AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

18th April 1991
18th April 1991
Page 1
Page 1, 18th April 1991
Close

Page 5

FAIR ENOUGH?

• That eternal schoolboy Tom Brown never wanted anything ". . . but what's right and fair". In a fair and just world if an...

Page 6

Derbyshire tippermen demand 15% increase

• Tippermen working at 10 Derbyshire quarries are demanding a 15% rate increase from quarry owner Tilcon, partly as a result of...

Italy faces Euro subsidy charge

• The European Commission has launched an investigation into claims that government funds have been paid to Italian hauliers....

Stickers fight thefts

• Hauliers who leave their trucks unattended overnight are being urged to join a national anti-theft vehicle watch scheme....

New row ove

• A trading standards chief has dismissed criticism of the accuracy of a dynamic axle weighbridge which gave two gross weight...

Page 7

dynamic weighing

weigher to the truck specifically because he hauls from sawmills where there are no self-test weighbridges. When the driver...

Parcels firms may go via Post Office

• Private parcel firms could soon be allowed to use the Royal Mail's network for a fee, under plans being considered by the...

Truckwatch is on the road up North

• Road hauliers in the North-East are joining operators in East Anglia and Kent in the theft-busting Truckwatch scheme. The...

Urban dereg 'soon'

• Britain's remaining local authority-owned bus companies look likely to be privatised if the Tories win the next election....

Staff go • Leicester-based Braunstone Haulage has gone into receivership with Coopers Deloitte, making around 30 staff redundant.

[! ' irRUCICFEST 91

• Some top hauliers lined up for Commercial Motor Truckfest this year are: owner-driver and last year's best new vehicle winner...

Salisbury pain

• Loughborough-based dealer Yeates Bus & Coach will close its Salisbury depot next month, making 10 staff redundant.

Late payers

• The plight of small firms, including hauliers, who face going bust because of late payment of bills is being studied by the...

Cambs check

• More than 10% of the 107 trucks stopped for a weighing check on the Al near Sawtry, Cambs last week were given immediate...

Alexander cuts

• Coach maker Walter Alexander is to make 44 staff redundant and put the remaining 420 on a three-day week at least until the...

Page 8

Tad() checking code

• The first set of guidelines for tachograph analysts will be published later this month. The code of practice, from the...

Roll cage saves racer's life

• Veteran truck racer Allan Hodge says a specially developed roll cage saved his life after his Iveco Ford Cargo hit a crash...

Sisu postpones launch into UK

• Sisu Trucks of Finland has postponed its planned break into the UK market because the recession shows no signs of ending....

First sighting of big Fiesta

• This is the first shot of Ford's new Fiesta high-cube van which will be officially launched at next month's Barcelona Show....

Getting message

• Programmable message signs warning drivers of accidents and where they should reduce speed are to be fitted on the M25,...

Road spend

• The Government will spend £444m on motorway, trunk road and bridge maintenance in 1991/92 — up £37m on last year.

Page 12

Iveco shows Continental Cargo

• Iveco has revealed the truck which will take over from the Cargo in the light to mediumweight sector. While the all-new...

Page 13

Scania's air tag attack

• Scania is stepping up its attack on the UK three-axle tractor market with a new 6x2 featuring a fully air suspended tag axle,...

Cargo Care goes for a century

• Pan-European trailer operator Cargo Care is adding 100 high volume TER tilt trailers to its 650-strong fleet in an order...

Thin cob • Foden has developed a narrower cab for

its 3000 Series chassis derived from the one used on its 2000 Series 17-tormer. The 2.2m wide cab shaves 90kg off the...

Getting heavy • Unipower now has available a 4x2 bonnetted

heavy recovery truck which it worked on with Wreckers International; Unipower handled the bodywork in-house.

Up fronter 1111 The front-wheel-drive, six-wheel delivery truck designed by

Chassis Developments of Leighton Buzzard and featuring an Alexander municipal cab (CM 27 September 3 October 1990) has gone...

JR Roberts is first with 4x4

• What is claimed to be the first 4x4 conversion of the Leyland Daf Roadrunner is being launched by JR Roberts Engineering of...

