The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has expressed relief over the government’s abandoned aviation tax plans, but has branded the increase on fuel duty a “cynical disgrace”.

The FTA has been at the head of a lobbying campaign to prevent ‘per-plane’ aviation tax and greeted the abandonment of the plan with “a sigh of relief”.

Christopher Snelling, FTA’s head of global supply chain policy, said: “The government should be applauded for coming to the only sensible decision possible. It is good news for farmers in the developing world as they will continue to be able to offer their products to the UK market.

“In making this announcement, the government has proven it is prepared to take a politically more difficult course to place the competitiveness of the UK economy first,” he said.