Gordon Balmer resized

PRA executive director Gordon Balmer

The PRA has urged the chancellor to maintain the freeze in fuel duty and to make permanent the temporary 5ppl cut that was introduced last year.

It made the call in its submission ahead of the budget due to take place on 15 March.

PRA executive director Gordon Balmer said: “In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, it is vital that the chancellor takes steps to help hard-pressed motorists.

“The chancellor must do all he can to keep pump prices as low as possible. This means continuing the fuel duty freeze and making the 5ppl cut permanent. Failure to do so would see an additional 12ppl added to the pump price.”

In its submission the PRA also called for businesses that fixed their electricity contracts in Autumn 2022 to be allowed to renegotiate based on current market prices.

Balmer commented: “Unfortunately, the government’s scattergun approach to energy bill relief has completely omitted forecourts as a vulnerable business. Forecourts are energy intensive and a crucial part of the UK’s infrastructure.

“Blue lights services and the heavy goods vehicles we rely on to keep our supermarkets stocked would have nowhere to fill up without a resilient forecourt network.”

The PRA also called for an overhaul of business rates including a permanent removal of the link between the uniform business rates and inflation, annual revaluations and a one-year Antecedent Value Date (AVD).

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