Aiming hire

16th February 2006, Page 22

16th February 2006

Page 22

Page 23

Page 22, 16th February 2006 — Aiming hire

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As head of the truck-hire sector's trade association, the BVRLA, John Lewis has some thorny issues to deal with — not least the Mayor of London. Dominic Perry investigates.

For a man about to lock horns with such a formidable political opponent as London Mayor Ken Livingstone. John Lewis seems remarkably upbeat. Lewis, director general of the British Vehicle Leasing and Rental Association (or BVRLA. to give it its equally tongue-twisting acronym). has just delivered a stinging attack on London's Congestion Charge. which was created, increased and is soon to be extended by the Mayor.

The BVRLA has been banging its head against this issue since it was introduced exactly three years ago and Lewis has become sufficiently incensed to launch a campaign against what he describes as the unfair and unjust way that Transport for London (TIL) administers the fines process. In fact our interview with Lewis follows hot on the heels of the press conference to announce the initiative, and he seems slightly euphoric from it all.

However,Lewis has not always been in such a pressure-cooker environment. He started work as a truck mechanic ("I didn't say a good truck mechanic, just a truck mechanic," he quips), moved up in the CV repair sector and spent time with a car and van leasing business before joining the BVRLA five years ago.

Putting something back

It's been tremendous," he says."I've found it to be exciting from the point of view ofand this may sound trite being able to put something back into an industry I love and enjoy." His knowledge of the operational side of the business is proving to he a real asset for the BVRLA."It's helped our lobbying process. It's lobbying based much more around logic and

common sense rather than very detailed legal jargon. It means the agenda remains on a level that we both understand because I appreciate some of the technical issues they are grappling with and how they want to shape legislation.

"I believe we're pretty effective.We've been able to get the industry in its various aspects recognised in quite a numberof piecesoflegislation. whether it's car rental or leasing,or rucks:*

So how does he explain the seeming lack of engagement from TrL, and the dog's breakfast of a piece of legislation that the rental and leasing sector has to deal with?

He offersa wry expression in response before choosing his words carefully. "We find that those in central government are quite reasonable individuals and the elements of '[IL's regime that we were able to negotiate centrally work quite well. The problem is when you get other areas falling within the auspices of TI L's regime:That's where it changes."

But with London's newly installed Transport Commissioner. Peter Hendy, running TfL Lewis is hoping for some change.

"I want to gi ve a fair and reasonable opportunity for him to listen to and address those issues. Ifs up to him to prove that he can do something about this." he says.

At its root the BVRLA sees the Congestion Charge's aims reducing traffic and generating revenue for transport improvements as mutually exclusive. As Lewis says,if you reduce the traffic going into the charging zone, you also

reduce the revenue generated by the charge.

"In our view they have got their balance wrong on the Congestion Charge." he says. "The key consideration should be, have they reduced congestion? The problem here is that they have hung so much revenue on it. In the one sense it's been successful as it's opened up the streets, and that's to its credit.

Additional revenue

the problem we arc facing is that the real target is not reducingeongestion hut raising additional revenue. He [Ken Livingstone] couldn't have put it on council tax because it would have lost him votesso he's had to raise it by other means."

Lewis also raises a quizzical eyebrow at some of the projects the revenue is being spent on.

not least the introduction of bendy buses."C'an you believe that in a city where congestion is such a problem that we are replacing buses that go upwards with ones that go outwards? That defies any logic."

Also making Lewis's temples throb at the moment are the thorny issues of smart-card tachographs and the introduction of Euro-4 engines. Lewis explains his members' dilemma: "The concern for us, from an operational aspect. is how we keep a balance of vehicles appropriate to our customers' needs.

"There's the potential for us to lead the

market in new technology— we take 25°, new vehicles coming in to the indusi there's a problem if our trucks are eq with digital tachographs but drivers ready to use them. If they don't need their main fleet then it will be quite diffi us to offer them for rental."

It's a similar story with Euro-4 trucks he says, the choice for rental firms is fi simple."Do they choose SCR. EGR (Sr at all? If you look at it realistically the cost truck to run is an analogue tach( equipped Euro-3 one. All drivers can i there's no fiscal incentive involved to u and the operator doesn't want the extri or cost of Euro-4.

"We are advising members to stick w logue Euro-3 trucks. It's possible that we 1 an entire Eurocycle—whywould operat( a truck that costs you more with no bend The next challenge But the next challenge for the BVRLA, is one that's almost of its own makii boom in home deliveries has boost number of vans going out on lease. an course they'll come back lobe sold on.

"We've managed the boom in the ii hut the question now is how we han volume of high-cube used product that producing.Ilie fact is that they aren't in to jobbing builders."

The other big challenge, he says, is imi the association's membership in the truck rental market.

In the car rental and leasing indut, BVRLA has up to 95% of the mark pared with nearer 6.5% in the CV sectoi Lewis says the BVRLA must demons "value proposition" to non-members. I larly those in small and medium firms."[V, ship of a trade association is no longer I'm not happy with our level of truck IT ship and we've got to improve that." •