Danish truck drivers' union to meet ministers after national protests
Blockades by truck drivers protesting a planned green road tax caused disruption on roads across Denmark on Monday.
Representatives from drivers’ trade union DTL – Danske Vognmænd will on Friday meet Transport Minister Thomas Danielson and Tax Minister Jeppe Bruus to discuss the planned tax and Monday’s demonstrations.
“We will, along with other representatives from organisations, discuss the situation regarding the kilometre tax and the truck driver demonstrations. So we will see what comes out of it,” Erik Østergaard of the DTL union told trade media Transportmagasinet.
Several roads and motorway entrances were disrupted on Monday as drivers set up blockades.
The drivers were protesting a planned tax which will see heavy goods vehicles that run on diesel or petrol charged a green tax on a per-kilometre basis.
The demonstrations were in breach of Danish traffic laws and at least two drivers were reported to have been issued fines for refusing to move their vehicles when ordered to by police.
Østergaard said the union did not support illegal protests but argued that there was understanding amongst the public for drivers’ opposition to the kilometre tax.
READ ALSO: How to decode Denmark's old-fashioned motorway names
He said that “everyone has realised this has nothing to do with green conversion” [to sustainable fuel sources, ed.].
“This is about the state earning some extra cash,” he told Transportmagasinet.
A deal to introduce the green tax was agreed last year by a majority in parliament including the Social Democrats, which comprised the single-party government at the time, and three left wing parties the Social Liberals, Socialist People’s Party and Red Green Alliance.
It will see a kilometre-based tax charged to heavy goods vehicles from 2025, meaning trucks that run on diesel or petrol must pay an additional 1.30 kroner per kilometre.
Bruus told broadcaster TV2 on Monday that the government “is not going to withdraw the proposal”.
He added that “we are listening a lot to the criticism and concerns that have been expressed.”
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Representatives from drivers’ trade union DTL – Danske Vognmænd will on Friday meet Transport Minister Thomas Danielson and Tax Minister Jeppe Bruus to discuss the planned tax and Monday’s demonstrations.
“We will, along with other representatives from organisations, discuss the situation regarding the kilometre tax and the truck driver demonstrations. So we will see what comes out of it,” Erik Østergaard of the DTL union told trade media Transportmagasinet.
Several roads and motorway entrances were disrupted on Monday as drivers set up blockades.
The drivers were protesting a planned tax which will see heavy goods vehicles that run on diesel or petrol charged a green tax on a per-kilometre basis.
The demonstrations were in breach of Danish traffic laws and at least two drivers were reported to have been issued fines for refusing to move their vehicles when ordered to by police.
Østergaard said the union did not support illegal protests but argued that there was understanding amongst the public for drivers’ opposition to the kilometre tax.
READ ALSO: How to decode Denmark's old-fashioned motorway names
He said that “everyone has realised this has nothing to do with green conversion” [to sustainable fuel sources, ed.].
“This is about the state earning some extra cash,” he told Transportmagasinet.
A deal to introduce the green tax was agreed last year by a majority in parliament including the Social Democrats, which comprised the single-party government at the time, and three left wing parties the Social Liberals, Socialist People’s Party and Red Green Alliance.
It will see a kilometre-based tax charged to heavy goods vehicles from 2025, meaning trucks that run on diesel or petrol must pay an additional 1.30 kroner per kilometre.
Bruus told broadcaster TV2 on Monday that the government “is not going to withdraw the proposal”.
He added that “we are listening a lot to the criticism and concerns that have been expressed.”
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