Industry News

Crunch talks between road gritters in Carmarthenshire and the local authority will take place on Monday (17 January) in an attempt to end strike action over pay and conditions. Council gritters first downed tools on 5 January after the GMB union claimed the council had failed to adhere to a collective agreement signed back in 2020. The union also accused Carmarthenshire Council of playing “Russian roulette” with residents’ safety over a gritter strike. It said it was pleased the council [...]

The post Welsh council playing “Russian roulette” with safety amid pay row with gritter drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

Tiger Trailers’ finance director Ed Booth (pictured) has been promoted to MD of the wider group, with immediate effect. Booth’s promotion sees Tiger Trailers’ founders, John and Steven Cartwright, move from their positions as joint MDs to sit as executive directors on the board alongside fellow founder David Williams. The Winsford-based company, which employs 250 staff and manufactures articulated trailers, said the three founders will continue to work with Booth on a variety of strategic opportunities. Read more Tiger Trailers [...]

The post Tiger Trailers promotes Ed Booth to MD appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK has condemned the 24% hike in penalty charges on London’s red routes - which comes into force today (17 January) - as a tax on hauliers. Transport for London (TfL) is increasing the fine from £130 to £160. The penalty charge will be reduced by 50% if paid within 14 days and increased by 50% if paid after 28 days. Natalie Chapman, Logistics UK policy chief for the South, said: “Logistics businesses need road and kerbside access to [...]

The post London’s red route penalty hike penalises hauliers, warns Logistics UK appeared first on Motor Transport.

There are promising signs that the worst of the driver shortage crisis could be over as 2022 gets underway, according to Pallet-Track chief executive Caroline Green (pictured). However Green warned that underlying causes for the shortage such as the unpopularity of the Driver CPC among older drivers and poor facilities have yet to be addressed. Green said: “We had a frenzy of activity and shortages around September, caused by people still being on holiday, the ‘pingdemic’ and ongoing issues caused [...]

The post Signs driver shortage is waning, but fundamentals still need to be addressed, warns Pallet-Track chief appeared first on Motor Transport.

Lorries bringing goods into Britain from Europe are being held up at the border following the introduction of new customs regulations this month, with hauliers warning the situation is set to get worse as trade picks up after the January lull. The new Brexit border regulations, which kicked in on 1 January this year, require goods coming into Great Britain from the EU to be subject to full customs controls. All goods presented to customs and their export declarations must [...]

The post Hauliers warn of worse to come as new border rules trigger queues of trucks in Calais appeared first on Motor Transport.

Krone said its parts supply service was continuing to expand amid peak sales levels of its trailers. Trailer parts for the UK and Ireland can be ordered using its online catalogue, either by part number or by scanning the QR code stamped on the trailer’s registration plate. Krone said all consignments from Leeds are being dispatched on a next day basis and, subject to availability, will arrive between one and three working days. Read more Krone trailer sales on the [...]

The post Krone extends trailer parts service appeared first on Motor Transport.

Crunch talks between road gritters in Carmarthenshire and the local authority will take place on Monday (17 January) in an attempt to end strike action over pay and conditions. Council gritters first downed tools on 5 January after the GMB union claimed the council had failed to adhere to a collective agreement signed back in 2020. The union also accused Carmarthenshire Council of playing “Russian roulette” with residents’ safety over a gritter strike. It said it was pleased the council [...]

The post Welsh council playing “Russian roulette” with safety amid pay row with road gritters appeared first on Motor Transport.

The HGV driver training ‘bootcamps’ launched last year with £34m of government funding have got off to flying start, according to Mark Currie, CEO of the National Logistics Academy (NLA) and Manchester training firm Mantra Learning. The target for the 200 16-week bootcamps is to bring around 11,000 HGV drivers into the industry, both by attracting existing licence holders back into driving and funding training and testing for new entrants. The scheme runs until November 2022 and is being delivered [...]

The post ‘Unbelievable’ response from public as HGV driving bootcamps get off to a flying start appeared first on Motor Transport.

Bite-sized eLearning is seen by operators as a more valuable method of delivering Driver CPC than classroom-based courses, according to a survey of 1,000 haulage firms. Training provider Road Skills Online (RSO) said the results revealed an “unequivocal response” from the industry to the government that the current professional development regime needed overhauling. The survey, which remains open until 31 January, was launched at the end of last year as part of RSO’s response to the consultation into the future [...]

The post Driver CPC best delivered through eLearning not classrooms, say hauliers appeared first on Motor Transport.

Half a million square feet of logistics space across three units is being developed this year on an industrial estate in Peterborough, in what has been described as one of the UK’s fastest growing regions. The 21-acre site at the Peterborough South logistics park is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 and will be delivered to net-zero carbon in construction and target an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating. Featuring a sustainable infrastructure with more than 40,000 sq ft of [...]

The post New 21-acre Peterborough logistics park to be completed by end of year appeared first on Motor Transport.

HGV driver candidates are now being offered virtual reality (VR) technology to help them pass their test and get behind the wheel quicker. Training firm Easy As HGV said it was improving driver training with the use of “fully immersive VR simulations” in order for prospective drivers to learn and practice skills such as walkaround pre-drive safety checks, coupling and uncoupling and carrying out reversing manoeuvres. It said the simulations had been designed to make it easier to learn core [...]

The post Training firm offers virtual reality simulations to help HGV drivers pass tests more quickly appeared first on Motor Transport.

Sales of Krone trailers increased by 17.8% last year and its owner said he was optimistic revenues would rise again in 2022. Despite the pandemic, its commercial vehicles division reported sales of 1.37m euros in the year ending 31 July 2021, an increase from 1.17m euros the previous year. During the period, Krone Group’s CV division launched the modular swap liner, accommodating two swap bodies, as well as new chassis models for containers, the cool liner, the new-generation swap body [...]

The post Krone trailer sales on the rise appeared first on Motor Transport.

A lorry driver who was looking at dating websites on his phone whilst driving at 58mph has been jailed for eight years and ten months for causing a crash that killed three people. HGV driver Ion Nicu Onut was driving a 3.5 tonne Scania LGV, carrying fertilizer, when he "ploughed" into queueing traffic near junction 61 of the A1(M) at Bowburn, County Durham, on July 15, last year. David Daglish, 57, and Elaine Sullivan, 59, of Seaham, and Paul Mullen, [...]

The post HGV driver jailed for eight years after causing fatal crash while trawling dating sites appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has welcomed an announcement from the DfT that the rollout of new all-lane smart motorways is to be suspended. New schemes will be paused until there is a full five years of safety data on current projects. The news came alongside a £900m government pledge for additional safety measures for existing all-lane running motorways (ALR). An investment of £390m in 150 additional emergency areas for drivers will also be put in place, creating a 50% increase in places [...]

The post RHA welcomes pause to smart motorway rollout appeared first on Motor Transport.

Inflation and Brexit sent December road freight prices soaring, new research from Transport Exchange Group (TEG) shows. The hike in road freight prices comes as operators brace for further supply chain disruption in 2022 as Covid-19 continues to cause economic strain and new EU custom checks kick in on imports. The latest TEG Road Transport Price Index shows that the average price-per-mile for haulage and courier vehicles increased by 5.3 points between November and December. After a 3.3-point drop between [...]

The post Road freight prices soar as impact of inflation and Brexit kicks in, new research reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Microlise is calling for nominations as it launches its search for this year’s best truck driver. The Microlise driver of the Year event, now in its eighth year, shortlists drivers by analysing a year’s worth of Microlise telematics performance data to reveal the most talented short, medium, and long-distance drivers. The process sees the Microlise Data Science team initially analyse more than 240,000 anonymous drivers’ telematics records from 2021. Data will be anonymised and analysed, with company, contract and driver [...]

The post Microlise Driver of the Year 2022 opens for nominations appeared first on Motor Transport.

Soaring natural gas prices have helped push the cost of AdBlue up to record highs, with producers unable to predict when the value will stabilise. The cost of the additive began to increase last year, in parallel with wholesale gas price rises, as countries emerged from their Covid lockdowns. Demand soon led to production sites in Europe closing down, limiting the supply chain and compounding the cost of urea. In September, AdBlue producer Yara announced it was increasing the price [...]

The post Cost of AdBlue hits new record as natural gas prices surge appeared first on Motor Transport.

The University of Westminster, as part of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight is seeking your views on how road freight operators are decarbonising their fleets, as well as the challenges resulting from Brexit and Coronavirus. Whether you are considering fleet replacement, investment in new vehicle technologies or changes to logistics operations to bring about greater fuel efficiency in the road freight industry, the research team want to hear your views. This questionnaire takes approximately 25-30 minutes to complete. Many [...]

The post Have your say on the best route to net zero appeared first on Motor Transport.

Two builders’ merchant companies have been disqualified from holding HGV licences by the West Midlands Traffic Commissioner and their licences revoked. M K Builders' Merchants, which held a restricted operator’s licence for two trucks, came before traffic commissioner Nick Denton after concerns were raised about its maintenance record following an investigation by DVSA in 2019, which found that the company had a very poor maintenance record and almost no understanding of the rules. The investigation found that the company had [...]

The post Two Midlands builders’ merchants see operating HGV licences revoked appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government is failing to monitor how many foreign lorries are entering and leaving the UK under revised cabotage rules introduced in October last year, Unite has discovered. The union warned this week that failure to monitor foreign lorries under the revised rules, which were introduced to help tackle the UK’s HGV driver shortage crisis, risks road users’ safety. The government changed the cabotage rules at the end of October, allowing foreign HGV drivers to work unlimited hours in the [...]

The post Government playing ‘Russian roulette’ with road user safety, warns Unite appeared first on Motor Transport.

Maritime Transport has launched a new intermodal service from Birmingham to the Port of Felixstowe to provide additional capacity in response to the UK’s HGV driver shortage. The service, hauled by GB Railfreight, connects Maritime’s Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal (BIFT) with the Port of Felixstowe. Maritime, which operates a fleet over 2,000 trucks and 3,000 trailers, saw its third train to run from the Port of Felixstowe to BIFT set off today on (10 January). The new service has increased [...]

The post Maritime Transport offers new intermodal service between Birmingham and Felixstowe Port appeared first on Motor Transport.

Gasrec has opened a remote monitoring centre in Daventry to react to changes at its network of biomethane refuelling stations and resolve any potential safety issues. The company said a team of control centre operators will analyse real-time data and monitor gas levels to prevent shortages and detect equipment faults and then respond accordingly. Tony Robinson, Gasrec chief technical officer, said: “The safety and resilience of our operations is at the heart of everything we do. Read more BP buys [...]

The post Gasrec launches biomethane monitoring centre appeared first on Motor Transport.

The traffic commissioners have made operators aware of the help and advice available about new customs rules that came into effect at the beginning of January. Anyone moving goods between Great Britain and the European Union (EU) through a goods vehicle movement service (GVMS) border location must now be registered to use the service. Current arrangements will continue to apply to goods moving from the island of Ireland to GB, while discussions on the Northern Ireland Protocol are continuing. The [...]

The post Traffic commissioners offer guidance on new customs rules appeared first on Motor Transport.

Non-GB registered HGV drivers speeding on the A55 were stopped and handed on-the-spot fines after the public raised concerns about their behaviour. Police officers from the North Wales roads policing unit carried out an operation shortly before Christmas to crack down on lorry drivers travelling through roadworks at Tal y Bont near Bangor. A total of 13 drivers in foreign-registered vehicles were stopped and issued with graduated fixed penalty notices – and they were made to cough up at the [...]

The post Foreign HGV drivers caught in police speed trap after complaints from public appeared first on Motor Transport.

Automotive developer REE has begun trials of its all-electric P7 modular platform for delivery fleets. Supporting up to four tonnes (8,800lbs) max payload, REE said the P7 platform has capacity for 35% more packages than comparable CVs. It added that electric and autonomous vehicles built on top of the platform will be able to achieve driving ranges of up to 370 miles with speeds of up to 80 mph and supporting gross vehicle weight ratings of up to 7.5-tonnes (16,500lbs). [...]

The post REE trials electric P7 platform for delivery fleets appeared first on Motor Transport.

Plans to roll out Manchester’s clean air zone (CAZ) are in doubt after the city’s mayor put out a statement expressing concerns about the impact on businesses. The CAZ was due to be launched on 30 May, with an ambition to bring down nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels on local roads to within legal limits. But mayor Andy Burnham said that while the government had provided £120m of financial support, it had so far failed to agree to a request for [...]

The post Manchester CAZ plans under a cloud amid fears over impact on local businesses appeared first on Motor Transport.

Union Unite has slammed government plans to further extend the relaxation of regulations governing how long lorry drivers can work. The union is calling on the government to scrap the new proposal and tackle the long hours, irregular shifts and lack of parking facilities which it argues have created the lorry driver shortage. The call follows the government’s launch of a snap consultation exercise on extending the relaxation on the driving regulations from this Sunday (9 January) for a further [...]

The post Government plan to extend relaxation of drivers’ hours “dangerous”, warns Unite appeared first on Motor Transport.

David Wells, chief executive of Logistics UK, has been awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list, for services to transport and logistics during the Brexit transition. Wells, 56, who has led Logistics UK for the past six years, has been recognised for “raising the voice and impact of the sector at a critical time to help make Brexit work and keeping Britain’s economy moving during the Brexit transition and the Covid-19 pandemic,” according to the association. Wells said: [...]

The post Logistics UK boss awarded OBE in New Year’s Honours appeared first on Motor Transport.

Transaid has released nine places on its Cycle Malawi 2022 challenge and is calling on riders from across the transport and logistics industry to register their interest quickly to avoid disappointment. Those signing up for the ride, which will take place from 1-9 October, will join a group of 36 cyclists already confirmed for the event, which had to be postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The epic two-wheel adventure will take cyclists across Malawi,which is commonly known [...]

The post Transaid offers another nine places on its Cycle Malawi challenge appeared first on Motor Transport.

Transport for the North (TfN) is calling for comment on its newly launched Freight & Logistics Strategy for the North of England. The draft proposal, which is out for public consultation until 31 January 2022, highlights the key role the sector plays in the North of England, with more than 33% of goods entering through the region’s ports and 25% of British freight starting or ending in the North. The document addresses current challenges, such as a shortage of warehouse [...]

The post Transport for the North sets out freight and logistics strategy for the region appeared first on Motor Transport.

Road Skills Online has urged operators to fill in its new questionnaire, suggesting ways to improve the Driver CPC. The government announced a major review of the qualifcation last November after industry leaders claimed its bureaucratic nature was acting as a barrier to both new and returning drivers. "I have been invited by Department of Transport and DVSA to contribute to the DfT's review of Driver CPC," explained Road Skills Online MD David Somers. Read more Hauliers give qualified thumbs [...]

The post DfT invites industry to suggest ways Driver CPC can be improved appeared first on Motor Transport.

Scania is launching Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) with GVWs of up to 36 tonnes. At the heart of both trucks is a newly developed GE281 Gearbox Electric machine, which incorporates a pair of electric motors and a 6-speed gearbox, and works in tandem with either its 7- or 9-litre diesel engines. It offers 230kW continuously, 290kW as peak power output, and has a maximum torque of 2,100Nm. The PHEV has an installed battery capacity [...]

The post Scania launches hybrid trucks with electric ranges of up to 60km appeared first on Motor Transport.

New research has found there were 7,200 UK vacancies for HGV drivers and 4,831 openings for supply chain managers at the end of September 2021. Packaging retailer RAJA UK analysed the distribution and logistics roles that are most in demand, highlighting average salary, number of vacancies and job requirements. It found an HGV driver earns an average salary of £32k and a supply chain manager £42.5k. Starting pay for drivers is usually £19,000 and can go up to £36,000 for [...]

The post Revealed: the industry jobs with the most vacancies and best salaries appeared first on Motor Transport.

Analysis of more than 3,000 business drivers using RED Driver Risk Management’s Wellbeing Profiler has shown they suffer from more anxiety, stress, tiredness and mental health issues between November and February than at any other time of the year. RED said ‘Seasonally Affective Driver Disorder’ (SADD) affects all types of business drivers, whether they are in a company car, delivery van or HGV, and results in the potential for higher risk and lower productivity. The combination of dark mornings and [...]

The post Thousands of business drivers suffering from Seasonally Affective Driver Disorder (SADD), report reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Nearly one in five transport and logistics workers are considering quitting their jobs due to excessive stress, according to a mental health study. It showed half of all workers in the industry have suffered excessive stress in the last 12 months, 17% are considering leaving their jobs and 10% have already quit. This is double the number of retail employees that have left their jobs and more than those in healthcare. The study also found that more than one in [...]

The post Pressure of the job putting off logistics staff appeared first on Motor Transport.

UK commercial vehicle production decreased to 7,940 units in November, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The 7.8% decline is the weakest November performance since 2017 and reflects the challenges faced by the wider industry, with the global shortage of semiconductors - itself a by-product of the pandemic - continuing to hamper production. November’s decline was driven by a 16.4% fall in the number of CVs built for export, whilst the domestic [...]

The post UK commercial vehicle production back on the slide appeared first on Motor Transport.

UK operators are set to benefit after logistics platform provider CH Robinson pledged to invest $1bn (£744.4m) in global technology to remove supply chain inefficiencies. The company is working with more than 1,000 international data specialists and said it aims to help shape the future of the UK logistics ecosystem. Its British customer-base includes global brands as well as some of the biggest industry and manufacturing firms. “Our commitment to invest such a staggering sum will put CH Robinson at [...]

The post CH Robinson pledges to shape future of UK supply chain with “staggering” new investment appeared first on Motor Transport.

Scottish Mercedes-Benz Trucks dealership Western Commercial has rejected industry claims that it has terminated its truck service agreement. The rumours have been circulating since it announced in June that it was to halt HGV sales at the end of the year. However, the company confirmed to MT this week that aftersales would continue as usual at its four sites in Bellshill, Glasgow, Broxburn and Dundee. Read more Major Mercedes-Benz Trucks dealer to halt HGV sales It admitted that industry speculation [...]

The post Major Mercedes Benz Trucks dealer denies claims it is set to terminate truck service agreement appeared first on Motor Transport.

HGV drivers hoping to avoid congested roads over the festive period should give the A34 in Hampshire a miss between the A33 and M3/A272, which has the highest average delays in the UK, according to research by HGV recruitment and training specialists Driver Hire. The study, which has analysed data from the Office of National Statistics, shows that this particular stretch of road recorded a delay of 70.675 seconds per car per mile on average by the end of the [...]

The post New study reveals the most congested roads to avoid this Christmas appeared first on Motor Transport.

Online retailers and couriers are experiencing a 17% surge in late gift deliveries as the Omicron surge drove shoppers from the High Street last weekend, according to ParcelHero’s head of consumer research David Jinks. Pointing to research by retail analyst Springboard, which revealed a 25% plummet in the number of visitors to the High Street on Sunday (19 December), compared to the last Sunday before Christmas in 2019, Jinks said: “It’s heartbreaking. Things had been looking so rosy for town [...]

The post Omicron drives last minute avalanche of Christmas deliveries, ParcelHero reports appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK Warehouse Association (UKWA) warned this week that workers are struggling to meet peak season demand in the face of surging Covid infections. SAGE member Professor John Edmunds warned that, taking into account unreported cases, there could have been around 400,000 Omicron infections in the UK by last weekend, with that number set to double every two days. As the infection rate continues to soar, UKWA chief executive Clare Bottle said warehouse workers are facing a barrage of additional [...]

The post Omicron surge poses yet another challenge to “exhausted” warehouse workers, warns UKWA appeared first on Motor Transport.

Police patrolling the roads in Nottinghamshire caught thieves red-handed after pulling into a layby and finding lorry trailers with their curtains slashed. Four men aged between 19 and 24 were arrested after their car was searched and items including gloves, an angle grinder and a metal wrench were recovered. Officers said they entered the layby off the southbound carriageway of the A1 just before the exit for the A620 after midnight on 14 December. They spotted three HGVs parked up [...]

The post Police foil thieves as they slash trailer curtains in A1 layby appeared first on Motor Transport.

Yusen Logistics has taken a 10-year lease from commercial property specialist Onward Holdings for a refurbished warehouse at the Cross Green Industrial Estate in Leeds. Part of the Mitsubishi Group, Yusen is expanding in the UK to meet demand from the rapidly growing e-commerce sector. It will be using the warehouse space for vehicle and other spare parts distribution, as well as potentially providing a 3PL service for other East Asian companies based in the UK. The upgraded facility, located [...]

The post Yusen Logistics snaps up Leeds warehouse from Onward Holdings appeared first on Motor Transport.

Europa Worldwide Group chief executive Andrew Baxter (pictured), who terminated his company’s membership of the RHA in October after slamming its handling of the petrol pump crisis and Brexit, has welcomed the departure of RHA chief executive Richard Burnett. Speaking to MT, Baxter said he hoped that Burnett’s departure last week would end what he described as “a period at the RHA where instead of working constructively with government to shape government policy there was a tendency to jump to [...]

The post Europa Worldwide boss calls for new direction at RHA following resignation of CEO appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government scheme to bring 4,700 HGV drivers over on a temporary three month visa has attracted approximately 200 drivers in total and is now closed to new applicants, according to Home Office migration minister Kevin Foster. Appearing before the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee last week Foster told MPs that “around 200 visas” had been issued. The committee grilled the minister on the effectiveness of the emergency visa scheme in plugging gaps in the farming [...]

The post “Half-baked” plan to bring in 4,700 HGV drivers from Europe sees take-up stall at around 200, minister reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

CNG Fuels has opened the first renewable biomethane HGV refuelling station near Glasgow, able to service 450 lorries a day. The renewable gas supplier said the station would cut 70,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each year and puts Inverness and Aberdeen within range of its low carbon refuelling network for the first time. It is located at the Eurocentral industrial estate off the M8 near Bellshill and will support both local Scottish fleets as well as brands making low-carbon [...]

The post Natural gas refuelling returns to Scotland with new CNG Fuels biomethane station appeared first on Motor Transport.

Transport for London’s (TfL) decision to remove the fleet autopay discount from the congestion charge will add thousands of pounds a year in costs to some operators and has been slammed by business groups as an additional tax on hauliers. TfL said it was making changes to the congestion charge in order to strike a balance between reducing traffic and congestion and supporting the capital’s economy. As a result, the hours of operation will be reduced during the week to [...]

The post Removal of London congestion charge fleet discount will cost operators ‘thousands of pounds’ appeared first on Motor Transport.

Renault Trucks expects 10% of all its new vehicle sales to be full electric within three years, with the UK leading the take-up in Europe, and exceeding this figure. “In fact, we feel that a quarter of all our sales [in the UK] could be electric by 2025,” said Renault Trucks UK MD Carlos Rodriguez. “The technology is ready. We can decarbonise 50% of road freight today with the vehicles we have, and we have a new battery generation coming [...]

The post A quarter of Renault Trucks sales in UK to be electric by 2025 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Traton, Daimler and Volvo have signed a joint venture agreement to operate a public charging network for battery electric, heavy-duty, long-haul trucks and coaches across Europe. Equally owned, it is scheduled to start operations in 2022, subject to regulatory approval. The three parties are collectively investing €500m (£426m) in the project and will look to install at least 1,700 high-performance green energy charging points on and close to highways, as well as at logistic and destination points, within five years. [...]

The post Traton, Daimler Truck and Volvo sign deal for HGV charging network appeared first on Motor Transport.

Police patrolling the roads in Nottinghamshire caught thieves red-handed after pulling into a layby and finding lorry trailers with their curtains slashed. Four men aged between 19 and 24 were arrested after their car was searched and items including gloves, an angle grinder and a metal wrench were recovered. Officers said they entered the layby off the southbound carriageway of the A1 just before the exit for the A620 after midnight on 14 December. They spotted three HGVs parked up [...]

The post Poilice foil thieves as they slash trailer curtains in A1 layby appeared first on Motor Transport.

Richard Burnett’s decision to resign as RHA chief executive has taken the industry by surprise and been greeted with dismay by many operators. Burnett’s departure, announced this week, follows a tumultuous year which has seen the RHA grapple with Brexit border issues in Northern Ireland, Covid-19 related supply chain problems and the HGV driver shortage crisis. In October this year the RHA was also involved in a very public spat with the government after ministers banned the association from attending [...]

The post Industry questions Richard Burnett’s departure from RHA appeared first on Motor Transport.

Operators answering the latest Motor Transport and Commercial Motor ‘Hot Topic: Sector Insight 2022' survey showed a renewed confidence for the year ahead, with 75% planning to invest in fleet vehicles. The figure is up 12 percentage points on last year’s survey, when operators were in the midst of Covid-19 lockdowns and fluctuating customer volumes. In second place when it came to 2022 investment was staff recruitment and training, with 57% picking this as a key priority, and in third [...]

The post Three-quarters of operators plan to spend on fleet vehicles during 2022, MT reader research reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

The DVSA has defended its intelligence-led approach to roadside enforcement after statistics were released showing an average truck is inspected once every 88,000 miles. The figures were obtained in a freedom of information request by the Unite union, which has used them as evidence that on-the-spot checks are now “vanishingly rare”. The union said a lorry in the UK could travel the equivalent of three and a half times around the world without expecting to undergo a check. Unite said [...]

The post Average truck runs 88,000 miles between DVSA checks appeared first on Motor Transport.

Maxus has partnered with Stoneacre Motor Group and added another dealership, this time in Chesterfield. From this month, Stoneacre Vanworld will offer dedicated sales, servicing, and aftersales services to Maxus customers throughout the area. Mark Barrett, GM of Harris Maxus, said: We always look for partners with a solid track record, not only in sales and customer service but in aftersales too. “With several reputable brands already under their belt, we know our brand is in good hands with the [...]

The post Stoneacre becomes Maxus dealership for Chesterfield and district appeared first on Motor Transport.

RHA chairman Moreton Cullimore (pictured) has written to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps this week to inform him that Richard Burnett has resigned as chief executive in the hope the association can resume direct communications with the minister. Relations between the RHA and Shapps soured in October this year after claims were made in the Mail on Sunday by “a senior government source” that the RHA triggered the petrol pump crisis by leaking remarks made by a BP executive at a [...]

The post RHA offers olive branch to Shapps and mulls “internal restructuring” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Iveco said it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with gas firm Air Liquide to develop hydrogen mobility in Europe. Both partners are expected to investigate and study the roll-out of heavy-duty, fuel-cell electric long-haul trucks, along with the deployment of a network of refuelling stations along the main trans-European transport corridors. In addition, both companies will jointly promote initiatives to encourage hydrogen mobility. Iveco Group designated president, Luca Sra said: “We are committed to the development of a [...]

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Leading operators have hit out at current drivers’ hours rules, branding them overcomplicated and meaningless. The enforcement agency recently published non-compliance data naming more than 1,400 UK companies including Eddie Stobart and Saint Gobain Construction. The data showed offences detected at the roadside and did not include those it found during visits to operator sites or on desk-based assessments. “Systemic and sustained non-compliance and/or incompetence/ignorance must be frowned upon,” said ArrowXL chief executive Charlie Shiels. “But it just gets more [...]

The post “Drivers’ hours bureaucracy is beyond ridiculous,” claims ArrowXL boss appeared first on Motor Transport.

DP World is introducing a range of technology products aimed at simplifying and solving some of the post-Brexit import and export challenges. The border requirements introduced in January 2021 led to confusion on what documentation was required for each journey and how to generate it, which resulted in incorrect paperwork being presented at port check-ins and longer waiting times. With the next set of border requirements, for cargo movements from Europe to the UK, expected to cause more disruption when [...]

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PD Ports has unveiled its latest investment at Groveport on the River Trent - a £500,000 warehouse facility aimed at boosting trade efficiencies and reducing costs for port customers as part of a long-term plan to continue growing business on the Humber. The 10,000sq ft transit warehouse – an interim storage location for cargo - will improve the turnaround time on vessels carrying weather-sensitive cargo, including fertiliser and steel hollow sections, allowing for temporary, covered quayside storage before transportation to [...]

The post PD Ports unveils quayside warehouse on River Trent appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government is to provide £34m to bring around 11,000 HGV drivers into the industry, both by attracting some of the 295,000 existing licence holders back into driving and funding training and testing of new entrants. The 200 16-week ‘Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving’ will be funded by the Department for Education and run by 17 training providers across the UK who have undergone a rigorous assessment process and can show evidence they have links with employers to provide the required [...]

The post Extra £34m funding for Skills Bootcamps aimed to recruit 11,000 new or returning drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

One-in-five operators are now either using alternative fuels already (13%) or plan to do so within the next 12 months, according to the latest research carried out by Motor Transport and sister title Commercial Motor. This is more than twice as many that answered the same question one year ago, showing industry’s growing desire to decarbonise their fleet operations. The ‘Hot Topic: Sector Insight 2022’ report asked readers which fuels they were interested in exploring, with electric and hydrogen topping [...]

The post Operator appetite growing for alternatives to diesel HGVs, latest Motor Transport research shows appeared first on Motor Transport.

The DVLA is launching a campaign to warn operators, employers and driver agencies that it is a criminal offence to gain unauthorised access to driver data via the View Driving Licence (VDL) service. The campaign follows concerns raised by an HGV driver that a driver agency had used his National Insurance number to access confidential details about his driving history. The search had revealed that he had a drink driving offence, committed over five years previously, which resulted in the [...]

The post Operators and agencies face prosecution for gaining unauthorised access to driver data, DVLA warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers that have been fined after stowaways were discovered in their trucks could be repaid after the court of appeal found the guidance relied on by Border Force was being used prescriptively. Lord Justice Stuart-Smith also described parts of the prevention code, created by the government and used by hauliers to prevent clandestine entry, as “badly and confusingly drafted” and that questions were now raised about how the civil penalties scheme has been operated. It means companies could demand to [...]

The post Hauliers who were fined for carrying stowaways may be repaid appeared first on Motor Transport.

Richard Burnett (pictured), chief executive of the RHA, has tendered his resignation after seven years in the role. RHA national chairperson Moreton Cullimore said Burnett had transformed the organisation during his tenure and worked tirelessly for its membership and the wider industry. "The RHA’s membership has grown significantly and our profile as an association has increased considerably," he added. "On behalf of the RHA board of directors and all the RHA employees I would like to thank him for everything [...]

