Latest News Stories

Van insurance policyholders on alert after RHA criticises Budget

02/04/07

Van insurance customers may be interested to know that the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has slammed the Budget for raising fuel duty by claiming it could adversely impact upon British business.
 
Speaking as the representative of van insurance customers and other commercial vehicle operators, the RHA pointed out that this is not the first time that the vehicle excise levy has been altered.
 
Indeed, by factoring in increases introduced in November 2006 and all prospective rises on the cards, the organisation estimates that transport costs will have been hiked by seven pence per litre by April 2009.
 
This translates into an additional £4,200 in the average operating cost for a heavy-goods vehicle, it is claimed.
 
Now, the haulage group has pleaded with chancellor Gordon Brown to take heed of a report published this week by the all-party trade and industry committee, which highlighted that the British economy suffers additional transport costs because it is an island.
 
"If the chancellor refuses to listen to us, perhaps he will pay due regard to his parliamentary colleagues," asserted Roger King, chief executive of the RHA.
 
"To raise transport costs by seven pence per litre is unacceptable and dangerous for UK businesses - however dressed up as a green initiative.
 
"There has to be a better way and that must start with a rebate for road transport."
 
However, firms with cost pressures may have been cheered by another element of Chancellor Brown's 11th Budget.
 
From April 2008, the chancellor revealed that corporation tax would be slashed from 30p to 28p.
 
Searching for a cheap van insurance quote?  Try Dial Direct