Potholes: Fairer Road Charges for Foreign HGVs
Reform UK acknowledges that Britain’s roads—especially in our district—are among the worst in Europe, largely due to the high volume of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic. A significant proportion of these are foreign lorries that contribute minimal tax while causing substantial wear and tear on our infrastructure.
Reform UK policy: To address this, we will introduce a tariff of £35 per day for all foreign HGVs operating in the UK, matching the charges applied across Europe. This charge will be automatically triggered upon entry via ports or the Eurotunnel using existing technology already deployed across the continent.
With over 10,000 lorries passing through Dover daily and approximately 5,000 via the Eurotunnel, and each lorry spending an average of three days in the UK, this initiative will generate millions of pounds. These funds will be directly reinvested into Kent’s roads, ensuring they become the best in the country.
Reform UK is committed to delivering policies that protect our local environment and infrastructure while ensuring fairness for British taxpayers.