The initial headlines from the Chancellor's pre-Budget statement do not hold any major upsets for the transport and logistics sector.
The key points are:
Investment in transport will increase to £14.5bn a year by 2010 and will include further spending on strategic road schemes such as the widening of the M1 and the M6. Some £1.3bn is earmarked for local and regional roads and £15bn over the next five years will go to upgrading the rail network. Chancellor Alistair Darling said
there had not been enough investment in transport, which requires investment year after year, and "we're putting that right".
The main rate of Corporation Tax will be cut by 2p in the pound to 28% next year.
There will be a review of the taxation system for those who are self-employed with a view to making it easier for them to pay taxes.
DEFRA will receive a £4bn budget increase in the next three years to tackle climate change issues. Legislation about carbon targets is due next year.
An increased use of the auction of carbon allowances is proposed to help the country reduce its carbon footprint.
