Chamber joins fuel hike protest

AN OPEN letter to the chancellor urging him to scrap a proposed increase in fuel duty has been backed by a Yorkshire chamber of commerce.

Businesses, especially haulage firms and other road dependant organisations, are protesting against government plans to increase fuel duty by 2p per litre which are set to be introduced in April.

It is estimated that the cost to the haulage industry could be as much as £170m and the letter states road users are already struggling against a background of high oil prices and a duty rise last October.

Leeds Chamber of Commerce is supporting the letter to Alistair Darling.

Ian Williams, the chamber's policy director, said: “The message being sent from Government to our logistics industry is particularly worrying.

“The ability for hauliers to compete with other European firms is looking increasingly threatened, especially considering the economy faces a slow down in 2008.

“The Government must urgently reconsider this unnecessary rise in fuel tax to protect hauliers and businesses who use the roads on a daily basis.”