The Road Haul Association (RHA) has warned that only 4 in 10 operators (39%) are confident of surviving as fuel prices soar.
Britain's road transport operators are nearing the point of no return due to rising fuel costs, with RHA’s figures revealing that fewer than four in ten believe that their businesses can keep running before their condition become unsustainable.
The new RHA survey highlights that fuel prices have climbed by 35% since the US/Israel and Iran conflict began in February, leaving many of the businesses that keep the movement of goods flowing fighting for survival.
The RHA is calling on the UK Government to introduce an Essential User Rebate, a targeted measure that would help firms lower the expenses of moving people and goods, while also easing the pressure that is forcing prices up for customers across the country.
The associations Managing Director, Richard Smith, said that the survey was a bleak picture of the current conditions for transport operators, and called on the government to act sooner rather than later to reduce costs and alleviate inflationary pressures.
The UK Government recently cut red diesel duty, recognising that fuel price shocks are hurting the transport sector, therefore the RHA is calling for the same for users of white diesel.
Looking to the future, the RHA is also calling for fuel duty increases to be delayed indefinitely and has written to the Chancellor and relevant ministers requesting a meeting to discuss these issues.
Other findings from the survey reveal that 71% of operators said that a rebate would reduce the need to raise customer prices, with 84.6% reporting margin reductions and 56.8% reporting cashflow pressure. The survey had a total of 550 responses, 90.6% of which were from SME fleets.