Jon RHA

On the eve of #Budget2026, we reiterate our call on the Chancellor for a minimum 15ppl essential user rebate on fuel that would help haulage, coach and van operators, and for him to scrap plans to increase duty in the new year. “We’ve been clear ahead of this Budget. A fuel duty hike remains a food price hike," our MD, @RHARJSmith told The Sun “Everything on a supermarket shelf got there on a lorry or van, so when it costs more to move it, it costs more for us all to buy it," he added. #RHACampaigns #RHACostsAndRegulation #FuelDuty #CostOfLiving thesun.co.uk/money/40816201/…

We're six days from #Budget2026 and we continue to urge the Government to support businesses struggling with cashflow amid surging fuel prices. Our MD, @RHARJSmith told the @DailyMirror that we're calling for a 15 pence per litre essential user rebate that would help haulage, coach and van operators manage cost. This would reduce the cost of moving people and goods. We also urge the Chancellor to scrap the fuel duty rises set for the new year and shelve plans to link duty to RPI from April. #RHACampaigns #RHACostsAndRegulation #FuelDuty

Today we were at the Seagoe Hotel in Portadown for our Northern Ireland Autumn Member Briefing – and the Northern Ireland launch of the RHA Wellbeing Charter. Our regional briefings bring members together to share experiences, hear industry updates and access practical advice to support their businesses. Across this autumn’s programme, we’re covering: • Regulatory compliance, with Traffic Commissioners and RHA Legal Services, Backhouse Jones, exploring operator responsibilities, driver welfare, training and management oversight. • Transport insurance and risk management with RHA Insurance Services. • Benchmarking operating costs and identifying savings with RHA Business Finance. • Our Business Confidence Survey and campaigning ahead of the Budget. Today was also an opportunity to hear directly from members about the pressures they face and what support would make a difference. That made the briefing an important setting for the Northern Ireland launch of our Wellbeing Charter, supporting everyone who keeps road transport moving – drivers, technicians, planners, office teams and business leaders. Built around six pillars – learning and development, mental wellbeing, leadership and resilience, connecting with others, exercise, and food and nutrition – the Charter aims to deliver one million moments of improvement over ten years. More than 2,600 have already signed up. We’re encouraging more businesses and colleagues to join them and turn that commitment into practical action. Thank you to everyone who joined us in Portadown today. Make your wellbeing pledge: wellbeing.rha.uk.net/ Find your next member briefing: rha.uk.net/Events/Member-Bri… #RHACampaigns

Rising fuel prices are pushing local hauliers to the brink across our regions. 📈⛽ Speaking to BBC Look North, Policy Lead @JamesBarwiseRHA highlighted the severe reality facing haulage firms: fuel accounts for roughly a third of operating costs, with many members facing an EXTRA £350 per week, per truck. For fleets operating dozens of vehicles, even minor price spikes quickly spiral out of control. Without decisive action and relief from government, more vital businesses risk being forced out of operation. That's why we're calling on the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving, by keeping the freeze on fuel duty, scraping planned fuel duty increases, and introducing a rebate on fuel for essential users. Members can support the campaign by taking part in our ongoing business confidence survey. Responses will inform our ongoing conversations with ministers. Please take a few minutes to offer your perspective and strengthen our case for more government support here: buff.ly/5UHamf4 #RHACampaigns #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026

Rising fuel prices are contributing to an increase in fuel theft, putting further financial pressure on our members across the road transport sector. Speaking to ITV News, Rhys Hackling, Managing Director at Direct Connect Logistics Ltd, highlighted the critical pressure facing transport businesses: "This industry operates on 1–2% profit margins at best. The significant increase in prices just takes a lot of companies over the edge." With trucks targeted at laybys and stops across the country, we continue to call on the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving. This means keeping the freeze on fuel duty, scrapping planned fuel duty increases, introducing a rebate on fuel for essential users, more secure parking facilities and urgent action to tackle freight crime before more essential operators are forced under. Members can support the campaign by taking part in our ongoing business confidence survey. Responses will inform our ongoing conversations with ministers. Please take a few minutes to offer your perspective and strengthen our case for more government support here: buff.ly/5UHamf4 #RHACampaigns #StopTheFuelHike #FreightCrime #Budget2026 #FuelTheft