The post RHA chief executive Richard Burnett resigns appeared first on Motor Transport.

Loveday Ryder (pictured), chief executive of the DVSA, will address delegates at the Microlise Transport Conference on 18 May 2022, at the Coventry Building Society Arena (formerly the Ricoh Arena) in Coventry. Registration has opened for the free-to-attend event, which will showcase innovations and trends the organisers believe will disrupt the transport and logistics sector over the coming years. In addition to the primary conference agenda, delegates will also have access to four workshop programmes covering skills, compliance, technology and [...]

The post DVSA chief executive is first speaker named ahead of Microlise Transport Conference 2022 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Clipper Logistics was the big winner at the Logistics UK annual awards held in London last night (December 9), winning the Public Services Operator of the Year and Most Innovative Company of the Year categories. Stagefreight retained its title as the Road Freight Operator of the Year while Nicola Foley, assistant general manager at Wincanton, was presented with the Rising Star for 2021 award by guest of honour HRH the Princess Royal. Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK, PD Ports and Menzies Distribution [...]

The post Clipper Logistics takes two trophies at Logistics UK awards appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers could end up before a traffic commissioner at a public inquiry if they’re found to have tampered with the exhaust emissions values on their manufacturer’s plate, the DVSA has warned. The agency said its vehicle standards assessors have picked up on small numbers of HGVs being presented for annual test with some form of tampering carried out to the exhaust emissions data recorded on the vehicle manufacturer’s plate. It said operators had been reported to the traffic commissioner for [...]

The post Hauliers again warned not to tamper with exhaust after treatment systems appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government is to provide £17m to bring around 5,000 HGV drivers into the industry, both by attracting some of the 295,000 existing licence holders back into driving and funding training and testing of new entrants. The ‘Skills Bootcamps in HGV Driving’ will be funded by the Department for Education and run by 17 training providers across the UK who have undergone a rigorous assessment process and can show evidence they have links with employers to provide the required work [...]

The post Extra £17m funding for Skills Bootcamps aimed to recruit 11,000 new or returning drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

e-Commerce logistics firm fulfilmentcrowd has met growing demand from SME retailers by opening three sites in the UK and Europe. It said capacity would increase by 48% over the next 12 months and 25 jobs would be created after it opened centres in Yorkshire, France and the Netherlands. The 28,000 sq ft Yorkshire centre is located in Belton and will serve a growing base of Northern-based SME retailers. It said the European centres in Lieusaint, France and Born, Netherlands provide [...]

The post New hubs will meet soaring demand from online retailers, says fulfilmentcrowd appeared first on Motor Transport.

Insurance specialists Humn has officially launched fleet insurance platform Rideshur, promising savings of up to 20% on insurance premiums. Rideshur combines vehicle data with an understanding of environmental factors around the vehicle, such as roads, buildings, areas, time and weather, which it gathers from a variety of data sources to provide real-time understanding of risks at a driver and fleet level. Using this date the platform grades each trip the vehicles makes with a relative risk score. The score shows [...]

The post Rideshur fleet insurance platform launches with promise to cut premiums by 20% appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers are preparing to lobby ministers after their request for greater funding of the Urban Driver Apprenticeship was rejected by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE), despite their warning that the low level of funding will deter operators from offering the apprenticeship and further exacerbate the HGV driver crisis. IFATE, the public body which oversees the development and approval of apprenticeship standards, is insisting on a funding level of £4,500 and has rejected a call from the transport [...]

The post Industry to lobby ministers over inadequate funding for Urban Driver Apprenticeship appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics developer Panattoni has signed a lease agreement with 4PX Express for a 250,000 sq ft facility at Panattoni Park Northampton. The global logistics company has signed a 15-year deal for the unit, which was built speculatively, at the 1.7 million sq ft industrial park. The letting follows the success of the first phase of 625,000 sq ft, which was let to Eddie Stobart Logistics. Panattoni has another 430,000 sq ft unit available to let and is expected to complete [...]

The post Eddie Stobart joined by 4PX Express at Panattoni Park Northampton appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics employers are starting to see the green shoots of recovery, according to a report from Logistics UK, published this week. Its Skills Report 2021 reveals that “significant steps” have been taken to help address the recruitment crisis, with government and industry working together to increase capacity to test new drivers, provide new training schemes and commit to improving HGV driver facilities on the road network. Wage hikes have also helped, with the report noting a “significant” rise in HGV [...]

The post ‘Cautious optimism’ driver shortage is easing, says Logistics UK report appeared first on Motor Transport.

Isuzu Truck UK has strengthened its South West dealer coverage with the appointment of Yeovil-based SMV Commercials as an authorised Isuzu truck repairer. This latest deal is part of a wider expansion drive by the manufacturer which saw it add RH Commercial Vehicles' (RHCV) Newark facility to its truck dealer network in May this year, just eight months after appointing RHVC as its Northampton dealer. SMV Commercials, which was launched in 1981, employs over 40 staff at its 2.5-acre site, [...]

The post Isuzu Truck signs up SMV Commercials in bid to strengthen South West presence appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics training firm 2 Start have taken delivery of a new Iveco S-Way tractor unit and two Schmitz Cargobull trailers to boost their fleet of articulated training vehicles. The company said the purchase is in response to growing demand for HGV training prompted by the driver shortage crisis and new government measures allowing Cat B licence holders to train for a Cat C+E driver licence without the need to complete the rigid Cat C licence training. The company now boasts [...]

The post Flood of new entrants for HGV driver training sees 2 Start expand fleet appeared first on Motor Transport.

Heathline Commercials said its decision to open a £500,000 workshop at the start of the pandemic had paid dividends, after revenues soared by 44%. The increase in business also enabled the commercial vehicle service and repair specialists to expand the workforce from six to 11 and recruit four additional HGV technicians. The Northumberland firm said construction of its 6,000 sq ft facility in Cramlington began in autumn 2019 but freezing conditions pushed the completion date back to the spring of [...]

The post New workshop investment pays off for Heathline Commericals appeared first on Motor Transport.

EO Charging said it had filed a patent that would transform smart charging of EV fleets, by harnessing technology to enable AC chargers to be more widely used. The company said its new ISO 15118-compliant EV chargers and software would “unlock the future integration of commercial EVs into the smart grid and leverage AI and machine learning” to provide a more secure and cost-effective charging solution. Implementation of the ISO standard has predominantly been used by DC charge point operators, [...]

The post EO Charging to trial breakthrough technology for electric fleet operators appeared first on Motor Transport.

BP has acquired a 28.57% stake in Gasrec, expanding the oil giant’s footprint in renewable gas production and distribution in the UK. The deal will see BP supply Gasrec with renewable biomethane produced mainly from organic waste, such as food and dairy manure. Carol Howle, BP executive vice president for trading and shipping, said: “Bio-LNG and bio-CNG play a crucial role in the energy transition and decarbonization of the heavy-freight industry and is another example of how we’re helping decarbonize [...]

The post BP buys stake in Gasrec to increase supply of biofuels to HGV customers appeared first on Motor Transport.

A college in Essex has purchased two Renault HGVs to highlight a career in logistics to students and also provide them with driver training. The branded lorries supplied by RH Commercial Vehicles (RHCV) to South Essex College will now be used by students on HGV apprenticeship programmes, as well as the unemployed or anyone seeking a change in career. The Class 1 and 2 trucks also come with four external cameras and an additional window in the nearside door, allowing [...]

The post South Essex College buys Renault HGVs to train students appeared first on Motor Transport.

Vehicle utilisation for trucks involved in pallet distribution is significantly higher than the national average for artics and sits at 75.4%, according to the Association of Pallet Networks (APN). It said that in light of COP26 and the climate emergency, pallet networks offer hauliers huge savings in vehicle miles, particularly as government figures suggest that the national average for vehicle utilisation is 63%. APN said that based on these utilisation figures alone, members are saving in excess of 150,000 vehicle [...]

The post Pallet networks have fuller trailers, APN data reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

The 2022 Amazon Everywoman in Transport & Logistics awards are now open for entries. Now in their 15th year, the awards celebrate the vital contribution women make to transport and logistics showcasing progression, accomplishments and increasing avenues of opportunity within a traditionally male-dominated industry. There will be two winners per category (Leader and Above and Beyond) as well as one recipient of the Industry Champion, Male Agent of Change, Apprentice of the Year and Woman of the Year Award. In [...]

The post Amazon Everywoman in Transport & Logistics awards now open for entries appeared first on Motor Transport.

The DVSA said it had abandoned plans to introduce one single fully digital maintenance reporting system for Earned recognition (ER) operators, to make the scheme attractive to new entrants. A requirement for ER members to supply fully digital maintenance key performance indicators was originally set for 1 April 2022, which would have meant operators supplying compliance data via a tablet, laptop or smartphone. However, at a recent Woodfines transport conference, the enforcement agency revealed that this deadline had now been [...]

The post DVSA makes Earned Recognition scheme more accessible appeared first on Motor Transport.

Glasgow has been voted the top city for HGV drivers to deliver to after a survey found the people were friendly and the roads were well laid out. Over one in 10 truckers (12%) gave the Scottish city their vote and cited the good traffic conditions and easy-to-find locations. Manchester was voted second best city for hauliers, with London coming third. Liam Wood, an Essex-based HGV driver, said: “I seem to find places easy to find in Glasgow. “It must [...]

The post Glasgow voted best city to deliver to in new driver survey appeared first on Motor Transport.

New laws requiring firms to hold operator licences if they undertake international work with vehicles less than 3.5 tonnes could be the start of a licensing regime for all UK vans, according to transport lawyers. From 21 May 2022, vans with a maximum authorised mass of over 2.5 tonnes and up to 3.5 tonnes that are transporting goods for hire and reward internationally, will be subject to the O-licensing system. Operators will need to be able to show they have [...]

The post Prepare for new rules on international work, OTC warns LGV operators appeared first on Motor Transport.

Freight volumes from the Port of Dublin to Liverpool and Holyhead fell by 19% in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, whilst volumes on routes from Rosslare in south-east Ireland to Pembroke and Fishguard dropped by 30%, according to a report from the Irish Maritime Development Office (IMDO). The IMDO report also reveals that Northern Irish hauliers are switching from the previously preferred Dublin-Holyhead route, post-Brexit, to Northern Ireland ports “to avoid the new [...]

The post Freight volumes from Ireland to Britain plummet post-Brexit, new report reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

A tired DHL deliver driver is likely to have died in a crash due to falling asleep at the wheel near the end of his shift, Derby Coroner's Court heard. HGV driver Arron Middleton, 31, was nearing the end of his shift  when he drove into the back of another truck, which was in stationary traffic on the A50 in Derbyshire, near Chellaston. The inquest heard that Middleton, who was from Eastwood in Nottingham, was on his way back to the [...]

The post Exhausted DHL delivery driver dies in crash after falling asleeep at wheel appeared first on Motor Transport.

The HSE has has issued a safety alert concerning swing-up stabilisers on lorry loader cranes after a number of fatalities linked to their use. The warning follows an HSE fatal accident investigation into the death of a driver who was struck by lorry crane stabiliser legs that swing up rather than retract. The HSE is also currently investigating a more recent fatality which may have similarities with the first accident. The completed HSE investigation found that the operator was using the [...]

The post HSE issues safety warning for swing-up stabilisers on lorry loader cranes appeared first on Motor Transport.

Fleet service provider Greenhous has acquired Heatons Truck Group, adding four more DAF locations to its business. This latest acquisition sees Greenhous Group increase its portfolio of DAF locations to 19, and follows the acquisition of Adams Morey in 2019 and Kingdon Wessex in 2021. The family-owned firm now has locations across the South West, South Coast, the West Midlands and now the North West, making it one of the largest DAF dealer groups in the UK. Read more Maxus [...]

The post Greenhous boosts DAF dealerships with acquisition of Heatons Truck Group appeared first on Motor Transport.

The DVSA said it was scrapping plans to make Earned Recognition (ER) operators submit fully electronic maintenance KPI returns and would allow them to use their favoured system instead. The enforcement agency had allowed ER operators with multiple licences to report their maintenance key performance indicators for individual sections of the business. In its published ER scheme guide, the DVSA said: “Operators benefiting from this concession will be required to undertake an annual maintenance systems audit. “Failure to have a [...]

The post Earned Recognition operators no longer need to submit digital returns, says DVSA appeared first on Motor Transport.

The fantasy of building a bridge that connects mainland UK with Northern Ireland is laid bare in a report judging the feasibility of the project, which found it would cost £335bn and need bombproof foundations. Released alongside a wider review calling for investment in roads and to better connect the four UK nations, the fixed link report found either a bridge or tunnel was almost beyond what was currently possible with the available technology. As a result, the government admitted [...]

The post New road investment plan will not include £335bn bridge linking UK mainland with Northern Ireland, report reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Eddie Stobart is included in a list of operators the DVSA found was committing drivers’ hours offences during roadside inspections of its vehicles in 2020. The enforcement agency published the non-compliance data as part of road safety week and it includes thousands of companies based in the UK and in other European countries. According to the DVSA, Stobart drivers were stopped twice at the roadside last year in two different traffic areas and found to have been breaching the rules. [...]

The post Eddie Stobart on list of leading operators involved in drivers’ hours offences appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK’s HGV driver shortage crisis is abating as new and returning drivers boost numbers, but without “urgent and sustained” action to improve driver pay, conditions and parking facilities the industry will continue to see significant churn, a new report from driver agency Driver Require warns this week. The report points to latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) which show that almost 30,000 HGV drivers returned to driving in the third quarter of 2021, resulting in a [...]

The post UK driver shortage no longer critical but “significant” churn will continue without better pay and conditions, report warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

Asset Alliance Group has appointed Anthony Jones (pictured) to head up a new vendor finance team which will focus on providing competitive contract hire and leasing funding rates to partners, manufacturers, franchise dealers and independent dealers to support their customers. Jones joins the business as head of vendor finance and key accounts and brings 18 years experience as relationship director at Lombard within the Corporate and Sectors team. He also spent three years at NatWest Structured Finance as director of [...]

The post Asset Alliance Group appoints Anthony Jones to lead new vendor finance team appeared first on Motor Transport.

Police are appealing for witnesses after an HGV driver was struck by his own truck on the M62 in the early hours of yesterday morning (24 November). The driver was taken to hospital and is in a critical condition with life changing injuries, according to the police report. Police say they were contacted just before 1:50am after reports that a man had been seriously injured close to junction seven at Rainhill in St Helens. The driver had been struck by [...]

The post Lorry driver in critical condition after being ‘struck by own vehicle’ on M62 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Operators handling goods entering the UK from the continent should not be complacent about the scale of the changes coming into force on 1 January, business groups have told MPs. Concerns are growing that firms may not be prepared for the biometric testing and a deluge of additional paperwork accompanying freight bound for the UK in little over a month’s time. From the start of next year, customs declarations on goods imported from the EU will be required upfront and [...]

The post Business groups sound new warning to MPs over deluge of January customs changes appeared first on Motor Transport.

Unpredictable arrival times from hauliers shifting wine and spirits have led to warnings of shortages of our favourite tipples in the run-up to Christmas. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) said it had written to the transport secretary Grant Shapps demanding he take urgent action over HGV driver shortages and freight disruption to avoid empty shelves. The letter is signed by 48 of the WSTA’s members and the trade group said it had received multiple reports of products taking [...]

The post Shapps warned to take action over driver shortage or face Christmas wine and spirits “delivery chaos” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Vehicle camera and video technology gets the thumbs-up from the operators that are using it receiving an average rating of four out of five. Just how operators are making use of the latest camera technology is highlighted in the latest research report from Motor Transport and sister title Commercial Motor. The Hot Topic: Cameras & Video report 2021 reveals that more than half the operators using vehicle cameras say they have seen an improvement in driver behaviour, while 44% say they have [...]

The post Video and camera technology boosting fleet safety standards, MT reader survey reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK is calling for the government to consider the needs of the logistics industry as it launched its so-called electric vehicle revolution yesterday (22 November). The call comes after the government revealed plans to make it legally binding for electric vehicle charging points to be fitted in new build homes from next year and in all buildings undergoing major renovations. Denise Beedell, Logistics UK public policy manager, welcomed the new regulations but warned that the UK needs “to see [...]

The post Government’s electric vehicle revolution must not forget logistics, industry warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

Concrete frame contractor CGL Group has commissioned its first zero-emission vehicles with an order of four Mercedes-Benz eVito vans and two nine-seater eVito Tourers from Rygor Commercials. The new vehicles are due for delivery before the end of the month and come under a Mercedes-Benz Finance contract hire agreement. They will join a fleet of more than 100 commercial vehicles at the company, which includes diesel Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans that were also sourced from Rygor Commercials. The long-bodied L2 eVito [...]

The post Rygor supplies GCL Group with its first Mercedes-Benz eVito vans appeared first on Motor Transport.

Leyland Trucks’ new DAF LF Electric truck was given the seal of approval from DfT minister Trudy Harrison (pictured right) this week. The company, which has been selected to support the DfT’s efforts to increase the use of battery-electric vehicles in commercial transport fleets across the UK, gave Harrison the opportunity to test drive its new 19-tonne DAF LF Electric distribution truck during her tour of the production facility. The MP also met with staff, including apprentices and technicians who [...]

The post MP gets behind wheel of new DAF LF Electric at Leyland Trucks appeared first on Motor Transport.

Enterprise Holdings has appointed Ryan Johnson (pictured) as MD UK & Ireland as the company ramps up its drive into the logistics sector. Johnson will take over the role from Khaled Shahbo who was recently appointed senior vice president of European operations. Johnson joined the business in 1998 as a management trainee at a branch in Southern California and was appointed assistant vice president of rental for the South-Central California team in 2008. He was later promoted to AVP and [...]

The post Enterprise appoints Ryan Johnson as UK and Ireland MD appeared first on Motor Transport.

New border checks due to launch next year could cause major “permanent” tailbacks on both sides of the Channel, the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee has warned in a letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel. The letter sent this week sets out a stark warning that the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and the Entry/Exit System (EES) will create traffic chaos at ports on both sides of the Channel and into Kent, unless the government [...]

The post New Brexit border checks set to create traffic chaos at Channel ports and beyond, MPs warn appeared first on Motor Transport.

A lorry driver has been fined £267 and awarded three penalty points after concrete blocks strapped to the back of his lorry smashed into a £50,000 Tesla car as the truck rounded a corner. Norwich Magistrates' Court heard that David Terry was driving his lorry on the B1535 at Weston Longville when the load fell off the back of his truck as it rounded a corner, smashing into the Tesla which was being driven by company director Neil Collins, whose [...]

The post Lorry driver fined £267 after concrete blocks fell from his truck and smashed a £50,000 Tesla appeared first on Motor Transport.

The DVSA insisted a list of operators committing drivers’ hours offences that it released during road safety week was correct after an operator told motortransport.co.uk it should never have been included. The enforcement agency published the non-compliance data to show which haulage firms are persistent offenders and it includes thousands of companies based in the UK and in other European countries. More than 1,400 operators that flouted drivers’ hours rules in 2020 are based in the UK and they include [...]

The post Haulier left “baffled” after DVSA names top drivers’ hours offenders appeared first on Motor Transport.

Ryder has overhauled its used commercial vehicle service with new benefits including complimentary DAF vouchers, free delivery and a money-back guarantee. The £350 after-sales support vouchers can be used in full or part payment for DAF parts when work is conducted across DAF’s 155-strong dealer network, with Ryder also providing free delivery and five-day money-back guarantee for its certified or verified used vehicles. Ryder said its 90-point vehicle inspection, including MOT, as well as engine, battery and brake tests would [...]

The post Ryder offers customers new after-sales benefits appeared first on Motor Transport.

Retailers’ last order delivery dates for goods needed in time for Christmas could be overly optimistic, according to ParcelHero, which suggested that safety margins have not been built in. The warning appeared to be backed up by research by business consultants Coupa Software, which found there would be fewer deals this festive season due to lingering supply chain disruptions. ParcelHero said that after an 8.2% reduction in online sales during October, it expected virtual baskets to still be full this [...]

The post Last order Christmas delivery dates “ignore safety margins”, claims Parcelhero appeared first on Motor Transport.

An HGV driver has been found guilty of causing death by careless driving after he collided with a veteran car that had mistakenly been driven on to a motorway. Michael Black was driving his lorry on the M23 near Merstham when it struck the rear of a Knox Model C car, causing both its driver Ronald Carey and his wife Billi to be thrown from the vehicle. Both had travelled from Canada to take part in the annual London to [...]

The post HGV driver who collided with veteran car on motorway found guilty of causing death by careless driving appeared first on Motor Transport.

Tiger Trailers has launched its 'STOP LOOK BE SEEN' school programme. The programme is being promoted on the project’s liveried curtainsider Volvo truck and mascot during Road Safety Week 2021. The launch is part of Tiger Trailer’s three-year donor relationship with the charity Brake which runs Road Safety Week. The programme will deliver road safety messages to Key Stage 2 children at schools in the firm’s home county of Cheshire, emphasising safe behaviour around HGVs and other large vehicles such [...]

The post Tiger Trailers launches ‘STOP LOOK BE SEEN’ programme during Road Safety Week appeared first on Motor Transport.

The most-struck railway bridges in the country have been revealed by Network Rail as it relaunches its “Wise Up, Size Up” campaign this week. The relaunched campaign is urging lorry drivers to check the height of their vehicles and bridges on route before leaving the depot, in the hope of heading off the annual rise in bridge bashing during the surge in Black Friday and Christmas deliveries. More than 1,600 bridge strikes occurred over the past 12 months and this [...]

The post Britain’s most bashed bridges revealed as lorry drivers warned to “Wise Up, Size Up” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Electric and hydrogen truck manufacturer Tevva is set to scale up production of its trucks after raising £42.5m from new and existing investors which will help fund the fit out of its new London-based production facility.The fundraise follows the launch of the firm’s Tevva Truck, the company’s first 7.5-tonne electric vehicle with a hydrogen range extender, which is designed for mass production and will be available from the third quarter of 2022. This latest fundraising will allow Tevva to complete [...]

The post Tevva to ramp up production of its electric and hydrogen trucks after raising over £42m appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers using the Woolwich Ferry face travel disruption during the peak season as ferry workers prepare to strike, union Unite is warning. Unite said strike dates will be announced shortly after the 58 ferry workers voted for strike action this week, delivering a 90% majority. The union is warning that the strike will cause travel chaos over the Christmas and New Year periods. This is the latest development in a long running dispute with Transport for London (TfL), which has [...]

The post Woolwich Ferry workers set to strike during peak period appeared first on Motor Transport.

P&O Ferrymasters is expanding its fleet with the addition of 25 new refrigerated trailers. They will provide additional capacity for what the company describes as “a major new partnership with an international business”. Thorsten Runge, MD of P&O Ferrymasters, said: “This major expansion in our reefer fleet is the latest example of our ongoing investment in new equipment, new sites and new capabilities, all of which are designed to help customers solve complex supply chain challenges. “Working in partnership with [...]

The post P&O Ferrymasters expands reefer trailer fleet after landing major partnership deal appeared first on Motor Transport.

A lorry driver who crashed into a Canadian millionaire taking part in the London to Brighton Veteran Car Rally told a jury he did not think tapping a mobile phone to make a call while driving was illegal. Michael Black, 52, was driving his tipper lorry in the third lane of the M23 southbound when his truck smashed into the back of a 1903 Knox car, killing the driver, 80-year-old Ronald Carey. Carey and his wife Billi had taken a [...]

The post Lorry driver who crashed into millionaire veteran car driver didn’t know tapping a mobile while driving was illegal, court told appeared first on Motor Transport.

New heavy goods vehicle (HGV) registrations declined by 8.4% in the third quarter of 2021, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The SMMT attributed the decline in part to the shortage of HGV drivers and falling production levels due to semi-conductor shortages. The decrease saw 7,715 trucks registered, 704 fewer than the Q3 2020 total when registrations were taking place against the volatile backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic. Registrations also fell by [...]

The post Driver and semi-conductor shortages contribute to fall in HGV registrations in third quarter appeared first on Motor Transport.

Independent truck and van repairer Sapphire Vehicle Services has opened its second all-makes workshop. Sapphire, which operates 19 vehicle maintenance units across Britain, has converted its former vehicle maintenance unit in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, into a service depot which is open to all. The launch follows the opening of its first workshop in June this year at Tamworth, Staffordshire. The strategy marks the next step in what the firm describes as an “aggressive push” for more business, with other facilities already [...]

The post Sapphire revs up expansion drive with new Hatfield truck and van all-makes workshop appeared first on Motor Transport.

Bristol’s plan to launch its own clean air zone (CAZ) next summer will be “challenging” for hauliers and exemptions will be required to give firms time to upgrade, according to the RHA. The city council has secured £42m of government funding to invest in greener transport initiatives after being picked out as one of a number of towns and cities that needed to tackle air pollution. As a result, it said it would introduce “one of the most wide-ranging clean [...]

The post Bristol hauliers hit by CAZ plan need more help with fleet upgrade, RHA insists appeared first on Motor Transport.

The haulage industry has given a cautious welcome to government plans to review the Driver CPC. The review, announced last week, follows concerted lobbying by industry leaders who have warned government ministers that the bureaucratic nature of the Driver CPC is acting as a barrier to both new and returning drivers and exacerbating the HGV driver shortage. Announcing the review last week, transport secretary Grant Shapps said:?"We’re listening to industry leaders who have told us about the issues HGV drivers [...]

The post Hauliers give qualified thumbs up to government review of Driver CPC appeared first on Motor Transport.

Police officers in unmarked HGVs are focusing on the M25 for the next two weeks in a bid to improve safety standards on the motorway. National Highways has teamed up with seven police forces across the South East, as part of Operation Orbital which uses unmarked HGVs to check drivers are not usng their mobile phones or driving without seatbelts. Police will also carry out checks on vans and lorries for roadworthiness, secure loads, weight and drivers’ hours to reduce [...]

The post Police in unmarked HGVs target M25 in hunt for dangerous drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

The MOD has more than tripled the number of training places for veterans wanting to become HGV drivers from 100 to 350 placements over the next 12 months. Under its Career Transition Partnership (CTP) which helps transition the military into civilian life, the current provision of 100 training places will increase to nearly 350 over the next 12 months, with a provision to increase this number depending on the level of interest. Courses are available in Cat C, Cat C&E, [...]

The post MoD boosts HGV driver training places for veterans to help tackle driver shortage crisis appeared first on Motor Transport.

The first ever off-road test for HGV drivers conducted by a private firm is taking place on Monday (15 November) as part of the government’s plan to ease the driver shortage. Following a change in the law, the Driver CPC part 3 test will be split into two parts, with the off-road exercises now carried out by an approved training provider. The exercises include reverse manoeuvres, coupling and uncoupling and an ‘S’ shaped reverse into a bay. The DVSA will [...]

The post Peter Smythe Transport Training offers first Driver CPC part 3 test appeared first on Motor Transport.

Registration for the Microlise Transport Conference 2022 has opened, building on its future technology focus and offering insights into current industry topics. Taking place on 18 May at the Coventry Building Society Arena, organisers said it will also showcase innovations and trends they believe will disrupt the transport and logistics sector over the coming years. In addition to the primary conference agenda, delegates will also have access to four workshop programmes, covering skills, compliance, technology and innovation. An exhibition area [...]

The post Registration open for Microlise Transport Conference 2022 appeared first on Motor Transport.

The new FORS standard will add more burden and cost to construction hauliers at an already difficult time for the industry, according to the Scaffolding Association. The updated standard was due to be introduced last year but was delayed to minimise disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. It will now come into force on 1 July 2022. The standard sets out the requirements fleet operators must meet if they wish to maintain FORS accreditation and the new version includes a [...]

The post New FORS standard a “costly burden” to construction hauliers appeared first on Motor Transport.

International transport charity Transaid has expanded its professional driver training programme into Mozambique, to improve standards and help make the country’s roads safer. The move comes less than a year after it secured funding to launch a similar project in Ghana. Transaid chief executive Caroline Barber said its track record for delivering life-saving work meant it was now regularly approached to expand its activities into new countries. The Mozambique project is expected to start later this month and has been [...]

The post Transaid extends driver training into Mozambique appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers using red diesel for their fridge motors have been reminded that the rebate ends next year, resulting in additional costs for operators. HM Revenue & Customs said it was “vital” that the economic and practical impact of the loss of the tax break is considered by firms well in advance and that they have made arrangements for the changes ready from 1 April 2022. Read more End of red diesel duty discount should prompt switch to fridges powered from [...]

The post ‘Prepare now for red diesel tax change,’ HMRC warns hauliers appeared first on Motor Transport.

Peter Smythe Transport Training is running what it believes is the first ever DVS Modal driving test in the UK this Monday (15 November). The event will take place at the company's Stanton Hill base in Sutton in Ashfield, Notts, which features a purpose-built training facility with two reversing areas, modern offices and reception. Free accommodation will be provided to any driver coming from over 70 miles away. For more details call 01623 555661 or visit https://www.petersmythe.co.uk

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Fruehauf’s collapse can be attributed to a toxic mixture of Brexit, Covid-19 and a global shortage of materials, according to its administrator. In a report into the trailer maker’s descent from a leading manufacturer of tipping trailers holding 90% of the market share, Quantuma Advisory said unverified draft accounts for the year ending 30 September 2020 showed a significant loss of £2.7m. The administrators said since the business was incorporated in 2010, it was renowned for its production, quality control [...]

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Driver recruitment firm Drivers Direct has undergone a management buyout (MBO) after receiving a £1.75m investment from a private equity firm. The MBO sees ownership of the Runcorn business transfer to the current management team led by new MD Daniel Jellicoe, with plans to continue its organic growth and expand to new UK locations. Formed in 2002, Drivers Direct specialises in the training and placement of drivers across all vehicle classes, including HGV, LCV and minibuses, on both a temporary [...]

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Citroen is now offering a full range of 100% electric LCVs, including its new e-Berlingo van, mid-sized e-Dispatch and large e-Relay electric models. The e-Dispatch was the first to become available, rolling off production lines in 2020, followed by the e-Relay that arrived in UK showrooms in August. Both models were joined by its new e-Berlingo van electric, which opened for orders at the end of August. Citroen said an electric quadricycle, the Ami Cargo Electric, will become available in [...]

