Tunbridge Wells, UK: The FairFuelUK petition on the government e-petition site is heading the list with over 18,000 signatures.
This new government initiative means that if the e-Petition receives 100,000 or more supporters, it will almost certainly force a full debate in parliament on the issue.
The petition asks the government to scrap the planned 4-pence per litre fuel duty increases scheduled for January and August 2012 and to implement actions to bring down and stabilise fuel prices.
James Hookham, Freight Transport Association director of policy and communications, says: “The government wants to know what is the UK’s top concern, well this is it. It is not just motorists whose lives are being made a misery, commercial vehicle operators whose businesses hang in the balance are being forced to make some very tough decisions – those that can’t pass on their costs are in danger of falling into the abyss.
“High fuel taxes are doing massive damage to Britain’s economy and if planned rises go ahead we will effectively be pricing ourselves off the road to recovery.”
Quentin Willson, leader of the FairFuelUK campaign said, “The government says that it wants to know the issues that the public care about. We know from the massive support that FairFuelUK has already received that petrol and diesel prices are right up at the top of the public’s agenda. This is backed up our polling data. The wheels of the economy are literally grinding to a halt.
“The Government has a golden opportunity to boost growth, reduce inflation and give the economy the kickstart that it deserves by getting fuel prices down. I am urging everyone that cares about petrol/diesel prices and the economy to get behind this – let’s get the politicians talking about fuel,” says Willson.
The FairFuelUK campaign has attracted massive support with over 180,000 signatures on its own petition at www.fairfueluk.com. It is supported by the RAC, which has seven million members, and the two trade bodies that represent the UK road freight industry, the Road Haulage Association and the Freight Transport Association which have 20,000 business members between them.
