Industry news – Page 119
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AA reveals results of HGV driver behaviour poll
Only around one in 10 people believe HGV drivers’ behaviour on the roads has improved since the Coronavirus pandemic began, according to a poll carried out by the AA.The results from 19,732 respondents showed that 12% thought lorry drivers were better behaved now than before the lockdown.A quarter (25%) thought ...
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"Loan scheme failure means fifth of our members are close to collapse," FTA tells government
Continuing delays in the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) means operators are now on a cliff edge of financial ruin, the FTA has warned.It accused the Chancellor Rishi Sunak of not doing enough to help logistics firms, five weeks after he promised to take “all action necessary” to make ...
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HGV driver employment to slump by 50% in Q2 2020
Employment levels in transport and storage will be down by 15% by the end of the year and won’t fully recover until mid-2026, according to projections by Driver Require.The recruitment firm’s analysis into the impact of COVID-19 suggests that employment growth rates in the sector face a bleaker than average ...
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A14 upgrade open eight months ahead of schedule
The upgraded A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon scheme has opened eight months ahead of schedule, speeding up journey times and improving access to and from the UK’s largest container port.Highways England said work on the upgrade continued throughout the coronavirus outbreak, with measures introduced to ensure work was completed safely and ...
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Van registrations plummeted by a "shocking" 86% during April, SMMT reports
Figures for new van registrations in April reveal the “shocking” state of the sector after they plummeted by 86.2%.Just 3,387 light CVs joined UK roads during the month, 21,217 fewer than in April 2019, after the coronavirus effectively shut down the market.The SMMT said registrations of mid-sized vans weighing between ...
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Call for DVSA to delegate HGV testing to tackle backlog created by pandemic lockdown
The DVSA has been urged to introduce delegated private sector testing to tackle the mounting backlog of annual HGV tests which have been suspended during the COVID-19 lockdown.The call comes from the Authorised Testing Facility Operators Association (ATFOA) which is warning that a backlog of thousands of annual HGV tests, ...
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LENS partnership gives FTA members clearer view of supply chain opportunities
The FTA is partnering with freight exchange platform Haulage Exchange to help operators whose supply chains have been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic find additional workloads or carrier partners.Dubbed the Logistics Efficiency Network Solution (LENS) the service connects operators to loads needing transportation.Under the partnership FTA members can search Haulage ...
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Hauliers back events industry call for greater government support during pandemic
Events hauliers are backing a call for the government to provide greater support to the events industry as it struggles to survive the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) has written to prime minister Boris Johnson calling for more action to protect the industry and ...
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Shortage of customs agents threatens border chaos, logistics industry warns government
The UK is in danger of failing to recruit the 50,000 customs agents needed to prevent major queues at its borders if it crashes out of Europe without a deal at the end of the year.The British International Freight Association (BIFA) is warning that the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the ...
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Give logistics sector access to PPE to ensure economic recovery, says FTA
The logistics sector must be given access to PPE to ensure a successful return to work once the COVID-19 lockdown is ended, the FTA has warned.The association is calling on the government and Public Health England to give all supply chain workers clear direction on what PPE they need and ...
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Tyre specialist offers five-point checklist to maintain safety standards during pandemic
The relaxation of rules governing road transport means it is now more important than ever that drivers undertake thorough daily walk around checks and take corrective action where necessary, according to tyre firm Prometeon.The company has produced a five-point checklist to help drivers and operators inspect vehicle tyres and the ...
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DVLA loophole leaves drivers with 'grandfather rights' still needing D4 medical
An apparent loophole in the DVLA’s relaxation of the D4 medical requirement has left one group of drivers excluded from the temporary licence scheme – those with so-called ‘grandfather rights’.Drivers who obtained their car licence prior to 1997 are also entitled to drive goods vehicles from 3,501kg to 7,500kg GVW, ...
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Nearly half of transport firms admit it will take longer than a year to recover from pandemic
More than four in 10 companies surveyed in the transport industry said it would take longer than a year to return to pre-COVID-19 levels of work.The poll of more than 200 companies found that 43% believe it will take longer than 12 months to return to normality, while a further ...
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Post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland must be free of red tape, FTA demands
Flexible, frictionless trade between Northern Ireland (NI) and GB is vitally important to the continued success of its economy, according to the FTA, which has published key measures needed before Brexit concludes on 31 December.Its Northern Ireland Protocol Policy Report outlines what needs to be done before the transition period ...
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Moto extends free food offer to more sites and adds hot drinks deal
Moto’s free food for HGV drivers offer is being extended to an additional 14 sites, with free hot drinks for them too.The motorway service operator said it had already had “a fantastic response” from truck drivers to its free hot food scheme and that “thank you” didn’t even begin to ...
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RHA announces "breakthrough" in talks with government over grants for struggling hauliers
The RHA is growing more optimistic that the government will provide extra support for the road transport industry after weeks of “frustrating” discussions with roads minister Baroness Vere.RHA chief executive Richard Burnett told motortransport.co.uk that initial approaches to the DfT seeking extra help for hauliers over and above the Coronavirus ...
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Roads minister: "Nation will owe haulage and logistics workers a huge debt of gratitude"
“The whole nation will owe haulage and logistics workers a huge debt of gratitude,” according to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Roads and Transport Security, Baroness Vere of Norbiton.In a statement sent to our sister title Commercial Motor to address operators, Baroness Vere said that this time of national ...
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Hauliers entering France now need Certificate for International Transport Workers
The government has issued new guidelines to freight operators entering France.In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, drivers had formerly been asked to complete an International Attestation form to confirm that their journey met the criteria for essential travel. This was designed to curb non-essential travel.However, French authorities have now confirmed ...
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Vehicle cameras slash personal injury claims and incident reports, survey shows
Fleet managers have revealed that vehicle cameras and CCTV technology are cutting incident reports by almost a third and personal injury claims by almost a half.A survey of Motor Transport and Commercial Motor readers has shown that more than half of all respondents (56%) reported that the vehicle cameras improved ...
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Government launches fast track loan scheme to help firms hit by impact of COVID-19
Small and medium sized hauliers hit by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for a government-guaranteed loan of up to £50,000 from next week.Dubbed the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), it will enable SMEs to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 over a six-year period, with no fees or ...