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Tariffs on most goods and increased restrictions could be imposed on EU-UK trade if Great Britain pulls out of the current Northern Ireland border solution, ParcelHero has warned. There is increasing concern that the UK government will trigger Article 16, which allows parts of the protocol to be unilaterally suspended if they are causing serious economic difficulties. It said this is already happening due to trade frictions brought about as a result of the protocol, which is causing more disruption [...]

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The Unite union has added its support to the review of the Driver CPC announced by the government this week and said employers should be made to pay for the training. Following on from positive reactions from the RHA and Logistics UK to the Department for Transport’s plan to look at how the qualification might be updated, Unite said it was “entirely immoral” for HGV drivers to cough up for it. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The government has [...]

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As part of the COP26 Glasgow climate conference, Scania used the official opening of its £10m flagship dealership and Scottish HQ at Eurocentral to the east of Glasgow to hold a one-day conference on 8 November to look at how the road freight transport industry can make the transition to net-zero carbon emissions. As keynote speaker, Christian Levin, CEO and president of Scania and Traton, opened the event and set the scene while Andreas Follér, Scania’s global head of sustainability, [...]

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The government’s target of phasing out non-zero tailpipe emission HGVs from 2035 might be “impossibly fast” and interim solutions are required, according to hauliers. As ministers geared up to host ‘Transport Day’ at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed its recent proposals to ban the sale of HGVs over 26-tonnes that are not zero-emission from 2040, with those under 26-tonnes phased out in 2035. The BVRLA said it welcomed the DfT’s intention to consult [...]

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Maxus has expanded its dealer network in Scotland after partnering with Eastern Western Motor Group to add a new dealership in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire. The addition of Western Maxus brings the number of its dealerships in Scotland to four, with more than 42 located across the UK. The new dealership is located 10 miles outside of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Read more Maxus expands network with Bowson’s Gloucestershire dealership Maxus opens new Doncaster facility Maxus [...]

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The new urban driver apprenticeship will attract a new generation of professional drivers into the industry by offering flexible working patterns and a better work-life balance, according to skills provider Seetec. Signed off in September and following on the heels of the HGV driver category C+E apprenticeship, the urban driver apprenticeship focuses on short-haul journeys in towns and cities that often do not require overnight routes. Seetec Outsource, which is now delivering the qualification, said this means it should attract [...]

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Teletrac Navman has developed a new online dashboard using government figures, which gives operators an insight into what influences road safety and driving behaviours. The road safety dashboard assimilates data from the Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain report, which captures all personal injury, accident and casualty statistics on public roads. Teletrac said that by utilising this large amount of data, it can break down key statistics to examine granular details such as lighting and road conditions, level of speed [...]

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The government has announced a sweeping review of the Driver CPC to ease the current labour shortage and encourage more people to return to the profession. The move comes after lobbying from industry bodies to extend the validity of any qualification expiring this year to retain drivers who may otherwise be tempted to retire or find alternative work. The government also said it was identifying sites for short-term improvements to lorry parking and investing £500,000 to move an additional 29,000 [...]

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Teletrac Navman has developed a new online dashboard using government figures, which gives operators an insight into what influences road safety and driving behaviours. The road safety dashboard assimilates data from the Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain report, which captures all personal injury, accident and casualty statistics on public roads. Teletrac said that by utilising this large amount of data, it can break down key statistics to examine granular details such as lighting and road conditions, level of speed [...]

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Fraikin has opened a 24/7 service support centre at its Coventry headquarters, underlining its renewed emphasis on bringing maintenance and breakdown support inhouse. Caroline Harrison, Fraikin service support centre manager, said: “The new service will be an invaluable resource, helping to ensure we’re able to offer better continuity in customer support, which will only help to strengthen and build customer relationships. “We are now able to guarantee that a Fraikin employee is available on the other end of the phone, [...]

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The use of drones in logistics could result in £2.8bn of savings and boost productivity, according to a government report into robotics. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said investment by companies such as Ocado and Amazon into robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) was already transforming the sector, through large-scale warehouse automation. It said there will be an estimated 11,000 drones in transport and logistics by 2030, which will represent around 14% of the total number in [...]

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The International Road Transport Union (IRU) is demanding that governments across Europe drop “misguided” Covid restrictions and act to alleviate driver shortages if they are to resolve a growing supply chain crisis. The IRU’s goods transport council, which represents more than three million logistics operators globally, said delays would stretch into 2022 unless governments acted now to fix a “supply chain mess”. It has backed a resolution that called for congested ports to be alleviated by accelerating the uptake of [...]

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Supermarkets said they were confident their supply chains were robust enough to ensure customer requirements were fulfilled in the run-up to Christmas. Reporting its interim results for the 28 weeks ending 18 September 2021, Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts acknowledged the industry faced labour and supply chain challenges. However, he added: “Our scale, advanced cost saving programme, logistics operations and strong supplier relationships put us in a good position as we head into Christmas.” The supermarket announced pre-tax profits of [...]

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The traffic commissioners said operators of wheeled loading shovels must ensure they have looked at new guidance issued on the safety of their operation, after nine fatalities in the last four years. Six of the deaths were within the waste and recycling sector and the health and safety executive (HSE) said poor visibility was a significant problem. Larger capacity buckets have been fitted to some machines, which the TCs said further reduced forward visibility. The new safety notice reminds duty [...]

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The government has hinted at reforming the Driver CPC following calls from the industry for it to be suspended in order to attract back professional drivers. Government minister Trudy Harrison said there were “merits in modifying the processes” and she acknowledged that the costs involved for HGV drivers could be “difficult”. In response to a question in the House of Commons about the Driver CPC, Harrison said: “The driver certificate of professional competence was introduced to improve road safety and [...]

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Schmitz Cargobull is to mark the opening of its new trailer factory in Manchester with the launch of a new SKO lightweight dry freight box van developed specifically for the UK and Irish markets. Aimed at parcels and express operators the 13.6m trailer weighs 6.5 tonnes fitted with three axles and is available in three heights up to 3.2m. Boris Billich, director of sales at Schmitz Cargobull, said the opening of the £2.3m Manchester production site and the two-year development [...]

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The safety of all road users is at risk now that the government has relaxed cabotage rules for foreign drivers, according to the Unite union. It said that HGVs operating under the new system would not have to comply with the same licensing requirements and standards before entering the UK and there would be no independent monitoring of who was taking advantage of the relaxation. The union also said there would be no roadworthiness checks of the lorries prior to [...]

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Road Transport Expo (RTX) is off to a flying start with an impressive list of 40-plus exhibitors already confirmed for the brand-new Stoneleigh Park event next summer. Well-known brands - including DAF, Iveco, Scania, Tevva and Volvo Trucks – have been quick to support the three-day expo, which promises to be “all about the truck”. Taking place from 30 June to 2 July 2022, RTX is shaping up to be an unmissable event for anyone working in the road haulage [...]

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Efforts to tackle the lorry driver shortage in Scotland are being hampered by a lack of training providers and a shortage of second-hand trucks, a major HGV driver training school warned this week. Jim McEwan, director at Commercial Transport Training Services (CTTS) in Bathgate, West Lothian told MT that whilst there is “an abundance” of HGV driver tests available for trainee HGV drivers, they cannot be utilised. He said: “There is just no spare capacity to meet the demand. Take [...]

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Insulate Britain is broadening its campaign beyond London and the M25 targeting a major road near Manchester Airport and Birmingham City centre yesterday (2 November). Around 11 people were arrested by Greater Manchester Police after protesting on Wilmslow Road near the M56, with some gluing their hands to the road. The campaigners were arrested on suspicion of causing danger to road-users. The protest group, which wants the government to provide funds to insulate homes by 2030 to help fight fuel [...]

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The government’s decision to roll out all-lane running on smart motorways was “premature” and the programme should be “paused” until 2025 to properly assess its safety, according to a damning report published this week by the House of Commons Transport Committee. The report follows the Committee’s enquiry into the safety of smart motorways, which was launched after mounting concern at the mounting numbers of deaths of motorists whose vehicles had broken down on all-lane running smart motorways. The Transport Committee’s [...]

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If London’s delivery boom is to become sustainable it needs to create space for 10,000 parcel pick up points, build consolidation centres, roll out electric vehicle charging points and prioritise delivery vehicles by introducing a pay-per-mile road user charging scheme for cars. The recommendations are made in a report by Centre for London, published to coincide with the COP26 Climate Summit which launched this week. The report notes that with the number of parcels delivered in London expected to double [...]

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Oasis Group has taken on a long-term lease on a 108,973 sq ft warehouse at DP World’s logistics park at London Gateway. Work will begin next spring with the distribution hub due to open in October. It will be built to BREEAM “outstanding” criteria - sustainability standard for building construction. Ernst Schulze, DP World UK chief executive, said: “We are delighted to welcome Oasis Group to our port-centric logistics park at London Gateway which is home to supply chain solutions, [...]

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A campaign group protesting about the government’s continued rollout of smart motorways will carry a long procession of burial coffins to the department for transport’s office building next week. Smart Motorways Kill said the protest involving 38 coffins across Westminster Bridge to Parliament Square and then on to the DfT building in Horseferry Rd on 1 November will be non-disruptive, but will create a “striking image” that people will remember. The group was formed by Claire Mercer, the widow of [...]

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An investigation branch that probes road traffic collisions to establish their cause and make recommendations to improve road safety could be set up by the government. Working in a similar way to independent bodies operating in the air, maritime and rail industries, the Road Collision Investigation Branch (RCIB) would carry out thematic investigations, as well as looking at specific incidents of concern. A consultation into these plans has now been launched by the department for transport, due to what it [...]

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There was a modest increase in UK commercial vehicle production in September, figures showed. There were 7,799 CVs produced, a 1.8% increase on 2020, although output remained 8.1% below the five-year average for the month, according to the SMMT. The automotive association said production had declined by 35.1% in August and so any increase was good news, particularly when compared to a strong September 2020 when volumes were driven by the fulfilment of several large fleet orders. The latest increase [...]

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Daimler Truck and BP have teamed up to deliver hydrogen-powered fuel-cell HGVs and deploy the infrastructure required for refuelling the vehicles in the UK by the end of the decade. Under their memorandum of understanding, Daimler said it expected to be able to offer hydrogen-powered trucks to UK customers by 2025 and BP intends to design, construct, operate and supply 25 hydrogen refuelling stations by 2030. Karin Rådström, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, said: “Together with BP, we want to jointly [...]

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Applications for financial support for HGV operators affected by the forthcoming Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone (CAZ) will launch at the end of next month, according to the transport body delivering the plan. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) said its CAZ is due to be rolled out on 30 May 2022, with an ambition to bring down nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels on local roads to within legal limits. More than £120m in government funding has been secured to support eligible [...]

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MAN Truck & Bus UK has announced the appointment of Tracey Perry as its new head of van. She succeeds Daniel Holbein who is leaving the company to take up a new position in MAN’s headquarters in Munich. Perry comes with a wealth of experience, having led teams in retail sales, SME and corporate sales. Between 1989 and 1998 she worked with sister company Audi before joining Renault in 2001. In 2007 Perry joined FCA Fiat Professional and in 2015 [...]

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CNG Fuels is to host HGV hydrogen fuel trials across its UK network of public access biomethane refuelling stations. The trial will be conducted under Hyfuels, a new branch of the company, which aims to help customers adopt hydrogen quickly and easily when it becomes commercially viable. The trials follow a report from the Committee on Climate Change which said that hydrogen-powered HGVs are expected to play a major role in decarbonising freight transport from 2030 onwards. The government’s Net [...]

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The government has effectively offshored UK haulage work to foreign operators after announcing it had slackened the rules on cabotage, according to the RHA. The business group said the move to allow continental hauliers to take on unlimited work in this country in two-week blocks seriously undermined efforts to recruit domestic drivers and would suppress wages. Following a short consultation, HMRC said it was allowing until 30 April 2022 unlimited cabotage movements of HGVs for up to 14 days after [...]

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Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget was an “olive branch” for logistics firms who have finally heard some good news from the government, according to parcel delivery service ParcelHero. It claimed that the measures outlined in the speech yesterday will reduce the strain on hauliers, as well as reducing the recent friction between the industry and ministers. David Jinks, head of consumer research at ParcelHero, said the Budget: “kicked off with an acknowledgement of the challenges facing the sector and the announcement [...]

The post Budget an “olive branch” to calm sector’s fears, says Parcelhero appeared first on Motor Transport.

The haulage industry is training sufficient HGV drivers but failing to retain them, a report by the Driver Require Think Tank has concluded. The Think Tank of leading logistics professionals, brought together by Kieran Smith, chief executive of Driver Require, to examine the causes of the HGV driver shortage, is calling for the industry to take action to “fundamentally and significantly” improve HGV driver retention to reverse the shortfall of drivers. In its report The Answer to the HGV Driver [...]

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The RHA has welcomed moves to help the transport and logistics sector contained in the government's Autumn Budget which it said were "campaigning wins for the organisation". However, Logistics UK said its concerns over inadequate HGV parking facilities had not been fully addressed, while the BVRLA said fleet operators needed far more clarity over the government's Net Zero Strategy. Measures announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak today (27 October) included a continued freeze on fuel duty, which remains at 57.95p per [...]

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Construction company Glencar is to build an 80,000 sq ft of speculative industrial space across three new units at a site in Coventry for logistics commercial property developers Bericote Properties. The project, at Coventry Logistics Park which is located close to Junction 2 of the M6, began this month with the demolition of the existing building together with enabling works. The project is expected to be complete by next summer. It will feature three units of 484,000 sq ft, 251,000 [...]

The post Bericote’s major speculative distribution centre begins to takes shape at Coventry Logistics Park appeared first on Motor Transport.

If the logistics sector is to meet decarbonisation targets the government must maintain its freeze on fuel duty, Logistics UK warned this week. The call comes ahead of the 2021 Spending Review, which will conclude next week (27 October 2021) alongside the Autumn Budget - one of the most important in the UK’s post-war history, according to Logistics UK. David Wells, chief executive said: “With our industry’s revenues still returning to normal after the economic shut down, and logistics businesses [...]

The post Maintain fuel duty freeze to ensure industry meets decarbonisation targets, Logistics UK tells Chancellor appeared first on Motor Transport.

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has launched a new partnership with Think Logistics aimed at inspiring the next generation of talent to join the sector. Social mobility charity Think Logistics works with schools and colleges to help raise awareness in young people of the opportunities the logistics sector offers, using a range of activities and workplace experiences, delivered by volunteers from the profession. The partnership with BIFA will enable the association’s members to access local schools and colleges to [...]

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Brexit red tape has seen a 20-fold increase in the inspection of food and plant product consignments by health inspectors at Irish ports, according to data from Eire’s Department of Agriculture (DoE). The introduction of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) border checks on goods being imported from Britain, following Brexit, has seen DoE inspectors and health officials processing around 1,700 consignments a week compared with fewer than 100 a week last year. Hazel Sheridan, head of the department’s import controls division, [...]

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Transport minister Baroness Vere (pictured) faced a barrage of questions in the House of Lords today (26 October) on the lorry driver shortage with peers accusing the government of creating a “world beating” dearth of HGV drivers and enacting “panic button” policies to solve the crisis. The transport minister was asked by Baroness Randerson if she could “explain why the government has had to resort to government by panic button, with some 25 last-minute measures to try to avert a [...]

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Government plans to allow foreign lorry drivers to undertake unlimited deliveries in the UK for two weeks at a time are a “shameful betrayal” of UK lorry drivers and haulage operators. The accusation is made in RHA’s response to the DfT’s short 7-day consultation which seeks views on extending road haulage cabotage rights for non-UK lorry operators in the UK. Under the plan, non-UK lorry operators would be allowed to undertake unlimited UK domestic freight transportation for two weeks after [...]

The post Government’s unlimited cabotage proposal a “shameful betrayal” of UK lorry drivers and hauliers, says RHA appeared first on Motor Transport.

Coventry Council is helping local businesses switch to electric vehicles by offering the use of four battery-powered Mercedes-Benz eSprinters. The vans, supplied by local dealer Midlands Truck & Van are on offer to those working in and around the city for free extended trials. The move is part of a wider aim by the council to cut pollution and improve air quality in Coventry. Participants in the ‘Electric Fleet First’ scheme are offered the use of a van or car [...]

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HGV operators should adopt approved vehicle retrofit solutions to meet the demands of London’s newly expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone, according to Zemo Partnership. The new London ULEZ, launched today, (25 October) will be 18 times the size of the current central area, covering all of London up to but not including the North and South Circular roads. The Zone, which will operate for 24 hours seven days a week, excluding Christmas Day, is estimated to affect 100,000 cars, 35,000 [...]

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Leading hauliers have joined forces with the RHA and a host of other trade bodies to write to the Prime Minister urging him to take urgent action to tackle the HGV driver shortage. The letter, which lands on Boris Johnson's desk in National Lorry Week, calls on him to swiftly implement a number of measures. These include adding HGV drivers to the Shortage Occupation List for a period of at least 12 months, extending and reforming the Driver Certificate of [...]

The post “Act now or face drastic disruption” – hauliers and trade bodies sign urgent plea to PM over driver shortage appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Unite union has given its backing to HGV drivers’ grassroots campaign #TruckedOff, which aims to highlight the “dreadful employment conditions” being endured in the industry. As part of its support, the union is urging all professional drivers to park up at 11am on Monday 1 November and take their statutory rest break. It said the date had been chosen as it will fall after another expected extension by the government to the daily hours drivers can work, amid a [...]

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Middle-aged HGV drivers are the most likely to have left the industry in the last four years, according to official figures. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said lorry drivers in the age group 46 to 55 have seen the largest decline since 2016, plummeting by almost 34,000. By comparison, the age group 56 to 65 years has fluctuated over the same period, with a much smaller number of around 1,000 leaving the industry. The ONS said that between 2018 [...]

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A national road pricing scheme to replace an emissions-based tax regime must not penalise the road haulage industry, MPs have been warned. Giving evidence to the transport select committee earlier this week, the RHA said hauliers already pay more tax than anywhere else in Europe and any new road pricing scheme should not punish logistics firms further. The plan to phase out diesel and petrol vehicles over the coming decade will create a £34bn black hole in Treasury coffers and [...]

The post National road-pricing scheme to replace fuel duty ‘must not increase hauliers’ costs’, MPs told appeared first on Motor Transport.

A recruitment drive in Leicestershire this month attracted hundreds of potential HGV drivers, according to event organisers. Translink Express Logistics helped spearhead the Let’s Talk Logistics day at Fosse Park Shopping Centre on 12 October, along with the department for work and pensions, Leicestershire county council, Aggregates Industries and Samworth Brothers Distribution. Chris Hobbis, commercial director of Pallet-Track member Translink, said: “There were simply hundreds of people there from first thing in the morning until the end of the day [...]

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Grants to help companies shift freight from road to more sustainable alternatives are to be made available after the government announced its next big push towards a zero-carbon economy. As well as investing £350m to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chain and another £620m in grants for EVs and charging points, the government said it would also encourage goods to be moved by rail, bikes and canals. Its Net Zero plan said the majority of greenhouse [...]

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The DVSA has released more information about how the rules regarding learning to drive an HGV will change next month in order to help resolve the skills shortage. Subject to parliamentary approval, from 15 November the law will change so that candidates will begin learning to drive in an articulated lorry, rather than a rigid. Drivers will also take their test in an artic without having to pass a test in a large rigid lorry first. The DVSA said candidates [...]

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Solihull integrated logistics provider OnLogistics has signed a deal with Circular Economy Solutions (C-ECO) to provide and operate a UK sorting station for used automotive parts. C-ECO’s CoremanNet service collects over four million used automotive parts, known as cores, every year. It checks their technical and commercial condition and then provides them to customers for industrial remanufacturing. CoremanNet's global network has more than 20 inspection centers on four continents, including the new OnLogistics sorting station. OnLogistics’ newly acquired, dedicated 22,000 [...]

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Government plans for “unfettered cabotage” will be “shockingly damaging” to the UK haulage industry and undermine the progress being made to tackle the UK’s driver shortage, the RHA warned MPs this week. Speaking at a Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee hearing yesterday (19 October) on the impact of supply chain delays on businesses and consumers, RHA national policy director Duncan Buchanan warned against government plans to change the cabotage rules to help tackle the driver shortage. The plans to [...]

The post Government plans for “unfettered cabotage” will punish UK hauliers, RHA tells MPs appeared first on Motor Transport.

The future of the transport and logistics sector will hinge on data, technology and increased collaboration, according to industry experts speaking at this week’s Multimodal exhibition at Birmingham NEC. In a wide-ranging panel debate entitled ‘The state of logistics in a post Covid and Brexit world’, Logistics UK chief executive David Wells said the key issue for the industry going forward would be increasing productivity with a smaller labour pool. “The only way to do that will be through investing [...]

The post ‘Prepare for big changes and big opportunities,’ Multimodal panel tells operators appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers are accusing Europa Worldwide chief executive Andrew Baxter of launching a politically motivated attack on the RHA following his open letter criticising the association’s handling of Brexit and the fuel crisis and his call for RHA chief executive Richard Burnett to resign. Baxter’s letter, published yesterday (18 October), accuses the RHA of leaking information from confidential government meetings, failing to prepare hauliers for Brexit and “substantially” causing the fuel crisis by leaking information about fuel stocks. The transport boss, [...]

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Logistics UK is promising members easier access to driver medicals after signing a partnership deal with D4Drivers. They will receive discounted access to D4Drivers’ Logistics UK Health and Wellbeing service enabling them to access medicals for all their drivers. Under the partnership individual driver members will also be able to use the Logistics UK Driver Medical service. Logistics UK said the partnership will allow companies to centralise and streamline their process for arranging drivers’ medicals, and with 85 D4Drivers centres [...]

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Foreign haulage operators could be allowed to make an unlimited number of trips in the UK within a two-week period before returning home, under plans to strengthen supply chains and save Christmas. The proposals to temporarily extend cabotage rights for foreign firms are set out in a week-long consultation that has been launched and would apply to all types of goods, but is likely to be particularly beneficial to food supply chains and freight coming into the country via ports. [...]

The post RHA “appalled” by plans to allow foreign drivers to make more UK deliveries appeared first on Motor Transport.

HGVs powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) are no better for the climate than diesel trucks and pollute the air more than manufacturers claim, a report by a clean transport campaign group has concluded. Transport & Environment (T&E) said only zero-emissions HGVs such as battery electric vehicles should be supported by lawmakers and it called for gas fuelling stations to be kicked out of EU fuel infrastructure targets and the end to government subsidies for LNG trucks. However, the renewable [...]

The post LNG trucks “no cleaner than diesel”, new research finds appeared first on Motor Transport.

Iveco builder CNH Industrial has announced it is closing some of its European manufacturing plants this month in response to disruptions and shortages of core components, particularly semiconductors. In a statement it said: “CNH Industrial is constantly reviewing its production schedules in response to this highly dynamic environment and plans to shut the concerned plants for no longer than eight working days in the month of October. Read more Semiconductor shortage slows upturn in commercial vehicle production UK operators face [...]

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Hauliers undertaking work for customers on both sides of the Irish Sea should see administration and bureaucracy reduced after the EU proposed cutting post-Brexit checks on goods, according to Logistics UK. The business group cautiously welcomed the plan to address the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is an attempt to resolve the dispute over a key part of the Brexit agreement. Current arrangements have created new economic barriers on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Read more Brexit minister [...]

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Logistics UK is to host a webinar outlining its 'Route to net zero' on transport day at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) on November 10. LUK said "it is clear that the climate crisis is now one of the most pressing challenges facing the global community and the UK government and logistics industry must play their parts and take radical steps to protect the future of our planet". In the webinar, which is open for anyone to attend, chief [...]

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Fraikin has employed an operations director, Andy Towns (pictured), to lead its engineering and operations functions as it works towards bringing its maintenance back in-house. Towns joins after four years as aftersales director at Farid Hillend Engineering and he will report directly to MD Darren Hall. He has 35 years of experience in the industry, including direct experience of running a national network of commercial vehicle workshops. Towns said: “Darren shared his plans for the business with me; in particular [...]

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Fleet management firm VMS has purchased 1,000 commercial vehicles from Maxus, 60% of which are EVs. Maxus said 500 of the vehicles are eDeliver 3s and 150 are eDeliver 9s and the total order represents one of the biggest deals struck by a commercial vehicle brand in the UK. Mark Barrett, Harris Maxus GM, said: “The deal with VMS Fleet Management is an important one for Maxus and comes at an exciting time for the brand as our sales hit [...]

The post VMS backs electric with major new Maxus deal appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has reiterated its hostility to a ‘SafeContractor’ scheme promoted by AB Agri after the animal feed manufacturer used a quote by its policy MD seemingly encouraging hauliers to sign up. Last year the association criticised the food giant for holding its hauliers to ransom by making them sign up to the scheme operated by risk management firm Alcumus, which requires firms to pay a fee to be assessed on a list of health and safety requirements and face [...]

The post RHA in escalating row with AB Agri over ‘SafeContractor’ scheme appeared first on Motor Transport.

A survey by Logistics UK has revealed that 96% of UK logistics businesses are now reporting problems recruiting HGV drivers. The severe lack of HGV drivers in the UK is highlighted in Logistics UK’s latest Performance Tracker for September 2021. It also reveals a general skills shortage across the board, not just among HGV drivers, with more than 13% of businesses now reporting severe to very severe problems recruiting warehouse staff compared to September 2020, when zero respondents reported facing [...]

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The HGV driver shortage is creating a backlog of containers at the Port of Felixstowe which could create “a serious issue” for the UK supply chain in the run up to Christmas, Logistics UK warned this week. The alert comes as Maersk confirmed it is rerouting its larger ships away from Felixstowe, which handles 36% of the country’s containerised freight, to European ports for redistribution to the UK via smaller vessels. Retailers Tesco and Ikea have also been hit by [...]

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The RHA has given a cautious welcome to the government’s decision this week to set up an industry taskforce to advise on the UK’s supply chain crisis but warned that ministers must act on its advice rather than use it as a “smokescreen” to hide a lack of government action. The warning follows a government announcement this week that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has appointed former Tesco chief Sir David Lewis as its supply chain adviser. Lewis will also co-chair [...]

The post Supply chain taskforce must not be used as smokescreen for inaction, RHA warns government appeared first on Motor Transport.

A county-wide recruitment event in Leicestershire, aimed at appealing to the public to become HGV drivers, takes place next week. ‘Blaby District Let’s Talk Logistics’ will showcase the benefits of the supply chain industry at the Fosse Park Shopping Centre on Tuesday 12 October. Supported by local logistics firm Translink Express Logistics, as well as the Department for Work and Pensions, Blaby District Council, Aggregates Industries and Samworth Brothers Distribution, the campaign aims to encourage a wider selection of the [...]

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Skills shortages in the logistics sector stretch beyond the role of HGV driver, with companies providing warehousing warning that they have been in “crisis mode” for two years. Data released by Logistics UK showed that 96% of UK haulage firms were now reporting problems recruiting lorry drivers, but that more than 13% of businesses said they were experiencing severe to very severe problems hiring warehouse staff. The business group said this was in contrast to September 2020, when no respondents [...]

The post “Warehousing hit even harder than driving by mass exodus,” UKWA boss warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has reiterated its hostility to a ‘Safe Contractor’ scheme promoted by AB Agri after the animal feed manufacturer used a quote by its policy MD seemingly encouraging hauliers to sign up. Last year the association criticised the food giant for holding its hauliers to ransom by making them sign up to the scheme operated by risk management firm Alcumus, which requires firms to pay a fee to be assessed on a list of health and safety requirements and [...]

The post RHA in escalating row with AB Agri over ‘Safe Contractor’ scheme appeared first on Motor Transport.

The family of a man killed when a lump of concrete fell off a wagon and smashed through his windscreen are promoting the importance of securing loads and carrying out safety checks. Steven Oscroft died last year when a rock fell from an HGV in Meden Vale, Nottinghamshire and landed on his car. Police arrested the lorry driver shortly afterwards on suspicion of dangerous driving, but he was released without charge after a serious collision investigation concluded there were no [...]

The post DVSA to revise load security guidance after fatal accident appeared first on Motor Transport.

Almost two-thirds of HGV test centres are battling with waiting lists of at least 11 weeks, with several booked up for six months, according to a freedom of information (FOI) request. An investigation into how long the current driving test waiting periods are across the UK found 43 out of the 69 test centres around the country have a backlog of at least 11 weeks. Three, in Aberdeen, Lerwick and Machrihanish in Argyll, said customers were having to put up [...]

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Pallet networks want to see the Driver CPC suspended for two years with a promise it will be reformed or abolished, in order to attract back a “mass exodus” of professional drivers. The association of pallet networks (APN) also said allowing standard driving licence holders to drive 7.5-tonne vehicles once again would help haulage operators recruit young candidates. APN chairman Paul Sanders told motortransport.co.uk he “absolutely” agreed with Pallet-Track’s CE Caroline Green that a moratorium on the Driver CPC was [...]

The post APN demands two-year suspension of Driver CPC appeared first on Motor Transport.

The zero emissions HGV market is “parked at a red light” with no clear plan from government on how it will make the transition to a carbon-free future, BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney told the rental and leasing body’s online ‘Fleets in Charge’ conference today. While the electric van market received a “brakes on at an amber light” rating from the BVRLA, Keaney said HGVs remained his “biggest concern”. In response Caroline Low, director of environment and future of mobility [...]

The post Zero-emissions HGVs still stuck “at red” says BVRLA appeared first on Motor Transport.

Research into greenhouse gases from diesel-powered auxiliary transport refrigeration units (auxTRUs) has estimated that there are up to 2,100 HGVs in Scotland making a significant contribution to transport-related emissions. The Zemo Partnership said its study, funded by Transport Scotland, showed that these cold chain systems contribute an additional 1-2% greenhouse gas emissions to current official figures reported from all the 37,000 HGV engines operating in the country. The study also showed that the units contribute an additional 5-14% NOx and [...]

