The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has launched an industry-wide Business Confidence Survey, issued as an urgent call to action for all HGV, coach, and van operators to voice their concerns ahead of the upcoming Autumn Budget.

The short survey (accessed here) is a core component of the organisation’s targeted Autumn Budget campaign, titled ‘Back the Businesses that Keep Britain Moving’.

The initiative gathers data on the key issues currently squeezing the UK transport and logistics landscape. The questionnaire covers critical issues including soaring fuel and operating costs, taxation, driver and technician skills shortages, investment challenges and failing infrastructure – and what actions the Government can take to address them.

According to the trade body, business confidence against a backdrop of rising operational expenses dominated the agenda at its recent annual Future Forum. Industry conversations repeatedly returned to the immediate, unprecedented financial strains facing regional and national firms.

Richard Smith, RHA managing director, warned that depressed sector confidence threatens wider macroeconomic stability by impacting corporate expansion and job creation.

“Business confidence matters. Without it, businesses hold back on investment, recruitment and the decisions that drive growth. These are tough times for many firms. Business confidence is currently being squeezed from every direction.”

Smith added that a compounding combination of challenges is distorting everyday corporate planning.

“Fuel, wages, taxation, increased regulation and the wider cost of doing business are all weighing on decisions that should be about growth, not survival.”

The data collected through the survey will directly shape the case that the RHA will put to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget next month.

Industry members and transport operators can participate in the survey directly via the RHA’s official link.