All Industry News articles – Page 223
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Article40 MPs sign FFUK letter urging the chancellor to cut fuel duty
FairFuelUK and its backers were joined by 100 MPs at the Houses of Parliament on Monday [4 March], where 40 MPs signed a letter calling upon the chancellor to cut fuel duty.The letter, which appeared in The Times today, was signed by MPs including Robert Halfon, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes ...
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ArticlePallet networks commended over work on load-restraint guide
A prime mover in the development of vehicle load security rules has praised pallet networks and their members for their response to the issue.Nina Day, senior engineer at the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), told MT the pallet network sector’s engagement and the resulting constructive dialogue means the burden of ...
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ArticleDrivers ignorant of rules says senior TC Bell
There is a huge amount of ignorance among drivers over the drivers’ hours rules and tachograph regulations, says senior TC Beverley Bell.At a debate organised by recruitment agency Search Consultancy last month, she told operators that most of the drivers she encounters do not understand the rules.“You’re not very good ...
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TfL sets up dedicated Freight Delivery Unit
Freight has been given greater prominence by TfL with the creation of a free-standing Freight Delivery Unit.Led by Ian Wainwright, TfL’s road freight programme manager during London 2012, the new unit will work closely with industry partners to build on the lessons learned from the Games."Freight is being taken more ...
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FTA and RHA welcome the introduction of HGV Road User Levy Act
The FTA and RHA have welcomed the HGV Road User Levy Act, which became law yesterday (28 February).From April 2014, all LGVs weighing more than 12 tonnes will be charged up to £1,000 per year to use Britain’s roads. UK operators will be compensated through a reduction in VED, of ...
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OFT continues investigation into sale of Mercedes vehicles
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has confirmed it is still investigating two further alleged infringements of competition law, as part of the investigation it began in 2010 into Mercedes-Benz UK and five of its commercial vehicle dealers.Last week the OFT revealed it had reached a settlement with Mercedes-Benz ...
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Online retailers should increase number of delivery options, says GFS
Global Freight Solutions (GFS) has called on online retailers to increase the number of delivery options they offer consumers and consider using more third party carriers, as demand from internet shoppers and pressure on carrier capacity continues to grow.The GFS Review 2012 shows that B2B volumes fell by 2% ...
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ArticleFTA call on chancellor to cut fuel duty, while ensuring HGV levy is fair
TfL has set up a dedicated Freight Delivery UnitBoth the FTA and the RHA have now urged the chancellor to prioritise cutting fuel duty and ensuring the HGV Road User Levy does not negatively impact on UK operators.Revealing its submission ahead of the Budget next month, the FTA said it ...
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ArticleBulk diesel price on course for record high
fuel pump in tankThe average price of a litre of bulk diesel is just 0.75p off the all-time record set at the end of March last year, according to a survey of Road Haulage Association members.Nick Deal, manager of logistics development at the RHA, explained that the falling exchange ...
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OFT hits Mercedes-Benz and three CV dealers with £2.6m fine
Mercedes-Benz and three of its commercial vehicle dealers – Ciceley, Road Range and Enza - have admitted infringing competition law and agreed to pay settlements totalling £2.6m, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has revealed.A fourth dealer, Northside, has also admitted infringing competition law but will avoid any fine due ...
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International operators could face higher ferry prices
Cross-channel rail services supplier Groupe Eurotunnel has said it will challenge the Competition Commission over its provisional findings that passengers and freight customers could face higher prices because of its expansion into ferry services on the Dover-Calais route. The Competition Commission said yesterday (19 February) that it believed Eurotunnel’s ...
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ArticleDfT holds out for longer-semi trailer adoption
Wincanton was one of the first operators to have an LST on the roadThe DfT has said a decision will be made in due course on the rigidity of the December deadline for operators to take up their allocations of longer semi-trailers as part of the government’s 10-year trial.It comes ...
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ArticleEuropean backload rates fall
International operators suffered due to weak rates during Christmas 2012 due to the recession across most of the Continent, according to an online international backloads service.The latest Freightex European Road Freight Rate Index, based on the price paid per load between November 2012 and January 2013, revealed that rates ...
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Vote on truck noise leaves current limit in place
Proposals to reduce the maximum noise limit of heavy trucks have been rejected by a plenary session in the European Parliament. Although MEPs in the EU Parliament’s Environment Committee approved a proposal in December that would see most newly registered heavy road-going trucks restricted over an eight-year period to a ...
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RHA urges chancellor to consider diesel prices and rates in Budget
Rates pressure, diesel prices and lorry road user levy revenues are among the points the RHA wants the chancellor to consider ahead of the Budget (20 March).Rates remain a ‘key concern’ , with members noting that a significant increase in fuel prices would not push them to raise rates as ...
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Do you deliver at night?
Motortransport.co.uk would like to hear from any operators and retailers that currently make or receive deliveries at night.Perhaps you tried out-of-hours deliveries for the first time during the Olympics and are now continuing to operate outside of the traditional delivery window. You may transport goods in a specific sector that ...
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Lack of innovation thwarting operators' push for better rates
New research suggests operators’ expectations of growth this year could be hamstrung by a lack of innovation within the road transport sector.The latest UK Logistics Confidence Index, conducted by Analytiqa, for Barclays and Grant Thornton reveals that more than half of respondents (53%) expect profits to increase in the next ...
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Deadline for Everywoman in Transport and Logistics extended
The deadline for entry into the FTA Everywoman in Transport & Logistics Awards has been extended.Those seeking to enter the competition, which recognises the achievements of women within logistics, now have until 5pm on the 18 February to do so.Maxine Benson, co-founder of Everywoman, said: “The annual awards, sponsored this ...
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ArticleNews Extra: Sprinter's safety credentials reinforced in latest model
Mercedes-Benz is incorporating a host of safety features in its new Sprinter. Always keen to ensure it makes vehicle safety a core quality of its van range, Mercedes is to fit some of the latest developments from passenger car and truck part boxes to ensure the Sprinter ...
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ArticleLHVs 'no less safe' than regular trucks
There is no indication that longer, heavier vehicles (LHVs) are less safe than regular vehicles, a new report by Volvo Trucks has confirmed. Based on an analysis of data from the STRADA (Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition) programme, truck combinations up to 25.25m long with a maximum weight of ...