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The government has no plans to assess the safety impact of the relaxation of HGV drivers’ hours, despite extending the scheme this week to the end of October as part of wider plans to continue it for another four months. According to union Unite, the DfT has confirmed in correspondence with the union that "there is not an impact assessment” of the ongoing extension to the maximum number of hours a lorry driver can drive. The union has condemned the [...]

The post Unite condemns “shocking” failure of DfT to assess safety of HGV driver extended hours appeared first on Motor Transport.

Marshall Fleet Solutions has recruited Mark Sutcliffe as its new operations director. Reporting to MD Mark Howell, he joins a seven-person board, working closely alongside the other executive directors. Prior to joining MFS, Sutcliffe was most recently head of transport for The Co-Op. He has also held several other senior operations roles, including group transport manager for Warburtons and key roles at The Big Food Group, Brake Brothers and Cearns & Brown. "Mark is joining the business at an exciting [...]

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Logistics UK chief executive David Wells (pictured) has urged the government to extend the number and duration of temporary visas available to EU drivers and rejected the Prime Minister's claims that the move would represent "uncontrolled immigration". Responding to Boris Johnson’s suggestion this week that the haulage and logistics industry is to blame for the current supply chain issues, Wells said: “To suggest that it is the fault of the very industry which has kept the country supplied with everything [...]

The post Logistics UK boss urges government to extend visa scheme and deliver on overnight parking pledge appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government has let down temperature-controlled hauliers by failing to deliver on its promise to help the industry transition to emission-free refrigerated trailers, the Cold Chain Federation (CCF) said this week. The accusation comes as the CCF publishes its report: The Journey Towards Emission Free Temperature-controlled Distribution on Road Vehicles this week. The CCF said that government promises for support to help the industry transition to net zero have yet to materialise. It warns that with 30,000 refrigerated trailers and [...]

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Government ministers ignored hauliers' warnings that the limited length of the emergency HGV driver visas would deter European drivers from taking up the offer, the RHA has claimed. The RHA was responding to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s admission today (5 October) that out of 300 emergency HGV fuel driver visas on offer only 27 have been taken up, and that only 127 drivers have applied for the 4,700 HGV driver emergency visas on offer under the recently launched scheme. The [...]

The post Government was warned limited time of emergency visas would deter European drivers, says RHA appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hoyer UK has taken on additional staff to process the flood of applications it has received from people wanting to work as tanker drivers, following the petrol pump crisis which kicked off last week. The company is seeking around 50 drivers and had been struggling to fill the vacancies. The fuel haulage sector as a whole is estimated to be short of approximately 500 tanker drivers and had been struggling to fill the vacancies. However Hoyer UK is predicting the [...]

The post Petrol pump crisis prompts deluge of applications for tanker driver jobs, Hoyer UK reports appeared first on Motor Transport.

Haulage operators are accusing the Prime Minister of attempting to scapegoat the industry for the petrol pump crisis after failing to heed their warnings of a supply chain crisis months ago. The industry criticism follows comments made by Boris Johnson on the BBC Andrew Marr Show on Sunday (3 October). Asked what had caused the petrol pump crisis he told Marr that for “decades” the haulage industry “was not investing in the truck stops, not improving conditions, not improving pay. [...]

The post Hauliers hit back after Prime Minister blames industry for petrol pump crisis appeared first on Motor Transport.

Tyre manufacturer Goodyear and truck and trailer leasing and rental company TIP have extended their 15-year partnership by another five years. TIP specialises in the leasing and rental of trucks and trailers, as well as asset maintenance and other value-added services to transportation and logistics customers. It operates over 110,000 assets globally as well as more than 110 workshops in Europe and Canada, boosting its rental park by another 18,000 assets in 2019 when it acquired truck and trailer rental [...]

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The government’s decision to allow 5,000 foreign drivers into the UK will infuriate Brexiteers whilst failing to plug the shortfall of 100,000 drivers, parcel delivery service Parcelhero has warned. David Jinks, ParcelHero head of consumer research, said: “The decision to take the plunge and beg for EU-based drivers to return to Britain, but then cap their number at 5,000, will please absolutely no one. Five thousand drivers are less than the paltry number of poultry workers (5,500) the Government has [...]

The post Government’s “lily-livered” visa plan for HGV drivers no solution, warns ParcelHero appeared first on Motor Transport.

Army tanker drivers trained by fuel logistics company Hoyer and other haulage firms began delivering supplies today (4 October) to petrol stations hit by the fuel crisis. The move closely follows the government announcement late last week that its emergency visa program for truck drivers, dubbed “Scrooge Visas” because they were originally set to expire on Christmas Eve, has been extended into 2022 to help tackle the UK’s HGV driver shortage. The government said 300 fuel drivers would be able [...]

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The GMB union has praised Yodel for "doing the right thing" and offering staff a pay increase that will see LGV drivers receive £16 per hour. The move comes after stormy negotiations saw 95% of members vote to take industrial action, threatening the supply chains of some of the UK's biggest retailers, including M&S and Aldi. The union is still in discussions over some outstanding issues including the settlement of an employment tribunal affecting 137 employees, which Yodel has agreed [...]

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson laid the blame for the UK HGV driver shortage and the petrol pump crisis squarely at the feet of the road haulage industry this week. Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC 1 yesterday (3 October), as the army prepared to help deliver fuel supplies to petrol stations hit by the HGV driver shortage, Johnson said: “The issue of the forecourt is fundamentally one of supply…what we had for decades was a system whereby basically [...]

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Electric truck manufacturer Tevva has been awarded a £4.2m grant - the lion’s share of a total of £5.7m of funding from the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). The grant will help finance the development of Tevva’s next generation, zero-emission, long-range medium duty trucks, which will range from 7.5 tonne to 19 tonne and advance the SANGREAL Project, a £12.2m collaboration between Tevva and designer and manufacturer Advanced Electric Machines (AEM), which aims to build the most sustainable motors in [...]

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The SMMT has repeated its call for the government to step in and help the automotive sector after new figures revealed a 24% reduction in engine production last month compared to a Covid-impacted August 2020. Mike Hawes, SMMT CE, said it was “very worrying” that just 81,266 engines were made in UK factories in August, compared to 106,398 in the same month last year, when lockdowns and depressed global demand had stalled output. Demand from both domestic and export markets [...]

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Researchers say they have developed a device that prevents vehicles including HGVs from aquaplaning during adverse road conditions. The Run Dry Traction System (RDTS) prevents water and other contaminants from reaching a vehicle’s tyres by firing a jet of compressed gas close to the front of the wheel. The effect is to remove water in front of the tyre and establish that the vehicle has a dry patch of road ahead. The scientists at Coventry University said this process effectively [...]

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There has been “a high number” of enquiries from international HGV drivers wanting to come to the UK and capitalise on the temporary visa scheme, according to a Harrogate law firm. Truth Legal, which also has offices in Leeds, has an immigration practice and solicitor Louis MacWilliam said it had already been fielding calls from drivers in Europe, as well as further afield in India, South Africa and Venezuela, keen to take up jobs and keep UK supply chains running. [...]

The post New visa scheme luring “high number” of foreign drivers, lawyers reveal appeared first on Motor Transport.

Insurers cannot rule out a rise in premiums for hauliers as a result of the government’s plan to speed up HGV driving tests to help resolve the skills shortage. The combining of the category C and category C+E tests is seen as a way of pushing through an extra 20,000 tests a year, but insurance firms said more drivers with less experience on the roads was likely to lead to more accidents. Andy Keane, commercial motor product manager at Axa [...]

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Volvo Trucks is addressing the transformation to electric transport with a global online event on 12 October at 2pm. ‘The Leap – How to Go Electric’ can be accessed here and aims to inspire transport firms to get started. It will answer common questions and highlight the business aspects of electromobility. In addition to  Volvo Trucks experts, it will include representatives from transport buyers such as Amazon and IKEA, as well as executives from DFDS.

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Building consolidation centres close to where people live and work is key to the future of UK logistics, according to property developer Prologis UK, which is funding a report into the future of freight. It said there was a “damaging misconception” that distribution centres should be sited outside of cities in order to boost sustainability and reduce traffic. But it added that research showed sustainability gains were far higher if they were built as close as possible to the end [...]

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Telematics firm Microlise saw revenue rise by 14% to £57m in the 12 months to 30 June 2021, as haulage firms strove for fleet efficiencies. The company, which listed on the London stock exchange’s AIM in July, also increased its pre-tax profit to £2.2m during the period, compared with £710,000 the year before. Microlise said its strong interim results were delivered despite the global microchip shortage, which affects its hardware products, as well as the challenges of Covid-19 and Brexit. [...]

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A lorry driver who hit and killed an elderly pedestrian on a pedestrian crossing whilst the traffic lights were on red, has been spared jail. Southampton Crown Court heard how Gary Horbury, 58, of Ferndale Road, New Milton, had been travelling south and came to a stop at a pelican crossing on Station Road in New Milton, Hampshire, with the front of his vehicle overhanging the pedestrian crossing. Margaret Fraser, 89, was traversing the crossing, whilst the pedestrian lights were [...]

The post Lorry driver who hit and killed elderly woman on New Milton crossing spared jail appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Army is on stand by with up to 150 military tanker drivers preparing to deliver fuel to forecourts around the country to help ease supply problems created by the UK's HGV driver shortage. The measure comes as panic buying at fuel stations across the country continues into a fourth day, which was triggered last week by news that BP had been forced to close a number of its fuel stations due to a shortage of tanker drivers. It is [...]

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Logistics UK is calling on the government to freeze fuel duty forever to help the sector make the shift to alternatively fuelled vehicles. The association is warning that as the haulage sector struggles to overcome the impact of Covid-19 and headwinds such as inflation and driver shortages, any rise in fuel duty would stymie recovery and slow down the industry's shift to alternatively fuelled vehicles. David Wells, Logistics UK CEO said: "As the logistics industry recovers from the impact of [...]

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A drunken lorry driver, who celebrated getting his driving job by drinking a quarter bottle of whisky and then led police on a 20-mile chase down the M4, has been jailed for 14 months. Police pursued Andrew Jason Champion, 53, from Rhych Avenue, Porthcawl, for 20 miles along the M4 on 6 May this year as he drove an HGV erratically along the motorway. Champion ignored the police's flashing blue lights as he weaved along the motorway, where he came [...]

The post Drunken lorry driver jailed after 20-mile police chase on M4 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK has welcomed the government's new package of measures to ease the HGV driver shortage. In a U-turn on its previous stance, short-term visas for overseas drivers will be introduced, as well as free intensive HGV driver training, using MOD examiners to test civilian drivers and writing to a million HGV licence holders to encourage them back to the industry. 3,000 places will be available on new Skills Bootcamps organized by the Department for Education to provide short, intensive [...]

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The RHA has issued a “categorical” denial that it triggered the petrol pump crisis by leaking remarks made by a BP executive at a private government meeting last week. The claim was made in the Mail on Sunday by “a senior government source” who also threatened to “deal with the RHA” after the crisis is over. The claims have been slammed by RHA as a “disgraceful” attempt at diverting attention away from the government’s handling of the HGV driver shortage. [...]

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Insulate Britain blockaded the M25 for the sixth time today (27 September), defying a court injunction issued on behalf of National Highways which could see protestors face heavy fines and even jail. Protestors blockaded the M25 at Junction 14 this morning near Heathrow. Last week the group changed tactics and blockaded the Port of Dover, resulting in multiple arrests and prompting National Highways to apply for a court injunction to prevent people blocking the M25 and M20. However the injunction [...]

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The government’s proposed National Skills Fund has a “serious gap” which fails to address the need for training in the warehousing sector, according to the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA). Responding to a public consultation on the National Skills Fund this month, UKWA said that despite there being a “clear need” for training in the warehousing sector, there are almost no training providers offering the Highfield L3 Diploma in Warehousing & Storage (RFQ) course. It points out that although this course [...]

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Meachers Global Logistics has warned operators to prepare for changes to importing animal products from the European Union to avoid more delays at the border. All UK importers and their EU suppliers must be compliant with new rules for bringing in products such as meat and dairy goods from January 2022 after the deadline was extended from July. Failure to comply could result in shipments being refused UK entry or goods being destroyed. The requirements include pre-notifying authorities on consignments [...]

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AdBlue producer Yara said it was increasing the price of its product by 5p/l after a spike in natural gas values led to a cut in ammonia production. The fertiliser firm said it was committed to continuing supplies of the exhaust fluid, but that in order to do so it needed to implement a temporary surcharge on sale prices. Jorge Noval, president of Yara Industrial Solutions, said: “We are committed to maintaining reliable supplies to our customers wherever possible. “These [...]

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As part of October’s Tyre Safety Month, TyreSafe is urging operators to carry out regular tyre safety checks to reduce the risks of tyre failure on the road and cut costs. TyreSafe’s month-long campaign is an opportunity for all tyre companies to join forces and raise awareness of tyre safety. With more than half a million trucks on Britain’s roads, Tructyre is encouraging the transport industry to do its bit for road safety. Liam Gorman is technical services manager at [...]

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Goodyear has launched its latest fuel-efficient long haul truck tyre range, Fuelmax Endurance. The new steer and drive axle tyres combine the fuel efficiency levels needed on motorways with the traction and mileage called for on A- and B-roads. Goodyear said the new product line is the “most versatile and fuel-efficient it has ever produced”, and all sizes have a B rating for fuel efficiency. This lowers the carbon emissions of new HGVs by 2%, on average, in comparison with [...]

The post Goodyear makes choice between fuel efficiency and mileage easier with new Endurance tyre range appeared first on Motor Transport.

The majority of operators are not yet planning to invest in alternatively-fuelled vehicles, with cost and lack of government support prominent barriers, according to a new survey. Asset Alliance Group found 80% of those surveyed were planning to stick with diesel for the time being, with many also concerned at the current lack of refuelling infrastructure in this country. More than half (52%) said they would be more inclined to try alternative fuels if the government had a financial incentive, [...]

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Mercedes-Benz believes the total cost of ownership (TCO) of running battery electric trucks, could be the same as diesel trucks in just four years. Andreas von Wallfeld, head of marketing, sales and services at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, said: “Although it depends on many factors, such as subsidies, kWh pricing of energy and of course the local situation, we expect to see TCO parity on battery vehicles by between 2025 and 2027.” But he said the timeframe was harder to predict with [...]

The post Cost of running electric fleet will be same as diesel by 2025, claims Mercedes-Benz appeared first on Motor Transport.

Deliveries of fuel to BP stations across the country are being restricted due to the industry-wide driver shortage. BP said it was working with its supplier Hoyer to minimise disruption and to ensure diesel and unleaded fuel continued to be supplied to stations, but that “a handful of sites” would temporarily close. Motortransport.co.uk also understands oil giant Shell is experiencing shortages at some of its stations, although it is not thought to be considering closing any sites. Logistics UK responded [...]

The post Driver shortage hits Hoyer fuel deliveries for BP prompting panic buying fears appeared first on Motor Transport.

Renault Trucks will use the Freight in the City Expo to showcase vehicles in its electric ZE range. The event on 28 September at Alexandra Palace will offer visitors a chance to check out a 3.1-tonne Master ZE from Petit Forestier, with zero tailpipe emissions and ideal for delivering perishable goods into inner city areas. Also on display will be a 16-tonne D ZE chassis specified with four 66kWh battery packs, a 26-tonne D Wide ZE Low Entry Cab, equipped [...]

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A consortium of businesses and academics are developing a hydrogen refuelling system for HGVs, which promises to be smaller and more cost effective than existing systems. With government funding, the Hydrogen Prototype Equipment for Refuelling (HyPER) project will create a next-generation hydrogen flowmeter that will also be easier to manufacture and maintain than current options on the market. The project aims to reduce the cost of hydrogen refuelling and enable the wide adoption of the sustainable gas by transport fleets. [...]

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A new pay-as-you-go (PAYG) affinity partnership has been announced between the AA and fleet software specialist FleetCheck.The initiative is designed to offer FleetCheck’s more than 1,300 customers the opportunity to access the AA’s breakdown recovery services at preferential rates based on a range of menu pricing options. Andy Kirby, customer success director at FleetCheck, explained: “We have been aware for a while that many of our customers wanted to put a recovery arrangement in place but price has been an [...]

The post FleetCheck signs truck recovery deal with AA appeared first on Motor Transport.

As the government plans a further four-month extension to the relaxation of HGV drivers’ hours, it has emerged that only around 450 haulage firms have used the extension to make their drivers work longer hours. The take-up rate emerged in a consultation document sent to industry stakeholders this week which proposes to take the current temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours beyond the 3 October deadline and through the peak period to 23 January 2022. Union Unite called the plans “reckless [...]

The post Most hauliers ignoring longer drivers’ hours ruling but DfT plans further extension appeared first on Motor Transport.

Merger and acquisition deals in the UK logistics sector remain strong in the first half of 2021, despite the loss of 80,000 EU workers post-Brexit who were employed in the logistics sector. However, the challenge to the logistics market will be how well companies manage the peak season in the face of the skills shortage, according to a report published this week by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLPQ. The report, which looks at Q2 logistic sector mergers and [...]

The post Logistics sector defies Brexit skills shortage to deliver strong growth, BDO M&A report reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Supply chain visibility platform FourKites has signed up more than 60 customers to its new Innovation Partner Program, chosen for playing a key role in driving innovation on the company’s platform. Innovation Partners includes Henkel, AB InBev, Cardinal Health, EcoLab, Kimberly-Clark, Meijer, Smithfield, Canadian Forest Products and Andersen Corporation. FourKites said the cohort of over 60 partners all have the distinction of having submitted ideas to the company that have since been built out and are now officially part of [...]

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MarketFinance is offering small and medium sized hauliers the chance to apply for its newly launched Flex Loan Scheme. The scheme offers short-term funding up to £100,000 to small and medium sized business. It operates in a similar way to a credit card or overdraft, with qualifying businesses having a pre-agreed limit of up to £100,000 which they can withdraw at once or in smaller amounts. Flexible repayment options allow businesses to spread their repayments over three to 12 months [...]

The post MarketFinance launches new short-term loan scheme targeting SME hauliers appeared first on Motor Transport.

The British International Freight Association (BIFA) is launching a campaign to encourage its members to work with schools to promote careers in logistics, forwarding and the supply chain. During September, as schools begin the new academic year, BIFA members will be sent information packs with ideas on how to promote their business and the industry as a career option to the next generation. BIFA aims to help smaller companies that are unsure as to how to approach local schools and [...]

The post BIFA helps members launch a logistics recruitment drive in schools appeared first on Motor Transport.

Climate protest group Insulate Britain is accusing the National Highways of failing to take standard safety measures to cut traffic speeds as motorists approach their motorway blockades. The group, which is carrying out a series of climate protests, mainly on the M25, is demanding the government take action to cut the UK’s emissions by insulating Britain’s housing stock. It points to research which shows that 20% of Britain’s emissions come from the country’s poorly insulated housing stock and a report [...]

The post Insulate Britain accuses National Highways of failing to protect drivers approaching its motorway blockades appeared first on Motor Transport.

Half of fleet managers (50%) and almost two thirds of fleet drivers (64%) feel “excited and proud” about switching to electric vehicles, stating it is the right thing to do for the environment, but only just over a quarter of fleet drivers (28%) and a third of fleet managers (35%) think they will be making the switch within the next one to two years. The findings from a survey commissioned by oil and alternative energy company BP revealed that the [...]

The post Range anxiety a drag factor on fleets switching to electric vehicles, BP survey reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Eight aspiring technicians are set to begin their apprenticeships at Sapphire Vehicle Services this month. The eight candidates make up the latest intake onto the Derbyshire-based company’s apprenticeship scheme which was launched two years ago. Sapphire Vehicle Services, which maintains a range of large commercial vehicle operator’s fleets, began training its own apprentices two years ago. The eight members of the first intake are now in the final stretch of their three-year courses, and set to start their careers as [...]

The post Sapphire Vehicle Services takes on another eight apprentices appeared first on Motor Transport.

Government moves to continue the extension of the relaxation of drivers’ hours past Christmas is “reckless, dangerous and potentially illegal”, Unite is warning. The warning follows the union’s discovery that the DfT has launched a “technical consultation” with stakeholders into a further extension of the relaxation of drivers’ hours, which was due to come to an end on Sunday 3 October. The consultation is not open to the public. Unite is now taking legal advice on what it believes is [...]

The post Plan to relax drivers’ hours over Christmas “dangerous and reckless”, warns Unite appeared first on Motor Transport.

HGV drivers that pass the government’s new streamlined tests designed to boost the numbers of candidates entering the industry will still be able to undertake international work, it has been confirmed. There have been concerns that simplifying the testing process for lorry drivers might not be accepted in Europe, but the DVSA told motortransport.co.uk the new rules do not affect those working internationally. A DVSA spokesman said: “HGV drivers who pass the updated test in the UK will be able [...]

The post HGV drivers who pass proposed new tests can work abroad appeared first on Motor Transport.

An HGV driver distracted by his mobile phone and who killed a devoted husband and wife in a “devastating collision” has been jailed. Steven Bennett, 29, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving following the crash in September 2019, which also led to a seven-vehicle pile-up on the M56. Chester Crown Court heard how Richard and Angela Wong were returning from Wales when they joined the rear of a queue of stationary traffic just prior to [...]

The post Jail for death crash HGV driver who caused motorway pile-up after using mobile phone appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK has announced the appointment of Alexandra Herdman (pictured) as a public policy manager. She has spent the previous five years working in the Scottish Parliament, which the trade body said had given her a wealth of relevant knowledge and expertise. “We are thrilled to have Alexandra join our team," said director of public policy, Elizabeth de Jong. "As the business organisation representing the logistics industry, we pride ourselves on our diversity, representing members from road, rail, air and [...]

The post Logistics UK recruits public policy manager from Scottish Parliament appeared first on Motor Transport.

The partnership between Iveco and battery electric vehicle manufacturer Nikola has taken its next step with its Ulm, Germany facility commencing production of the Nikola Tre heavy-duty EV by the end of the year. In addition to the electric battery model, a fuel cell electric vehicle prototype of the Tre has also been displayed and is expected to enter production by the end of 2023. Gerrit Marx, chief executive of the Iveco Group, said: “Thanks to Iveco’s proven expertise and [...]

The post Nikola to use German Iveco factory to begin building Tre heavy-duty electric trucks appeared first on Motor Transport.

Maxus Group has expanded its dealer network further with the Bowson Group’s newest dealership, Maxus Gloucestershire, in the Forest of Dean. The dealership provides a full sales and aftersales service with plans for a dedicated Maxus showroom. Mark Barrett, general manager of Harris Maxus, said: “Bowson Group already works with two impressive brands in neighbouring locations and is a welcome addition to the Maxus dealer network. Read more Maxus opens new Doncaster facility Maxus adds Brindley Group to expanding dealer [...]

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Renault Trucks is now offering an 18-tonne electric D Wide Z.E, joining its 16 and 26-tonne model stablemates. It is also offering a wider range of wheelbases and special connectivity for reefer bodies, with 3,900mm to 6,800mm now available. Equipped with a two-axle chassis, Renault Trucks said the 18-tonne Z.E. is ideal for temperature-controlled distribution, with an optimised payload. Read more Warburtons rises to electric challenge with first 16-tonner from Renault Trucks Renault Trucks commits to expansion of fully-electric range [...]

The post Renault Trucks unveils 18-tonne electric D Wide Z.E appeared first on Motor Transport.

Construction on a £300m fourth berth at the London Gateway logistics hub will commence next month, as owner DP World attempts to increase supply chain resilience and boost capacity. The investment will enable the port to handle the world’s largest vessels and comes after record throughput of 888,000 in the first six months of 2021 - a 23% on the previous best performance. DP World said the fourth berth will raise capacity by a third and completion will coincide with [...]

The post Work on £300m fourth berth at London Gateway to begin in October, DP World confirms appeared first on Motor Transport.

Software tech provider Forward Solutions is offering customers a new digital supply chain management product that oversees their entire supply chain, from purchase order to delivery. Forward Vision is a web-based portal that provides real time control and processing of transactions and also allows logistics operators’ customers to have “true visibility” of their own supply chains. Forward Solutions said Covid had created huge pressures on supply chains and operators needed more effective supply chain management. It said Forward Solutions provided [...]

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An HGV driver who attempted to smuggle £4m worth of cocaine into the country in his bed has been jailed for 14-and-a-half years. Karol Niewiadomski (pictured), 30, from Poland, claimed he did not know the drugs were in his vehicle when it was searched by Border Force officials at Dover port on 7 January this year. Officers discovered 50kg of the class A drug in cardboard boxes within the sleeping area of Niewiadomski’s cab. A quantity of amphetamine was also [...]

The post Lorry driver who hid £4m stash of cocaine in his bed jailed appeared first on Motor Transport.

Temporary visas for HGV drivers are the only way to fill an immediate need for truckers if the supply chain is to continue running through the peak period, according to the RHA. Its call for the government to change its policy on recruiting skilled people from abroad comes as research from an independent think tank found increasingly positive public attitudes towards sourcing jobs from overseas. The scale of the problem is also highlighted in new figures from the Recruitment and [...]

The post New independent data supports RHA plea for emergency visas appeared first on Motor Transport.

London’s mayor wants devolved powers to set up a “covid recovery visa” and fill vacancies in sectors struggling with serious shortages, such as haulage. Sadiq Khan (pictured) said when it came to immigration, politicians were now too scared to argue for what they knew was needed to solve the problem and he called for regional powers to tackle the issue. He said it was unrealistic for the government to expect businesses, “grappling with the worst economic crisis since the Second [...]

The post Devolved powers must demand return of EU workers, claims London mayor appeared first on Motor Transport.

Dangerous gaps have appeared in the fleet market’s road to zero, with some sectors accelerating towards the petrol and diesel phase-out and others stuck at a red signal, the BVRLA is warning. The latest BVRLA Road to Zero Report Card, compiled by sustainability consultants Ricardo, assesses the decarbonisation trajectories of the UK’s car, van and truck fleets, measuring their progress against the criteria of battery electric vehicle supply, demand and infrastructure. Launching the report, BVRLA said it shows a very [...]

The post HGV fleets parked up over phasing out diesel, BVRLA report warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

A Lithuanian lorry driver, arrested for driving a lorry whilst drunk, pleaded with the court not to ban him as the driver shortage meant he could lose out on "significant" earnings whilst in Britain. Manchester Magistrates Court heard that Lithuanian Vitas Urbonas, 48, was seen driving a MAN tractor unit in the early hours of Sunday morning (September 12) on the M61. The police followed him and found him parked on Bridgewater Avenue, in Bolton, where he claimed to be [...]

The post Drunk driver pleads with court not to ban him as he will lose “significant” earnings due to driver shortage appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government's decision to push back the introduction of health certification of imported products of animal origin, including many food and drink items, is creating uncertainty and instability for operators, Logistics UK said this week. The warning follows the government's decision to move the deadline for the introduction of the new import border controls from 1 October 2021 to July 2022. Logistics UK said its members want to see the government come up with a sustainable solution to post-Brexit import [...]

The post Government changes to import border controls “heaps” more work on operators, Logistics UK warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

The new HGV driving test requirements are a "panicked" reaction to a driver shortage created by the government's policy on Brexit, warns parcel delivery service ParcelHero this week. The criticism follows a recent government announcement that the rigid and articulated HGV driving tests will be combined in an effort to speed up HGV driver training to tackle the UK driver shortage. "This lowering of standards is a knee-jerk reaction to the driver shortage caused by Brexit," said David Jinks, head [...]

The post HGV driver test changes a “knee jerk” reaction by government in panic, says ParcelHero appeared first on Motor Transport.

Police have released footage of an HGV driver holding two mobile phones, one to each ear, as he drove along the M5. The footage was filmed by officers in an unmarked National Highways truck and has been released this week ahead of the latest operation to monitor lorry drivers on the M4 and M5 motorways. The incident, which took place between junctions 18 and 17 of the M5 earlier this year, is one of over 21,000 offences recorded by officers [...]

The post Police in unmarked HGV catch lorry driver with mobile phone to each ear appeared first on Motor Transport.

Government moves to increase HGV testing capacity are still not enough to deliver Christmas, the RHA has insisted. The warning follows moves by the government last week to make another 50,000 HGV driving tests a year available, on top of measures earlier this year to increase HGV testing by 50% compared with before the Covid-19 pandemic. RHA chief executive Richard Burnett claims the measures will not be enough. He said: “At the moment, at 3,000 tests a week, there is [...]

The post Additional HGV tests will not save Christmas, RHA warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

SDC Trailers has passed a manufacturing milestone after its 10,000th trailer rolled off the company’s new production line in Toomebridge, three years after the facility became operational. This latest landmark event comes as the company continues to see a surge in demand, with one new SDC trailer going into production every 16 minutes. The semi-automated new production line was commissioned in August 2018 as part of a £7m expansion to SDC’s existing Northern Ireland base, to meet additional demand for [...]

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One of France’s top courts has overturned a decision to dismiss charges against cement firm Lafarge for complicity in crimes against humanity in Syria. It is accused of paying millions of Euros to armed groups, including ISIS, during the country’s civil war in order to keep a cement plant in operation between 2011 and 2014. A lower court had previously dismissed the crimes against humanity charge, saying it accepted that the payments were not aimed at abetting the terrorist group’s [...]

The post Lafarge fails in bid to annul crimes against humanity charges appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK needs to “stand on its own two feet” and solve the current HGV driver crisis without relying on foreign workers to plug the gap, the transport secretary repeated this week. Grant Shapps (pictured) also said the driver shortage was a global problem and it was “completely untrue” to put the blame on Brexit. His comments came as Morrisons warned that it expected food prices to rise this year due to the lorry driver shortage and higher freight charges. [...]

The post “Driver shortage is about Covid not Brexit,” claims Shapps as Morrisons warns of price rises appeared first on Motor Transport.

The BVRLA wants the government to come up with a delivery plan that supports the phase-out of non-zero emission HGVs between 2035 and 2040. It said it wants to see a similar approach adopted for cars and vans. In a response to a consultation on a phase-out, the association recommended the setting up of a taskforce with a range of stakeholders, including end users. This group would play a key role in identifying the challenges in reaching the phase-out dates [...]

