Road haulage organisations have come together to demand a 3p reduction in fuel duty.

Members of the Fair Fuel UK (FFUK) group handed a petition to Downing Street calling for the tax cut. It stated the issue was something that should be tackled as a matter of urgency.

The syndicate, which includes the Freight Transport Association and Road Haulage Association (RHA), estimated the levy cost the industry £116 million each year. It claimed the proposed reduction could save logistics firms £350 million every 12 months. 

Geoff Dunning, chief executive at the RHA, commented: "UK fuel duty is still by far the highest in the EU, impacting on UK firms' competitiveness and cash flow and holding back the ability of hauliers to invest in equipment, vehicles and people."

The FFUK campaign has been credited for stopping every planned increase in tax since its inception in 2011. It estimated this has achieved a saving of over £4 billion for the freight industry.