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16th April 1998
16th April 1998
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Page 1, 16th April 1998
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Page 6

The morning after a good night out Who doesn't enjoy

a swift pint at the end of a hard day's work? Maybe you prefer a couple of Scotches, or a bottle of wine. But when does a...

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Fed-up hauliers to set up blockades by David Craik and

Sally Nash • UK hauliers are pledging to bring the country to a standstill this week when more than a thousand trucks take part...

THINK BEFORE YOU DRINK judging by CM's recent undercover operation

at Truckworld, it seems Britain's truck drivers are, for the most part, squeaky-clean when it comes to sensible drinking the...

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Transfrigoroute tackles supermarket problems by Sally Nash • Hauliers have

reacted with scepticism to Transfrigoroute UK's pledge to tackle supermarkets on a long list of grievances, including the...

More big bills for hauliers in France • Renault is

the latest manufacturer to incur the wrath of a British haulier over prices for replacement vehicle parts on the Continent....

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BRIEFS • P&O Trans European started an intermodal service from Zeebrugge to Prague last week.

• The two Vehicle Inspectorate examiners arrested at the Purfleet HGV test station last November, following allegations of...

Irish plan action day by Patric Cunnane • Irish hauliers

are planning a day of action in protest at low rates and illegal competition—more than 50 trucks will assemble at Port Laoise...

Brakes are the top fault • Hauliers are wilfully continuing

to defy the law, according to Vehicle Inspectorate figures from last week's Operation Mermaid nationwide lorry check of more...

Hijackers at large near Paris International operators should be wary

of hijackers in the Paris region alter the sixth attack on a goods vehicle there within a month. The armed hijack of the HGV...

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Haulage out of lime Directive by Sally Nash • The

Government has pledged to limit the working hours of road transport employees at some point in the future—despite excluding...

Tribunal restores licence • The Transport Tribunal has overturned West

Midland Deputy Traffic Commissioner Roger Seymour's decision to cut the licence held by Bilston heavy haulier Starr Roadways....

• The West Midlands Joint Industrial Council (JIC) is heralding

its new three-year pay deal for truck drivers in the West Midlands as "revolutionary". It was reached in light of the possible...

HSE warns on site safety • The Health and Safety

Executive is threatening to prosecute companies which don't do enough to prevent transport-related accidents at work. The...

Sacked driver takes on UC • Parcels group United Carriers

is to be taken to an industrial tribunal by a driver sacked from its Leeds depot as part of its move away from three-day...

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VOR claims falter on non-franchise imports by Rob Willock •

Hauliers will not receive compensation for the loss of use of a truck if they import it via a non-franchised dealer, according...

Stowaway warning on Belgian-French route • A Cumbrian haulier is

warning international operators to be "extra vigilant" about security in northern Belgium and the corridor to France after...

'Name and shame' list delay 9 The TUC has postponed

the publication of its "name and shame" list of bad transport bosses a second time. The list, which is expected to expose some...

Driver shortage crisis looms • Between 40,000 and 50,000 drivers

a year could leave the industry if the current staff turnover rate continues, warns the Road Haulage & Distribution Training...

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Big boys' toys at Bauma The BAUMA construction equipment show

celebrated its silver jubilee this year with a record-breaking tally of more than 2,000 exhibitors. The vast array of handling...

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ajor lipCon moves • TipCon '98 kicks off next week

with major launches from Foden, Leyland Daf and Mercedes. For its first year at Manchester's G-MEX Centre the show will include...

GE Capital gears up for light hire by Robin Meczes

• Following the acquisition of BRS CarLease from NFC Holdings last year, GE Capital Fleet Services has geared up its fight for...

Budget reefers Introduced • Refrigerated Vehicles (UK) has launched a

budget range of insulated bodies known as RVL Diffusion. They have a predicted service life of five years and come with a full...

Crew-cab kit • Ecotek (Design and Mouldings) of Hingham, Norfolk

has developed a kit to convert a panel van with sliding side door into a crew-cab. The kit comprises an integral bulkhead/seat...

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Merc targets services by Bryan Jarvis • Mercedes-Benz's latest Econic

chassis range with its low-entry cab is bound to have a considerable impact on the municipal sector, but Mercedes will also be...

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No action • tio action was taken against the licence

held by Ammanford-based T Richard Jones (Betws) when the company appeared at a Cardiff disciplinary inquiry before South Wales...

Last chance for haulier • A vehicle which was found

to be in "an extremely dangerous condition" with serious brake defects has led to the number of vehicles on a Sheffield...

Milkman fined for no licence • A Carmarthenshire man who

operated an unli censed milkdelivery service has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,455 by Llanelli magistrates....

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Self-employed driver was to blame for overloading • The Vehicle

Inspectorate dropped an overloading charge brought against Chorley-based Ruttle Plant Hire after evidence was produced before...

Suspension is quashed • The Transport Tribunal has quashed Scottish

TC Michael Betts' month-long suspension of the licence held by Galloway Refrigerated Transport. But the Tribunal upheld Betts'...

6' A general haulage firm which has traded for 88

years with an unblemished record escaped with a warning after appearing at a public inquiry to answer allegations of poor...

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No case for a rise ITread the article entitled "P&O

domination worries hauliers" (CM 2-8 April) with interest but cannot agree with the comments attributed to the FTA...

No oohs and aahs Ifeel I need to set right

comments made in your article "Hauliers prepare for fuel price protest" (CM 2-8 April). At the last meeting of the Next...

Direct action 'The frustration and anger 1 of those who

took part in the demonstration in central London is understandable. The Chancellor's action in continually bashing the road...

Did we say that?

Further to your story regarding comments made on the BBC's Pile up programme by a senior police officer who thought, for safety...

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Tachograph rules Further to the article headed "Tacho puzzle for

skips" (CM 12-18 March), we have been advised by the policy section of the DOT that the rules relating to tachographs are not...

No jurisdiction our investigation on JS Express (CM 19-25 March)

I was quite well reported. However, you point out at the end of the piece that the Traffic Area Office was unable to bring this...

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I _ As UK businesses increases their dealings with the

rest of the EU it makes sense for hauliers to have bases in more than one country. However, the tide can also turn against such...

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Some drivers are lucky enough to work nine to five,

Monday to Friday with time to see the kids in the evening and cheer the home team on at weekends. But more and more employers...

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Despite nearing its halfcentury the Green Goddess fire engine could

live on with a massive refurbishment programme. Would a revamped Bedford really be the answer to our needs—or mutton dressed as...

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Electronic tachos are still up to two years away— plenty

of time for the more disreputable operators to fiddle the present system while the sun still shines. Pat Hagan reports on the...

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NICRETE SAL From a solid ground floor Milbank Trucks has

built itself up into a 25-vehicle fleet in just 1 j. rs. Dan Gilkes rep.Jri ¶j11 the small businessJr• 1 1 on which r d...

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AWV $ teamed i. Armour rom the Freight Transport Association's

legal department to highlight laws in the pipeline. He is unable to take telephone calls at CM's offices but written enquiries...

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'I'm just doing a favour for a friend is the

explanation often heard Every branch of the haulage industry has its problems with unfair competition. However, professional...