AIR travellers, hauliers and drivers in Hampshire were the victims of the Chancellor's tenth and likely last pre-budget report.

Gordon Brown ended the freeze on fuel duty and doubled the tax for many of Southampton airport's 1.8 million air passengers as he sought to establish his "green" credentials.

Mr Brown promised that the extra funds would be spent on government priorities such as public transport.

From February air passenger duty (APD) - the tax air travellers have to pay each time they leave a UK airport - will double.

The duty will rise from £5 to £10 for economy seat passengers taking domestic and European short-haul flights, and go up from £20 to £40 for economy seat travellers on long-haul flights.

Mike Rutter, chief commercial officer of low-fare airline Flybe, the largest at Southampton, said that the tax increase would do nothing to tackle climate change.

"APD is the poll tax of the skies and will hit ordinary travellers hardest of all," he blasted.

"It is a regressive and direct tax on our passengers that has nothing to do with environmental considerations. This tax hike will hit hard-working people who have been able to enjoy affordable air travel for the first time thanks to the low-cost revolution."

Southampton airport operator BAA said that the doubling of green taxes on aviation should only be an "interim measure" to the industry's inclusion in a European-wide carbon trading scheme.

Drivers and hauliers reacted angrily as fuel duty last night went up by 1.25p a litre, in line with inflation, ending a three-year freeze.

Andrew Spence, a spokesman for the Fuel Lobby, said that plans were already afoot among hauliers and farmers to show their anger at the rise, but ruled out mass demos and refinery blockades.

Roger King, chief executive of the Road Haulage Association, said that it was a "tremendous blow" to UK hauliers, who were already operating trucks nearly two-thirds cleaner and greener than they were six years ago.

He said: "The increase will, for many operators, signal the end of the road. Ours is an industry that should be rewarded, not penalised. It seems that despite all our best efforts, the government still considers the UK haulage industry to be one of its greatest cash cows."

Nigel Humphries, of the Association of British Drivers, said that axing the fuel duty freeze was "disgraceful" He added: "Fuel duty is too high and not enough is spent on transport."

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation, said: "The immediate fuel duty increase will go down like a flat balloon in this season of goodwill."

John Walker, the Federation of Small Businesses' national policy chairman, said: "We are very concerned that small businesses will be collateral damage in the drive for cleaner cars. Small businesses cannot change their journey times or ditch their vehicle today and buy a new one tomorrow."

Andrew Morgan, tax partner for accountants KPMG's south coast office, said: "Small and medium-sized businesses in Hampshire will be disappointed that there was little or nothing in this pre-budget report for them."