We're only a quarter...
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THE UK'S international hauliers are continuing to be squeezed out of the market by foreign competitors according to the latest government figures — only one in four trucks crossing to the Continent is UK-registered.
The total number of trucks travelling to the Continent has jumped 123% over the past 15 years. but the proportion of UK operators handling international work has plummeted from 48% in 1998 to just 25% in 2003.
The total number of vehicles travelling to mainland Europe fell 1% between the third and fourth quarters of 2003, to 645,300. The number of UK-registered vehicles making the crossing also fell 1% between the third and fourth quarters to 114,900; down 4% from the same period of 2002.
However, the number of foreign vehicles rose to 331,800 — up 1% from the same period a year earlier. The FTA says recent favourable exchange rates have made only a fractional difference to the UK operators.