Senior Public Affairs Lead, @RHAAshton was on BBC Radio London continuing our call of the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving. With fuel price rises putting businesses at risk, we're calling on the government to keep the freeze on fuel duty, scrap planned fuel duty increases, and introduce a rebate on fuel for essential users. Members can support the campaign by taking part in our ongoing business confidence survey. Responses will inform our ongoing conversations with ministers. Please take a few minutes to offer your perspective and strengthen our case for more government support here: buff.ly/5UHamf4 #RHACampaigns #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026

📰 "When the cost of moving goods goes up, prices follow. Where transport firms can't pass it on, they struggle. Some go under, with hundreds of haulage businesses sadly already going to the wall this year." - RHA Managing Director, @RHARJSmith, tells the @FT. We're calling on the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving, by keeping the freeze on fuel duty, scrapping planed fuel duty increases, and introducing a rebate on fuel for essential users. Members can support the campaign by taking part in our ongoing business confidence survey. Responses will inform our conversations with ministers ahead of the Budget. Please take a few minutes to offer your perspective and strengthen our case for more government support here: buff.ly/5UHamf4 Read the full story on the Financial Times (subscription required): ft.com/content/807daf90-94e6… #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026 #RHAcampaigns

"It's a very scary time, and we hope that the Chancellor will take action because this simply isn't sustainable." Policy Lead @JamesBarwiseRHA has been on BBC Radio highlighting the impact of record high diesel prices on the road transport sector, and what the government can do to help. We're calling on the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving, by keeping the freeze on fuel duty, scrapping planed fuel duty increases, and introducing a rebate on fuel for essential users. Members can support the campaign by taking part in our ongoing business confidence survey. Responses will inform our conversations with ministers ahead of the Budget. Please take a few minutes to offer your perspective and strengthen our case for more government support here: buff.ly/5UHamf4 #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026 #RHAcampaigns

Our Director of Policy & Public Affairs, @RHADeclan has been on @LBCNews to discuss the potential impact of US export restrictions on diesel, and the need for government action to help businesses and consumers against the inflationary pressures caused by rising fuel costs. Looking ahead to the Autumn Budget, and planned increases in fuel duty, Declan says: "A fuel duty hike is a food price hike." We're calling on the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving, by keeping the freeze on fuel duty, scrapping planed fuel duty increases, and introducing a rebate on fuel for essential users. #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026 #RHAcampaigns

"We have to increase our prices with our customers, otherwise we can't afford to operate" Our Vice Chair, and Managing Director of Multimodal Logistics Ltd, Tim Wray was on the Today programme continuing to highlight how cost pressures due to the rising cost of fuel, will continue to be pushed onto consumers, increasing the prices of every day goods and essentials. We're calling on the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving, by keeping the freeze on fuel duty, scrapping planed fuel duty increases, and introducing a rebate on fuel for essential users. #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026 #RHAcampaigns

📰 "Our message to the Chancellor is: Don't put fuel duty up. Scrap the rises planned for next year." writes our Managing Director, Richard Smith on @GBNEWS . With diesel at record highs, that's now costing firms in our industry over £300 extra a week per vehicle, compared to the beginning of the war in the Middle East. So, consider the additional costs for a company running 10, 20, 50, or 100 lorries – these costs are unsustainable. Read more: gbnews.com/opinion/britain-s…

📡 Senior Public Affairs Lead, @RHAAshton has been hitting the airwaves today, as part of our campaign calling on the government to back the businesses that keep Britain moving. With the price of diesel hitting record levels in the UK, we're clear that planned fuel duty increases need to scrapped. Ashton said: "With the 5p cut in fuel duty ending in December, and planned increases of 3p in January, another 2p in March and then an RPI increase every year afterwards - I'd say that's a tax triple whammy and an inflation accelerator." #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026 #RHAcampaigns

