“By taking 15ppl of the cost of fuel, like the German and other European governments have done for hauliers and essential users, this cut can be taken off the cost of goods and services, resulting in a real-terms decrease for consumers in the supermarket or high street,” says the RHA.
The Road Haulage Association adds that fuel duty rebate schemes already exist for this primary purpose. One example cited by the RHA is the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), which currently offers rebates of 34.57 pence-per-litre for bus operators, thereby keeping the costs of fares down for hard-hit customers.
The RHA argues that the same approach can therefore also be taken for embattled coach operators, helping to ease costs for customers.
An RHA spokesperson said:
“We want to see a 15 pence per litre rebate for commercial vehicles to reduce the price of moving people and goods. This would be a big boost to the economy as the cost of living spirals. Similar schemes are in place for commercial operators in France, Spain, Italy and Belgium.”
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