Road Transport Expo: RHA highlights fuel prices, driver shortages and facilities

RHA Executive director Rod McKenzie spoke at the recent Road Transport Expo on the critical issues to the commercial vehicle sector.

Rod spoke on fuel prices, HGV driver shortages, staff retention issues, Clean Air Zones and the “unrealistically fast rush to be fossil free” as well as our facilities campaign.

He explained how for the sector was riding the significant challenges it currently faced and how “the body blows keep hammering in. Like a boxer on the ropes, we’re bruised and bloodied but fighting back”.

Rebate

He highlighted how an extra £20,000 has been added per year to fill up a single truck due to escalating prices – doubling in costs within a year. As a result, he said, our essential user fuel duty rebate of 15 pence per litre off fuel for hauliers and coach operators was vital.

He said “the most powerful” argument for the rebate was also the one that was “attractive to government” – a control on inflation which is currently at a 40-year high.

Rod explained: “One of the reasons is because our costs are being passed on, that’s triggering price rises in all the businesses we supply – and remember that’s everyone.

“If our costs were held back by a rebate – those costs wouldn’t need to be passed onto consumers and therefore a brake on inflation would be applied. What’s not to like?”

Facilities and skills

Rod also highlighted our facilities petition to government and skills campaign, stating with driver truckstops, “there is a paucity of them and the lack of quality in the ones there are.”

He said: “Lack of workplace toilets for workers in 21^st century Britain is a disgrace. Who would put up with it in any other place of work? And why should lorry drivers? What parking there is – is often open to theft and general lawlessness. Food is usually inadequate not to say unhealthy.”

Rod explained how removing barriers to planning permission and ensuring government and business work together to provide “the sort of truckstop facilities evidenced every time we cross the channel and drive on western European roads”.

On skills and the driver shortage, he said stories such as the Top Gear edition on the haulage industry would help to create enthusiasm for HGV driving and “tempt more young people in” – but “more needs to be done”.

He called for a reform of the Apprenticeship Levy which was “not fit for purpose” for the sector – and highlighted that the RHA was proud to be involved with Logistics UK and CILT in Generation Logistics – a year long campaign to bring in fresh blood to our great industry.