🎙️Clip: Our Policy Director, Martin Reid joined @BBCRadioScot to discuss the impact of rising #fuel costs. With diesel less than 2p off its highest price yet, Martin warned that "a fuel duty hike is a food price hike," and putting fuel duty up in January would be the worst possible timing. He added: "Spain, France & Italy already give commercial operators (HGVs, Coaches & Vans) a diesel rebate. They treat road freight transport and logistics as critical infrastructure. It's about time the UK Government caught up." We're calling for Chancellor @JohnHealey_MP to change course, and to back the businesses that keep Britain moving: -Scrap the fuel duty hikes planned for the first few months of 2027. -Scrap the fuel duty link to RPI/ inflation from April 2027. -Bring in an Essential User Rebate for hauliers, coach and van operators. #StopTheFuelHike #Budget2026

Our Director of Policy & Public Affairs, @RHADeclan, addressed police leaders and supply chain executives giving the headline speech at the On the Move Supply Chain Risk Management conference in the Old Trafford Stadium with Retail Knowledge. Declan highlighted the increased national specialist police resource from the @PoliceChiefs Opal SOAC unit, working alongside @NaVCIS_UK. This has resulted in more police operations, more investigations and more arrests. There is still much more to do. Freight crime is a major challenge for the industry - a serious and organised crime perpetrated by criminal gangs who know what is moving, when it is moving and where it is most at risk. We are committed to working with the police and our members to better tackle this issue. Thank you to Paul Bessant for building a community to address this issue.

Revealed by @ryansabey in today's @TheSun, as part of the Keep It Down campaign, our new polling shows 80% of people want fuel duty cut or frozen at the Budget. With fuel costs rising sharply, eight in ten people also told us they’re concerned further fuel duty rises will push up the price of food and household essentials. “A fuel duty hike is a food price hike...We're calling on the Chancellor to protect businesses and households... take the opportunity to change course and scrap the planned fuel duty rises in the Budget." Richard Smith Read more via: thesun.co.uk/motors/40370615… #Stopthefuelhike #Budget2026 #RHACampaigns

"The Prime Minister is right that Britain should value the hard hat as much as the graduation cap. But road transport and logistics must be named as one of these priority local pathways. We face a real shortage of qualified heavy vehicle technicians - skilled, future-proof jobs that decarbonisation will only make more vital. Design these routes with employers, fund the apprenticeships they lead into, and this is a genuine chance to build the workforce our economy needs." - @RHASallyG, RHA Skills Policy Lead Read our full reaction to today's Government announcement on skills 👉 rha.uk.net/news/news/detail/…

📻 Our Director of Public Affairs & Policy, @RHADeclan joined BBC Radio Ulster's TalkBack to discuss driver welfare, roadside facilities and the urgent need for more safe and secure parking. There's a shortage of 11,000 truck parking spaces across Britain. That means too many drivers have nowhere safe and secure to stop and take a proper break. We're campaigning hard for more safe, secure parking - because the drivers and businesses that keep the economy moving deserve better.

📻 "For every 10p fuel price increase, we've seen at least a £5,000 a week increase in cost just on fuel, that's a minimum." Managing Director of Multimodal Logistics, and Vice Chair of the RHA, Tim Wray, was on BBC Radio 4 yesterday, continuing to highlight the impact of ongoing volatility in fuel prices for our sector. Tim and the RHA are calling on the UK government to introduce an Essential User Rebate because haulage, coach and van operators are not discretionary fuel users. This would provide targeted support to help operators remain viable, protecting jobs and reducing inflationary pressure. You can support the campaign by emailing your MP - Calling on them to lobby for an essential user rebate 👉 rhacontactmp.uk.net/

🇬🇧 It's #ArmedForcesWeek, and today #ArmedForcesDay – a time to celebrate and thank the entire military community, from fighter pilots and communications experts to submariners and tank drivers. Regulars, Reservists and veterans. We also want to shine a special spotlight on #ReservistsDay, from earlier this week, honoring those who dedicate their spare time to serve in the Reserve Forces while balancing their civilian careers. We are incredibly thankful for the dedicated service of all personnel, past and present, who work to keep us safe and protect our way of life. The RHA is proud to have held the MOD Armed Forces Covenant Silver Award as part of the ERS (Employer Recognition Scheme) since 2020. This commitment means we actively support service personnel, reservists, veterans, and their families, recognising the valuable skills, dedication, and integrity they bring. Many find fulfilling careers within the logistics and road transport industry, and we're committed to supporting their transition, civilian growth, and ongoing success.