LONDON, July 9 -- The Road Haulage Association has reacted strongly to the news
that supermarket giant ASDA is to slash the cost of a litre of unleaded and
diesel to less than GBP1.

This move is intended to bring relief to the motorist but surely it’s
time that the UK haulier was granted the same opportunity? said RHA Chief
Executive Geoff Dunning. In the past week alone we have seen the barrel price of
oil drop US$10 dollars as a reaction to the fears about the high price slowing
economic recovery. Despite this, hauliers are still paying more for fuel than
their European counterparts due to the extortionate rate of fuel duty, which
currently represents over half the price of a litre.

ASDA’s price cut will inevitably start the ball rolling and I am sure
that the other supermarket chains will respond, Geoff Dunning continued. We are
calling on the Government to help us: when they reduced VAT, they increased fuel
duty, so that the motorist saw no increase in price, but the haulage
industry’s costs increased.

Without a haulage industry the supermarket shelves will be empty, concluded
Geoff Dunning. Surely this will make the Chancellor reconsider his plans to
increase fuel duty by yet another 2 ppl in the autumn.

Road Haulage Association - phone us first

http://www.rha.uk.net

SOURCE: Road Haulage Association

For more details, contact RHA Head of Communications, Kate Gibbs on Tel:
+44-(0)1932-838917, Mob: +44-(0)7979-531451