Chancellor Alistair Darling's six-month postponement of the 2p a litre fuel duty increase will do nothing to stem the growing problem of theft and pilfering of diesel, says Viper Guard General Manager Debbie Jones.

"The value of a full 500-litre fuel tank is approaching £600, which is an open invitation to opportunistic thieves and pilferers," says Debbie. "Only the day before the Budget, I attended a Road Haulage Association seminar at which it was revealed that fuel theft is markedly increasing, and putting off the duty increase for a few months does nothing to address the problem.

"My feeling is that the delay in implementing the increase is no more than a sop to the industry. This is just another example of the Government's consistent record of dodging the serious issue of security in road transport."

Further information:
Debbie Jones - 07703 556148 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Nick Blake - 01789 471515 - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it