A long-standing Angus haulier backed The Courier’s fight for fairer fuel claiming he is so “crippled” by rising costs that he is thinking of “giving it all up.”
David Murray established his Carnoustie transport firm 25 years ago and has contracts with many high-profile local firms, including Strathmore Water but insisted that a fuel duty regulator is essential if firms like his are to survive.
Mr Murray, who owns 16 lorries, claims the recent increased fuel prices represent a cost that is completely unsustainable.
Signing our petition at his Arbroath Road premises, he said, “I would sign this petition 1000 times if I could and I’m just so glad somebody is finally doing something for the hauliers.
“It’s beyond a joke now the prices are unbelievable. If my daughter and son-in-law didn’t work for me I really think I would just finish up because you’re in business to make money at the end of the day and it’s just getting so hard.
“Some companies just want everything done for nothing and we can’t do that.”
Mr Murray, who still drives for the firm, added that the conditions were also disheartening for his employees.
He said, “Why would you want to drive a forklift truck if you can make more money driving a tractor? I’ve always enjoyed my job, but something has to be done and it has to be done quickly.”
The recent VAT increase has hit many businesses hard with fuel prices rocketing to almost £1.40 a litre in some parts of Scotland, meaning motorists are being charged some of the highest prices in Europe.More support for campaignAlan Davie, who owns the Alan Davie & Son haulage firm at Inverarity near Forfar, similarly lent his support to the campaign.
He said last night, “I’m backing this for the sake of Scotland. The country was struggling anyway before prices went up and it’s hitting everybody hard.
“Our customers have been quite good at accepting we’re going to have to charge more, but what’s going to happen in the end is that industry will move away from Scotland.
“Every company, no matter what they do, will suffer if something isn’t done.”
Another Angus road haulier yesterday claimed The Courier’s fight for fairer fuel could be the last hope before a return to the same protest action that spawned a petrol crisis over a decade ago.
Martin Cessford, director of Brechin’s R&N Cessford Haulage, backed the campaign and warned that the industry is teetering on the brink of industrial action.
Backing for the introduction of a fuel duty regulator is gathering pace across the board as hauliers across Scotland struggle to keep their businesses afloat.
Many companies have put together petitions against the rising taxation in a bid to get MPs, MSPs and councillors involved in the process.
Mr Cessford said his firm was moving towards operating at a loss and called for the UK Government to make immediate changes to the levy that is crippling the industry.
He said, “When folk feel like they have nothing left to lose that is when they will protest. We weren’t making anything before and we will be making a real loss unless we can do something.No option but to pass the cost on”There is no option but to pass more on to the customer and unless something changes then the business is not going to be sustainable. We had just recovered and managed to get our rates up to a viable level after the previous increase when we were hit by another one and have been overtaken.
“Financing this job is a major problem because you have to pay for the fuel on the day you pick it up and then go and get the money from the customers.”
Mr Cessford added that a fuel discount system for hauliers would serve to alleviate some of the pressure and claimed that the system of claiming back VAT only served as an interest-free loan to the government.
Following the blockades in 2000 there remains an air of trepidation from hauliers about going back to the picket line, partly due to the enhanced spotlight it can bring from police and industry regulators.
“If a protest is the only way the government is going to take heed then that is what it will come down to,” said Mr Cessford. “But there were problems the last time round and there was a lot of excessive law enforcement so a lot of people are wary of being too provocative.”
Brian McKay, director of McKay’s Transport in Montrose, said his business uses around £70,000 in fuel every month and buys diesel in every two weeks.
While he has yet to hear of any murmurings of protest action he conceded that it might be necessary to drive costs back down to an affordable level.
“It is always a struggle when they put fuel prices up,” said Mr McKay. “I got a petition down from a haulage company in Aberdeen asking me to sign it and pass it on to my MP which I did.
“It was basically the same thing as The Courier campaign and I am happy to support both. I am behind anything that helps the situation.”
On every invoice sent out by McKay’s there is a 5% additional charge for fuel and that figure is likely to increase as the cost at the pumps continues to squeeze the business.
Mr McKay added, “I would like to see protests happening again just to make the government realise that they can’t just keep doing this.”