Western) area of the Association at Blackpool.
Mr. Butt said it was frustrating to see the hauliers' good work of proviaing an efficient and personal service at economic rates, together with improvements in vehicle design and so on, cancelled out by the imposition of the tax increase. "We deplore having to increase our rates ", said Mr. Butt, and he wondered if successive governments looked on the industry as joint undertakings with tax collection ranking equally with transport. The Association on this occasion had to take prompt action on behalf of its members' recommendation for an immediate rates increase, but it was evident from reports that the decision had been fully supported and trade and industry generally had recognized the necessity.
Referring to the 1965 annual conference of the R.H.A. to be held in Blackpool, Mr. Butt said he wondered what particular matters would be engaging the attention of the industry then. "Shall we be celebrating a drastic reduction in fuel tax, and perhaps an undertaking given by the Government that we need not fear any political interference in our businesses? " he asked.
On the question of vehicle turn-round —another problem that was facing the industry—Mr. putt said that many customers could help themselves quite a lot. "It is a sorry state of affairs when loading and off-loading of vehicles may take longer than the actual haul over quite long distances ", he added.