The post BVRLA calls for taskforce to help with phase-out of non-zero emission HGVs appeared first on Motor Transport.

Streamlining the testing process for lorry drivers will help make up to 50,000 more tests available, according to the government. Confirming its proposal to allow drivers to take one test to drive both an articulated and rigid lorry, the department for transport (DfT) said this alone would make around 20,000 more HGV driving tests available every year and help drivers enter the industry more quickly. It said tests would also be made shorter by removing the ‘reversing exercise’ element – [...]

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A high-speed train derailment was avoided last week after a Tesco HGV struck a bridge in Plymouth, thanks to a “quick-acting” member of the public calling the emergency services. In a House of Lords debate following the incident, Baroness Watkins said the outcome could have been much more serious when the supermarket lorry struck a railway bridge connecting Cornwall with the rest of the country on 30 August. Network Rail said the collision caused “bank holiday misery for thousands of [...]

The post Local resident prevented high speed rail crash after Tesco truck hit bridge appeared first on Motor Transport.

Volta Trucks has confirmed its Volta Zero will be manufactured in Austria by Steyr Automotive, following a competitive tender. Volta said Steyr was chosen based on its extensive experience of CV manufacturing, its existing infrastructure and the consequent speed to market. It means series production will commence in late 2022, following customer trials. The partnership also means the eventual creation of up to 500 jobs, as well as forming an integral part of Volta’s road-to-zero emissions strategy. Read more Testing [...]

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An independent review into safety data and evidence concerning smart motorways has found no errors and concluded that all-lanes running (ALR) highways are some of the safest roads in the country. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said the data used in last year’s stocktake and action plan and a progress report relied on by the government and Highways England – now National Highways - to demonstrate the safety credentials of smart motorways, was “used robustly” but that there [...]

The post “Smart motorways are safest in the country,” claims National Highways appeared first on Motor Transport.

One of France’s top courts has overturned a decision to dismiss charges against cement firm Lafarge for complicity in crimes against humanity in Syria. It is accused of paying millions of Euros to armed groups, including ISIS, during the country’s civil war in order to keep a cement plant in operation between 2011 and 2014. A lower court had previously dismissed the crimes against humanity charge, saying it accepted that the payments were not aimed at abetting the terrorist group’s [...]

The post Lafarge complicit in crimes against humanity, court rules appeared first on Motor Transport.

Post-Brexit checks on goods including meats and parcels into Northern Ireland (NI) have been delayed once again and this time indefinitely, the government has confirmed. The move will bring relief to hauliers transporting goods to NI who have been bracing themselves for the introduction of the new customs checks, which were due to start this month at the end of the grace period. This was designed to ease the transition into new trading arrangements and checks on goods entering Northern [...]

The post Post-Brexit customs checks into NI delayed indefinitely, says UK government appeared first on Motor Transport.

With a shortage of new HGVs, combined with an increasing labour crisis, hauliers have been told they need a robust warranty to ensure their fleet can continue to go the extra mile. The warning comes from warranty provider WMS Group which points to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which shows that the volume of new HGVs registered in the UK during the first half of 2021 was less than 20,000 units – down [...]

The post Shortage of new HGVs and lack of drivers putting strain on UK fleet, warns WMS Group appeared first on Motor Transport.

The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) is urging hauliers to take action to prevent cargo theft after more than 900 notifications of freight crime were recorded in the first three months of 2021, with angle grinders used for the first time ever to break into metal sided trailers. PC Mike Dawber, field intelligence officer for NaVCIS Freight, said: “There was a national pattern of reduced crime reporting during the first national lockdown, due to the increase in the amount [...]

The post Cargo thieves turn to angle grinders to break into metal trailers, NaVCIS warns hauliers appeared first on Motor Transport.

An apprenticeship in urban driving which aims to resolve the HGV driver recruitment crisis in the long term has taken a major step forward after the overseeing body approved its development. The move follows the go-ahead for an HGV driver category C+E apprenticeship earlier this year and the hope is that both will help encourage new entrants to the industry. The transport and logistics Trailblazer Group (TBG), which developed the plans for both apprenticeships, said the next step was to [...]

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Specialist truck provider MV Commercial is to buy tipping trailer and rigid body manufacturer Fruehauf out of administration in a “multi-million” pound deal which will see the transfer of all 120 workers at the business. The company is promising to scale up production immediately and be able to offer 80-90 trucks and trailers for sale within a month. MV Commercial said the acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, includes an immediate cash injection and a commitment to a further £30m investment [...]

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There are still a few 10-seat tables and a couple of category sponsorship opportunities available at the inaugural Transport News Scottish Rewards Presentation Breakfast to be held during Tip-ex Tank-ex, on the morning of Friday 1 October 2021 in the Royal Hall, Harrogate, adjacent to the Show.The gala event commences at 8.45 for 9.30am with teas and coffee available on arrival, then it’s into the unique Victorian auditorium for a ‘Full Yorkshire’ breakfast. During the morning’s busy programme, there will [...]

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Salford Van Hire has invested £16m in more than 200 new DAF commercial vehicles across its spot hire and contract hire fleets. The new DAF purchases include both rigid vehicles and tractor units. The rigids are a mix of 7.5 tonne, 12 tonne and 18 tonne boxes and curtain-siders with tuck-away tail lifts, all bodied by Paccar Bodies at Leyland in Lancashire. The tractor units consist of the DAF FTGF Space and Super Space tractors, built at Leyland. The new [...]

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Parcel delivery service ParcelHero is calling for the continued suspension of the introduction of full customs declarations paperwork and extra customs procedures on parcels being sent from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (NI). The UK government imposed the suspension unilaterally in March this year, for six months, after new customs rules created as a result of Brexit, were found to be causing severe delays to parcel deliveries to NI. ParcelHero’s head of consumer research, David Jinks, said: “There was a [...]

The post Parcelhero warns of delivery chaos if customs checks imposed on parcels to NI appeared first on Motor Transport.

Wren Kitchens was the big winner at the 2021 Motor Transport Awards last night walking off with no fewer than five trophies - a feat previously matched only by DPD. Expect Distribution took the blue riband Haulier of the Year award for the third time and the second year in a row - something never achieved before - after a year in which one of our 50 independent judges said Expect had "demonstrated they have grown significantly as a business [...]

The post Motor Transport Awards roars back to life as 1,000 guests once again gather in London’s West End appeared first on Motor Transport.

“Huge” damage caused by a Tesco lorry when it crashed into a railway bridge earlier this week has prompted a train operator to criticise HGV drivers for not taking enough care on the roads. Great Western Railway’s (GWR) deputy MD said bridge strikes by lorries were regularly occurring despite being “entirely avoidable”. In the latest incident, the Tesco truck struck a bridge in Plymouth on 30 August, forcing the railway line that connects Cornwall and Plymouth with the rest of [...]

The post GWR slams drivers over bridge strikes appeared first on Motor Transport.

The new FORS Standard will be introduced to members via a series of live webinars this autumn. It is due to be published on 19 October with implementation from 1 July next year. The free-to-attend webinars are scheduled to take place this October and November and will update FORS members on the changes contained within the latest iteration of the FORS Standard - version 6. The FORS Standard sets out the requirements operators must meet if they wish to become [...]

The post FORS Standard version 6 to be published in October appeared first on Motor Transport.

Route optimisation and decarbonisation specialist The Algorithm People (TAP) has appointed Stephen Kelly as non-executive chair, as the company gears up to go global. The company specialises in using advanced mathematics, AI and machine learning to service commercial and passenger fleets and final mile logistics via its product My Transport Planner. Kelly is the chair at Tech Nation, a growth platform for tech companies and entrepreneurs. He is also the former chief executive of leading firms Sage, Micro Focus and [...]

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The government must not put a date on banning diesel trucks until it has developed a clear plan to help manufacturers and operators make the transition to zero emission HGVs, SMMT warned this week. The call comes after the publication of SMMT’s latest report: Fuelling the Fleet: Delivering Commercial Vehicle Decarbonisation. The report points out that whilst all of Europe’s major truck manufacturers have agreed that new HGVs will be fossil fuel-free by 2040, and are investing billions in new [...]

The post Don’t ban diesel trucks without a clear decarbonisation plan, SMMT warns government appeared first on Motor Transport.

Scania is to halt production at its European truck plants this week due to the shortage of semi-conductors, it confirmed today (31 August). The stoppage comes as the global chip shortage, triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and increased consumer demand for electronic goods such as laptops and gaming devices, continues to cause major delays in internatioanl manufacturing activity, forcing truck and car manufacturers across the globe to slow down production. Scania is pausing manufacturing at its truck plants in [...]

The post Scania halts truck production as global chip shortage crisis continues appeared first on Motor Transport.

As Scania Trucks announced a week-long shut down at its European plants today (31 August), due to the global shortage of semi-conductors, other truck manufacturers told MT they are also struggling with the shortage and warned of extended lead times on truck orders next year. The problem has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns which saw workforces grounded and the resulting soaring consumer demand for laptops and gaming devices as people were confined to their homes. For truck manufacturers [...]

The post UK operators face longer lead times as chip shortage drags on, manufacturers warn appeared first on Motor Transport.

Deliveries from Arla’s Aylesbury distribution centre are facing major delays after vegan climate activists blockaded all entrances and exits this morning (31 August). Around 50 activists from Animal Rebellion, which is affiliated to climate campaign group Extinction Rebellion, blocked the gates to Arla’s DC, at around 5am. The protesters locked on to bamboo structures and concrete barricades to prevent lorries from gaining access. Other campaigners are chained to a van with a banner stretched across one side reading “Plant-based by [...]

The post Arla deliveries delayed as vegan climate campaigners blockade Aylesbury DC appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government’s “insane” immigration policy is to blame for the lorry driver shortage, and not Brexit, the head of retail giant Next said this week. Next chief executive Lord Wolfson is calling on the government to think again and allow more HGV drivers to work in the UK to tackle the ongoing shortages and disruption. He said: “It strikes me as being insane that despite the fact that everyone knows that we desperately need drivers, the Home Office are still [...]

The post Next CEO blames “insane” government immigration policy for HGV driver shortage appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers were fined over £630,000 for not having the right paperwork to enter Kent at the end of the Brexit transition period, DfT has revealed. The fines, amounting to a total of £638,000, were for failing to have a Kent Access Permit, which was mandatory for EU-bound HGVs entering Kent from 1 January until 19 April. The permits were created in a bid to prevent disruption at the Channel ports as the UK made its transition out of the EU [...]

The post Kent Access Permit policy cost hauliers over £630,000 in fines, DfT reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Modified Vauxhall electric vans, capable of being charged up wirelessly, have taken to the streets of Edinburgh in a groundbreaking trial. The vans are fitted with a slim charging pad on the underside and can be charged up in less than an hour simply by parking above electric pads with no need for cables or plugging in. The £1.6m project is being led by Flexible Power Systems (FPS), in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and Heriot-Watt University. FPS [...]

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An HGV driver has been arrested on suspicion of drug driving after three people died in a collision on the A303. Police were called just after 8.40am on 25 August to a report of a collision near Andover involving a Vauxhall Astra, a Mercedes food delivery van, an HGV and a DAF recovery truck. Three people, all from separate vehicles, were pronounced dead at the scene. Hampshire police said their families had been informed and were being supported by specialist [...]

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The government has refused to place HGV drivers on the skilled occupation list, saying the public “repeatedly voted” for immigration to be controlled and employers should recruit British workers instead. Just days after trade groups Logistics UK and the British Retail Consortium urged ministers to help address the driver shortage crisis by granting temporary work visas to HGV drivers from the EU, the Home Office appeared to harden its stance by pointing out the country had requested this. A spokeswoman [...]

The post “Stop relying on EU labour,” industry told as new plea for emergency visas is rejected appeared first on Motor Transport.

An HGV had its windscreen smashed by two teenage boys seen throwing items off a bridge over the A505 Baldock Bypass. The incident occurred on 25 August at around 2.45pm and caused so much damage the driver of the artic was unable to continue his journey. Police are now hunting the youths that threw the missiles. PC Zak Watson of Hertfordshire police said: “This is completely reckless behaviour and could have caused a collision to occur resulting in serious injuries [...]

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Another lorry park in Kent has been given the go-ahead, just days after a logistics firm confirmed that its Dover parking site would be ready by November. At a Folkestone & Hythe council meeting earlier this week, approval was given for a 24-hour truck park on the Lympne industrial estate near Hythe, albeit with conditions. These include a maximum of 53 HGVs parked on the land at any one time, details to be submitted about the pre-booking system to be [...]

The post Green light for latest Kent lorry park plan appeared first on Motor Transport.

The trailblazer group for the logistics sector has expressed frustration at the delay in getting an apprenticeship for urban driving up and running, despite the current significant skills shortage. Jim French, co-chair of the transport and logistics trailblazer group, said a delay by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IATE) in making a decision on the urban driver category C HGV driver apprenticeship was heaping more damage on the perception of the industry. The group has recently been successful [...]

The post Trailblazer group slams delay to apprenticeship for urban drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Mercedes-Benz Vans have welcomed the latest member to their shared dealer network – the newly merged and rebranded Motus Truck & Van. The company was born out of the merger between MB dealers Orwell Truck & Van and S&B Commercials and it will continue to trade out of all of the existing sites of the previous businesses. Motus Truck & Van also intends on opening a truck and van aftersales centre in Witham, Essex before the end [...]

The post Motus Truck & Van joins Mercedes-Benz dealer network appeared first on Motor Transport.

UK CV production grew by 7.5% in July marking the fifth month of consecutive growth, but output remains almost 24% below the five-year average, according to new figures. The SMMT said 5,625 units were produced last month, a significant increase on July 2020 when production lines were running at reduced capacity. However, year-to-date production remains 21.3% below the average, with blame apportioned to the scarcity of semiconductor chips and an increase in workers who were required to self-isolate. The SMMT [...]

The post Semiconductor shortage slows upturn in commercial vehicle production appeared first on Motor Transport.

Concerns are rising that transport and logistics firms are not prepared for a tide of alcohol and drug-related impairment issues, due to the impact of the pandemic on mental health. A report from medical tech company Drager Safety UK found more than half (55%) of transport firms have no policies in place to manage workplace issues caused by prescribed medication. It said that as the industry continued to face serious driver shortages, greater pressure will be applied to existing staff [...]

The post New safety warning over workers who use alcohol and drugs to combat mental health issues appeared first on Motor Transport.

Engine production fell by 27.5% in July compared to the same month in 2020, but the SMMT said the reduction was artificially heightened by comparison to last year when output was recovering. Latest figures showed a total of 127,922 engines were made in UK factories last month and over the year-to-date, engine manufacturing has increased by 6.8% to 1,058,792 units. However, this remains 31.6% lower than the five-year average. The SMMT said the decline in production should be looked at [...]

The post Act now to support engine production, SMMT urges government appeared first on Motor Transport.

Ian Padley has returned to the position of group fleet director with Asset Alliance Group. He has been joined by nine new members of support and engineering staff, taking the team to 37 in total. Based in Wolverhampton, Padley is one of the group's longest-serving team members and has worked in various roles for the commercial vehicle specialist since it was founded in 2010. Read more Asset Alliance orders 100 new trailers as demand spikes New Asset Alliance deal a [...]

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The government is to launch a trial of 48-tonne trucks and allow the use of longer semi-trailers (LSTs) on Britain’s roads from 2022, the DfT has announced. The move follows a nine-year trial and a public consultation on LSTs, which DfT said found “overwhelming” support for the vehicles. Motortransport.co.uk first hinted at the move back in February after transport secretary Grant Shapps revealed his plans to a government committee. The trial concluded that the vehicles, which can be up to [...]

The post Government gives green light to LSTs and announces trial of 48-tonne trucks appeared first on Motor Transport.

E-learning specialist Road Skills Online has launched a free module to help fleet operators and drivers avoid bridge strikes. The Bridge Strike Toolbox Talk is available 24/7 from any PC or mobile device. Those who register are taken through a quiz to prove they are up to date on the latest training. RSO explained that negligence and poor training are often cited as the main cause of bridge strikes and that traffic commissioners now expect drivers, operators and transport managers [...]

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The stay at home drivers’ strike, organised by the founders of the Professional Drivers Protest Facebook Group, took place yesterday (23 August) with no discernable impact on the already patchy supply of goods across the country, as supply chains continue to struggle with the UK driver shortage crisis. The strike was in protest at HGV driver pay scales and working conditions. Drivers were urged to take action by not going into work for the day and staying at home as [...]

The post HGV driver strike goes under radar but organisers remain defiant appeared first on Motor Transport.

Lincolnshire-based tipper and rigid trailer manufacturer Fruehauf has been placed into administration. Hauliers and commercial vehicle suppliers said ongoing delays to orders had already led to a major trailer shortage across the entire supply chain. Fruehauf is understood to produce around half of the tipping trailers sold in the UK. Quantuma’s Carl Jackson and Tauseef Rashid have been appointed as joint administrators of the firm, along with Brian Johnson of UHY Hacker Young. They are looking at either a sale [...]

The post Tipper trailer producer Fruehauf enters administration appeared first on Motor Transport.

Last-mile delivery tech firm PostTag insists it is set to disrupt the UK logistics market after partnering with  solutions platform Locus. Founded in 2015, Locus already powers international deliveries across sectors like e-commerce, retail, FMCG, home services and third-party logistics and is now entering the UK market. It uses machine learning and proprietary algorithms to automate complex supply chain decisions. PostTag said the combination of its innovative address lookup technology and Locus’ automated supply chain management platform would help customers [...]

The post “We’ll shake up UK deliveries,” warns PostTag after new tech deal with Locus appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK has urged the government to replicate its Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme for the logistics sector and prioritise the granting of 10,000 temporary work visas to EU drivers. The scheme permits up to 30,000 individuals to come to the UK on a so-called T5 visa to work in agriculture for up to six months. The latest ONS Labour Force Survey Q2 for Logistics UK by independent research company Repgraph reveals that 14,000 EU HGV drivers left employment in the [...]

The post Logistics UK calls for 10,000 EU work visas amid fears over new driver shortage data appeared first on Motor Transport.

Anglo-Swedish electric vehicle start-up Volta Trucks has begun testing the first prototype Volta Zero at Horiba Mira in Nuneaton. The move follows the unveiling of the first prototype chassis of the Volta Zero – said to be the world’s first purpose-built full-electric 16-tonne commercial vehicle designed specifically for inner city logistics. Full-scale production of customer-specification vehicles will follow at the end of next year. Affectionately named ‘Volta Minus One’ by development engineers, as the forerunner to the production-specification Volta Zero, [...]

The post Testing begins on prototype Volta Zero with full roll-out scheduled for next year appeared first on Motor Transport.

Entries are now open for The Noise Abatement Society John Connell Awards, to be held in the Terrace Pavilion at the Palace of Westminster on Wednesday 20 October. NAS chief executive Gloria Elliott OBE said this year's event would acknowledge the logistic industry’s magnificent response during the pandemic and invited submissions of examples of quiet delivery success over the past year for the Silent Approach award. Now in their 19th year, the John Connell Awards are open to local authorities, [...]

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Glencar Construction has been awarded two new project instructions by logistics and industrial specialist St Modwen Logistics at strategic development sites in Exeter and Chippenham. At the Exeter site - St Modwen’s Skypark Development in Clyst Honiton - Glencar will construct a 196,000 sq ft build to suit a manufacturing facility for stove and fireplace producer Stovax. At St Modwen Park in Chippenham, it will undertake the construction of a single unit of 89,000 sq ft of industrial distribution and [...]

The post Glencar signs double development deal with St Modwen Logistics appeared first on Motor Transport.

Industrial real estate developer Panattoni is working up plans for a 202,200 sq ft speculative, last-mile logistics development in Crawley. The development, called Panattoni Park Crawley, will be located in the industrial area of Manor Royal Business District on a 10-acre brownfield site on Fleming Way, which Panattoni has just acquired from Aberdeen Standard Investments. Panattoni is aiming to submit an outline planning application in the fourth quarter of this year, with a view to beginning demolition and construction in [...]

The post Panattoni intensifies speculative programme with major scheme in Crawley appeared first on Motor Transport.

A campaign to recruit additional vocational driving examiners in England and Wales to help reduce the lorry driver shortage has been launched by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) today (17 August). However, the successful candidates will have to carry out car driving tests for four months before they can qualify to carry out HGV driving tests. Forty new vocational examiners will be recruited, drawn from existing DVSA employees and external candidates, to help tackle the huge backlog in [...]

The post DVSA to recruit 40 additional vocational driving examiners to help reduce lorry driver shortage appeared first on Motor Transport.

New HGV registrations were up by 128.7% in the second quarter of 2021 compared to 2020, revealing positive signs of recovery following the pandemic. However the full revival of the logistics industry has some way to go, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) warned this week, pointing to the pre-pandemic five-year average, which shows that truck registrations in the second quarter of 2021 actually fell 20.1%. According to figures released today (17 August) by the SMMT the increase [...]

The post HGV market sees signs of recovery in Q2 but still a long way to go, says SMMT appeared first on Motor Transport.

MT is looking forward to the return of a live Motor Transport Awards on 2 September 2021 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London, and it promises to be another great evening of top entertainment, fine dining and of course the announcement of the winners of the 20 awards. Last year’s Covid-19 lockdown meant that for the first time in 35 years the awards had to be presented online, but this year we are back in the Great Room [...]

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ATF operators are calling for DVSA to raise their pit fees by 25% after discovering the charge has been excluded from the agency's review of its HGV statutory test fees. The Association of Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFOA) has written to DVSA and the DfT to demand pit fees be included in the review with a proposal that they are increased by a quarter to make up for having been capped for the past 11 years. The review of HGV statutory [...]

The post ATF operators call for pit fees to be increased by 25% appeared first on Motor Transport.

French company Total is rebranding to TotalEnergies as part of a major strategy to transition away from oil production and into renewable energy. The rebranding was announced ahead of the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report last week which called for urgent action by governments to rapidly cut the use of fossil fuels to avert climate breakdown. Under its new branding, TotalEnergies will commit to increasing its capital spending in solar and wind energy generation, and energy [...]

The post Total rebrands as TotalEnergies as it transitions to green fuels appeared first on Motor Transport.

Dynamo Motor Company is planning to launch an all-electric last mile delivery van conversion to help cut city pollution. The Coventry-based maker of the all-electric Dynamo Taxi conversion has taken a short wheelbase (SWB) e Deliver 3 Maxus van and raised the roof height and lengthened the rear doors to give it the same cargo capacity as a long wheelbase (LWB) van. The conversion also provides 6 m3 capacity, up from the base van’s 4.8 m3 capacity with a total payload [...]

The post Dynamo Motor Company to launch electric van conversion appeared first on Motor Transport.

The new 3.5-tonne FUSO Canter is now available to order from Mercedes-Benz Trucks dealers across the country. For the first time in Britain, the new model is available with a narrower, 1.7m-wide standard cabin, in addition to the established 2.0m width of the comfort cab. Crewcab variants will continue to be offered in several weight classes. The new Canter can be ordered with safety feature Sideguard Assist, optional LED headlights, an Autolight function and reinforced rear underrun protection. Production of [...]

The post New Mercedes-Benz FUSO available for order appeared first on Motor Transport.

Operation Brock in Kent is being retained as an emergency measure that could be rolled out in the future, after the government removed “sunset clauses” from the legislation. The traffic management measure, designed to cope with queues of thousands of HGVs on the M20, was meant to end by October. It was originally introduced to deal with disruption caused by Brexit, amid fears that the UK’s withdrawal from the EU could lead to disruption for cross-Channel trade. It was recently [...]

The post Operation Brock could return as emergency measure, government confirms appeared first on Motor Transport.

Suffolk EV charging company EO Charging has become a publicly listed business in the US after it was acquired by First Reserve Sustainable Growth Corp. EO, which provides charging solutions to fleet operators across the UK, Ireland and Europe, ranked 27 on the Financial Times’ FT1000 list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies in 2021. Upon completion of the deal, expected to occur in the fourth quarter, the combined company will be named EO Charging. “Through this exciting combination, EO is positioned [...]

The post Suffolk EV charging firm goes public after partnering with First Reserve Sustainable Growth Corp appeared first on Motor Transport.

Drivers from DHL Supply Chain, Waitrose and Travis Perkins have been recognised for going above and beyond when faced with potential human tragedy on the roads. The Microlise Driver of the Year driver hero awards have been announced following a data analysis process, employer corroboration and assessment by an independent judging panel. Knights of the road Lee Clempson and Daryl Braddock from DHL Supply Chain prevented a woman intending to jump from a bridge onto the A30 in Cornwall and [...]

The post Microlise names hero drivers of the year appeared first on Motor Transport.

The industry has been given a chance to say whether the role and functions of the traffic commissioners are required, after the government launched a consultation into their work. The review also offers an opportunity to comment on the current delivery model, governance and funding arrangements of the eight TCs and 11 deputy TCs, as well as issues faced by their function amid the pandemic and their increased workload. Questions asked in the consultation include: How far do you agree [...]

The post Government to consult industry over need for traffic commissioners appeared first on Motor Transport.

An HGV driver high on cannabis ploughed through a lane closure and struck a stationary police car, causing spinal fractures and broken ribs to two officers. Christopher Swain appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on 10 August where he was sentenced for two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and for being over the prescribed limit for cannabis. He was jailed for two years, disqualified from driving for four years and ordered to retake another driving test. The 38-year-old [...]

The post HGV driver high on cannabis jailed after collision with police car leaves officers seriously injured appeared first on Motor Transport.

Do you want to boost safety and compliance when it comes to your urban fleet? Are your drivers equipped with the tools and techniques they need to safely navigate busy, urban environments? If you’d like to find out how connected vehicle technology can improve your fleet’s safety, then join us for the latest Freight in the City webinar Safer City Driving at 10.30am on 25 August. Karen McDonnell, occupational health and safety policy adviser at accident prevention specialists RoSPA will explain [...]

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The critical shortage of HGV drivers could tempt operators to engage and retain staff who fail to live up to basic standards, according to the traffic commissioners. In their latest annual report, the TCs acknowledged the challenge facing haulage firms as an acute skills shortage places significant pressure on supply chains leaving them struggling to deliver goods. But they also pointed out the possible impact on safety standards: “The obvious risk is that operators may be tempted to retain drivers [...]

The post Driver shortage may force firms to employ dangerous drivers, Traffic Commissioner report warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

A free guide explaining how to access funding and support for employing HGV drivers is being offered to logistics firms. Produced by Logistics UK, with support from the Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions, the guide gives information about schemes available to employers and how and where to apply for funding, including apprenticeships and traineeships. Elizabeth de Jong, Logistics UK policy director, said: “There is currently an acute issue with the recruitment and retention of roles [...]

The post Logistics UK launches free guide to finding funding for new HGV drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

A lorry fire on the M6 involving a trailer carrying a large amount of chemicals led to a temporary closure of the motorway and five miles of congestion. West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) said it was alerted to a fire involving a lorry trailer on the M6 between junctions five and six at 11.15pm on 9 August. Fire crews arrived within five minutes and initially four fire engines and 20 fire fighters attended the scene. A WMFS spokesman said: “A [...]

The post M6 closed after chemical fire on lorry trailer appeared first on Motor Transport.

Trucking capacity on European roads remained at a low level in July according to industry analysts, resulting in a significant increase in spot market rates. Figures from Transporeon showed that road transport capacity was at a low level of 76.7 points last month, a 26.9% reduction in capacity compared with July 2020. Capacity fell by 2.4% compared with June 2021. Transporeon said there was a recovery in the packaging materials sector, with a rise of 17.5% to 69.4 points in [...]

The post Slide in European trucking capacity raises spot market rates appeared first on Motor Transport.

A new ‘plug and play’ compact dashcam has been launched by Nexar, with a 32GB SD card and free unlimited cloud storage. Nexar said its Beam GPS can be concealed behind the rear-view mirror and records 1080p full HD video with a super wide lens for a 135-degree field of view. It has also developed its own proprietary software and its app allows for live streaming of all video footage directly to a smart phone. Eran Shir, Nexar chief executive, [...]

The post Nexar unveils new ‘plug and play’ dashcam with super wide lens appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers and drivers are being urged to respond to a consultation on proposals to overhaul vocational driving requirements and create one test to drive both a rigid and articulated lorry. As part of government plans announced last month to tackle the HGV driver shortage crisis, the DVSA has now launched a survey into ideas for getting new drivers up and running as quickly as possible. Its proposals include allowing learner lorry drivers to proceed to take the articulated HGV driver [...]

The post DVSA survey proposals aim to fast track new HGV drivers and ease labour shortage appeared first on Motor Transport.

Leading operators have insisted raising driver pay rates and offering sign-on bonuses will fail to ease the current chronic labour shortage and have instead led to rates increases and firms poaching staff from each other. Their warning comes amid a raft of fresh incentives being offered by major supermarkets and logistics operators to lure HGV drivers into new positions. However, Cullimore MD and RHA chairman Moreton Cullimore rejected recent claims by the Unite union that boosting driver pay rates would help [...]

The post Pay hikes triggering driver poaching and rates increases, top hauliers warn appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has been forced to defend itself over renewed industry claims that a public inquiry (PI) which could have rejected the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) was not held because the trade association withdrew its formal objections. At a PI, an independent inspector representing the Secretary of State would have tested the purpose, evidence base and objections to the controversial London safety scheme and made recommendations as to its implementation or rejection. But the minutes of a London Councils Transport [...]

The post “We did not hold back on opposing DVS,” argues RHA after fresh criticism appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Unite union has stoked the fire of an HGV drivers’ strike after accusing employers and the government of a “brazen lack of respect” which was now coming home to roost. After the threat among some drivers of industrial action over poor pay and deteriorating conditions appeared to diminish this week due to a lack of appetite, Unite ramped up the rhetoric by telling ministers to sit down with the union and chart a way forward, or else the country [...]

