Pioneering logistics provider, Europa Worldwide Group, has terminated its membership of the trade body Road Haulage Association (RHA) after becoming disillusioned with its handling of Brexit and the fuel crisis.
In an open letter to the RHA, Andrew Baxter, CEO of Europa Worldwide Group, said: “I am appalled by the way the RHA has conducted itself over recent years. It is no longer an adequate representative organisation for the UK road haulage industry.”
Europa Worldwide Group, which has its headquarters in Dartford, Kent, has six divisions – Europa Road, Europa Air & Sea, Europa Showfreight, Europa Warehouse, Europa Contact Centre and Continental Cargo Carriers and has featured in The Sunday Times Top Track 250 for three years running and in The Sunday Times Profit Track 100 Covid-19 edition. The company’s turnover in 2021 will be approaching £266m and it employs more than 1100 staff at 15 UK sites, as well as in Hong Kong, France and Belgium.
Andrew went on to explain his decision by listing his view of the RHA’s shortcomings.
He said: “The RHA has destroyed it’s productive relationship with the government by repeatedly leaking information from confidential meetings, as well as sharing a private voicemail from the Transport Secretary with Panorama. How does it expect to have a constructive or collaborative relationship with government when it conducts itself in this way?
“The RHA has undermined preparations for Brexit, by constantly telling hauliers that they could not prepare for Brexit when the vast majority of what was required was clear. It should have recognised and understood that the very nature of the negotiation with the EU would mean that some details would only be clear at the last minute.
“Hauliers should have been encouraged to prepare for what was known, and to react to the remaining details when they were known.
“The RHA was substantially responsible for the current fuel crisis, by leaking information regarding fuel stocks, which has damaged the country and the haulage sector.
“British hauliers don’t need political posturing, what they need is a serious representative body that works constructively with government to achieve genuine results for the transport sector.”
He continued by calling for the resignation of the RHA’s Chief Executive, Mr Richard Burnett,
Adding: “It is surely now time for him to resign his position, in order to make way for new leadership who can rebuild links with the government.
“If or when these changes take place, we will be happy to reconsider our membership of the RHA.”
Despite the worldwide challenges of COVID and Brexit, Europa has remained dedicated to finding solutions for its customers, having successfully launched a unique customs product, Europa Flow. In addition, the firm has opened a new £60m state-of-the-art 3pl warehouse in Corby, Northamptonshire.
www.europa-worldwide.com
@europaworldwide
