Nigel Evans, Member of Parliament for the Ribble Valley has today tabled an Early Day Motion in support of the AA’s campaign to freeze fuel duty. The increase of 2p is due to come into force on 1st April Early Day Motion – Fuel Duty Increase That this House notes that a record number of Britons signed up for jobless benefits last month and that two million Britons are now unemployed; regrets that 85 SMEs are closing every day; recognises the importance of cars to small businesses especially in rural areas such as the Ribble Valley; understands that the public transport network is poor in rural areas and as such families rely on their cars; fully appreciates that this is a time of economic hardship for all families in the UK; fully supports the Automobile Association in its call to have fuel duty frozen to support drivers during the recession; and calls on the Government to abandon its plans for a 2p increase in fuel duty next month Speaking from Westminster, Mr Evans said, “I wholeheartedly back the AA’s campaign. Fuel duty must be frozen and the planned 2p increase should be abandoned. “People, and in particular people in rural areas, do rely on their cars to transport their families, do their shopping and conduct their businesses. We know that times are tough, that money is not going as far as it did and that people are really feeling the squeeze. “There has been a lot of rhetoric in the House about making sure that people get the help that they need but so far we have seen next to no action. Scrapping the rise in fuel duty would mean that families, individuals and businesses would not face any extra burden.”
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