The post Unite union reignites fears of HGV drivers’ strike after confronting government appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government has extended the temporary relaxation of drivers’ hours rules in the UK until October, in a move criticised by the industry as not making “any material difference” to the driver shortage. The Department for Transport said the extension reflected “the exceptional circumstances arising from the cumulative impacts of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic and an acute shortage of drivers of heavy goods vehicles, which adversely affect the carriage of goods by road, causing acute supply chain pressures.” However, the [...]

The post “Dangerous and foolhardy” – relaxation of drivers’ hours extended until 3 October appeared first on Motor Transport.

Operation Brock is being removed from the M20 in Kent this weekend just 18 days after it was implemented, after fears over heavy holiday traffic proved unfounded. The disruption caused by its reintroduction prompted local MP Damian Green to criticise its use based solely on “worries” about possible congestion. The contraflow system was initially designed to prevent major hold ups on Kent roads in the event of a no-deal Brexit and was removed in April, but it was then reinstated [...]

The post Operation Brock scrapped after “two weeks of unnecessary annoyance” appeared first on Motor Transport.

A training course for fleet professionals planning to transition their light commercial fleets over to electric has been unveiled by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP). The eLCV one-day course follows a similar format to the industry body’s electric car course and is being delivered via video conferencing. The AFP said the training course consists of five modules: the eLCV ecosystem, vehicles, evaluation, total cost of ownership and operations and future state. Read more Trakm8 joins Association of Fleet Professionals [...]

The post Association of Fleet Professionals launches training course to help with switch to electric appeared first on Motor Transport.

Telematics specialist Quartix has introduced an enhanced version of the MyFleetLive camera range, providing HD1080p footage and video notifications about dangerous events. A partnership between Quartix and camera provider Fleet Focus in 2020 led to its first generation tracking software and AI camera and it said the latest version now available is a “significant upgrade”. The range, available as part of the Quartix tracking platform, will recall any historic footage remotely from the device either via a map or a [...]

The post MyFleetLive camera range gets “significant upgrade” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Van registrations fell by nearly 15% in July as ongoing supply problems relating to semiconductors meant only 23,606 LCVs were registered. Despite this, the month’s performance was only a 4% reduction compared to the pre-pandemic five-year average, according to the SMM. Large vans weighing more than 3.5-tonnes saw a decrease of 5.2% to 16,653 vehicles, with those weighing two tonnes and less seeing a much greater decline of 38.2%. Those between two and two and a half tonnes were down [...]

The post Van registrations dip in July as component shortage continues appeared first on Motor Transport.

FORS funded on-cycle driver safety training is back on track following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The practical on-cycle sessions form part of the FORS Professional Safe Urban Driving and Van Smart courses, and are aimed at helping HGV drivers experience the road from a cyclist’s viewpoint. At the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, FORS introduced a temporary relaxation of the on-cycle element, instead allowing drivers to meet the work-related road risk (WRRR) training requirements of the FORS Standard with [...]

The post HGV drivers back on their bikes after FORS resumes on-cycle driver safety training appeared first on Motor Transport.

The driver recruitment market has seen major consolidation this week following Challenge-trg Group’s acquisition of PMP Recruitment from investment house Twenty 20 Capital. The group said the purchase, for an undisclosed figure, brings group revenues to over three quarters of a billion pounds, temporary worker numbers to 40,000 and creates the largest blue collar recruitment firm in the UK. The company, which offers specialist logistics solutions in recruitment, training, driving, warehouse operatives and haulage said the acquisition will significantly boost [...]

The post Challenge-trg Group purchases PMP Recruitment to create major UK driver hire agency appeared first on Motor Transport.

Doubts are growing that there is sufficent support for a national HGV drivers' strike for it to go ahead. The threat of industrial action comes amid simmering resentment among drivers at wage levels and driver conditions and contempt for some of the bonuses supermarkets and logistics operators have been offering. However, firm support for the strike on the Facebook site central to the proposals has been muted. One driver from Hull, who asked the group who would be supporting the strike, [...]

The post HGV drivers divided on call for nationwide strike appeared first on Motor Transport.

A new white paper designed to help employers navigate the process of managing driver wellbeing and safety as they emerge from the pandemic has been issued by the Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP). The white paper “Return to Work: Back Behind the Wheel” has been created by AFP’s risk, compliance and health committee, after gathering ideas and observations from across its membership. Chair Paul Hollick said: “We’re seeing two sets of potential risk problems emerging. One is drivers who have [...]

The post AFP launches advice on how to support frontline and furloughed drivers “Back Behind the Wheel” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Comparison website Parcel2Go has launched an information hub to guide users through European Union VAT changes introduced on 1 July this year. The changes, aimed at making the EU VAT system more streamlined, see the end of the €22 VAT threshold exemption on goods imported to the EU, making all EU commercial imports subject to VAT, regardless of value. VAT now has to be charged based on customers’ locations, has to be declared for customs clearance, and VAT returns must [...]

The post Parcel2Go launches information hub to help shippers with new EU VAT regulations appeared first on Motor Transport.

Anonymous data from the O2 mobile phone network is being used in a government trial to identify potholes and congestion hotspots. The Thames Valley Berkshire Live Lab project aims to help local authorities plan improvements to air quality, public health, roads and energy infrastructure. The trials use crowd movement data collected from anonymised, aggregated O2 mobile connections - as well as anonymised data from air quality sensors and cameras on refuse trucks - to give councils a more accurate picture [...]

The post Trial uses mobile data to tackle potholes and congestion appeared first on Motor Transport.

Plans for a nationwide strike of thousands of lorry drivers on 23 August have been delayed as the organisers try to garner more support for the action. The strike is being organised by a Facebook group named "HGV drivers on STRIKE United Kingdom", which last week had over 3,300 members. In its original posting the group said the strike was to demand better pay and conditions. It urged all HGV drivers to join the strike on 23 August to protest [...]

The post Plans for nationwide lorry driver strike delayed appeared first on Motor Transport.

Demand for trailers has led to Asset Alliance Group ordering 100 mono-temp and multi-temp trailers worth £5.5m from Chereau, Schmitz Cargobull and SOR. The group said the investment reflected its confidence in the market and is likely to be followed up by similar sized equipment orders throughout 2021 and 2022. James Jenkins, Asset Alliance Group sales director, said: “This year demand for trailers has continued to increase so we are responding with significant investment in our stock. Read more New [...]

The post Asset Alliance orders 100 new trailers as demand spikes appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government has forged ahead with its plan to overhaul the Highway Code, giving cyclists right of way at junctions and making HGV drivers bear the greatest responsibility to other road users. To the dismay of the industry, the transport secretary Grant Shapps announced a raft of controversial updates to the rules of the road, creating a “hierarchy of road users” that he said would ensure those that can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility. The new version [...]

The post RHA “extremely concerned” as overhaul of Highway Code is confirmed appeared first on Motor Transport.

CNG Fuels is to open a new low-carbon HGV refuelling station in Newark, Nottinghamshire. The station’s launch comes as demand for renewable biomethane is growing at a rate of 100% per annum, according to the company. CNG Fuels is predicting that almost 20% of the UK’s high-mileage HGV fleet will be running on Bio-CNG by 2025. The Newark station is the latest addition to CNG Fuels’ network of refuelling stations. The company already operates six stations across the UK and [...]

The post CNG Fuels opens new Notts biomethane refuelling station appeared first on Motor Transport.

Shocking footage of an HGV driver ploughing into the back of a security van as he texted on his mobile phone has been released after police described it as “the worst case of prolonged distracted driving” ever seen. Derek Holland was jailed for three and a half years after in-cab footage captured 42 separate incidents of poor driving, before he collided with a broken down van on the A27. The three occupants – the driver, a prison escort and a [...]

The post HGV driver in crash jailed after footage captures him texting and peeling banana appeared first on Motor Transport.

MV Commercial has opened a new depot in Chipping Norton, housing a changing stock of up to 30 vehicles as well as a sheltered servicing and valet marquee and office complex. The vehicle rental and sales specialist said the launch of its fifth site would better serve customers in the Oxford area and also provide HS2 contractors easy access to Euro-6 equipment. Steven Cairns (pictured), MV Commercial MD, said: “Demand for vehicles from both a hire and sales perspective has [...]

The post MV Commercial opens Chipping Norton depot appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK said it sympathised with lorry drivers plotting a nationwide strike next month and repeated calls for the government to allow EU drivers temporary work visas. The strike is due to take place on 23 August in a renewed protest against pay and conditions, but has been criticised by the RHA as counterproductive - and likely to put even more pressure on the supply chain by exacerbating the driver shortage crisis. But Logistics UK fell short of condemning the [...]

The post Nationwide driver strike “understandable” while government blocks work visas, insists Logistics UK appeared first on Motor Transport.

The ‘pingdemic’ and a global semiconductor shortage are both standing in the way of a recovery in UK commercial vehicle production, with figures showing a 21% reduction on the pre-pandemic average. The SMMT said 5,808 units rolled off the lines in June, an increase of 39.6% compared to the same month in 2020. However, overall production for the first six months of 2021 was hampered by the UK-wide lockdown between January and March and then ongoing shortages in the supply [...]

The post Pings and shortages stunt commercial vehicle production appeared first on Motor Transport.

Schmitz Cargobull has bolstered its sales team with three appointments ahead of production commencing at its new Manchester factory. Stephen Mallett (pictured) has been promoted to head of sales and will focus on business development. He is joined by new sales managers Lee Roberton, who will look after customers in the south east of England, and Kevin Wynd, who will focus on Scotland, Northern Ireland and north east England. The 59,200 sq ft facility on the Southmoor Industrial Estate, Wythenshawe, [...]

The post Schmitz Cargobull on the charge as new recruits join Manchester sales team appeared first on Motor Transport.

Leyland Trucks is to participate in a DfT project designed to help operators make the transition to battery electric vehicles. Scheduled for later this summer, the £10m trial will employ 20 DAF LF Electric 19-tonne rigids, together with the required charging infrastructure and data logging equipment. An interactive website will inform future fleet operator buying decisions, help stimulate the sale of battery electric trucks and guide operators on the costs and considerations involved. The project is part of the government’s [...]

The post Government chooses Leyland Trucks for £10m electric truck trial appeared first on Motor Transport.

Maxus UK has further developed its dealer network with a dedicated facility in Sandtoft, Doncaster, focusing on its electric LCV ranges. Northside Maxus joins established bases in Leeds and Bradford and becomes part of the Anderson Group of companies, which includes Northside Truck and Van. The new five-acre facility offers a full sales and aftersales service and specialises in dealing and processing large fleet accounts as well as normal retail sales. “The Anderson Group is one of the most respected [...]

The post Maxus opens new Doncaster facility appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA is warning that a plan for thousands of lorry drivers to strike on 23 August to demand better pay and conditions will only put more pressure on drivers and the supply chain by exacerbating the driver shortage crisis. The call for a nationwide strike of lorry drivers on 23 August is posted on a Facebook group page named "HGV drivers on STRIKE United Kingdom", which has over 3,300 members. It urges all HGV drivers to join the strike [...]

The post Planned nationwide lorry driver strike “counterproductive”, RHA warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

Scania is taking part in a major trial of long haul electrified trucks powered by overhead wires on the UK’s motorways. If the trial is successful it could see long haul electrified HGVs take to the UK’s major roads by the 2030s. The trial, which it the first of its type in the UK, is being run by a consortium which includes Scania, Siemens Mobility, Costain, The Centre for Sustainable Road Freight, ARUP, Milne Research, SPL Powerlines, CI Planning, Box [...]

The post Scania takes part in first UK HGV electrification road trial appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK is facing the collapse of the supply chain in the next two to three weeks, RHA chief executive Richard Burnett (pictured) warned this week. Speaking to the BBC, Burnett said that despite meeting with Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last week to warn him of the perilous situation, the government is continuing to refuse to take any immediate action to tackle the severe HGV driver shortage. In an interview with BBC broadcaster Paddy O’Connell on Sunday (25 July), Burnett [...]

The post UK supply chain faces collapse in “two to three weeks”, RHA warns government appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) is calling on the government to make its workers exempt from self-isolation, with 40% currently isolating as a result of the “pingdemic”. Clare Bottle, UKWA chief executive, has written an open letter to Department of Transport (DfT) under-secretary Rachel Maclean, making a case for logistics workers to be exempt to prevent further shortages of supplies. “During the earlier phases of the Covid-19 pandemic, logistics workers, including warehouse workforces, benefitted from “essential worker” status, which helped [...]

The post UKWA demands warehouse workers be made exempt from self-isolation as 40% are hit by “pingdemic”. appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government has warned operators that exemptions to current Covid-19 self-isolation rules will only be for "very limited" exceptional circumstances, assessed on a case-by-case basis. The announcement comes in the wake of new guidelines allowing supermarket depot workers and food manufacturers exemption from quarantine rules as the government tries to ease problems in the food supply chain. But despite the government allowing retail workers, regardless of vaccination status, to do daily Covid testing instead of isolating, transport firms will still [...]

The post Transport workers only exempt from self-isolation in “very limited exceptional cases”, government insists appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK wants to redraw the post-Brexit trading arrangements it agreed with the EU for Northern Ireland, citing “profound difficulties” affecting the movement of trade. The government said border checks on goods from Great Britain had proved to be unsustainable. In a 28-page document, it said it had already become apparent “that it is not possible to operate these arrangements in a way that can be sustained, particularly not in the inflexible way the EU seems to want.” Brexit minister [...]

The post Brexit minister pleads with EU for new Northern Ireland trade deal appeared first on Motor Transport.

More than half of UK hauliers surveyed for a new industry research project have benefitted from adopting post-pandemic digital processes. Data from software specialist Mandata found 55% of its customers have been able to save 10 hours a week on manual job entries. However, 73% of haulage firms reported a significantly reduced cash flow as a result of the pandemic. The findings come in a recently published white paper after an assessment of the biggest challenges currently facing the tranport [...]

The post Hauliers “saving 10 hours a week” by turning digital, survey reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Karima Haji has been appointed transformation director for Scania (Great Britain). She joins the company’s executive team on 1 September 2021 from her current role as IT & operations director at Volvo Car Financial Services UK. Haji will lead the transformation and development of Scania’s UK business in line with the company’s vision to drive the shift to more sustainable transport solutions that are better for business, society and the environment. This will influence the way Scania develops its dealer [...]

The post Scania UK recruits transformation director from Volvo appeared first on Motor Transport.

Telematics market leader Microlise became a PLC when it listed on the London Stock Exchange's AIM at 8am on 22 July. The privately-owned group sold £61.2m of shares to investors at 135p per share, valuing the company at £156.5m. The shares opened at 137.5p and quickly rose to 146.5p in early trading. Microlise was founded in 1982 and was bought by a management team led by CEO Nadeem Raza, pictured, in 2008. The decision to list on AIM is intended to support [...]

The post Microlise listing on stock exchange to fund future growth gets off to a flying start appeared first on Motor Transport.

ePower Trucks has marked 20 years in business with the launch of five new last-mile delivery electric LCVs. The X-Cell and X-Cell micro are both designed for couriers, post and parcel delivery and last-mile delivery logistics applications. Oldham-based ePower Trucks said the X-Cell comes in three models with top speeds of up to 50mph and a range up to 120 miles and the three-wheel X-Cell micro has two models with speeds up to 25mph and a 55-mile range. Jamie Radcliffe, [...]

The post ePower Trucks launches last-mile delivery LCVs appeared first on Motor Transport.

A transport and warehouse operations supervisor apprenticeship has finally been approved and should be accredited for employers to use as soon as possible. The Trailblazer Group, which helped develop the standard, welcomed the announcement of the one-year Level 3 apprenticeship, particularly as the transport manager CPC has been mandated into the transport option. The apprenticeship follows the new HGV driver category C+E apprenticeship, approved earlier this year and Trailblazer Group co-chair Jim French said attention would now turn to getting [...]

The post New transport and warehouse supervisor apprenticeship gets go-ahead appeared first on Motor Transport.

A dedicated lorry park off the M26 in Kent is being proposed by Moto, which it said would address the chronic shortage of secure HGV parking in the county. The new rest stop would be built at junction 2A of the motorway and it is now asking for feedback from the public on the plans. The proposal comes less than a month after the government stepped in to remove controversial powers from Kent County Council to clamp HGVs parked in [...]

The post Moto eyes Kent parking site with space for 200 trucks appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government’s failure to clarify whether or not HGV drivers must self-isolate if they are caught up in the ‘pingdemic’ is causing chaos within all sectors that rely on transport and logistics, according to the RHA. Stay-at-home orders remain in place for those in close contact with anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, but a small number of ‘critical workers’ are exempt. These include health and care staff, but there remains confusion over whether HGV drivers – classed as essential [...]

The post RHA calls for clarity over Covid self-isolation “chaos” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Conservative MP and former transport minister Sir John Hayes is calling on the government to fix the HGV driver shortage by giving monetary grants to facilitate training, issuing emergency licensing schemes to clear the backlog caused by the pandemic, launching a government-led recruitment drive, and ensuring facilities for drivers are improved to encourage women into the industry. The MP for South Holland and the Deepings in Lincolnshire, pictured, is also calling for “greedy supermarkets” to stop squeezing their haulage suppliers [...]

The post Lincolnshire MP meets with chancellor in plea for Treasury to tackle driver shortage appeared first on Motor Transport.

Recruitment specialist Encore Personnel is planning to hire a dedicated, full-time CPC trainer to offer extended training sessions both in the week and at weekends. The move aims to help clear the backlog of drivers awaiting their Driver CPC training as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and to support its clients in attracting and retaining drivers. Encore operates 10 branches across the Midlands, including its head office in Leicester and is a JAUPT (Joint Approvals Unit for Periodic [...]

The post Encore on hunt for in-house trainer to tackle Driver CPC backlog appeared first on Motor Transport.

Government plans aimed at tackling the HGV driver shortage crisis which stop short of issuing temporary visas to foreign drivers have been given a muted welcome by the haulage industry. In a statement issued today (20 July) the government said it is not planning to add HGV drivers to the Shortage Occupation List, despite increasing delivery problems across the supply chain. It insisted that the UK labour market has changed “dramatically” due to the economic impact of the measures necessary [...]

The post Government to fast track HGV driver tests but blocks visas for foreign workers appeared first on Motor Transport.

Telematics market leader Microlise is to become a PLC when it lists on the London Stock Exchange's AIM on 22 July. The privately-owned group is selling £61.2m of shares to investors at 135p per share, valuing the company at £156.5m. Microlise was founded in 1982 and was bought by a management team led by CEO Nadeem Raza, pictured, in 2008. The decision to list on AIM is intended to support Microlise's next stage of development, including broadening its product offering and [...]

The post Microlise lists on stock exchange to fund future growth appeared first on Motor Transport.

Operation Brock is back in action on the M20 in Kent as of today (Monday 19 July) to avoid delays caused by heavy traffic created by holidaymakers hitting the roads. The contraflow system, which was initially designed to prevent major hold ups on Kent roads in the event of a no-deal Brexit, was removed in April, but has been reinstated today to cope with high levels of holiday traffic expected as lockdown restrictions ease and foreign travel becomes easier. Operation [...]

The post Operation Brock returns to M20 as holiday traffic builds appeared first on Motor Transport.

The government could be on the verge of a “massive Brexit U-turn” and offering temporary visas to EU truck drivers in an attempt to resolve a growing supply chain crisis. Parcel firm ParcelHero claimed secret talks were currently taking place between the Department for Transport and industry professionals that could result in non-UK HGV drivers being called back to the UK on temporary visas. Last week, the government said it would continue to relax drivers’ hours in an effort to [...]

The post Government U-turn on granting EU drivers temporary work visas imminent appeared first on Motor Transport.

The construction sector has reported widespread disruption and delays due to a shortfall of HGV drivers able to transport goods across the country. The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) said transport issues were now hitting suppliers to the construction industry, as members struggle to get materials into their stores and deliver orders to customers. It was now warning of failed deliveries at short notice, as well as lead times for some products being extended. The BMF said companies were attempting to [...]

The post Construction industry slowed by lack of delivery truck drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

Tyre management firm DTM has acquired TyreWatch in a move it said would provide customers with a more tailored service. Backed by Palatine Private Equity, DTM said the acquisition of the real-time tyre monitoring company bolsters its existing service, by using intelligent solutions to detect tyre problems before they become obvious during daily visual inspections. John Matthews, DTM MD, said: “DTM and TyreWatch have a shared strategy and passion to support our customers in increasing vehicle productivity, maintaining compliance and [...]

The post DTM expands tyre monitoring capability with Tyrewatch buy appeared first on Motor Transport.

Being struck by a moving vehicle continues to be one of the three most common causes of death among workers, according to latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Nearly a fifth (18%) of the total number of deaths in 2020/21 were due to being hit by vehicles, with 25 fatalities recorded. The HSE said 77% of all fatal injuries were accounted for by just five different accident kinds in the five years to 2020/21 and that falls [...]

The post Moving vehicles still a major cause of death at work says HSE appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK government has published its “revolutionary” 'Transport decarbonisation plan' that includes a consultation on banning the sale of “non-zero emissions HGVs” under 26 tonnes by 2035 and the sale of all fossil-fuelled HGVs by 2040. Announcing the plan, transport secretary Grant Shapps MP said: “Transport is the largest contributor to UK greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), with road transport alone accounting for almost a quarter of our total emissions in 2019. We must deliver a step change in the breadth [...]

The post RHA and Logistics UK disagree over viability of transport decarbonisation plan appeared first on Motor Transport.

A public inquiry (PI) which could have rejected the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) was not held because Logistics UK and the RHA withdrew their formal objections, according to TfL. Both trade associations refute the notion that they ever withdrew their objections to the scheme. A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is necessary to implement schemes such as the DVS. By law a PI must be held if the Amendment Order prohibits the loading or unloading of vehicles of any class at [...]

The post Trade bodies waived right to DVS inquiry, says Transport for London appeared first on Motor Transport.

Almost three quarters of Pall-Ex Group hauliers are affected by the driver shortage every day with all 170-plus members reporting the situation is causing their businesses to suffer, the pallet network is warning. The extent of the impact of the driver shortage crisis was revealed in a poll of the group’s shareholder members, who belong to either Pall-Ex or sister pallet network Fortec. Pall-Ex said that as the current driver cohort ages and fewer young people enter the sector its [...]

The post Driver shortages are pushing logistics towards unprecedented crisis, Pall-Ex warns government appeared first on Motor Transport.

An MT investigation has revealed that a public inquiry (PI) which could have rejected the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) was not held because Logistics UK and the RHA withdrew their formal objections, according to TfL. Both trade associations refute the notion that they ever withdrew their objections to the scheme. A Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is necessary to implement schemes such as the DVS. By law a PI must be held if the Amendment Order prohibits the loading or unloading [...]

The post Trade bodies waived right to DVS inquiry, says TfL appeared first on Motor Transport.

The logistics industry has lashed out at government claims that hauliers ignored government warnings to prepare for the driver shortage for five years. The accusation was made by transport minister Baroness Vere in a House of Lord’s debate on the subject. Vere said: “I have been roads minister now for two years, and I had this conversation [about driver shortages] with the haulage sector two years ago. “The TSC [Transport Select Committee] issued a report in 2016, pointing out exactly [...]

The post Government move to lay blame for driver shortage at hauliers’ door slammed by industry appeared first on Motor Transport.

MAN has announced a series of product highlights for its new TGX, TGS, TGM and TGL models, which it said would make them more efficient, safer and user-friendly. Arriving between the second half of this year and early 2022, they include the MAN OptiView mirror replacement system; the MAN CruiseAssist driving assistant, as well as additional fuel savings. It said the optional mirror replacement system was the main visual highlight and can be ordered from October onwards. It works exclusively [...]

The post MAN unveils truck upgrades appeared first on Motor Transport.

The winners of the 2021 Amazon everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards have been announced. Now in their 14th year, the awards celebrated 16 outstanding individuals working in the transport and logistics sector, as well as showcasing them as role models for the next generation of female talent. For the first time, the awards introduced the ‘Tech Innovator Award’ sponsored by Hermes to celebrate a woman designing, developing, researching, implementing or being exceptionally creative with technology within the sector. This [...]

The post Winners announced at 2021 Amazon everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards appeared first on Motor Transport.

A deputy traffic commissioner has ordered that the owner of a haulage firm whose vehicle crashed through a central reservation and killed two men should never be allowed to operate HGVs again in the UK. DTC Mark Hinchliffe said “a message has to go out” to the industry that firms and directors who secretly or illicitly acquire and abuse operator licences will result in “firm and resolute action”. Last week, haulage boss Michael Holgate was jailed for 15 years for [...]

The post Jailed haulage boss told he must never operate HGVs again after double-fatal crash appeared first on Motor Transport.

Asset Alliance ensured its tender application for bakery ingredients supplier Fleming Howden had risen to perfection after beating the competition to deliver four Mercedes-Benz Actros 2533L box body rigids. The Newbridge, Edinburgh company was so impressed it also ordered three Actros 2545 6x2 tractor units and two Montracon 4.2m ENXL pillarless curtainsiders. The box bodies include three 26-tonne and one 18-tonne rigid, all fitted with Gray & Adams bodies with Thermo King refrigeration units. Stuart Cowie, Fleming Howden logistics manager [...]

The post New Asset Alliance deal a major breadwinner appeared first on Motor Transport.

Extending drivers hours could leave hauliers and their drivers at risk of being prosecuted for dangerous driving, according to a transport lawyer. Vikki Woodfine, partner and head of road transport at solicitors DWF, joined many others from the industry in criticising the government’s decision to relax drivers’ hours in response to a significant shortage of staff in the industry. Woodfine said the move undermined the importance of drivers’ hours rules and could expose transport companies to significant risk. She said: [...]

The post Extension of drivers’ hours raises risk of prosecution for dangerous driving, lawyer warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

Implementing fleet optimisation software should be a transport firm's first step to addressing the driver shortage, according to tech firm The Algorithm People (TAP). It said recruiting their way out of the problem was not a complete solution and the skills gap could be “significantly mitigated” by route optimisation technology. TAP chief executive Colin Ferguson said: “Optimising the fleet assets industry already has must be the first step to solving the driver crisis. “Fleet optimisation is a win-win for industry, [...]

The post Fleet optimisation software the priority in tackling driver shortage, tech firm insists appeared first on Motor Transport.

Transport minister Baroness Vere said extending drivers’ hours was “definitely not a long-term solution” to the burgeoning recruitment crisis and that the industry had known for a long time this problem was on the horizon. Speaking during a House of Lords debate, Vere said that although they had been some of the heroes during the pandemic, it was “time for the industry to step up just a little more”. She said: “On 1 August last year, we suspended the HGV [...]

The post Government hits back over driver shortage and accuses hauliers of complacency appeared first on Motor Transport.

Energy Saving Trust, Zemo Partnership and the Department for Transport (DfT) have relaunched an updated Freight Portal, with the aim of providing better support to operators as they strive to cut carbon emissions and fuel bills.The portal shows how operators can adapt vehicles to reduce emissions and includes training courses and telematics systems. There are also tips on how operators can make their operations more efficient, improve their green credentials, expand the skill set of their drivers and become more [...]

The post Freight Portal relaunches to give greater support to operators in cutting carbon emissions and costs appeared first on Motor Transport.

Operators and industry trade bodies have reacted with dismay to news that the government will continue to relax working hours until 8 August in an effort to ease the current driver shortage. A DfT statement said: "In response to pressures on local and national supply chains, the DfT has introduced a temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the retained EU drivers’ hours rules in England, Scotland and Wales. "The temporary relaxation of the rules reflects the exceptional circumstances stemming from a shortage [...]

The post “Utter stupidity” – operators and trade bodies slam government over drivers’ hours extension appeared first on Motor Transport.

A brand-new industry event is bursting onto the scene next summer – the Road Transport Expo 2022 - taking place at Stoneleigh Park from 30 June–2 July. Created by Motor Transport publisher Road Transport Media, RTX has a simple and powerful core theme: “It’s all about the truck!” HGVs will be at the very heart of everything the show will offer visitors, from the latest models on display and available to ’ride and drive’, through to conference talks, technology demonstrations [...]

The post Road Transport Expo 2022 is coming to industry! appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics training developer Transformotion has teamed up with developer anet360 to launch immersive, virtual reality (VR) Driver CPC training courses to train professional drivers from the safety of the classroom. The joint venture, dubbed the Driver CPC Consortium, is offering two JAUPT approved courses with more to follow. First to launch is the VR Safe Urban Driving which allows HGV drivers, wearing VR headsets and using interactive app technology, to experience what it’s like to ride a bicycle in urban [...]

The post Driver CPC Consortium launches immersive virtual reality driver training courses appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Unite union is calling on the government to think again on its plans to scrap the need to self-isolate, end the legal requirement to wear face masks in England and remove limits on social gatherings and social distancing. Announcing the move, Johnson said Covid will become a virus society learns to live with, as it does with flu, but conceded the reopening would likely lead to more deaths. Statistics show that cases could rise to 100,000 a day this [...]

The post End to Covid restrictions a threat to HGV drivers and their employers, union warns appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers and drivers have criticised major retail customers for disrupting their schedules with excessive delays and called for them to be penalised. “One area that has been a big thing for me over the years is the waste of resource we all face when our trucks are sat at delivery points, loading points and RDCs for hours and hours,” John Sheard, MD of JMS of Doncaster, told MT. “Every day we deliver to the large retailers of this country and [...]

The post Operators call for retail customers to be punished for wasting their time and resources appeared first on Motor Transport.

Granting European lorry drivers temporary visas to help plug the HGV driver shortage would be nothing more than a sticking plaster, Unite warned this week. The union called instead for the logistics industry to boost driver pay rates to solve the crisis. Unite was responding to reports last week that the government may be considering changing immigration rules to make it easier for UK companies to recruit lorry drivers from overseas. The union, which represents thousands of lorry drivers, said [...]

The post Don’t grant temporary visas to European lorry drivers, just pay UK HGV drivers more, says Unite appeared first on Motor Transport.

Traton Group, Daimler and Volvo Group are joining forces to create a European public charging network for battery-electric HGVs and long-distance coaches. The three companies plan to launch a joint venture (JV) by 2022 which will roll out at least 1,700 high-capacity charging points powered by green electricity within five years of its launch. The network’s charging points will be compatible with vehicles of all brands and will be located close to highways as well as at logistic and destination [...]

