'We are paying £40k more a week for fuel'

As the US-Israel war with Iran continues into its seventh week, a haulage business has said it is spending an additional £40,000 a week on fuel.

David McWilliams, sales director of BJS Haulage in Wednesbury, said the additional cost to the firm was "totally unsustainable".

"In February we were paying £1.42 for fuel from the pump but last week that price was £1.92, the impact has been dramatic and substantial," he said.

McWilliams said the sharp increase in fuel prices had to be put onto customers through a fuel surcharge with "most of the customers being really understanding."

"At the end of the day businesses have got to pass the cost on as well.

"That cost will come back to us, the consumer, in one way or another at a time I don't think anyone can afford another hike in prices anywhere."

McWilliams added: "We're a business that spends over £100,000 a week on fuel for our trucks and commercial vehicles so now we're approximately spending £40,000 more a week than we were two months ago.

"It is totally unsustainable but fortunately a lot of our customers accept that there's been a dramatic increase in fuel."

There was some hope when the US and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire agreement, leading to a drop in oil prices.

However, they jumped back up after peace talks broke down and US president Donald Trump ordered the blockading of Iranian ports.

"Worst case scenario is if the price keeps climbing, we're looking at uneconomical routes as a business," McWilliams said.

"It'll mean that we stop taking the unviable routes which will mean less goods moved throughout the UK."

On Thursday, government officials said the UK could face some food shortages by the summer in the war continued, which McWilliams concurred with.

"Whether people realise it or not, one in every five trucks that you see out in the UK today will be carrying your food.

"If you start to stop the viable routes that's where the food shortage will come from, because the trucks won't be able to deliver.

"The hauliers, farmers, butchers and bakers, we're paying too much for fuel and if we keeping paying too much businesses will suffer, they won't be here anymore," he said.

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