The Road Haulage Association has welcomed the Campaign for Better Transport report, which once again highlights the issue of road tolls and whether they are a guaranteed revenue earner. RHA Head of Communications, Kate Gibbs, said,” In 2009, road users contributed nearly £50 billion to Treasury coffers. £32 billion of that came from fuel duty and VAT on fuel”.

The RHA feels that implementing tolling on strategic routes would be welcomed however as reductions in congestion should follow. They also feel that foreign operators would also have to pay for the privilege of using the UK road network, which would create a more level playing field in terms of transport costs. However the RHA is also calling for reduction in fuel duty for essential users of fuel, as tolling would only be a short term solution to a long-term problem.

Ms Gibbs went onto say, “If hauliers are expected to pay the ever escalating levels of fuel duty as well as road tolls, congestion will indeed decrease as more and more transport operations are forced off the toll roads on to other untolled, and in some cases, minor roads. The knock-on effect of increased journey times and disruption to delivery schedules will place the providers of transport and businesses, which rely on an efficient transport system, in an untenable situation”.