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1st December 2011
1st December 2011
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Page 1, 1st December 2011
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New beginnings

This week marks a new beginning for CM : we’ve launched Commercialmotor.com. It’s taken a lot of hard work from all of the...

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Fuel duty battle may be won, but war isn’t over

By Laura Hailstone THE HAULAGE industry has been given short-term relief from escalating fuel prices following the Chancellor’s...

INFRASTRUCTURE

An updated National Infrastructure Plan, including details of 35 road and rail schemes, was also published, with the Chancellor...

SME LENDING

All firms with a turnover of £50m or less will be able to access a £20bn fund acting as a guarantee on borrowing. This should...

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Bedfords on the look out for a new business to acquire

By Christopher Walton WEST YORKSHIRE-based Bedfords Transport says it is in the market to acquire a haulier as part of wider...

Log on to Commercialmotor.com

CM HAS launched a dedicated website this week focusing on what road transport irms want and need. “We’ve taken the best bits of...

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VOSA row with TCs labelled as a ‘crisis’

By Roger Brown THE PUBLIC row that saw trafic commissioners (TCs) accuse VOSA of undermining their judicial independence has...

Haulier offers £5,000 reward for tractors

A NORTHERN Ireland haulage company is offering a £5,000 re ward for information that leads to the return of two Scania tractor...

Merc unveils new aero trailer

MERCEDES-BENZ has revealed details of a new aero trailer concept, which boasts 18% less wind resistance and nearly 5% less fuel...

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Essex haulier fined £12,000 for worker crushed by lorry

By Roger Brown DARTFORD HAULIER KBC Logistics has been ined £12,000 after an employee was seriously injured when he was...

Don’t forget your HGV markings

CONSPICUITY MARKINGS will become part of annual HGV testing from January 2012, following implementation of the latest EU...

SfL secures £4m of funding

SKILLS FOR Logistics (SfL) has been granted almost £4m of funding, securing its future for the next two years. Due to...

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MP appalled by Bath city centre HGV ban

By Chris Tindall PLANS TO ban HGVs from part of Bath city centre are going ahead despite an MP questioning the legality of...

AND FINALLY...

Water sight for UK roads... IF YOU were travelling between Liverpool and Warwick last week, you might have spotted this...

Cheshire CV unit ‘punching above its weight’

CHESHIRE POLICE’S CV unit has seized more than 100 HGVs since it was set up two years ago, says the police authority’s...

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Are you getting enough?

The distribution industry finally gets some good news, as pay settlements across the sector have crept up compared to last...

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Truck-loving criminals

Is truck crime increasing? Respondents to November’s Trucking Britain Out Of Recession survey deliver their judgement By...

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ALL TYRED OUT?

Everybody knows about the link between properly inflated tyres and fuel economy, and it seems operators are catching on to the...

Optimism on the up

Conidence among operators in November continued its slow climb away from September’s alltime low. A total of 70% of respondents...

Driver CPC lag

Last month the Freight Transport Association estimated nearly half its members (46%) are set to miss the Driver CPC deadline (...

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New Actros has the winning combination

Mercedes’ all-new Actros has scooped the 2012 International Truck of the Year trophy in style. CM considers what comes next...

FOUR TIMES A WINNER

It’s the fourth time Actros has won IToY. It first triumphed in 1997, soon after its debut. Then the second-generation Actros...

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Electric shock win for Renault

Words: Andy Salter EUROPE’S FIRST series production electric light commercial vehicle, the Renault Kangoo ZE, has scooped the...

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Kangoo ZE: the facts

The vehicle is built directly on the standard Kangoo production line at Mauberge in north-east France; prices have been pushed...

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LETTER OF THE WEEK

Any takers for my improved trailer steering axle design? READING SO MUCH of late about the growing interest in different axle...

Online reaction

The latest comments on commercialmotor.com Ghost driver haulier sent to prison “ This is getting unbelievable, commit a five...

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Licence cut for failing to report convictions

Haulier that relies on agency drivers failed to report 11 convictions to the traffic commissioner A LONDON HAULIER that...

