Kent's small transport businesses are feeling the full force of the credit crunch - as a drop in trade couples with rising fuel prices.

In a normal summer, family-run removals firm SW Leach and Sons, of Aylesford, would carry out between 10 and 12 house moves a week.

But today, the firm is averaging just six a week, as fewer people commit to investing in property.

And the rocketing price of diesel - £300 to drive a lorry from Kent to Plymouth and back - has meant each job brings in less money for the firm, run by Paul Leach, with his wife and brother.

Mr Leach said: "We are a family-run business with full-time staff. If I only do one move a week I still have to pay the staff.

Mr Leach said: "There are high increases in fuel prices which we are just having to swallow. Our prices for removals are the same as they were two years ago."

The firm employs four full-time staff apart from the three family members, and has three lorries, which at today’s prices can cost £550 a time to fill with diesel. The Leach family has been involved in removals for sixty years.

He said it was not feasible for his firm to increase prices to cover the extra fuel costs, as they would be undercut by "cowboys".

His concerns were echoed by Norman Neal, of Whitstable-based Kent Limos, who runs three limousines.

He said: "Fuel price rises are making it hard for us. We are still charging the same prices we were three years ago, to remain competitive, and the price of the unleaded petrol the cars use is going up and up.

"When I bought our white Lincoln eight-seater stretch limo three years ago it cost £46 to fill it up. Now when I fill it up it is £72 - and rising.

He said: "The early part of this year was very bad for trade. January and February were terrible. It is really starting to hit people. Bookings are OK at the moment, you have the school proms, which are always good for us, but it is still not really all that clever, to be honest.

Like Mr Leach, he said increasing prices was impossible, as he would be undercut by "unlicensed" competitors

Peter Carroll, managing director of Larkfield-based Seymour Transport has seen his fuel bill rise by £50,000 a month since October last year.

He employs 81 people and runs 51 lorries, transporting goods worldwide. He says, unlike many smaller firms he is holding his own, mainly because contractual clauses with clients protect the firm from price rises.

"My heart really does go out to the smaller people," he said.

Mr Carroll is among hauliers taking part in a second national fuel protest in London on July 2.

*Meanwhile oil prices continued to rise, pushing up fuel prices, as talks among the top oil powers at the weekend ended without result.