AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

Call our Sales Team on 0208 912 2120

21st April 2005
21st April 2005
Page 1
Page 1, 21st April 2005
Close

Page 3

TIME TO CHECK THE FOUNDATIONS

It seems a worrying trend. First Courts, then Allders, The Gadget Shop and now Index — all gone or going to the wall. If...

Page 6

Haulage firms hit as Rover collapses

The collapse of Rover has lead to more fall-out for the transport industry. Guy Sheppard reports. NEWLY CREATED car transport...

THE TRANSPORT industry has suffered a further blow this week

with the announcement that Littlewoods is to close its lossmaking Index catalogue business. This will result in the loss of...

TRANSPORT CAMPAIGNER Professor David Begg is continuing his war on

motorists following a speech in which he outlined his hopes for future government policy on transport. At his first conference...

Page 7

DFDS licence slashed after anonymous call to VOSA

THE SCOTTISH 0-LICENCE held by DFDS Transport has been cut to one vehicle and one trailer for two weeks after an investigation...

Firms seek Calais compensation

SEAFRANCE IS TO claim compensation from the Port of Calais for lost productivity in excess of Om following the closure of...

P&O Correction

In 14 April edition of Commercial Motor an article headlined "Abuse campaign at P&O condemned by tribunal" identified the...

Protest threat

Around 150 hauliers in NE Scotland have threatened five days of protests over the MD. They say they will make sure no drivers...

Longest road

The longest stretch of motorway built in Scotland for a decade opens on 30 April. The 9.5-mile section of the M77 will complete...

Truck watch

Residents in Upper Swell, Gloucestershire, say they will report any trucks breaking weight restrictions.

No bridge

Plans to build a E.700m crossing over the Forth in Scotland have been shelved in favour of short-term congestion busting plans.

Fatal accident

A man was killed after he was run over by a truck at a works untt in Salford, Greater Manchester, on 16 April.

Page 8

Owner will have no more say in how business is managed

A haulier steps out of the TC's way before his repute can be considered. Chris Tindall reports. THE OWNER OF a haulage company...

Strikes called off as new deal is offered

THE RAIL, MARITIME and Transport Union has called off its strike action over pay at rail-freight operator Freightliner while a...

Page 9

Hello, remember us?

Mr X wonders just how long it will be before road transport is given the priority and attention is deserves by our would-be...

Page 10

Police make arrests in top criminal gang

Court beckons for three waste company bosses accused of dumping 28,000 tonnes of waste in Northern Ireland. Anton McCabe...

M-B saves fuel with eco-roll

MERCEDES-BENZ has joined Volvo in offering an "eco-roll" fuel-economy device on its BlueTec 4 and BlueTec 5 range of Euro4 and...

HSE prepares new management guidelines

OPERATORS ARE bracing themselves for increased red tape with the news that the HSE is working on a new set of management...

Page 12

Co-op jobs come and go

The Co-op plans to slash 400 jobs from distribution — but hire 70 new drivers. Sally Nash reports. MORE TH AN 40 drivers face...

New firm springs from old

A WEST MIDLANDS haulier which went into liquidation over six months ago is being relaunched under new management. Lloyds...

IN THE NEWS

Stuart Thomas gives us his regular round-up of the way the newspapers have covered the world of transport this week. It's noi...

Page 13

That was the year...

CM was launched in 1905; for our centenary year we're bringing you stories from years gone by. This week we're back in 1918 and...

Page 14

Scots coal operators fear rates shortfall

Coal hauliers in Scotland have guaranteed work — now they want an increase in rates. David Harris reports. SCOTTISH COAL'S...

No reprieve

for trucks too tall for tunnel DUBLIN CITY Council has denied reports that trucks too tall for the Dublin Port Tunnel will be...

Pallet network plans Continental growth

THE PALLET Network plans to move onto the Continent following the opening of a 21,000na hub at Rugby. MD Adam Leonard, says:...

Page 16

Widow pursues her husband's killer

A widow fighting for her husband's killer to be brought to justice has had a boost from the French government. David Harris...

A COURT ruling in the Netherlands could open the door

for unscrupulous operators to flag out their vehicles and avoid employing local CPC holders. However, the Freight Transport...

unlit parking

ALMOST 60 truck drivers have been cautioned by Derbyshire police in a campaign highlighting the dangers caused by vehicles...

Page 18

Avia? That'll be the Daewoo

Daewoo has restructured following financial problems and has a new UK distribution network and a new name. Colin Bameft...

LDV and AIM —again Birmingham van maker LDV has agreed a marketing arrangement with Avia.

Ironically, Daewoo's Polish operation was LDV's partner during the irAal development of the Maxus, before the Korean parent...

Page 20

Clean image of soap thief...

LANCASHIRE POLICE have released CCTV pictures of a man they want to interview about the theft of a trailer load of soap powder...

€5k reward for trailer info

LEEDS OPERATOR Leonard Cooper is offering a £5,000 reward for any information leading to the recovery of its stolen trailer and...

...but this man's in disguise?

MEDWAY POLICE have released CCTV pictures of a man they would like to trace in connection with the theft of a container from...

Dishwasher tablets worth E30k stolen

THIEVES HAVE escaped with a truck containing a £30,000 load of dishwasher tablets from Gregory Distribution in Worcestershire....

Vedra: look but don't touch

TRUCKPOL IS looking for a gold Vauxhall Vectra, registration number W425PNS. The vehicle is thought to have been involved in...

