Fuel increase spells 'end of the road' for truckers

New increases in the price of fuel could mean the end of the road for hauliers with job losses and firms going under, according to industry sources.

The Road Hauliers Association told Ananova that truckers would be "absolutely livid" with the latest increases in which diesel is going up by another 4p a litre and petrol by 2p.

Association spokeswoman Kate Gibbs said members were already struggling to keep their heads above water before the latest price hike.

"This will mean the end of the road for a lot of firms," she said. "It is a very very sensitive time for anyone involved in fuel prices. Our members are going to be absolutely livid about this.

"We've just heard the People's Fuel Lobby plan to hold a rally of one million people in Hyde Park on November 13. With feelings as it is I don't think that is an optimistic number."

The rises have been blamed on the continuing high price of crude oil. It comes as a 60-day deadline imposed on the Government by fuel protesters draws ever nearer.

A fuel forum of haulage industry leaders, farmers and ministers are now in closed door meetings to try to come to a compromise.

Truckers want the government to cut the tax fuel.

A spokesman for the Fuel Forum said, "This could not have come at a worse time. A four pence increase per litre represents a massive jump in costs for everyone who uses large amounts of diesel."

Last updated: 14:18 Thursday 19th October 2000.

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 19, 2000