French set to launch new Ecotax for trucks
This October the French will introduce another tax on hauliers using the French road network, the Ecotax. This tax will apply on all current toll roads as well as other national roads and is payable by all French and foreign vehicles transporting commercial goods weighing over 3.5 tons which use the 15,000km taxable road network defined by the Government.
UK haulier Graham Eardley said, "As a UK company it will make us less competitive, this added to the poor economic situation is not good for us. The UK was supposed to introduce a charge for foreign lorries but this has yet to be implemented."
Eardley goes on to say that it would be better if every country was doing it. "A good road network is the backbone of a country and the UK desperately needs investment in infrastructure."
The Government say the new tax is to reduce the environmental impacts of the road freight transport, rationalise the road transport on medium and short distances and to generate resources to fund new the infrastructures needed to develop intermodal transport.
All liable vehicles weighing over 3.5 tons must be equipped with an On Board Unit (OBU), which is an interoperable device comprising an up-to-date GPS system, programmed according to the category of the vehicle. The unit accurately calculates the amount of eco-tax due based on the distance and roads travelled. The OBU will be supplied free of charge but suppliers do have monthly charge and commission fees.
New tax rates
Source: www.freshplaza.com