The post Traton, Daimler Truck and Volvo to roll out electric HGV charging network appeared first on Motor Transport.

As the market leader in gas trucks, the Iveco stand at ITT Hub unsurprisingly featured an example of the recently launched S-WAY Natural Power in the form of a 4x2 LNG AS440, as well as the New Daily van. Iveco believes that natural gas is currently the only viable transport decarbonisation solution, offering a 95% reduction in CO2 emission when running on biomethane. Aerodynamic drag has been reduced by 12% in the S-WAY, helping it achieve up to a 4% [...]

The post Iveco flies the flag for natural gas at ITT Hub appeared first on Motor Transport.

DAF Trucks used ITT Hub to showcase its full line up of electric vehicles including the LF Electric 4x2 rigid and CF Electric 6x2 rigid and 4x2 tractor units. Also on show for the first time in the UK was the New Generation DAF XG+ top of the range Super Space replacement cab over a 13-litre 530hp engine. Following the launch in June, production of righthand drive New Gen trucks will start in October at the Leyland factory in Lancashire [...]

The post DAF does the double at ITT Hub with new electric and XG+ ranges making UK debuts appeared first on Motor Transport.

Alan Hunt, joint MD for sales and service at Schmitz Cargobull UK and Ireland, was on hand at the ITT Hub and happy to talk about the giant German trailer builder’s plans for its new UK factory that will build 2,000 vehicles a year when at full capacity. Hunt, pictured, says the company actually planned a UK plant in 2016 shortly after he was made MD but Brexit put this move on hold until last year when a strategic review [...]

The post Schmitz Cargobull expands on plans for UK manufacturing plant at ITT Hub appeared first on Motor Transport.

The 2021 Zemo Partnership Annual Conference - its first since the transition from LowCVP - will be held online on Tuesday 20 July. Following last year's successful event, Zemo Partnership will use the latest in digital conferencing technology, to maximise the opportunities for interactivity, information sharing and networking. This year, Zemo Partnership’s annual conference is held in association with Net Zero Week taking place between 17 - 23 July. Net Zero Week is a government and industry-backed national awareness week; a focal point for generating awareness and [...]

The post Zemo Partnership Annual Conference: what does the zero-emission revolution mean for you? appeared first on Motor Transport.

Scania is to introduce a "substantially updated" Euro-6 truck range this November. The exact timing and content of the launch have not been disclosed but the company promised it would include improvements in fuel consumption compared to the current range, as well as chassis updates. “Given the situation with record demand, semiconductor shortages and the coming introduction of a new product range, we decided to put our cards on the table,” explained Alexander Vlaskamp, executive vice president and head of [...]

The post Scania to launch “substantially improved” truck range in autumn appeared first on Motor Transport.

Steve Gooding, president of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), has used the inaugural edition of transport and logistics event ITT Hub to urge the industry to nail down specific and immediate solutions to the driver shortage or risk accusations of crying wolf. The UK is suffering from a shortfall of as many as 65,000 HGV drivers, exacerbated by Brexit, which prompted thousands of EU lorry drivers to leave the UK, the introduction of IR35 tax changes and [...]

The post Act today on driver shortage or you’re crying wolf, ITT Hub panel tells industry appeared first on Motor Transport.

There has been an “explosion” in demand among HGV drivers for D4 medicals, with waiting times increasing and adding another obstacle to resolving the driver crisis. GP’s network D4 Drivers said it was trying to handle up to 9,000 professional driver appointments a month and it was attempting to recruit extra doctors to meet demand. However, it warned that with strikes also taking place at the DVLA at a time when the licensing agency was also battling a paperwork backlog, [...]

The post Surge in demand for D4 medicals “a recipe for disaster” appeared first on Motor Transport.

Highways England (HE) has been criticised by MPs for giving the impression that technology that spots broken down vehicles on smart motorways would be installed five years ago. Giving evidence to the transport select committee (TSC), the roads agency admitted it hadn’t been “as precise or as clear as we could have been” when it told the committee in 2016 smart vehicle detection (SVD) technology was being rolled out. Earlier this year, transport secretary Grant Shapps said it was “entirely [...]

The post MPs slam Highways England over delayed smart vehicle detection technology appeared first on Motor Transport.

Volta Trucks has unveiled its running prototype chassis of the Zero – the first purpose-built, fully electric 16-tonne truck. Designed and built using the proposed production specification frame and drivetrain components of the finished vehicle, the Volta Zero includes a high-voltage battery supplied by Proterra, as well as the compact eAxle – an integrated rear axle, electric motor and transmission unit from Meritor. The prototype chassis is due to start a testing programme on proving grounds soon, with the knowledge [...]

The post Volta Trucks reveals prototype Zero chassis appeared first on Motor Transport.

James Armstrong (pictured) has now replaced Martin Hay as the new MD of Scania (Great Britain). Taking up the reins, the former MD of Scania’s central European region thanked Hay and said he had inherited “a strong and robust organisation in excellent health”. Armstrong said: “Going forward, my priorities will be to build on the solid foundation Scania has in the UK by further developing the range and scope of services we provide, and continuing to enhance the skills and [...]

The post “Challenges and opportunities ahead,” says new Scania UK boss appeared first on Motor Transport.

Centrepiece of the Renault Trucks stand at ITT Hub in Farnborough this week was a new 26-tonne 6x2 tag axle low entry, high direct vision chassis cab for urban applications such as refuse collection where it is aimed squarely at existing players including Mercedes-Benz and Dennis. The D Wide ZE Low Entry Cab can be configured with different battery capacities up to 265kWh to enable it complete the vast majority of domestic refuse collection rounds on a single charge. Renault [...]

The post Renault chooses ITT Hub to launch low entry electric D Wide appeared first on Motor Transport.

SmartDrive’s new SmartSense for Inattentive Driving+ uses artificial intelligence and analysis of over 330 million risky driving events it has captured around the world to help prevent accidents due to drowsiness, smoking, phone use and other types of inattentive driving. Previewed at ITT Hub, SmartSense for Inattentive Driving+ uses a driver-facing camera to constantly monitor the attentiveness of the driver to the road and can be set to alert only the driver to potentially dangerous behavior or also send a [...]

The post SmartDrive launches intelligent camera system to help prevent collisions due to inattentive driving appeared first on Motor Transport.

An electric road system (ERS) is the only viable future for long-haul HGVs, with hydrogen far too expensive, the director of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight has told delegates at new transport and logistics event ITT Hub. Speaking during this week's panel discussion at Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre, David Cebon said: “Electric roads are the lowest cost system, the lowest carbon system and the highest readiness solution. Green hydrogen uses 3.5 times more energy, 3.5 times more [...]

The post Forget hydrogen – electric roads are the future, ITT Hub delegates told appeared first on Motor Transport.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks used the stand of its southern dealer Marshall Truck & Van at ITT Hub to showcase the new eActros rigid battery electric truck that has a range up to 400kms from its 420kWh battery packs. Designed for heavy-duty regional distribution, series production of the eActros will begin in Wörth this autumn. This will be followed by the low-floor Mercedes-Benz eEconic truck in 2022 while the battery electric eActros LongHaul is expected to be launched in 2024. A ‘GenH2’ [...]

The post Mercedes-Benz dealer reveals new eActros and shows eSprinter at ITT Hub appeared first on Motor Transport.

Swedish hydraulic refrigeration firm Hultsteins has appointed Graham Usher as MD for the UK and Ireland, to spearhead growth in the market. With more than 30 years’ experience in the CV industry, Usher has been working with Hultsteins over the last 18 months to prepare for the wide-scale introduction of its hydraulic refrigeration systems and hybrid generators. “Hultsteins systems are widely used throughout Northern Europe and have been for the last five decades,” said Graham. “Thousands of trucks and drawbar [...]

The post Swedish hydraulic refrigeration firm Hultsteins appoints new MD to expand into UK and Ireland appeared first on Motor Transport.

Ministers have bowed to growing industry pressure and removed controversial powers from Kent County Council (KCC) to clamp HGVs parked in laybys. The widely criticised initiative, which enables the council to ban trucks over five tonnes from stopping in the county and has been in place since January, will end at midnight today (30 June). Logistics UK wrote to transport minister Rachel Maclean earlier this month objecting to KCC’s attempts to make the temporary measure permanent and pointing out that [...]

The post Government clamps down on Kent’s HGV layby parking enforcement appeared first on Motor Transport.

Zemo Partnership’s Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme (RFAS) has seen rapid engagement from fuel suppliers with 10 companies now fully approved. The initiative, launched in March, gives fleet operators robust and transparent information about the fuel life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and wider sustainability performance of renewable fuels supplied in the UK. The 10 suppliers now approved through the scheme are: CNG Fuels, Argent Energy, Gas Bus Alliance, Air Liquide Advanced Technologies, Green Biofuels, Greenergy Fuels, Crown Oil, Speedy Fuels & [...]

The post Zemo’s Renewable Fuels Assurance Scheme gaining pace with 10 approved suppliers appeared first on Motor Transport.

A haulage boss has been jailed for 15 years for manslaughter after one of his lorries crashed through a central reservation and killed two men.  Michael Holgate was also found guilty of causing death whilst uninsured following a two-week trial at Hull Crown Court. The driver of the lorry, Jack Beston, who was 22 at the time of the collision, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving when he appeared at an earlier hearing and was jailed for six [...]

The post Haulage boss jailed for 15 years following fatal M62 collision appeared first on Motor Transport.

Maxus UK is expanding its dealer network with the Brindley Group confirmed as the latest dealership to offer the manufacturer’s range. Brindley’s first-ever commercial Maxus site will be located at Featherstone in Staffordshire. Maxus has recently launched three new platforms, beginning with its flagship LCV, the DELIVER 9. The DELIVER 9 was revealed in summer 2020 and comes in seven standard variants. This was followed by two electric LCVs, the compact, lightweight e DELIVER 3 – and the larger, more powerful [...]

The post Maxus adds Brindley Group to expanding dealer network with new Staffordshire site appeared first on Motor Transport.

P&O Ferries has added a fifth ship to its Dover to Calais route in response to growing demand for extra crossings from the freight industry. The Pride of Burgundy, which will be dedicated to freight, has the capacity to carry 120 lorries and 28,000 tonnes. It will make two return journeys each day. P&O said the ship has been returned to service following growing demand from British and European customers. Peter Hebblethwaite, P&O Ferries MD said: “I am delighted to [...]

The post P&O boosts freight crossings on Dover to Calais route as demand grows appeared first on Motor Transport.

Don-Bur has showcased its new Polar-Bur temperature-controlled lifting deck trailer at Tip Trailer Services’ two-day event at Stoke City Football Club. The Polar-Bur trailer, which features the Thermo King Advancer A500 refrigeration system supplied by Marshall Fleet Solutions, is the first of two of being supplied by TIP Trailer Services to its customers. The 4.915m high, tri-axle Polar-Bur trailer, which is designed to operate between +12 and -20°C, is also fitted with an aerodynamic ‘EcoStream’ roof profile, which Don-Bur claims [...]

The post Don-Bur unveils Polar-Bur at TIP Trailer Services event appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK said the Welsh government must reverse its decision to freeze all road building projects while it reviews the impact on the climate emergency, describing it as “a step back”. Earlier this week, the country’s deputy minister for climate change said it would not reach its statutory target of Net Zero emissions by 2050 if it continued to encourage more people to drive. As a result, the government announced that it would pivot away from building new roads and [...]

The post Think again on road building freeze, Logistics UK urges Welsh government appeared first on Motor Transport.

End-of-life tyres should be reprocessed into renewable transport fuels if the government wants to achieve its Net Zero emissions target, according to campaigners. The Renewable Transport Fuel Association (RTFA) and the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) are collaborating to promote a greater uptake of the chemical process known as pyrolysis, which converts old tyres into fuels which reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The group said the demand for processing tyres will increase in the UK as the export trade falls amid international [...]

The post ‘Turn old tyres into fuel,’ Net Zero campaigners urge appeared first on Motor Transport.

Enterprise Flex-E-Rent has bolstered its rental fleet with the addition of 100 plug-in electric vans. They include Mercedes 55/44 kWh eSprinters, 35 kWh eVito Panel vans and Renault KANGOO E-Tech car-derived vans. They are available for daily rental as well as for longer-term flexible rental at depots across the south of England and the Midlands. Enterprise said many businesses were consulting with it about the use of EVs and moving towards alternative fuels and the investment would support firms trying [...]

The post Enterprise Flex-E-Rent adds 100 electric vans to fleet appeared first on Motor Transport.

UK commercial vehicle production continued its gradual increase in May, with more than 6,000 units rolling out of factories, according to latest figures. For the second consecutive month, CV output saw a significant increase on the same period in 2020, when just 820 units left production lines. The output in May also represents a 2.2% increase on the five-year average, although the SMMT said this should be viewed in the context of model changes in 2019. Year-to-date, CV production has [...]

The post May CV production exceeds pre-pandemic levels appeared first on Motor Transport.

Scottish Mercedes-Benz Trucks dealership Western Commercial will no longer sell HGVs from December due to the investment needed to continue the service. In a letter to customers, the company – which has sites in Bellshill, Glasgow, Broxburn and Dundee – said it was no longer sustainable to keep the truck business going. The letter said: “We have reached a stage where for us to take the business further, meet your expectations, satisfy the requirements of the manufacturer and fully engage [...]

The post Major Mercedes-Benz Trucks dealer to halt HGV sales appeared first on Motor Transport.

Truckers who rely on junk food and unhealthy snacks may be worse drivers, according to a study. A paper published in the medical journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine looked at driving behaviours among almost 400 HGV drivers and the impact of their diet, as well as fatigue. The authors said four dietary patterns were identified among the participants – animal-derived foods, staple foods, snacks and vegetables. Their analysis showed that drivers with a vegetable-rich diet had more “positive driving behaviour”. [...]

The post New study reveals the diet that can lead to road accidents appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has written to the Prime Minister urging him to allow the haulage industry access to EU and EEA labour before the supply chain collapses, amid reports that supermarkets are already struggling to receive goods. The letter, which is co-signed by a raft of haulage and logistics bosses, said it was too late to train up HGV drivers to deal with the existing crisis and a temporary worker visa was now required to enable staff to be shipped in [...]

The post Logistics chiefs co-sign letter from RHA to Prime Minister warning of supply chain collapse appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK needs to stop getting bogged down in debating the merits of battery versus fuel cell-powered EVs and accept that both technologies are needed to achieve Net Zero, according to a trade association. The UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association (UK HFCA) said latest estimates of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 showed investment would need to be increased to around £50bn a year and support was required to deploy hydrogen on a wide scale. In a joint statement signed [...]

The post Battery versus fuel cell argument causing “paralysis through analysis”, Net Zero campaigners insist appeared first on Motor Transport.

A “fantastic commercial opportunity” near Kettering comprising 6,685 sq ft of buildings and a four-acre surfaced storage yard for HGV parking, has gone on the market. The Staveley Yard site in Cranford, close to junction 11 of the A14, can be rented as a whole or in lots, according to land agent King West. It said access is via secure electric gates and it also has CCTV, secure perimeter fencing and lighting. Up to 55 HGVs can be parked on [...]

The post New storage and HGV parking site near Kettering goes on the market appeared first on Motor Transport.

Fleet managers and other professionals whose role includes road safety can now take a bespoke qualification in their specialist field after Eden Training Solutions teamed up with Road Safety GB to offer a course. ‘Delivery and Management of Safe, Sustainable and Healthy Travel’ is backed by the transport secretary Grant Shapps (pictured) and falls under the government’s apprenticeship scheme. It is designed to enhance the skills of road safety practitioners in local authorities, emergency services, charities and the fleet sector. [...]

The post Eden Training Solutions launches government endorsed road safety course appeared first on Motor Transport.

Over 2.5 million people died from Covid-19 in 2020, and the world has been galvanised into action by the devastating loss of life. Yet every year, more than one million people lose their lives in road collisions. But, unlike the pandemic, its most significant effect is among children and young adults. Road crashes are the leading cause of death for the 5 to 29 age group. Worldwide, the number of road fatalities continues to increase each year. Yet, in Europe, [...]

The post New call for action on road safety as research reveals 40% of fatal collisions involve HGVs appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Midlands will need 76 low and zero emission fuel refuelling stations by 2040 if it is to meet growing demand from operators in the region for alternative fuels and meet statutory zero carbon targets. According to a recent study by think tank Midlands Connect, the region will need a maximum of 65 hydrogen refuelling stations and 11 CNG/LNG refuelling stations by 2040 just to service the Midlands HGV fleet. The study, dubbed Alternative Fuels: Beyond Fossils, is calling for [...]

The post Midlands hauliers will need 76 low and zero emission fuel stations by 2040 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Leading hauliers have told MT they have been forced to increase rates to customers amid a range of growing industry challenges. Pressures on already tight margins have been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic, driver shortages, increasing fuel prices and a hike in the cost of moving goods and services internationally. Cullimore MD, Moreton Cullimore, said hauliers are therefore faced with "no option but to increase rates", which would inevitably have an effect on inflation. “The transport industry cannot be squeezed [...]

The post Hauliers hike rates amid “perfect storm of crises” appeared first on Motor Transport.

The use of renewable ‘drop-in’ fuels, such as HVO (hydro-treated vegetable oil), to reduce the carbon impact of HGV fleets was the focus of the latest Freight in the City webinar. In partnership with DAF Trucks, the topical webinar looked at the government’s ambition to move towards net zero carbon by 2050 and the role sustainable fuels would play to achieve this aim. Phil Moon, marketing manager at DAF Trucks, acknowledged the significant task that lay ahead of both manufacturers [...]

The post ‘Drop-in’ fuel HVO explored at latest Freight in the City webinar appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Algorithm People, developer of pay-as-you-go route optimisation platform My Transport Planner, has secured $2.2m (£1.6m) of funding from a consortium of tech investors led by former Sage chief executive Stephen Kelly. It said the cash injection will allow it to accelerate plans for UK and international growth and focus on the opportunity created by the world’s race to Net Zero. Established in 2018, The Algorithm People focuses on solutions for fleet modernisation, enabling firms to operate more efficiently, while [...]

The post Developer of My Transport Planner secures new investment appeared first on Motor Transport.

Global property group Goodman has broken ground on 338,267 sq ft of e-commerce and distribution space at Purfleet Commercial Park in Essex. At the heart of the M25 and A13 corridors and 16 miles from central London, Purfleet 338 is said to offer fast connections to the national motorway network, placing 21 million consumers with a combined purchasing power of £453bn within a two-hour HGV drivetime. The site also sits within a thriving logistics employment base, with more than 35,000 [...]

The post Goodman starts work on 340,000 sq ft M25 distribution space appeared first on Motor Transport.

Courier firm Speedy Freight said leading national brands are still facing "massive challenges" in moving products six months on from the UK's departure from the EU. Clients facing the worst delays are those shipping products of animal origins, the company said, with the new, longer sign-off process on both sides of the border creating delays of up to 72 hours for some shipments. Those involved have incurred "massive fines". Driver shortages remain "the single biggest crisis in the haulage industry", [...]

The post Leading exporters still facing long border delays and massive fines, insists Speedy Freight appeared first on Motor Transport.

Funding to help local hauliers upgrade their fleets to meet Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) requirements has been almost tripled to £12,000. Local operators will be able to apply for the support, up from an original proposal of just over £4,000, which they can use towards purchasing Euro-6 trucks which meet the Greater Manchester CAZ requirements. Hauliers will also be given more time to upgrade their fleets, according to the city’s Clean Air Plan, published today (21 June). In [...]

The post Greater Manchester hauliers see CAZ funding for truck upgrades almost tripled to £12,000 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics UK’s?Transport Manager conference series, sponsored by Bridgestone Tyres, is set to return this autumn?with live events planned at 11 venues around the UK. Kicking off on 21 September at Southampton’s?Hilton at the Ageas Bowl, the series of conferences will highlight?key issues for?fleet managers, provide professional advice and help attendees remain compliant and up to speed on the?latest?legislative?developments. Delegates will hear from a range of senior industry figures and policy makers, with experts?on hand?throughout the day?to advise on legislation and [...]

The post Logistics UK to launch Transport Manager conference series in September appeared first on Motor Transport.

Clare Bottle (pictured) has been appointed chief executive of the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) with Neil Bowker, commercial director of Bowker Group, taking on the role of chairman. Bottle is replacing Peter Ward, who is stepping down on 1 July. She joins UKWA from Coca Cola Europacific Partners where she was associate director of warehousing, responsible for managing 3PL contracts and running in-house warehousing operations across the UK. Her career includes delivery of successful logistics projects as an interim manager [...]

The post Clare Bottle and Neil Bowker take over UKWA reins appeared first on Motor Transport.

Wales is to freeze new road building projects during a review of highway schemes which will consider the impact of road transport on the climate emergency. The move is part of a goal to radically reduce pollution in Wales in order to meet statutory Net Zero emission targets by 2050. Announcing the road building freeze later today (22 June) in the Senedd, Lee Waters, deputy minister for climate change, will say: “Since 1990, Welsh emissions have fallen by 31%. But [...]

The post Climate emergency prompts Wales to review road building projects appeared first on Motor Transport.

Growing demand for warehousing and a “critical” shortage of industrial land has seen a controversial plan to build a £73m logistics hub on Green Belt land near Wigan, given the green light by the government. Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, requested a public inquiry into Symmetry Park, near junction 25 of the M6, after it was approved by Wigan council’s planning committee last year. The call-in was prompted by local opposition to the [...]

The post Controversial £73m Wigan logistics hub gets government go-ahead to be built on Green Belt land appeared first on Motor Transport.

The British Vehicle Leasing and Rental Association (BVLRA) is calling on councils operating Clean Air Zones to promote leasing and rental as a way to help operators transition sooner to low emission vehicles. The move comes in the same week that Greater Manchester Combined Authorities announced it has boosted funding for local fleet operators to £12,000 to help them upgrade their trucks to Euro-6 vehicles ahead of the launch of the Greater Manchester CAZ. Speaking at Freight in the City’s [...]

The post BVLRA calls on councils to promote leasing as CAZ upgrade option appeared first on Motor Transport.

Freight in the City, in partnership with Volvo Trucks, hosted the 'Fleet Decarbonisation Online Roadshow: Birmingham' webinar on the UK’s Clean Air Day (17 June), bringing together a panel of industry experts to help operators on their journey to acheive a zero-carbon fleet. Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham City Council cabinet member for transport and environment, spoke about the city's plans to become net zero carbon by 2030. Key strategies include the city’s Clean Air Zone, the roll out of around [...]

The post Watch on demand: Fleet Decarbonisation Online Roadshow: Birmingham appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hydrogen fuel provider Element 2 and renewable hydrogen systems supplier, Ways2H have forged a partnership to deliver up to 40 waste-to-hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK. The deal is part of Element 2’s wider plans to deploy over 800 hydrogen pumps in the UK by 2027, and 2,000 by 2030. Under the new partnership, announced today (June 22), the two companies will collaborate on the production and distribution of renewable hydrogen fuel for public transit and other forms of transportation [...]

The post New joint venture unveiled for 40 waste-to-hydrogen fuelling stations appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers using TfL’s Woolwich Ferry to cross the Thames are facing severe disruption next month after ferry workers voted to ramp up industrial action with nine days of 24-hour strikes planned in July. Hopes have been dashed that industrial relations on the free ferry would improve after TfL management took over the ferry operation from Briggs Marine Contractors in January this year. Last week Unite accused TfL of victimising a shop steward carrying out legitimate trade union duties. Staff are [...]

The post Hauliers face further delays as Woolwich ferry strike action escalates appeared first on Motor Transport.

Effective repair and maintenance regimes have been a critical part of the transport industry’s ability to keep the country moving and put food on people’s tables during the Covid-19 crisis. And just how operators have been approaching the issue is highlighted in the latest research report from Motor Transport and sister title Commercial Motor. The ‘Hot Topic: Repair, Maintenance & Tyre Management Report 2021’ found that a massive 89% of fleet operators believe that R&M is the most important area [...]

The post New MT research reveals the fleet strategies keeping the country moving appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers have repeated their plea to government to relax the testing process for HGV drivers as the nationwide driver shortage hits crisis levels. “We’re close to the brink and so is everyone else,” said Turners (Soham) MD Paul Day. “Are we delivering everything with a perfect service? No. Is everyone else? I don’t think they are. It’s getting worse. In another month it’s going to be really tight.” The UK now has an estimated shortfall of 65,000 HGV drivers, exacerbated [...]

The post Turners alerts customers over worsening driver shortage crisis appeared first on Motor Transport.

Funding to help local hauliers upgrade their fleets to meet Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) requirements has been almost tripled to £12,000. Local operators will be able to apply for the support, up from an original proposal of just under £4,000, which they can use towards purchasing Euro-6 trucks which meet the Greater Manchester CAZ requirements. Hauliers will also be given more time to upgrade their fleets, according to the city’s Clean Air Plan, published today (21 June). In [...]

The post Greater Manchester hauliers see CAZ funding for truck upgrades tripled to £12,000 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Four companies have come together to develop a smart, connected trailer tarpaulin aimed at foiling cargo theft. Technology firm ZF, coated textile manufacturer Sioen Industries and security specialist Securitas have joined forces with side curtain manufacturer Roland International to create the Intrudor Detection system. The system has been launched as cargo theft continues to rise with 1,528 HGV and cargo crime related offences, worth around £26.4m, reported in the UK in the first quarter of 2021, according to the National [...]

The post Consortium launches smart connected tarpaulin to tackle rising curtainsider cargo thefts appeared first on Motor Transport.

With more than 45,000 HGV driver tests outstanding at the DVSA as a result of the Covid-19 lockdowns, Logistics UK is calling on the government to introduce a seasonal visa for European HGV drivers to protect the nation’s supply chain while the agency catches up with the backlog. Chief executive David Wells (pictured) warned: “Our members urgently need drivers to be available now while DVSA catches up with the backlog of outstanding driving tests. Without this temporary cover, there is [...]

The post Issue HGV driver visas or face food shortages, Logistics UK warns government appeared first on Motor Transport.

Driving theory test centres across the UK are being relocated after the DVSA split the contract for managing the service between two companies. From September, existing contractor Pearson Vue will be joined by Reed in Partnership to oversee the process, which the DVSA said would give it greater control of managing the content. A DVSA spokesman said HGV theory tests are covered by the change and that “some existing test centres” would change location. But one training centre in Scotland [...]

The post Driving theory test centres split to help DVSA manage content appeared first on Motor Transport.

The job of an HGV driver is not eligible for the Shortage Occupation List and the industry needs to focus instead on filling roles from the ballooning UK unemployed, according to the government. There have been growing calls for truckers to be added to a list of occupations where there is a dire shortage, but in a response to a recent question from MP Jonathan Edwards about what assessment the government has made, Home Office minister Kevin Foster said it [...]

The post HGV drivers not eligible for Shortage Occupation List, minister insists appeared first on Motor Transport.

With the use of employee-facing mobile applications in the transport sector rocketing, new research reveals that so too has the number of complaints from end users about their functionality. The study, by mobile data capture specialist WorkMobile found 75% of chief information officers (CIO) in the industry have fielded criticism about their firm’s apps. WorkMobile said the two most commonly reported problems were that apps were not updated frequently enough (38%) and they were not sufficiently tailored to employees’ needs [...]

The post Logistics firms slammed over sub-standard mobile apps appeared first on Motor Transport.

The pandemic has been enough to prompt feelings of anxiety and fear in most people, but a survey from a mental health support service has found significantly high levels of worry among transport professionals about a return to the workplace. Wellbeing provider Westfield Health said its research showed how employees are both worried and confused about how – and where – they will be working. It said 51% of the 1,500 UK employees report feeling anxious about the return, but [...]

The post Transport staff endure anxious wait over confusing return to work plans appeared first on Motor Transport.

The Unite union has launched a seven-point manifesto, which it said would tackle the industry’s driver shortage and plug a 76,000-strong skills gap. It said the declaration would make haulage a better place to work, but it required government help, as well as the industry to take “a long hard look at itself”. Top of the list of issues identified is low pay, along with outsourcing and “an unhealthy reliance on agency drivers and bogus self-employment”. It said these factors [...]

The post ‘Take a long hard look at yourself over shortage crisis,’ Unite tells industry appeared first on Motor Transport.

Operators remain optimistic about their business performance in the next 12 months, new research has revealed, with nearly half expecting a degree of upturn compared with 2020: 16% believe things will be “significantly better” and 30% “slightly better”. Just under a quarter of operators believed they would fare the same in terms of performance, while 22% were expecting a slightly worse or signicantly worse year ahead. Whilst resilience remains high for the sector, the ‘Asset Alliance Group Industry Monitor 2021’, also highlights a more [...]

The post Business confidence remains strong for UK operators, new MT research reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Scotland’s timber transport industry has received a £7m boost from the government to improve infrastructure and recover from the pandemic. The cash injection will be used to upgrade rural roads, create new forest haulage routes and passing places and promote the moving of timber by sea. Projects in Aberdeenshire, Angus, Scottish Borders, Dumfries & Galloway, Ayrshire, Stirling and the Highlands will all share in the funding support. One of these, TimberLINK, will receive £900,000 to help move timber by sea [...]

The post Scotland’s timber transport network given £7m government grant appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hauliers driving around Felixstowe Port are to receive enhanced training aids after an “incorrectly parked” truck was crushed by a container in April, trapping the driver inside. An investigation by port authorities has found that the lorry, which was crushed by a 40ft container lowered by crane onto the cab roof in April, should not have been parked at the spot and could not be seen by the crane operator. The incident, which happened on 23 April, saw fire crews [...]

The post Felixstowe Port shakes up haulier training after “incorrectly parked” truck crushed by container appeared first on Motor Transport.

Time is running out to join us at the Commercial Motor Golf Day, which takes place on 22 July at Lambourne Golf Club, Burnham. The competition is made up of 25 teams of four (100 players total), and it is almost full to capacity. The format will be a four-ball full handicap Stableford competition, and the best three individual scores per hole per team will count. A cost of £700 (plus VAT) per team includes green fees, a golf-related gift, [...]

