The Government has moved forward with the legislation required to change the HGV Levy next February.
It will see many hauliers hit with the first increase since the levy was introduced in 2014. The cleanest lorries will get a 10% reduction while lorries that don’t meet the latest Euro VI emission standard will see the fee rise by 20%.
There is no graduation in the new rate for non-Euro VI vehicles, which will remain the same whether a vehicle meets the Euro III, Euro IV or Euro V emissions standard. As a result, the levy for a Euro VI 40-44 tonne articulated truck will fall from £1000 to £900, while that for all others will rise from £1000 to £1,200.
The Road Haulage Association has estimated that this 20% price rise will apply to an estimated 56% of HGVs in the UK. The Government disagrees, saying that it expects more than half of UK HGVs will pay less. It also says that the average haulier has saved £3,600 per year thanks to the freeze in fuel duty.
The BVRLA opposed the HGV Levy changes when they were first proposed last March, because they put yet more pressure on SME hauliers that are dealing with the compliance costs associated with new Clean Air Zones. The association welcomes the incentive for cleaner trucks but does not believe that hauliers should be hit with extra fees on vehicles that they have already bought.
