Hauliers fear for future over fuel price

RECORD-high diesel prices are putting Suffolk hauliers under increasing financial strain, with many fearing for their futures.It is believed at least one established Ipswich haulage firm has closed down as a result of the rising costs - and the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has said it fears more may follow.

RECORD-high diesel prices are putting Suffolk hauliers under increasing financial strain, with many fearing for their futures.

It is believed at least one established Ipswich haulage firm has closed down as a result of the rising costs - and the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has said it fears more may follow.

One local haulage company has seen its monthly fuel bill increase by £11,000 since November, while there have also been warnings that consumers may end up bearing the brunt of increased costs.

In April the average cost for a litre of diesel in East Anglia was 117.8p - up from 95.4p the same time last year. The current national average is 120.2p.

Dozens of hauliers protested against the record high prices on the streets of London yesterday - the same day that Shell announced profits of $7.8bn (£3.92bn) for the first three months of the year, up from $6.9bn a year ago.

Paul Dawson, managing director of Felixstowe-based Deben Transport Ltd, said: “It is a very difficult time and there has been some huge slow down in business and some customers are between 20 per cent to 30pc down on imports.

“It is amazing that a lot of the boys are still here because the prices are just absolutely ridiculous and if you look in transport magazines there are companies packing up all the time because they cannot compete.”

Peter Butler, spokesman for the RHA said the association was concerned that hauliers would go out of business if prices continued to rocket and wants the Government to abandon plans to raise fuel duty by 2p next October.