BUILDER Mark Steward welcomed the fuel duty freeze but slammed greedy oil companies for pushing up pump prices.
The dad-of-three, 55, who fits kitchens and bathrooms and does carpentry, drives 70 miles-a-week for work on average in his diesel Renault van.
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The sole trader from Wandsworth, South London, who earns £41,000-a-year, said: “My van is my toolbox. I can’t leave home without it. I need to take it with me – so petrol prices are an essential business cost.
“I’m pleased fuel duty isn’t going up, but that doesn’t prevent the billionaire oil companies putting their own prices up.
“They’ve gone up so much already. Before the Ukraine war, it was £90 to fill up my van. Now it’s £130.
“It comes on top of inflation pushing so many other business prices up. MDF used to be under £20 for a 4ft x 8ft sheet. Now it’s over £40.
“I’m not sure Hunt is the man to steady the ship. The Tories created some of these problems. My mortgage has just gone up due to their incompetence, while they are boasting about all the good things they are doing. What world are they living in?”
Mark, who lives near the boundary of London’s Ulez zone, was forced to buy a new van due to the Ulez expansion – and says plans to extend the area up to the M25 will hit his builder colleagues.
He said: “I’m still paying off the new van. I had to get it as I do some work inside the zone.
“Other London tradespeople with older vehicles who work outside the zone, but inside the M25 now have to get new vans if plans to extend the go-ahead.”
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Mark will be £210 better off.
