New figures show that UK international hauliers had a terrible 2001.
Figures released this week show that the UK international road haulage industry is in crisis. It is unable to cope with competition from low cost foreign haulers. With an increase in fuel tax expected in the annual Budget, this imbalance is likely to widen, leading to a swathe of job losses and company failures.
Simon climbs on port takeover report
Read MoreCONSIGNIA will say this week that liberalisation of the British and continental postal markets will take Pounds 750m a year off operating profits from 2006.
The bleak forecast will be contained in Consignia’s submission to Postcomm, the postal regulator. The group, which is losing Pounds 1.5m a day, is expected to say changes in European regulation will cost it Pounds 500m a year.
SINN Fein TD Caoimhghin O Caolain has blasted the decision of An Post to charge different postal rates for the Six Counties.
He says increases in postal charges, introduced this week, will mean that it will cost more to post a letter to the North than within the 26 counties.
“This is a grossly partitionist decision by An Post and it should be overturned by the Government,” he said.
The price of stamps is set to rise by a penny as postal industry regulator Postcomm bows to pressure from Consignia and the Government.
Senior Consignia sources indicate that they are confident Postcomm will agree at least to a rise to 28p on first-class letters to mitigate the effect of its plans for the staged opening of the postal market to competition.
In January, Postcomm head Graham Corbett unveiled plans to introduce competition in bulk letter deliveries this spring, ending Consignia’s monopoly with full liberalisation by 2006.
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