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Hauliers have welcomed a report from the House of Commons Transport Select Committee that recommends the introduction of a lower-cost lorry road users charging scheme, but they remain sceptical over the prospects of a level playing field between UK and foreign operators.

The report recognises the inequalities between UK-based and overseas haulage companies regarding fuel duty, and recommends that the  government should address these problems.

"Competition between the UK freight industry and overseas hauliers must be on a fair basis, and health, safety and environment standards must not be compromised," the committee says. "The government seems to have made little progress on this since our last report on freight. The government should speedily revisit the issue and update its assessments.

"The government should consider if a lower-cost lorry user charging scheme might yield worthwhile benefits, within EU rules," it adds.

Bruce Macmillan, business development manager at Cambridgeshire-based PC Howard, says: "It is about time we had a level playing field with our overseas haulage company companions. To say things have been extremely difficult is an understatement. While we welcome the recommendations, it remains to be seen how effective or pro-active our government will be in responding to these recommendations."

Andy Jenkins, director at Worcestershire-based  S.E. Davis & Son, insists that any such scheme should come at "no extra cost to the UK registered haulier, carry no administrative burden, and not have price increases during certain parts of the day to penalise UK hauliers."

Colin Hall, director at Warwickshire-based Stanley Haulage Rugby, concludes: "We already pay enough as it is and get no reductions in fuel at all, this is unfair competition with non-British truckers and the state of the haulage industry is quite worrying. We have already had to cut staff down to a four day week."