Although the meetings did not result in a change to the tax, the road transport representatives present appeared hopeful that the tax could either be delayed or that measures to accelerate the electrification of freight could be implemented.
According to The Local Denmark, Tax Minister Jeppe Bruus described the meeting as “good” and “constructive” but admitted that he and the haulage groups “were probably not going to agree on the road tax itself”.
Karsten Lauritzen, Director of DI Transport, was among those present at the meeting. He told Lastbil Magasinet:
“They told us, of course we stand firm on what our policy is, but we would like to listen to you, and we also recognize that this causes some problems. So what can we do about it? I perceived the meeting as a different tone from the government than the ones we have heard so far”
Lauritzen added:
“We suggested that the mileage tax should be postponed until 2030 [from 2025], so that the technology is there, and there is a real possibility that you can buy an electric truck and get a charging station up. For many, it is not a real option, and it is not entirely fair to make such a tax that you cannot get out of, even if you want to drive green and sustainably.”
When asked if the government could commit to this, Lauritzen told the industry magazine that the ministers could not do so, but had taken a note of the request. The DI Transport Director added that the ministers were told about options like biogas as well as subsidies for charging stations, infrastructure and the purchase of green trucks. In his opinion, he was confident the government had taken on board the concerns of the industry.
However, the collaborative approached shared by the haulage associations is still seemingly at odds with some Danish truckers and owner-drivers. In a separate report, Lastbil Magasinet writes that some hauliers will meet on Saturday to consider whether to form more blockades.
Photo: Lav Ulv from Viby J, Denmark, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
DSC_5178_Balancer_(46375478925).jpg){kind=link}