The UK Forest Products Association (UKFPA) has called on the chancellor to reverse recent fuel duty increases in order to safeguard the wood supply chain.
Fuel duty recently went up by two pence per litre, which the UKFPA says has added “another burden on this fragile resource on which we are all dependent”.
“The timber haulage sector is a vitally important link in the wood supply chain,” said executive director David Sulman.
“The rising price of diesel fuel, compounded by the excessive level of fuel duty in the UK, is having a serious effect on the timber sector. We have called on the chancellor to take urgent action and reverse the two pence per litre increase in fuel duty as a first step to provide support and relief for the industry.”
Mr Sulman added that the UKFPA believes there is “a good case” for commercial and private users of diesel to be taxed differently.
