Truck and Track Spring 2026 www.truckandtrack.com 38 PALLET NETWORKS The Chancellor must reduce fuel duty immediately to protect essential services to the UK economy, says the Association of Pallet Networks (APN). The APN is joining its voice to that of the Road Haulage Association in calling on Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves to support our transport and logistics sector by: ■ Immediately cutting fuel duty ■ Not increasing fuel duty as planned on 1 September ■ Abandoning the inflation-linked increases scheduled from April 2027 ■ Implementing a temporary reduction in VAT on fuel ■ Implementing mandatory 30-day payment terms for UK haulage businesses The APN believes these measures will help to stabilise an essential but vulnerable sector facing huge fuel cost increases due to the Middle East conflict. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies oil prices have risen by 35% due to the Middle East conflict. The subsequent impact on diesel prices has added thousands to hauliers’ weekly costs. Fuel is an unavoidable expense, which comprises a large percentage of daily operating costs. Haulage firms are also vulnerable to customer default, customer insolvency, and delayed payment terms, all of which compromise cash flow. The sector has seen record insolvencies in the past three years. Approximately 1,400 UK haulage businesses have gone into insolvency since 2023, according to government data. Road transport provides 81% of all UK freight movement, including 98% of food, agricultural and consumer products. Yet businesses within the sector work on average margins of less than 2%. APN chairman Paul Sanders says: “Our pallet network members operate on small margins. Increased fuel costs threaten their businesses, which in turn threatens the supply chains underpinning our entire goods-based economy. We’re asking the Chancellor to urgently address the current surge in fuel prices which is pushing many haulage companies to the brink of collapse.” He emphasises that the hundreds of hauliers which comprise the UK pallet network sector are also significant regional employers, spread across the entirety of the UK. “Not only are these businesses at the heart of the economy and the heart of their communities, but the shared-platform service they provide also lowers consumer costs and UK carbon emissions,” he says. “These businesses need the support of their government.” www.theapn.co.uk Paul Sanders, Chairman of the Association of Pallet Networks APN calls for urgent action on fuel duty to protect UK haulage TRUCK & TRAILER SOLUTIONS WELCOME TOALLPORTS GROUP allportsgroup.co.uk
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