MP STEVE Barclay has welcomed moves to charge foreign lorries for using Britain’s roads.

He says it should create a level playing field for UK hauliers who have to pay for using roads in other European countries, while overseas lorries pay nothing to use the UK’s road network.

The MP for North East Cambridgeshire has been pushing for reform after he was approached by a number of leading hauliers based in his constituency.

As one of the biggest centres of the UK road haulage industry, East Anglian-based businesses will get a welcome boost from the new legislation.

Mr Barclay has been one of the leading campaigners on the issue, tabling a number of parliamentary questions and pushing the government to stick to its manifesto pledge.

Foreign hauliers will have to pay up to �10 a day or �1,000 a year to use UK roads under the plans which are likely to come into force in April 2014.

UK hauliers will also have to pay the charge, but they will be reimbursed. This could be done by cutting the cost of their tax disc or lower the fuel duty that they pay.

Mr Barclay said: “It’s simply unfair that foreign lorries can use our roads for free, while ours have to pay charges abroad.

“I’m delighted this change is going to happen. It will directly benefit businesses in North East Cambridgeshire and East Anglia more generally.”