Reshuffle – RHA ready to work with new ministers to help deliver growth

  |   Road Transport   |   Reshuffle - RHA ready to work with new ministers to help deliver growth

6 mins ago

Major ministerial changes can cause short-term uncertainty for our sector, but we also view them as an opportunity to broker new longer-term relationships and reinvigorate our advocacy work. The Prime Minister has shuffled the deck following the Deputy Prime Minister's resignation, which means familiar faces moving on and new faces moving in. Some of course stay in post - Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander is one of them - and we look forward to continuing our work with her.

But roads minister, Lilian Greenwood moves on to the Whips' Office. I'd like to thank her for all her support for our industry in the time she's been in post and wish her well in her new role. We also congratulate Shabana Mahmood who takes up her role as Home Secretary on the eve of Rachel Taylor MP's Freight Crime Bill second reading on Friday.

We urge the Home Office to launch a crime code to help police tackle freight crime. We are also campaigning for more police funding and for stiffer sentencing. Ahead of November's Budget we are calling for the fuel duty freeze to stay, support to increase low-carbon fuel uptake, and a freeze on Vehicle Excise Duty for HGVs and the HGV Levy.

We continue to campaign for more investment in our roads and infrastructure to reduce journey times, support new developments and speed up decarbonisation. We make the clear case that these investments would support our industry to help the Government deliver on its mission to boost economic growth. We look forward to putting these points across to new appointees and reiterate them to ministers and departments we've already developed relationships with.

We're proud to consider ourselves a trusted partner to the Government and its departments and will continue to work with them to deliver benefit for all.