The post Enter a team or sponsor a hole at the Commercial Motor Golf Day appeared first on Motor Transport.

Goodyear has unveiled what it says is the first tyre intelligence solution for cargo van fleets - Goodyear SightLine. The product aims to enhance safety and cost-efficient reliablity for all vehicles, starting with cargo vans serving the field service, construction and last-mile delivery industries. Later this year, Goodyear SightLine will also be available to the company's original equipment customers and emerging fleet and mobility providers. Initially available in North America and Europe, it uses sensors with cloud-based algorithms to communicate [...]

The post Goodyear launches tyre intelligence technology for cargo van fleets appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has named an Aylesbury-based trucker the winner of HGV Heroes 2020 after he helped prevent a man falling to his death from a footbridge last year. Tom Reddy (pictured centre), who was working for Moran Logistics at the time, parked his truck under a bridge on the A47 just outside of Peterborough on 5 May 2020 as it looked like someone was going to jump onto the busy carriageway. He and another motorist scrambled up the verge and [...]

The post Driver who helped prevent suicide crowned HGV Heroes winner appeared first on Motor Transport.

Food wholesaler BidCorp and the National Buying Consortium are calling on the government to take urgent action to tackle the shortage of HGV drivers and warehouse operatives or face worsening food shortages and price inflation across the UK. The warning comes ahead of a meeting tabled for tomorrow (June 15) between transport minister Baroness Vere and representatives from the logistics, wholesale and food suppliers industries to discuss the supply chain crisis. Speaking to Motortransport.co.uk, Bidcorp chief executive Andrew Selley (pictured) [...]

The post Major wholesalers warn of food shortages and wage and price inflation as HGV driver crisis worsens appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA is meeting with transport minister Baroness Vere and DfT officials tomorrow to demand urgent action on the driver shortage crisis as goods continue to disappear from supermarket shelves across the country and the hospitality industry struggles to get sufficient supplies. The meeting comes as wholesalers and suppliers warned this week of increasing food shortages in supermarkets, pubs, restaurants and care homes as suppliers’ haulage partners struggle to find enough drivers to ensure deliveries. The UK is suffering from [...]

The post Logistics industry in crisis talks with DfT as driver shortages hit food supplies appeared first on Motor Transport.

Asset Alliance Group has won a competitive tender to supply a new Isuzu Grafter to building materials supplier Pearsons of Duns to support deliveries to customers with difficult access. Supplied on a hire purchase basis, the 3.5 tonne truck will be used for the supply and delivery of home heating fuels to customers across the UK. The Isuzu Grafter, which has a payload of more than one tonne, has a lightweight structure and a reduced turning circle designed for narrow [...]

The post Asset Alliance wins bid to supply Isuzu Grafter to Pearsons of Duns appeared first on Motor Transport.

UK distributors are calling for the army to be mobilised to prevent the imminent breakdown of the country’s food supply chain, due to a critical shortage of HGV drivers. The Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) warned this week that its members are struggling to get food deliveries out to the supermarkets, restaurants, pubs, schools and care homes that they serve. Some convenience stores have been forced to put up signs warning customers of empty shelves due to the lack of [...]

The post Call for army to help deliver food supplies as HGV driver shortage deepens appeared first on Motor Transport.

The vehicle rental and leasing industry is sounding the alarm on a lack of vans which it warns could hamper the UK’s economic recovery. Findings from the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association’s (BVRLA) latest Business Impact Survey show that, whilst the sector is much more optimistic about economic recovery than earlier this year, there is widespread concern about van supply. The survey, which was carried out in May, shows that 90% of respondents expect the economy to improve in [...]

The post Lack of electric vans threatens economic recovery, warns BVRLA appeared first on Motor Transport.

An industry think tank put together by HGV driver recruitment firm Driver Require believes that the key to solving the long-term shortage of drivers lies in stopping existing drivers leaving the industry as well as recruiting and training more new drivers. The first report from the think tank, led by Driver Require CEO Kieran Smith, pictured, and including leading hauliers, training providers and industry bodies, estimated that since the beginning of the pandemic the HGV driver pool has contracted by [...]

The post Driver Require think tank calls on industry to improve conditions and stop “squandering” new drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has accused Kent County Council (KCC) of “an abuse of process” following its attempt to permanently ban HGVs from stopping on roads in the county. A temporary ban introduced in January in seven Kent boroughs was widely criticised, with Logistics UK complaining that both the DfT and the council had failed to consider the welfare of lorry drivers. The move was seen as necessary to avoid lengthy post-Brexit queues when the UK exited the European Union. Truck drivers [...]

The post Hauliers urged to object to ‘ludicrous’ plan to prevent HGVs stopping on any road in Kent appeared first on Motor Transport.

One-in-five operators plan to acquire non-diesel trucks for their fleets within three years, new research reveals, showing a healthy appetite for new technology. The ‘Asset Alliance Group Industry Monitor 2021’, compiled in partnership with Motor Transport and Commercial Motor, also discovered that just over half (51%) of respondents said they had no current plans to buy non-diesel trucks, however with the caveat “this might change”. The remaining 29% stated they had no intentions to try alternatives. Gas-powered trucks topped the list [...]

The post One-fifth of operators to try alternative fuels within three years, new research reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

A lorry driver sacked from his job after he was spotted drinking and smoking outside a social club while on sick leave was unfairly dismissed, according to an employment tribunal. Colin Kane, 66, was a driver for Ryton-based surfacing and aggregates firm Debmat and had suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for several years. The condition meant he had periods of absence due to ill-health and it was during one of these that he was spotted by a colleague at [...]

The post HGV driver found drinking in social club while on sick leave was unfairly dismissed, tribunal finds appeared first on Motor Transport.

Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions (HCVS) generated a pre-tax profit of £19.7m in the year ending 31 March 2021, despite a challenging year for the leasing market. It said it increased its overall fleet by 17% during the period, despite a 29% decline in new car registrations. The expanded fleet of HGVs, vans, plant, machinery and cars now comprises over 95,000 assets. HCVS also said it had “led the charge” on EV adoption over the last 12 months and has committed [...]

The post Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions ‘leading the charge’ on EV adoption appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics developer Panattoni has started construction of the final unit at Panattoni Park Northampton. Works on the 380,000 sq ft facility will begin this month. The unit will offer 15m clear internal height, 50m yard depth, 34 dock doors, four-level access, 68 HGV trailer spaces and 296 car parking spaces with EV charging. Once the final unit is complete the developer is predicting that the Park could create up to 1,000 jobs. The 1.7 million sq ft industrial site is [...]

The post Work starts on final unit at Panattoni Park Northampton appeared first on Motor Transport.

The commercial vehicle finance sector saw new business leap by 140% in April compared with the same month in 2020, according to the FLA. This compares with a rise of 58% and 43% respectively in the plant and machinery and business equipment finance sectors and an overall growth of 80% in the asset finance market in the same period. In contrast, the IT equipment finance sector saw new business fall by 13% in April, compared to the same month in [...]

The post Commercial vehicle asset finance sector sees 140% surge in new business in April 2021 appeared first on Motor Transport.

Global road freight revenues are expected to grow by an average of 4.3% annually from 2020 to 2025, according to new research. 'Navigating Roadblocks in the Long-Haul Road Freight Industry', a whitepaper published by Shell and Frost & Sullivan, examined how digitalisation is advancing a new generation of fleet management solutions and the role decarbonisation strategies will play in futureproofing operations. Top industry challenges include the skilled driver shortage, the report confirmed, with fleet managers urged to utilise data-driven fleet [...]

The post Road freight revenues set to grow in digital and zero-carbon transformation, new whitepaper reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Daimler Truck revealed its plans for an independent future at a press conference last month as it heads towards separation from its parent company and stock market listing by the end of the year. In addition to a radical financial shake-up, the company unveiled more plans for its electric future with technology partnerships announced for advanced battery development, as well as high-speed charging and hydrogen fuelling infrastructures. While the company enjoys a 40% market share in North America, chief executive [...]

The post Daimler Truck sets out independent future appeared first on Motor Transport.

LPG distributor UGI International has made the first shipment of BioLPG to the UK after securing the exclusive rights to supply it from Polish-based producer Ekobenz. The partnership significantly boosts the ability of AvantiGas, a UGI International subsidiary, to supply BioLPG supply in the UK, the group said this week. Neil Murphy, vice president of business development at UGI International, said: “We consider it our mission to be an innovator in offering our customers a greener and cleaner LPG fuel [...]

The post UGI International seals deal to boost UK supply of BioLPG appeared first on Motor Transport.

A “game changing” technology which allows electric vehicles to charge their batteries on the move could open the door to long haul electric HGVs. Environmental specialists Ricardo and electricity distributor Western Power Distribution (WPD) are joining forces with Coventry City Council in a new study which will assess the feasibility of using dynamic wireless charging for electric vehicles on the UK’s distribution network and look at installing the technology in Coventry. The project is funded through the Ofgem Network Innovation [...]

The post New “game changing” wireless technology could open door to long-haul electric HGVs, says Ricardo appeared first on Motor Transport.

Difficulty recruiting skilled HGV drivers tops the list when it comes to key challenges facing operators in the next 12 months, according to brand-new industry research published today. In the latest edition of the 'Asset Alliance Group Industry Monitor', produced in partnership with Motor Transport and Commercial Motor, 29% of respondents revealed the driver shortage was the most troubling concern for their business. Next in line was the fear of a poor economic outlook for the UK with 17% of [...]

The post Driver shortage the biggest worry for operators in next 12 months, new industry research reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

Logistics firms Clipper Logistics, Malcolm Group, XPO and software provider Big Change have joined forces to donate an HGV driver training simulator for trainee HGV drivers in Zambia. The donation to the Industrial Training Centre (ITC) in Zambia, which transport charity Transaid has partnered with since 2008, follows a visit to the centre in 2018 by representatives of the four companies. The simulator allows new drivers to spend additional hours behind the wheel in the safety of the classroom before [...]

The post Logistics firms team up to help Transaid provide HGV driver training simulator to Zambia appeared first on Motor Transport.

Covid-19 and Brexit has cut a swathe through the transportation and warehousing sector with just 75% of companies back up and running compared to June last year and 9.6% permanently closed. The latest Business Insights Report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the sector has been hit harder than any other, including accommodation and food services which, in comparison, has 83.3% of businesses in operation and just 1.6% that have ceased trading. The ONS report looks at [...]

The post Transport sector hit harder than any other by Brexit and Covid-19, ONS report reveals appeared first on Motor Transport.

The RHA has published a 12-point plan to tackle the HGV driver shortage which it warns has now reached a major crisis point. Launching the plan, RHA chief executive, Richard Burnett said: “The upturn in the economy since Covid-19 is increasing demand across supply chains and the reopening of non-essential retail outlets and parts of the hospitality sector is making the situation even worse.” He added: “The pandemic also resulted in the loss of about 12 months of driver training [...]

The post RHA launches 12-point plan to avert “catastrophic” HGV driver shortage appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK tops a list of countries road transport firms are considering expanding their operations into, according to legal firm DWF. Its survey found that despite the unprecedented challenges of the last year, haulage firms across Europe are looking ahead to expansion. Of those polled that transport goods to the UK, 38% said their company was currently considering relocating or establishing new bases here. Italy was second (31%) and Germany third (30%). DWF said that while the desire to expand [...]

The post UK tops areas of interest for road transport expansion – despite Brexit appeared first on Motor Transport.

Nearly one in three truck drivers said they had fallen asleep at the wheel in the last year, according to a report revealing that professional driver fatigue is now at “epidemic” levels. The survey also found that 60% of HGV drivers said they had to drive while fatigued on a regular basis and 52% reported wanting to pull over and take a break, but being unable to. The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETWF) report questioned 2,861 truck, bus and coach [...]

The post Employers must stop “flogging” drivers to end fatigue epidemic appeared first on Motor Transport.

MAN Truck & Bus UK's sales director David Cussans will retire before the end of the summer, having worked with the brand for 33 years. Cussans joined MAN in 1988 as national fleet sales manager and subsequently held board positions in the UK company. Between 2010 and 2017, he also worked for sister brand Scania as regional executive director and member of the Scania GB executive team. In 2017, Cussans returned to MAN as UK truck sales director and is [...]

The post MAN sales director Cussans to retire after 33 years appeared first on Motor Transport.

Transport for London has refused to extend the Direct Vision Standard (DVS) grace period after Logistics UK said a shortage of parts and vehicles was making compliance difficult for operators. In a letter to the association, TfL said the industry had already “had a significant amount of time to prepare” for the safety scheme. It also said 13 people walking and cycling in London had died in collisions with HGVs last year and so “in this context, our view is [...]

The post TfL refuses plea to delay DVS enforcement due to safe system equipment shortages appeared first on Motor Transport.

An HGV driver showed “complete disregard for the rules of the road” when he breached solid white lines on the A36 and overtook two vehicles. Matthew Lobley, 46, has now been fined and received points on his licence after dash cam footage showed he was driving on the wrong side of the road in Wiltshire. The driver pleaded guilty to failing to comply with solid white line road markings at Salisbury Magistrates and fined £155 and given three penalty points. [...]

The post HGV driver fined for crossing solid white lines to overtake cars appeared first on Motor Transport.

Peter Ward is stepping down as CEO of the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) after six years at the helm. His successor will be named shortly, the association said this week. Under Ward’s leadership UKWA widened its membership to retail and manufacturing logistics users, and introduced new benefits to membership. He also provided a voice for the industry at government and local authority level and helped shape government policy around Brexit. Ward also fostered strong links with Transaid, helping to raise [...]

The post Peter Ward steps down as chief executive of UKWA appeared first on Motor Transport.

Contractor management specialists Orange Genie Group has launched an umbrella company for HGV and delivery drivers in the wake of the enforcement of IR35 in road transport by HMRC from April this year. IR35 is designed to prevent drivers setting up limited companies through which they cut their tax and NI contributions compared with drivers employed on operators' books. Instead they must be either directly employed by an operator or join an IR35-compliant umbrella scheme. To help drivers meet these [...]

The post Orange Genie launches umbrella company for logistics drivers appeared first on Motor Transport.

TfL is calling for more hauliers to apply for a Direct Vision Standard (DVS) permit after revealing that more than 7,000 penalty charge notices (PCNs) have been issued to lorry drivers since the schemes launch in March, raising a minimum of £1.9m in fines. With penalties ranging from £550 a day to half of that, if paid within 14 days, the scheme is estimated to have raised between £1.9m and £3.8m in fines from hauliers in its first three months. [...]

The post Hauliers urged to get DVS permit as TfL reveals 7,000 fines issued since launch in March appeared first on Motor Transport.

The freight arm of the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) is warning that it is “critically short of funds” and in danger of closing down by October this year. The warning comes as freight thefts continue to rise across the country with 1,528 HGV and cargo crime related offences reported so far this year, worth around £26.4m. NaVCIS Freight’s role is to gather data on freight crimes and look for trends and tactics to support national and cross border [...]

The post NaVCIS Freight pleads for industry support as funding crisis threatens closure of crime busting operation appeared first on Motor Transport.

The UK tops a list of countries road transport firms are considering expanding their operations into, according to legal firm DWF. Its survey found that despite the unprecedented challenges of the last year, haulage firms across Europe are looking ahead to expansion. Of those polled that transport goods to the UK, 38% said their company was currently considering relocating or establishing new bases here. Italy was second (31%) and Germany third (30%). DWF said that while the desire to expand [...]

The post UK tops areas of interest for road transport expansion – despite Brexit appeared first on Motor Transport.

Nearly one in three truck drivers said they had fallen asleep at the wheel in the last year, according to a report revealing that professional driver fatigue is now at “epidemic” levels. The survey also found that 60% of HGV drivers said they had to drive while fatigued on a regular basis and 52% reported wanting to pull over and take a break, but being unable to. The European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETWF) report questioned 2,861 truck, bus and coach [...]

The post Employers must stop “flogging” drivers to end fatigue epidemic appeared first on Motor Transport.

Almost three-quarters of UK fleet managers think poor driving behaviour has a negative impact on their business. A report into attitudes and safety concerns of European fleet decision makers found that respondents (71%) were most worried about their drivers’ habits and poor behaviour behind the wheel – specifically the use of mobile phones and other devices. Speeding was their second pressing concern (69%), followed by eating or drinking at the wheel (68%) and driving tired (67%). Webfleet Solutions, which commissioned [...]

The post Driver behaviour keeps fleet managers awake at night appeared first on Motor Transport.

The DVSA has announced the end of the moratorium on new ATFs and is now accepting applications from operators. The enforcement agency paused the process in 2017 to help it support existing ATFs and meet their needs. But in line with the recommendations in the DfT's recent 'Heavy vehicle testing review', the DVSA said it was aiming for a “phased approach to ending the moratorium” and would now start assessing applications – but only if they meet certain criteria. It [...]

The post DVSA opens up applications for new ATFs but lack of testers still a constraint on testing capacity appeared first on Motor Transport.

Fraikin has re-opened its Bristol workshop in a move designed to increase the amount of maintenance performed inhouse and drive down its reliance on third-party contractors. It said the decision to re-establish the depot three years after it closed down would help improve the efficiency of customer maintenance in the region, as well as speeding up repairs and reducing VOR times. The move has also created five full time jobs. Darren Hall, Fraikin MD, said: “Though the standard of maintenance [...]

The post Fraikin reinforces inhouse workshop capacity with reopened Bristol depot appeared first on Motor Transport.

Europe's leading trailer maker Schmitz Cargobull is to open a new factory in Manchester to serve the UK and Irish markets. The new factory joins four Schmitz maunfacturing sites in Germany plus plants in Lithuania, Russia, Spain, Turkey and Australia. Andreas Schmitz, CEO of Schmitz Cargobull, said: “The UK is a key transport and logistics market and an important semi-trailer and rigid truck market for us. With the new plant we are moving closer to our customers and ensuring that [...]

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A local haulier has warned Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) council that its decison to launch a clean air zone (CAZ) in the city will significantly lengthen HGV journey times as drivers seek out alternative routes to avoid being charged. The scheme is due to launch next March and imposes charges on vehicles that do not comply with Euro-6 diesel and Euro-4 petrol emissions limits. A charge of £9 per day will be applied to non-compliant “taxis, private hire [...]

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Operators can cut their CO2 emissions and help re-green arid drylands in Africa under an initiative launched this week by Webfleet Solutions and charity JustDiggit. The Green Your Fleet platform allows customers to estimate their annual CO2 emissions based on their fleet size and vehicle types. It then calculates the amount required to offset the fleet’s carbon emissions and estimates how many square metres will be regreened, how many trees planted, how much water will be saved and how many [...]

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The government has encouraged the industry to respond to plans to overhaul the country’s outdated planning system and explain how “high quality” lorry parking facilities should be provided. In a response to a petition demanding that councils are forced to include “safe and secure HGV parking with refreshment and washing facilities for drivers” when deciding distribution park applications, it said it was considering “innovative ideas” to improve HGV parks. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said: “As [...]

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Trials on British roads involving platoons of autonomous HGVs have been put on hold due to the ongoing pandemic. The consortium behind the investigations into the use of the technology said off-road trials and “extensive safety testing and driver training” had been completed, but Covid-19 had affected the programme and on-road trials scheduled for this year had been abandoned for the time being. HelmUK added: “An evaluation will be made at a future agreed date to understand the changes in [...]

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Greater Manchester is asking for £98m of government funding to help local HGV, coach, van and minibus operators upgrade their fleets to Euro-6 standard ahead of the launch of its clean air zone (CAZ) in the spring of 2022. However the RHA dismissed the funding plans this week as a “very expensive sticking plaster on a misguided government policy”. Greater Manchester is requesting a total of £150m of government funding as part of its CAZ bid, of which £98m will [...]

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A Scottish transport firm has condemned as “inexcusable” delays by the traffic commissioner’s office in processing O-licence applications after it was left waiting since May to run HGVs. Eion Robertson said he had £50,000 sitting in his bank as evidence of financial standing and yet “nothing in my fridge” after he was left waiting on a decision by the TC to grant a licence. Sole trader Robertson, who wants to operate 10 HGVs and 10 trailers out of a base [...]

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High levels of interest from fleet operators for zero emission vehicles will drive a “dramatic shift” to electric vans, according to research from the Arval Mobility Observatory. Despite a plethora of obstacles that still need to be overcome – including a lack of models, limited range and supply, as well as the extra payload – Arval said its research revealed growing enthusiasm for battery electric power in light CVs. Half of respondents said they were already running hybrids, or planned [...]

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Logistics companies and their customers are responding to seismic changes in online retail in an effort to tackle what is predicted to be an unprecedented peak in Christmas shopping. Following research by Barclay’s Corporate Banking that showed 15% of UK firms have created roles to cater for an increase in online demand, warehousing and distribution firm Carlton Forest said it was also seeing companies switch to more localised logistics providers as they prepare for an uplift in orders. Alistair Plant, [...]

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HGV traffic in Great Britain dropped to just 25% of its normal levels at the height of the lockdown in April, but had almost bounced back to pre-Covid levels by July, new figures reveal. Department for Transport statistics showed light and heavy commercial vehicle traffic returned to at least 100% of their typical levels before cars and all other forms of transport. The Easter weekend of 10-13 April marked the lowest levels of HGV traffic and thereafter they remained at [...]

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Dawsongroup Truck and Trailer has launched a new, mobile-friendly website. The company, which is headquartered in Milton Keynes, said the new site has a fresh, modern look and provides users with access to more dynamic and up-to-date information, including company news, testimonials, videos, case studies and bespoke build and supply projects. Dawson Group Truck and Trailer, which is an independent supplier of tractor units, rigids, trailers and specialist heavy commercial vehicles, has over 11,000 assets and provides award-winning contract hire, [...]

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Three women from the transport industry have been honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Lesley O’Brien (pictured), partner at Freightlink Europe has received an OBE for services to diversity and inclusion. O’Brien has been recognised for being the driving force behind the creation of She’s RHA, which engages not only with women but also other minority and less privileged groups. In January this year O’Brien also launched Freight People, a monthly forum for the transport community which offers expert [...]

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A parliamentary petition calling for the removal of temporary traffic measures to tackle congestion has reached over 15,800 signatures in just two days. The petition is targeting the temporary road closures, new cycle lanes and the expansion of pedestrian areas and reduction of road space introduced across the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in a government bid to reduce pollution levels. The move has met with a growing chorus of opposition from the logistics industry, local businesses and residents [...]

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Leeds Clean Air Zone is no longer required, Leeds City Council announced today (13 October). The decision follows a joint government and city council review which found that air quality improvements, driven by businesses switching to cleaner vehicles faster than expected, had made the scheme redundant. Instead the council will look at bringing in new air quality targets that go further than the national standards. The review found that more than 90% of buses and 80% of HGVs driven in [...]

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The delayed Birmingham City clean air zone (CAZ) will be launched on 1 June 2021, the city council has confirmed. The move will see non-Euro 6 trucks, buses and coaches charged £50 a day to enter the zone, which lies within the A4540 ring road. Non-compliant cars will be charged £8 a day. The scheme had originally been due to be enforced from July 2020. However, a fault with a new government website and the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic [...]

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The policing of the UK’s roads should be run on a nationwide basis to ensure consistency across the whole network, according to Logistics UK. The call comes in its response to a joint review of roads policing by the Home Office and DfT. Logistics UK head of road freight regulation policy James Firth said: “Logistics UK is calling for the government to establish common, unified road safety objectives which all enforcement bodies are committed to achieving and that are governed [...]

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Freight forwarders are demanding the government intervenes in a dispute between Felixstowe Port owners and users. The row centres around disruption to operations at the port which the British International Freight Association (BIFA) says is causing freight forwarders and hauliers to suffer major operational damage and incur significant additional costs. Last month UK forwarders and shippers who route cargo through Felixstowe were told not to return empty containers to the port but to take them to London Gateway instead. The [...]

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Freight traffic on Brittany Ferries is set to increase by 15% on routes from the UK to Spain, the ferry operator is predicting. The company said it had seen a major decline in passenger traffic during a “season to forget” but that freight levels had stayed steady during the period, despite the impact of Covid-19. The ferry operator, which serves France, Spain, Ireland and the UK, added that there had been positive signs from the marketplace with several major customers [...]

The post Brittany Ferries predicting 15% leap in freight on its UK to Spain route next year appeared first on Motor Transport.

DPD was again the big winner in the 2020 Motor Transport Awards, coming out on top in five of the seven categories in which it was shortlisted, taking its tally of trophies to 34 and overtaking TNT. Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the live show for the first time in 34 years, and in an online awards presentation broadcast last night (October 7) DPD was revealed as the winner of the Customer Care, Home Delivery, Urban Delivery, Clean Fleet Van [...]

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The time taken for traffic commissioners to process goods vehicle licence applications has increased to 38 days as they struggle with the impact of the coronavirus. Figures released by the office of the TC (OTC) showed that up to March of this year, they had driven down the average number of days to turn around a haulier’s application to 36.45 - and 134.8 days if it involved a public inquiry. But the number of days rose to 38.01 and 136.84 [...]

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The first virtual Commercial Motor Show conference hosted a discussion of a broad base of presentations on the common theme of future technology, and in particular, how technology in different fields is helping to increase the operational efficiency of truck fleets. Bridgestone technical manager – north region, Gary Powell opened by highlighting the ways in which tyre choice can help both fleet and global issues by using the labelling system which rates truck tyres in respect of fuel economy, wet [...]

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The volume of goods moved between the UK and Europe could fall by 20% post-Brexit, Europa Worldwide MD Andrew Baxter told delegates at the Commercial Motor Show 2020, adding that he plans to cover any losses by winning new business from poorly prepared rivals. Baxter said Europa had worked hard to prepare for the end of the transition period on 31 December, warning that poorly prepared companies risk bankruptcy. He said: “There will be a real meaningful shift in the [...]

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Operators are saving thousands of pounds a year by joining the DVSA Earned Recognition (ER) scheme, according to Phil Breen, DVSA ER national account manager. Speaking to delegates at the virtual Commercial Motor Show 2020, Breen demonstrated how drastic reductions in roadside stops and related rectification and loss-of-use costs had saved one member £8,750 over two years, whilst another larger operator in the scheme had saved £12,000 in just one year. Breen said another key benefit is the exclusive, direct [...]

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SP Training has launched two mental health training courses aimed at both management and drivers, to coincide with World Mental Health Day. The Mental Health & Wellbeing in Logistics course is the first to be registered as a Driver CPC module and receive JAUPT accreditation and can be delivered remotely or in the classroom. The course is designed to help drivers understand mental health conditions, cope with stress and teaches them how to improve their health and wellbeing. A one-day [...]

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The senior traffic commissioner’s (STC) statutory documents have been refreshed and include changes to how operators and drivers will be treated following bridge strikes. STC Richard Turfitt has dusted down the 15 guidance documents and updated the way the TCs will approach the exercise of their statutory functions. Most of the changes have been made to bring the legal position up to date and incorporate recent key upper tribunal cases. A significant addition relates to bridge strikes in the document [...]

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Bath will become the first city outside London to launch a charging clean air zone (CAZ) after announcing its intention to press ahead with plans despite concerns over Covid-19. It said the CAZ would launch on 15 March 2021 after initially aiming for a November 2020 start date; however, the council added that the date would be monitored to account for any developments regarding the pandemic. The CAZ will operate in the city centre 24 hours a day, seven days [...]

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DPD was again the big winner in the 2020 Motor Transport Awards, coming out on top in five of the seven categories in which it was shortlisted, taking its tally of trophies to 34 and overtaking TNT. Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the live show for the first time in 34 years, and in an online awards presentation broadcast last night (October 7) DPD was revealed as the winner of the Customer Care, Home Delivery, Urban Delivery, Clean Fleet Van [...]

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The government has published details about how the arrangements for the UK’s borders with the EU will work from January and actions that hauliers need to take. It said the guidance followed “extensive engagement” with stakeholders, as well as a £705m package of investment for border infrastructure, jobs and technology. The GB-EU border operating model maps out intended locations of inland border infrastructure, which will offer additional capacity for freight checks; announces that passports will be required for entry into [...]

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The government has today (7 October) set out further details around the creation of a number of Freeports across the UK to create jobs, drive investment and regenerate communities. Responding to the consultation on the proposals, the government confirmed that sea, air and rail ports in England will be invited to bid for Freeport status before the end of the year, with the government aiming for the first of the new sites to be open for business in 2021. It [...]

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International transport charity Transaid is part of a consortium which is to investigate how to identify and prevent human trafficking along key trade corridors in East Africa. The research funded by the UK’s recently formed Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) will focus on the role transporters play in facilitating illegal trafficking along long distance corridors and how it can be prevented. The research is being managed by IMC Worldwide and carried out by a consortium led by Cardno Emerging [...]

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The RHA and Logistics UK are among more than 30 signatories of an open letter to the UK Prime Minister and EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier, urging them to agree to an “economically sensible” outcome to Brexit negotiations. The letter, which is also addressed to UK negotiator David Frost, states that ending the transition period on 31 December without an agreement between the EU and UK is “not an option” for road hauliers. It said: “It is in the interest [...]

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Record online spending combined with a driver shortage exacerbated by Brexit could create the ‘Mount Everest of Christmas peaks’ this year, delivery specialist ParcelHero is warning. With operators already seeing capacity stretched by the surge in online shopping triggered by the pandemic and a worsening driver shortage, ParcelHero is predicting that with Christmas this year likely to be 50% busier than in 2019, the situation could reach breaking point. ParcelHero is urging operators to work closely with retail partners to [...]

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An independent review aimed at improving transport infrastructure links between Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England has been launched this week. Led by Sir Peter Hendy, the review will look at road, rail, air and sea links and make recommendations as to how the government can improve connectivity between the four nations and help the economy recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sir Peter’s former roles include chair of Network Rail and head of TfL during the Olympics. [...]

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How will transport and logistics look after Covid-19 has eventually receded? There is no shortage of companies who would like the answer to that question and visitors to the Commercial Motor Show conference gained some valuable insight in a special panel discussion. Speakers included former John Lewis partnership COO Dino Rocos, Clipper Logistics chief executive Tony Mannix, head of sales – transport at Wincanton Steven Cleary, and British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) director of corporate affairs Toby Poston.