21:41
Faizan
The haulage industry faces many challenges at the moment, with high fuel prices being one of the biggest problems for those carrying out deliveries and return loads on Britain's roads. However, the entire industry breathed a sigh of relief recently when the threat of strike action by the UK's fuel tankers was called off.
Fuel Strike Would Have Been Very Problematic
The threatened action would have piled huge pressure on the haulage industry, which is already under stress from the soaring price of fuel in the UK. But, when it came to the vote, the unions voted against industrial action by a very narrow margin to give the whole industry a break.
The reason for the planned strike was due to safety issues for fuel tanker drivers, and had it gone ahead it would have been very hard for drivers to get access to the fuel which they needed. This could have been devastating for haulage drivers because anyone carrying out return loads in the haulage industry would have been affected. Problems would have occurred despite government plans to use the army to transport fuel across the country, because they simply do not have the vehicles.
Relief for the Haulage Industry
Geoff Dunning, the chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), warned that the industry is not out of the woods yet, and that there is still the threat that the tanker drivers could carry out further industrial action. He highlighted the importance of fuel stability, saying "a consistent supply is as important as a consistent cost". Now the next major challenge for the industry is to persuade the government about the damage that a 3 pence increase in fuel duty would do to the economy - so that hopefully it will not come into force.
Fuel Strike Would Have Been Very Problematic
The threatened action would have piled huge pressure on the haulage industry, which is already under stress from the soaring price of fuel in the UK. But, when it came to the vote, the unions voted against industrial action by a very narrow margin to give the whole industry a break.
The reason for the planned strike was due to safety issues for fuel tanker drivers, and had it gone ahead it would have been very hard for drivers to get access to the fuel which they needed. This could have been devastating for haulage drivers because anyone carrying out return loads in the haulage industry would have been affected. Problems would have occurred despite government plans to use the army to transport fuel across the country, because they simply do not have the vehicles.
Relief for the Haulage Industry
Geoff Dunning, the chief executive of the Road Haulage Association (RHA), warned that the industry is not out of the woods yet, and that there is still the threat that the tanker drivers could carry out further industrial action. He highlighted the importance of fuel stability, saying "a consistent supply is as important as a consistent cost". Now the next major challenge for the industry is to persuade the government about the damage that a 3 pence increase in fuel duty would do to the economy - so that hopefully it will not come into force.
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