All Industry News articles – Page 222
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MT ArticleAndy McDonald retains shadow transport secretary role
Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald has retained his post as shadow transport secretary, surviving the latest Labour party cabinet reshuffle.McDonald took on the role in June after Labour’s Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood resigned the post in protest at Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn’s style of leadership.The role of Labour shadow transport ...
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MT Article
Motor Transport Podcast: Direct Vision Standard and DHL's UK Mail acquisition
The MT team is back in the podcast studio after a summer break, and if you're ready for a hit of the latest news being dissected and discussed, the latest Motor Transport Podcast will not disappoint. In this episode, Christopher, Chris and Emma chat about London Mayor Sadiq Khan's newly ...
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MT Article
Has the EU won the HGV Road User Levy battle?
Revisions could be made to the UK’s flagship HGV Road User Levy to make it compliant with EU rules, a source said this week.The claim followed a “positive” meeting last month between the European Commission (EC) and DfT officials.It comes after the commission’s decision in April to begin formal legal ...
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MT Article
O-licence financial standing levels could increase by 15%
The level of financial standing standard O-licence holders will have to demonstrate is likely to increase in 2017, due to the drop in the value of the pound against the euro.The FTA estimated that the financial standing rate will increase by around 15% from 1 January, taking it from £6,650 ...
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MT Article
Express delivery manager trailblazer gets green light
A new trailblazer apprenticeship standard for managers in express delivery companies has been given the green light by BIS. The Institute of Couriers submitted the application for the standard earlier this year in light of increasing demands on the e-retail sector.The newly-approved apprenticeship model will take the form of a ...
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MT ArticleDirect Vision Standard is no "silver bullet" to tackling HGV and cyclist collision, say industry bodies
The mayor’s Direct Vision Standard plans that will ban ‘off-road’ specification lorries from entering the capital by 2020 should be part of a balanced approach to tackling road safety, and not just penalise the road haulage sector, trade associations have said.Sadiq Khan revealed today that TfL’s Direct Vision Standard will ...
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MT Article
Transport Committee accuses DfT of "blatantly ignoring" all-lane running safety fears
The Transport Committee has accused the DfT of “blatantly ignoring” its recommendations in regards the roll out of all-lane running across the motorway network, which one MP has said will “get people killed”.The committee slammed the government’s plans for 300 miles of all-lane running in July, labelling the move a ...
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MT Article
Government must not delay trailblazer apprenticeship start date, says RHA
The government must avoid any “distraction or dilution” from the trailblazer apprenticeships as the April 2017 start date approaches, the RHA has said. RHA national director of policy Jack Semple urged the government to keep the momentum going on the trailblazers, and to have them in action by next April.This, ...
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MT ArticleExclusive video: Mercedes-Benz talks Urban eTruck
This Urban eTruck might look like it belongs in a science fiction film, but not so according to Mercedes-Benz UK Truck MD Mike Belk. In this exclusive short interview Belk tells Commercial Motor editor Will Shiers that the future is closer than we think. He also reveals what’s likely to ...
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MT Article
Compliance costs set to rise regardless of Brexit, warns Chemical Business Association
The cost of regulatory compliance for operators that specialise in chemical distribution will continue to rise, as Brexit will not be able to offer any significant regulation changes in the sector, according to the Chemical Business Association (CBA).A survey of CBA members found that almost four-fifths (79%) did not expect ...
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MT Article
Hermes in the spotlight over use of self-employed couriers
An HMRC investigation into Hermes’ use of self-employed couriers could have implications for the entire parcels sector, according to an industry expert.The carrier is facing the threat of investigation after a series of articles by the Guardian newspaper, and later a report from Frank Field MP, claimed it was mistreating ...
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MT Article
Freight minister promises to be 'radical' in promoting industry interests
John Hayes MP, the minister for state at the DfT responsible for freight and logistics, has promised that he will be “much more radical” in building the status of the road transport sector as a vital part of the British economy.Speaking at the launch of the RHA’s National Lorry Week ...
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MT Article
Logistics businesses in the North could generate £35bn benefit for the economy by 2060, claims report
Logistics businesses in the North of England could generate £35bn in economic benefits for the region by 2060 and create 80,000 jobs, according to a new report.However, the report from Transport for the North (TfN), warns that achieving this potential is reliant on public sector interventions to enable the predominantly ...
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MT Article
DfT considering extending the longer semi-trailer trial
The government is seeking views on extending the longer semi-trailer pilot, despite the latest annual report revealing that the full allocation is still not running on UK roads.According to the fourth annual report, 1,674 of the full allocation of 1,800 longer semi-trailer permits were in use as of July 2016; ...
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MT Article
John Hayes takes over freight role at DfT
John Hayes has taken responsibility for freight and logistics following a reshuffle at the DfT, replacing Andrew Jones. The MP for South Holland and The Deepings will also be responsible for Highways England as well as the environment and technology.Hayes was previously a transport minister between July 2014 and May ...
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MT ArticleHanjin Shipping bankruptcy likely to hurt container hauliers
The fallout from the bankruptcy of Hanjin Shipping is likely to be far reaching with hauliers operating out of Felixstowe potentially facing writing off large debts.The South Korean shipping line, the world’s seventh-largest container shipper, filed for bankruptcy protection on 31 August, immediately raising concerns regarding liabilities for customer cargoes ...
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MT ArticleCalais blockade will trigger more migrant attacks and Operation Stack, industry associations warn
A blockade of Calais by French hauliers and farmers demanding the immediate removal of the migrant camps, launched this week, will make drivers a sitting target for migrant attacks and could trigger Operation Stack, the FTA and RHA have warned.RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: "The inevitable repercussions of this ...
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MT Article
The Brexit factor: UK road transport industry remains split on a future outside the EU
The results of an online poll conducted by Motortransport.co.uk have found that while 43% of the 487 operators believed leaving the EU would benefit their businesses, 40% did not.The remaining 17% of respondents were undecided.While the weak pound is boosting exports, according to a report from the CBI last month, ...
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MT Article
More than a third of hauliers have felt an effect from Brexit decision
More than a third of hauliers (35%) have felt an effect from Britain's decision to quit the EU, according to a new survey.The figure is taken from the latest quarterly survey of more than 900 small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) conducted by Close Brothers Asset Finance.By comparison, when all UK ...
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MT Article
Surge in the number of HGV driving tests taken and passed
The number of HGV driving licence tests taken and passed surged in the year to 31 March 2016.Category C tests increased by 29% to 45,513 (2015: 35,303). There was a corresponding increase in passes, up 30% to 24,502 (18,867), equivalent to a pass rate of 53.8%.At the heavy end, category ...