Myfanwy and Helen Mary back local businesses saying ‘Fuel duty hike must be postponed’

Plaid Cymru’s Myfanwy Davies and Helen Mary Jones have today (23/03) called for a freeze on fuel duty ahead of the Budget on Wednesday.

Fuel duty is set to rise by 2.55 pence per litre from April 2010 (1% above the rate of inflation) which will cost the average family an extra £200 a year and cause further problems to small businesses already struggling with higher fuel duties. Plaid has insisted that this duty hike should be postponed.

Campaign organisations such as the Road Haulage Association have come out in support of Plaid’s calls for a fair fuel duty regulator. Under such a plan, an unexpected spike in petrol prices would lead to a freeze on fuel duty.

MPs from Plaid and the SNP have tabled a an official statement urging a freeze on fuel duty and repeating calls for the establishment of a fuel duty regulator.

Arwyn Price of Gwynne Price Coaches in Trimsaran said:

“This has been our family business since 1956 and times have seldom been harder. I received the new diesel prices this morning, and even with a bulk discount, we will be paying nearly 10% more that in July last year and that is before the tax increase.

The Government is already raising fuel costs above the rate of inflation. When fuel cost goes up as it has, the least they can do is freeze the tax increase. If they don’t re-think in tomorrow’s budget, we are going to find things even more difficult”.

Myfanwy said:

“It is our communities - in and around - Llanelli that will feel the pinch of this fuel hike. Hard-working families are struggling to run a car, but these sky high fuel taxes also impact on prices in stores as costs rise to deliver food and other products to the shops. Our local businesses such as Gwynne Price Coaches and our many taxi companies make an enormous contribution to our local economy and will find it even more difficult to make ends meet”.

“After a year that has seen rocketing fuel prices, it is utterly irresponsible to ad to the burden facing local businesses and working families. Once again, the Labour Government is completely out of touch with communities like ours”.

Llanelli AM Helen Mary Jones added:

“This is just punishing ordinary people for a banking system failure that the London government helped to create. Our London-based friends simply don’t seem to understand the impact that rising fuel prices are having on ordinary people and communities.”


Plaid’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP added:

“Rising fuel duty prices are already crippling industry – but it is also an unfair burden on struggling families, small businesses, rural areas in particular, and also sectors such as the emergency services will be hit especially hard by this.

“We will continue to fight this fuel hike and urge the introduction of a fuel duty regulator at the Budget to ensure price stability as well as lower fuel taxes.”