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EASTERN/SOUTH EASTERN AND METROPOLITAN TRAFFIC AREAS

Mercer gets nod, with conditions MERCER SCAFFOLDING and Plant Hire has been given authorisation for six vehicles and four...

Wyvern Cargo

WYVERN CARGO is looking to base ive vehicles and 10 trailers at the Chowns Mill Business Park in Wellingborough.

Gist

GIST WANTS to base 20 vehicles and two trailers at a new operating centre on the Oakes Industrial Estate, Lutterworth.

Hermes

HERMES IS LOOKING to get the go ahead for 35 vehicles and six trailers at a new operating centre on the Quarry Wood Industrial...

Howard Tenens (West London)

HOWARD TENENS (West London) is hoping to be given the green light to base 22 vehicles and ive trailers at a facility on...

FORTHCOMING PUBLIC INQUIRIES Eastern/South Eastern and Metropolitan Traffic Areas Colchester

• A PI on 16 December will look at a new application from BVW Transport, based in Colchester, as well as an objection received...

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A year-long holiday

New employers can apply for a one-year holiday from National Insurance contributions, with savings of up to £50,000 Words:...

Help for new starters

The government’s Business Link offers help for new operations. Options include: • Business mentoring – a video shows how others...

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Making healthy choices

Following advice about healthy living can be difficult for lorry drivers. What simple lifestyle changes would make the biggest...

EXERCISE

The ‘Tommy the Trucker’ booklet encourages drivers to do 30 minutes of activity, such as mowing the lawn or kicking a football,...

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TOP HEALTH TIPS FOR STAYING ALERT ON THE ROAD

• Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water or well-diluted squashes rather than fizzy, sugary drinks. • Ensure steady energy...

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Family fortunes

Road transport has always been a tough business in which to succeed. The current dif�cult economic climate, combined with...

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A YOUNG WORKFORCE

Taking on youngsters and helping them to progress has been instrumental in the expansion of the business. Many of the drivers...

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Truck buyers are increasingly demanding manufacturers prove their claims on

fuel economy... and why not? CM witnessed the latest trials involving Iveco’s EcoStralis Words: Brian Weatherley Th ere was a...

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ECOSTRALIS – WHERE THE SAVINGS COME FROM

The EcoStralis drive-line is specifically ‘economy tuned’ for long-haul motorway work. Using data generated by ECAS and ABS,...

THE BOTTOM LINE WITH ECOSTRALIS

Based upon a typical artic covering 120,000km a year and a price of 113.64ppl for bulk diesel*, the EcoStralis offers the...

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OPERATOR FEEDBACK

Among the operators that have put Iveco’s 4% fuel guarantee to the test, a number have already seen major improvements in their...

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i Makng tracks

Driving doesn’t get any tougher than truck tyre testing for Michelin. CM went along for the ride Words: Roger Brown / Images:...

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LADOUX TIMELINE

1965: The first tyre wear tests are conducted at Ladoux, and the centre initially employs 150 people. 1971: 1,500 tyre...

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MUSEUM PIECES

The Michelin museum in central Clermont-Ferrand – L’Aventure Michelin – opened to the public in 2009. It charts the origins of...

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TESTING TIMES

Michelin allocated more than €500m to its research and development budget in 2011 and has 6,000 employees involved in R&D and...

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Pimping up an old goodie

To help raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, CM and Manheim Remarketing joined forces to buy a non-runner, give it some...

THE VENDOR: HITACHI CAPITAL FLEET SOLUTIONS

With two registered owners, the vehicle was entered into a sale by Hitachi Capital Fleet Solutions. With a faulty clutch it...

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MONEY RAISED

Once it was blinged up , the VW Transporter T28 was used as a support vehicle on a coast-to-coast charity cycle ride between...

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Mertrux founder passes away at 72

Don Marshall, the founder of East Midlands Mercedes-Benz dealer Mertrux, has passed away at the age of 72 THE FOUNDER and...