News Round-up – Road Freight

imagesIt’s no secret that Scotland is seeking independence from the rest of the United Kingdom, but the coalition government has warned Scottish hauliers today that independence could cost significantly. Should Scotland achieve independence logistics firms could end up paying up to £1,000 per annum, just to make deliveries over the border. The government is planning to increase revenue for general road maintenance by charging foreign truckers when they enter Britain, a move that is hoped to help local firms compete with European based businesses that benefit from the lower fuel prices on the continent. UK businesses would be exempt, their fees being offset by other road taxes, but an independent Scotland would mean Scottish hauliers are treated as foreign. David Mundell, a Scotland office minister, said: “Every time we look under the bonnet of independence we find something else problematic.”

We may think that the cost of using roads in the UK is rising, but lorry drivers in Brazil have taken to setting fire to toll booths and stopping traffic by partially or completely blocking motorways in an effort to get cheaper fuel, better roads and lower tolls. For the third day, motorway traffic in at least six states have been disrupted and eight toll booths burned as the Brazilian lorry drivers continue to protest their working conditions. President Dilma Rousseff has spoken out against the disruptions. “The country’s motorways cannot be blocked and my government will not remain quiet when faced with the interruption of the production process, the right to come and go and the life of the Brazilian people,” she said.

Premier Logistics is moving to a new depot based in St Albans after out-growing their current headquarters in Meridian Business Park, near Braunstone. The company has opened the satellite depot to meet growing national demand, and have plans to open two further depots in the coming months. Commercial manager, Mark Steel, said, “We’ve opened our southern depot in St Albans and still have the site at the rear of the Pall-Ex hub, which is where our vehicles are.

“We are hoping to acquire a significant site in the Bardon area for occupancy later this year.

“The fleet has grown by about 25 per cent in the past year, possibly more, and we’ve seen overall growth of about 50 per cent.

The St Albans depot covers approximately 20,000 sq ft, with ten vehicles based at the new site, with 60 lorries and trailers relocating to the new Bardon site after the site acquisition.

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