The Road Haulage Association (RHA) has backed plans to close the UK domestic haulage market to trucks from most of Eastern Europe until 2009.
While it had been expected that the trucks from the region would be allowed into the UK from the beginning of the month, the government has said that none will be allowed in until May 1st 2009.
On this date EU law will grant mandatory access to the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia as well as Poland and Hungary.
Roger King, chief executive of the RHA, said there had been concerns that the trucks would take work and jobs away from UK haulage firms.
"This decision should put a brake on that," he said.
He said that the indutrsy in the UK must be aware that the "market will be open to these Eastern European trucks from May 1st 2009".
Mr King said this was despite that fact that "they continue to enjoy much lower operating costs because of low wages and fuel duty rates that are half that of the UK".
