UK – The Road Haulage Association (RHA) which represents a large proportion of British freight trucking companies, say they are pleased at the findings of the recent report from the Post Office regarding the price of diesel fuel in the country which they say the survey believes is ‘extortionate’. Other observers put an entirely different spin on the figures pointing out that, at £1.20 per litre, Britain has the sixth cheapest fuel in Europe.
As usual it is the Euro, and the consequent exchange rate to Sterling, which confuses the picture. A separate survey for the Irish AA last month shows Britain’s fuel as the second most expensive when priced in Eurocents, only Norway having dearer petrol with diesel paralleling this situation. Despite this the RHA’s comments that: “UK hauliers are seemingly being penalised and to add insult to this particular injury, we are seeing more and more foreign hauliers on UK roads, their trucks filled with tanks of diesel fuel bought on the continent for a price that is considerably lower than their UK counterparts.”
This in fact contrasts sharply with the actual crux of the Post Office report that diesel prices are up 30% on the continent this year and, as the Daily Mirror saw it today, “there is some good news for holidaymakers travelling in a diesel. Compared with the UK, they will be quids in wherever they drive in Europe – except in Norway, rated the costliest in the past two Post Office surveys.”
So perhaps the RHA should not make such a big thing about the rising prices, with the pound as weak as it is, it may not be long before those foreign lorries arrive with empty tanks to take advantage of the UK’s cheaper fuel.
