DOMESTIC ROAD FREIGHT MARKET

That this House notes the increasing share of the UK domestic road freight market taken up by overseas registered vehicles; further notes that these vehicles pay nothing in terms of vehicle excise duty to the UK Exchequer, and under cabotage regulations can operate three times in seven days in the UK without any compulsion to fill their tank and pay fuel duty; regrets the negative impact this disparity in the cost of doing business is having on UK road freight operators; and calls on the Government to find an appropriate mechanism to ensure that this massive competitive advantage overseas operators enjoy in the UK market is reduced as a matter of urgency.