Sept/Oct 2005

More than 100,000 copies of a questionnaire on fuel tax and foreign haulage competition are being circulated by the Burns Inquiry, which was set up this summer by the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association after the UK Government cancelled plans for its telematics-based Lorry Road User Charging Scheme.

The big-budget, wide-ranging and methodical approach of the inquiry is reflected in everything from the professional design of the eight-page questionnaire to the self-contained Web site dedicated to the inquiry and matters pertaining to it. A public relations firm, Peter Acton Associates, has been appointed to help widen the exposure.

The inquiry has earmarked 30 venues around the country for a series of public meetings, and is also arranging private meetings with 3,000 industry representatives. Dates and places are downloadable from the Web site, www.freight-taxes.co.uk, from which you can also download the questionnaire form.

The inquiry is led by Robbie Burns, former head of NFC, and its consultants include industry noteworthies Bob Russett and John Walter.

Whilst telematics systems have no direct bearing on the inquiry, it was the Government's ultimate rejection of a telematics-based road user charging scheme that prompted its launch. It remains to be seen whether the inquiry will find any merit in the more modest tax-levelling scheme proposed by the team at Heriot-Watt University.

In addition to the Web site, there is a telephone hotline from which you can obtain more information about the project - 08700 113331.