Haulage taskforce to fight ferry price increases 14/2/12
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is expected to announce that a haulage taskgroup will be established to fight the withdrawal of road equivalent tariff (RET) for lorries.
The council is also expected to call on Highlands and Islands Enterprise to back the campaign.
The massive rise in transporting trucks across from the mainland has been tempered to a degree by the Scottish Government paying half the increase.
But hauliers warn this is not enough as it still results in costs soaring by 50%
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The Scottish Government says there was little evidence the past savings from RET
were being seen in cheaper shop prices. It suggests the hauliers were keeping the
benefits to compensate for higher Vat, fuel and running costs imposed by Westminster
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An economic impact study will now investigate hauliers costs and if the discount subsidy savings are filtering down into the local economy.
Comhairle leader Angus Campbell has said it is now even more important to know the impact on the Western Isles economy of the changes in discounted prices on ferry fares.
Mr Campbell said: “This move will still mean potentially up to 50% increases in ferry fares for commercial vehicles and that must, by any standard, be considered unacceptable.
“I note also that the Minister is describing transitional arrangements which implies that this is temporary leaving the risk that the Government will revert to the original scheme.
The study will give us the opportunity to gather the evidence and compare prices here with other Island transport systems.
I look forward to discussing these issues with the Outer Hebrides Transport Group tomorrow”.
Cllr Donald Manford, chair of Transportation on Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, said the 50% price discount ”is a significant move which must be welcomed. It comes of course, in addition to the welcome extra help announced last week which amounts to a 50% reduction for six metre vehicles.
“This has been achieved despite the difficult financial circumstances that the Scottish government finds itself in as a result of the cuts from Westminster.”
He added: “There are however, still painful increases which we must continue to work to reduce. One means of doing this (and there are others) is to embrace the impact assessment which I asked for in my letter to the Minister of January which I note will be completed in six months.
“RET has been of huge benefit to the economy and the people of the islands and it is important to evidence that these benefits have been passed to the people.”