Transport businesses have ridiculed the government’s decision to postpone fuel duty increases as “like wiping blood from a gaping wound”.

Alastair Darling announced yesterday that the planned 2p increase in fuel duty this October would be postponed.

But Peter Carroll, managing director of Larkfield-based haulage firm Seymour Transport, said: “This is like a patient going to accident and emergency with a gaping wound and all they do is wipe the blood off. It is nowhere near enough.

“We are paying 25p per litre of diesel more than continental hauliers heading up the M20, because the duty is lower on the continent. That cannot be fair.”

Paul Leach, partner at removals firm SW Leach and Sons, in Aylesford, is fighting the double whammy of a drop in house moves and steadily rising fuel prices.

His firm, which employs seven, would normally run 10 or 12 moves a week, and is now struggling to get six. In the week starting July 14, the firm had no work at all for Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

He has had to consider laying staff off, although he is fighting not to do this at present.

He said: “A 2p saving is not going to be much help to us.

“We are a family business and we are proud that we have never laid anyone off. We are planning to sit tight until this is all over.”