Keep The UK Competitive – Ridgeway Training – CPC Training Courses

Britain’s ability to move goods around the world without additional cost or red tape has to be a priority for the Chancellor, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA) in its submission to HM treasury before this month’s Autumn Statement.

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The FTA have welcomed the recent announcement to back a third runway at Heathrow, which will be crucial for maintaining and developing global trade links after we have left the European Union. However, the FTA have stated that Brexit negotiations must ensure that UK goods are no more expensive to export and are not burdened with more red tape. The logistics sector must also be able to access employees from outside the UK, due to the shortage of staff in the industry.

The FTA made its submission before the Chancellors first Autumn statement which will be released on 23rd November.

The FTA’s Director of Policy, Karen Dee, had this to say about the submission: “The Chancellor must ensure that UK businesses remain competitive as we move towards exiting the EU. This means minimising the burdens placed on businesses moving goods around the world so that British goods are no more costly to export nor burdened with more red tape.

“But beyond this, it means delivering an economic and fiscal environment at home which allows businesses to thrive. The logistics industry operates on relatively low margins and is currently experiencing a shortage of skilled labour. The Chancellor could provide a real boost by reducing fuel duties; looking again at the implementation of the Apprenticeship Levy to ensure that it better meets businesses’ needs, and enhancing investment in our key transport infrastructure networks.”

She went on to say how the UK economy relies on logistics – that how she hopes that logistics can rely on Government.”

The submission by the FTA also called for:

• Protection of the Roads Investment Strategy
• Enhanced revenue budgets for improved maintenance on strategic and local authority roads network
• A 3p per litre cut in fuel duty
• A policy framework & funding for new and improves roadside facilities for drivers
• Protection of funding for the rail Strategic Freight Network
• Re-instating the duty differential for used cooking oil as a biofuel in commercial vehicles

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