Shoppers could be hit by ‘truckers tax’ under Labour plans to get hauliers to plug £6bn road funding gap
The price of food could rocket if Jeremy Corbyn came into power as truckers are only paying a 'fraction' of road infrastructure costs
SHOPPERS could be hit in the pocket by a truckers tax under a Labour Government, industry figures fear.
The cost of food is expected to soar if hauliers have to help plug a £6billion hole in funding for roads.
The warning came after Shadow Treasury Minister Clive Lewis said HGVs pay just a “fraction” of what they should to maintain the network.
One study says trucks contribute just 11 per cent of their fair share and cause a £6billion shortfall.
If a Jeremy Corbyn Government split that evenly between Britain’s 500,000 HGVs it would cost £12,100 for each one.
Mr Lewis said “no one wants to see HGV businesses go out of business” but “it is right for people to pay the appropriate level of tax”.
Richard Burnet, of the Road Haulage Association head, said: “Britain’s hauliers already pay some of the highest taxes in Europe.
“The suggestion a Labour Government would massively increase taxes on the movement of goods is beyond belief. It will undermine the com- petitiveness of all UK industry and ramp up inflationary pressures.
Everyone relying on trucks to keep manufacturers, super- markets, schools and hospitals going will be hit.”
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Tory MP Simon Hoare MP said it would bring “Britain’s crucial haulage industry on its knees”.
He added: “It would also lead to a massive rise in the costs of basic goods at the supermarket for hardworking families.
“It just goes to show that Labour don’t care about people’s jobs and are too incompetent to run Britain’s economy.”
A Labour spokesman said: “The real threat to hauliers is this Tory Government and their failure to secure a Brexit deal. Reports there will be just 1,200 (EU) permits to share between 75,000 British lorries after Brexit is concerning.”
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