Rising fuel costs is the biggest issue hauliers and logistics operators in the East Midlands believe they will face in 2018, an online survey by Route4 Solutions has found.

Thirty-one per cent of respondents cited this as their main issue in the poll, conducted by the temporary driver recruitment specialists.

Most argued that the rising price of a barrel of oil and a weaker pound as the reason why wholesale fuel costs had increased.

The survey found 'pay increases' was the second biggest issue within the sector, with 25% reporting that increased wages and increased costs of maintaining vehicles would likely lead to a less profitable financial performance.

The third most highlighted issue was a lack of drivers, with 18% saying that this had led to a decrease in the amount of deliveries they were able to make.

Mike Harris, managing director of Route4 Solutions, said: “With the rising cost of oil, it is hardly surprising to see that rising fuel costs is considered to be the biggest issue that will impact on hauliers and logistics operators.

"This issue may force businesses to start to think about how alternative fuels and electric vehicles may be able to ease the pain of a costly fuel bill.

"Switching to alternative fuels might just be the way to achieve a competitive advantage, since the price of oil isn’t predicted to depreciate any time soon.”