Page 22

The devil's in the detail

EU legislation on drivers' hours has been hanging around for years, but we should see some action soon. Chris Tindall ex T he...

Digital tachographs

The introduction of digital smart-card tachographs, scheduled by the EC for August this year, has been postponed by the EU...

Page 26

The quiet man

Vincent Caulfield is the first tipperman and the first owner-driver to be elected president of the Irish Road Haulage...

Page 30

EC's demands are simply unrealistic

AS YOU POINTED out under the heading "More EU tacho confusion" (CM 10 March) digital tachographs have been the source of much...

Nothing funny about safety

I FEEL COMPELLED to respond to the letter printed under the extraordinary heading "Tarmac's Safety Farce" (CM 24 March). It is...

ON BEHALF OF REDEEM, the mobile phone and printer cartridge

recycling company. I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has given their support to our recent Tsunami...

is worth all of the paperwork

AFTER READING BRIAN Alcock's letter of the week regarding health and safety guidelines and all the associated paperwork (CM 7...

Page 32

Tough on crime...

...tough on the causes of crime. VOSA has set out its stall with its latest business plan, promising increased efficiency,...

Page 35

Family row over ownership of a proposed operating centre

At an operator's fourth public inquiry the TC said it was lucky to hang onto its 0-licence, and warned it must do things 'spot...

Page 36

Rapid expansion programme leads to shortcomings in Scottish operation

AN ENGLISH COMPANY has had its Scottish licence cut from 20 vehicles to 17 for four weeks after the firm received a string of...

Too much bread mix costs operator lots of dough

A GROSS overload has cost Crowthorne, Berkshire-based D&M Tramar £1,085 in lines and costs after it admitted the offence when...

Page 37

Finn ordered to shut down for a day to train its drivers

A COMPANY guilty of numerous drivers' hours offences has been ordered to shut for a day so its drivers can receive refresher...

Too much weight and no licence costs owner-driver £575

USING AN overloaded vehicle without the authority of an 0-licence has cost a Bangor.North Wales, operator £575 in fines and...

Page 38

Time on your side

Smart operators can make the working time regulations work to their advantage. Patric Cunnane reports from an ETA training...

Page 40

Limited demands

Should you stay a sole trader, become a limited company or choose one of the options in between? Kevin Bexley reports on the...

Page 42

Up and coming law with the FIA

Future legislation Digital tachograph smart card fees: The DVLA is consulting on fees for the issue of digital tachograph...

Act now!

Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005:4 April 2005 These regulations implement the EU Directive that applies specific...

Page 44

N A CLASS OF ITS OWN

Strange chap, fashion. As CM'S technical team can confirm, if you ignore enough trends, eventually you come back into favour —...

Page 50

THE HALL OF FAME 3

More of our transport veterans make their case for the all-time drive of the century praising quality, innovation and, some of...

Page 54

ROUTE NG FOR FREE

The best things in life are supposedly free... so how does free online routeing software compare with the kind of package you...

Page 59

M AN's latest 7.5-12-tonne TGL (Trucknology Generation Light) range makes no

secret of its roots in the well establishedTGA line-up, and it's cab is just as wide as the old L2000. But underneath it beats...

Page 60

CANTER GALLOPS

HOME TO UK The Portuguese-built Canter has a chequered history on the UK market Now it's been rebadged and revamped — we've...

Page 62

THEN THERE "'"' WAS ONE...

Lakeland says Ws the only volume spirit tanker trailer builder left in the UK but it's still joining the 'lite' club. Brian...

LAKELAND LINKS Lakeland Tanker's parent company Newell & Wright started

as a road transport and freight company in Sheffield before branching into tank building as Road Tankers Northern in 1990. RTN...

LAKELAND INNOVATOR SPC CHECK 042,00C-11e, six compartment, semi chassisless, triaxle

sprit tanker *Fully ADR compliant with Xtral grade aluminium barrel built with circumferential extrusions 411SAF Intradisc...

Page 66

Small promises poorly kept

The government's about to get in again — whoever wins. Austin Caulfield wonders when it will realise what the industry...

Page 69

Catching up on business

The CV Show is the ideal place for used truck dealers to enjoy a drink and possibly pick up some business, reports George...

Page 70

Real-time online buying

Manheim's Simulcast webcam link allows dealers to take part in auctions in any part of the country... without actually being...

Page 71

It's a giveaway at Mercedes-Benz

THE APPROVED Used Vehicle arm of Mercedes Benz put three vehicles on its NEC stand. It gave. away a Vito 112Cdi Vision for 12...

Page 72

Spring sales are soaring

Business was booming throughout the winter and demand is still strong — though as Steve Banner finds, the bonanza is not...

Dealer slams manufacturer schemes

TOO MANY manufacturer-approved used truck programmes are bland, boring, and unimaginative, says independent dealer Martin...

Page 73

MAN Diesel moves

in to Scottish sector PERSUADING SCOTTISH Scania and Volvo fans to switch to a used MAN or ERF sounds like an uphill task,but...

Merc dealers win top marques from Japan

MANUFACTURERS CONCERNED that their dealers will take on additional franchises in a bid to broaden their customer base and boost...

BSE crisis blamed for shortage of meat railers

TRAILERS 111'1ED with meat rails are much in demand at present, says Dave Higgs of Hartlebuty Worcestershire-based independent...