The Petrol Retailers Association is urging the new government to keep fuel duty low and come up with a “clear plan” to achieve net zero targets. It also calling for the issue of illegal car washes to be “addressed urgently” with the implementation of a national licensing scheme.
The PRA has laid down a series of “key policy concerns” in letters to ministers including transport secretary Louise Haigh; home secretary Yvette Cooper; Treasury chief secretary Darren Jones; Ed Miliband, the secretary of state for energy security and net zero; business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds; and environment secretary Steve Reed.
Haigh’s portfolio covers EV charging and alternative fuels, and one of her jobs will be to introduce legislation banning the registration of new combustion engine cars from 2030, while Cooper runs policing – rising incidents of shoplifting and fuel theft are a huge worry for many forecourt operators. Jones will have a major say in tax policy, Milband’s beat includes the fuel market monitor and energy resilience, and Reynolds is responsible for measures to boost UK businesses. Possible new regulations for non-compliant car washes will be one of the many items in Reed’s in-tray.
“PRA congratulates the new government on their electoral victory as they prepare to address the country’s pressing issues,” said PRA executive director Gordon Balmer. “The recent unpredictable global events have highlighted the need for a sensible and stable government, and we hope that this new administration will provide exactly that.”
Balmer said that helping citizens manage their household expenses should be one of the priorities of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet, while it was also “imperative to keep fuel duty low for motorists”.
A national licensing scheme for car washes would also clamp down on operations that “not only exploit workers and evade taxes but also contribute significantly to the pollution of our rivers”, added Balmer, who also runs the Car Wash Association.
