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Boaters protest over red diesel duty
11 Aug 2008
The Medway demonstrators, according to the BBC, powered their vessels round the opening of the River Medway near the Isle of Sheppey on Sunday. The Grimsby Telegraph said three boats set sail from Grimsby Dock to oppose the planned increase in duty on red diesel which the sailors claim could spell the end for boating havens like the town.
All protesters said the measure, which was announced in 2006, will have an adverse impact on the marine industry.
From the Medway group, Jerry Bloomfield said: ‘Why should we be paying road prices when we have nothing to do with the roads?’
He added: ‘We already pay a conservation licence for Medway ports for keeping the river tidy which is like a road tax so why should we be taxed even more?’
The Grimsby protesters said while the European Union is recommending a 22p a litre price increase in the cost of red diesel, bringing it up to about 92p, the British government is insisting on charging £1.20 a litre from 1 November.
BB spoke to Howard Pridding, executive director of the British Marine Federation (BMF), who told us: ‘The government has got to implement the Brussels decision on our derogation.’ But he insisted negotiations were still taking place on the implementation with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
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