Page 14

FTA pushes for zero VAT

• The Freight Transport Association is lobbying UK and European Customs to oppose the charging of VAT on transport services...

Shipper provides port backloads

• A new haulage operation, Return Loads of Felixstowe, plans to provide backloads for lorries coming into Felixstowe. The...

Premiums to rocket

• The Road Haulage Association's new conditions of carriage will push up goods-intransit insurance premiums. Insurance...

Parcelforce tops £600m turnover

• A year after its launch Parcelforce has opened nearly 80 dedicated delivery depots for its standard service and added 2,000...

Green thinking

• BRS managing director Steve Abel has urged operators to implement Green strategies which result in "significant cost...

Page 15

Going digital

Tibbet 8z Britten Group is to manage the UK warehousing and transport operations of computer giant Digital Equipment. TBG will...

Fuel proof III Hauliers should insist on a fuel surcharge

clause in rate agreements to protect themselves from a sudden rise in dery prices, says Road Haulage Association director...

When the going gets tough

The current recession is opening up buying opportunities, says Transport Development Group chairman Sir James Duncan. TDG has...

TIP fights for survival

• Jim Davis, chairman of trailer rental giant TIP Europe, says that if the company had failed to renegotiate soaring interest...

Nexday rises rapidly

• Nexday managing director Geoffrey Rowett says the company's franchise programme is moving fast, with 75% of its total revenue...

Truckstop stopped

• A plan to build a 200-lorry truckstop off the M1 at East Midlands Airport has been rejected by the local council on orders...

Page 18

BCC congestion coup

• The Bus & Coach Council has moved a step nearer to getting cash from the Government to fund congestion-busting schemes it...

Stronger coaches rejected

• The European Commission has rejected a plan forcing manufacturers to build coaches with stronger superstructures. British...

Volvo music • The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra has

taken delivery of a £120,000 air suspended MOM coach, which it will use to carry its instruments.

• West Yorkshire-based Alternative Chassis Engineering says it is in

advanced discussions with a Northern bodybuilder interested in its six-month-old low-floor Cougar chassis.

Wage wait • The Greater Manchester Low Pay Unit's calls

for a minimum legal wage have been rejected by the Department of Employment — but the Department of Transport says it is...

Second borough recruits informers

• Coach drivers in London face another campaign urging residents to report them for illegal or inconsiderate operation. The...

Buyer is required

• A buyer is being sought for Specialised Coach Services (International), the UK testing and services agent for Van Hool...

Page 20

Pugh protects objectors

• West Midland Licensing Authority John Mervyn Pugh has granted a icence to Walkers Carriers, but has imposed environmental...

Finance faults • Doubts about the finances of Widnes-based Kabfast

have Jed North Western Deputy Licensing Authority Kenneth Birchall to refuse its application for a new national licence...

Fiddling is admitted

• MRS Distribution of Bathgate has been fined £10,000 with 2.850 costs after it admitted falsifying tachograph charts before...

GKN Chep sues over pallets

• GKN Chep is suing the 6 6 receivers of Rockwood Distribution over an alleged debt of more than Lim for the hire of...

Star hearing is adjourned again

forgery with relation to the payment of vehicle excise duty by West Yorkshire haulier Kenneth Standage, trading as Star...

Page 21

Less licence for Steetley

• Steetley Transport has received an 0-licence for just two years following a series of overloading convictions, even though it...

Hours problems with livestock

• Western Deputy LA John Robins has suspended eight vehicles and trailers from Gilders Transport's licence for three months,...

Prison threat for VED fraud

• Cumbrianbased coach operator Thomas Gordon has been given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and Fmed...

Page 22

BUSINESS MOVES

UPS SCOTTISH SET UP • United Parcel Service has set up a new office in Edinburgh and is starting a direct flight from Glasgow...

WATCHING OMEGA • International express parcels operator Securicor Omega Express

has moved its Plymouth depot to a new site at the Langage Business Park, just off the A38 near Plympton. The offices,...

CROCK AND ROLL • The Go-Ahead Northern Bus Enthusiasts Association

is holding its annual vintage vehicle rally on 5 May at the MetroCentre, Newcastleupon-Tyne. The group hopes that more than 50...

