FPUA remains opposed to VBS charge at The Port Of Felixstowe



The Felixstowe Port Users’ Association (FPUA) is standing firm against the proposed Vehicle Booking System (VBS) charge issued by the Port of Felixstowe.


“The FPUA remains opposed to the introduction of this charge which it believes will prove detrimental to the reputation of the Port of Felixstowe and will add an unfair cost burden on the haulage community,” members were told in a letter from FPUA chairman Simon Fraser.
“It appears that the Port have chosen to ignore the lucid and intelligent arguments presented by the FPUA Council and local hauliers against the imposition of this vehicle access fee during ‘peak’ hours,” he continued.
The comments come in response to a letter from Hutchison Ports commercial director Paul Wallace addressed to Port of Felixstowe haulage operators explaining the reasons for the charge.
The Port of Felixstowe announced its intention to introduce the charge for VBS bookings in peak time hours in January 2014, which was followed by an open meeting at the Port on 14 January 2014.
The Port has postponed VBS charges for seven years. It originally raised and withdrew the introduction of peak time VBS charges in 2007, and again in 2011.
The original charge was to be £2 per booking from 1300-1800. This has now been reduced to £1.50.
Wallace added: “As we have explained, for all UK major ports there is a significant daily cost to support the yard resource needed to service haulage demand during these times.
“As such, we remain committed to the implementation of a nominal charge to cover peak hour VBS bookings.”
The charge stands at £1.50 per VBS booking between the peak hours of 1200-1700.
The charge for the morning peak hours of 0500-0700 was suspended as a “voluntary gesture”.



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