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Road Haulage Association figures show that the price of bulk diesel is just 0.04p/lit below its highest ever level in the UK. According to the latest weekly figures the price of bulk diesel in the UK reached 80.78p/lit. Policy director Jack Semple says: "This creates a real problem for hauliers and their customers." The prices hikes are being blamed on tropical storms which stopped oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, although  producers in the Middle East have also ramped up their price.

Now the RHA has repeated its call for the Chancellor to drop the 2p/lit fuel duty increase scheduled for the beginning of October. The RHA had also been talking to Transaction 2007 - the action group has re-formed to put pressure on the government over fuel duty it was behind the fuel protests in 2000. Mike Presneill, one of the original members of Transaction, says the group is seeking support from the industry to organise protests about fuel prices. It has been talking to the RHA to see if the association's members are prepared to get involved.

"The 2p/lit fuel duty increase which come in at the beginning of October is something the haulage industry can ill afford," he adds. "Transaction 2007 wants to push the issue and is in the process of organising a national protest against duty rises. We are not planning anything along the lines of the protests in 2000  and any demonstration we organise will be totally legal." Anyone who wants to support Transaction 2007 can register their interest at its website.

The Freight Transport Association has also spoken out against the increase, which it points out is above inflation. Communications director Geoff Dossetter says: "We very much regret this increase in fuel duty. This works out at an enormous increase in cost for truck operators." The FTA and RHA are showing a united front on this issue: tomorrow (28 September) they will present the Treasury with a joint letter expressing their concerns over the fuel situation.