FOCUS ON ENERGY • The Freight Transport Association and the

Energy Efficiency Office are holding a free seminar — called "Reducing the fuel costs of road freight vehicles: the benefits of...

FERRIES

EATS TO HIS OWN • Sealink Stena Line has unveiled a new menu for truck drivers with the emphasis on traditional favourites and...

EVENTS

AVRO-EX IS BACK • The Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators says there are only a few stands left at the AVRO-EX '91 show...

FAIR FIGHT

• Transport lawyer and C ommercial Motor columnist Jonathan Lawton will put the case for fair rates for tipper operators in a...

WIGHTMAN'S FAMOUS FOUR • The Tachograph Operating Handbook, priced at

£2.95, is one of four booklets being launched by Wightman Mountain at the end of this month. The other books are: the Vehicle...

MAINTAINING VEHICLES • A guide to maintaining commercial goods and

passenger carrying vehicles in a roadworthy condition is now available from the HMSO. It has been produced jointly by the...

PRODUCTS

PULLING POWER ▪ Ryders International of Liverpool has introduced a capstan winch which is powered by a 50cc two-stroke petrol...

REAR WINDOW • Three sizes of wide-angle rear window lenses,

designed to enable larger vehicles to reverse safely, have been launched by Summit Accessories of Banbury. The lenses increase...

ROAD NEWS

VALLEY DELAYS • Major roadworks are scheduled to begin on the A45 Nene Valley Way, Northampton on 22 April. A 40mph speed limit...

WINDSHIELD PLAN • Work is now under way to install

adjustable windshielding at both sets of main towers on the Severn Bridge after several vehicles were blown over.

PUBLICATIONS

GLASS'S GUIDES • This year's series of Glass's Guide technical publications are now available under the banner, Glasstech. The...

Page 23

• The Greatest Free Show on Earth, trumpets Northern Power

Sport Promotions, announcing its National Power Sports Festival in Blackpool 26-30 June. "As you are well aware", Northern...

• Soaring over the South oast at Easter, the Hawk

spotted a Mercedes 1635 tractive unit on Hayling Island. Nothing unusual in that, except that this one was parked in a front...

Page 25

NEW KID on the

BLOCK The old VW Transporter only gained a favourable reputation with owners after many years of hard work in the field. Can...

Page 30

PECIF HEIGHTS

• The recession has undoubtedly taken its toll on the development of brewery vehicles as transport managers continually try to...

Page 34

ALLING

HE SHOTS Every operator spends time trying to find the right vehicle for the job. But how many achieve it? • Edinburgh was...

Page 36

OUTSIDE

ADViCE No company is too small to hire an outside consultant especially when the Government could foot up to two-thirds of the...

Page 38

• The success of any company against a backdrop of

recession begs the question, `what's the secret of its success?' If there was a single golden rule to follow there would be no...

Page 40

• BVRLA OFFICIALS

Roger Macey has filled the two-year post of chairman at the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association. He is chairman of the...

• TNT EXPRESS WORLDWIDE CORCORAN/VVILSON/ SHE LOON Roger Corcoran has

been appointed general manager UK of newly formed TNT Express Worldwide which is responsible for TNT Air, TNT Road, TNT...

• FTA NORTH MIDLANDS OFFICERS

The committee of the Freight Transport Association's North Midlands division has elected its officers for 1991-1992: Ken...

• XP EXPRESS PARCELS COOKE

XP Express Parcels has appointed Niall Cooke to be general manager at its Birmingham Freeport depot. He joins from GKN...

Simon Emblen.

• SOUTH WAY COMMERCIALS EMBLEN/ROBERTS Scania distributor Southway Commercials of Fareham, Hants has taken on Simon Emblen as...

FIGHT BACK

• I would like to comment on GH Deakin's letter (CM 28 March-3 April) which would appear to be casting doubt on Mike...

NO LIMIT • We have been led to believe that

the fitting of speed limiters to HGVs will solve everything, when in actual fact it will stop nothing. There are very few...

Page 42

• There are now encouraging signs that the recession in

the used truck market could be coming to an end. Interest rates are starting to decline and people are becoming more and more...