A POWERFUL consortium of fleet, business and manufacturing bodies has called on the Government to end the fuel duty escalator which is 'hurting, not working'. The British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, British Chambers of Commerce, Transport and General Workers' Union, National Farmers' Union, British Retail Consortium and the Freight Transport Association have all signed a joint letter that condemns the Treasury's fuel policy.

'The UK Government is alone in Europe in believing that high fuel taxes will achieve the greenhouse gas targets imposed as a result of the Kyoto commitments,' it said. Whitehall rumours have suggested that Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown will announce plans later this month to allow essential users of diesel to recover some of the tax on the fuel via a rebate, although it is not clear how the Treasury will define 'essential user'.

Norman Donkin, director general of the BVRLA, said: 'The tax on diesel in the UK is two and a half times the EU average. Our members are being affected by this punitive policy, which is ill-considered, misguided and has no environmental credentials whatsoever.'