Minister hails HGV levy raising more than double estimated haul from foreign lorries

The HGV levy is a "great success" because it has raised more than twice as much from foreign hauliers as was aniticipated, the minister for roads says today.

Andrew Jones told Parliament that the levy has in one year of operation raised a total of £46.5m from foreign-registered vehicles, significantly ahead of the projected £21m. The vast majority, 91%, of levies bought were for daily use as opposed to discounted longer periods - more than estimated when it was introduced, and a factor in the additional amount raised. However, nearly a fifth of the revenue was from the annual levies.

The levy, mostly paid on-line or in three per cent of cases at assisted digital point of sale terminals on ferries and at truckstops, is designed to contribute to road maintenance costs imposed by hauliers. Effective roadside enforcement has been provided by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the police, said Jones, conributing to compliance at check sites of 95%. Over 3,000 fixed penalty fines were issues raising more than £900,000.