Oil industry's attitude to UK fuel prices slammed
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As callous UK oil industry executive accuses King of peddling 'emotional dribble' over fuel prices, industry leaders rally describing comment as unacceptable
At a meeting of the CBI's Trade Association Council last week, RHA's
Chief Executive Roger King delivered an impassioned plea for help for
the UK's hauliers caught up in the ever-increasing cost of fuel.
King cited a Lanarkshire livestock haulier that had telephoned him to say that his customers, farmers, could not pay a penny more for road haulage because they could not get a higher price for their product to compensate.
'Yet the haulier had that day to pay nearly 80.8ppl for fuel, up by 3ppl from just a few weeks ago. And the price was expected to rise further', said King.
King told the CBI meeting that this was not an isolated case. 'The relentless upward spiral in fuel prices was destabilising the haulage industry. Yet the oil companies and the Chancellor were benefiting from huge windfall gains, mostly paid for by us. What we need at the very least is some of the windfall to cap further increases, to give time for the customer to catch up with the rates the haulier must charge. Failing this there is a very real risk that widespread company failures will ensue, both amongst hauliers and their customers.'
Roger King went on to say that it was time the government got a grip on the fuel price issue. 'Just because it is the holiday season it is no excuse to leave industry to fend for itself. We need action now!'
Commenting on King's plea, a representative of the UK oil industry said that what he had heard was "emotional dribble" and he urged all present not to support any more towards windfall taxation.
Others present considered this an unacceptable comment to make. 'I was happy to receive assurances from other trade association colleagues that they understood the plight of road haulage and were not unsympathetic to our solution,' King added.
King cited a Lanarkshire livestock haulier that had telephoned him to say that his customers, farmers, could not pay a penny more for road haulage because they could not get a higher price for their product to compensate.
'Yet the haulier had that day to pay nearly 80.8ppl for fuel, up by 3ppl from just a few weeks ago. And the price was expected to rise further', said King.
King told the CBI meeting that this was not an isolated case. 'The relentless upward spiral in fuel prices was destabilising the haulage industry. Yet the oil companies and the Chancellor were benefiting from huge windfall gains, mostly paid for by us. What we need at the very least is some of the windfall to cap further increases, to give time for the customer to catch up with the rates the haulier must charge. Failing this there is a very real risk that widespread company failures will ensue, both amongst hauliers and their customers.'
Roger King went on to say that it was time the government got a grip on the fuel price issue. 'Just because it is the holiday season it is no excuse to leave industry to fend for itself. We need action now!'
Commenting on King's plea, a representative of the UK oil industry said that what he had heard was "emotional dribble" and he urged all present not to support any more towards windfall taxation.
Others present considered this an unacceptable comment to make. 'I was happy to receive assurances from other trade association colleagues that they understood the plight of road haulage and were not unsympathetic to our solution,' King added.
