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28th January 1999
28th January 1999
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Page 1, 28th January 1999
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• United Carriers has unveiled its new corporcr. identity. The new

look will be seen on 80 UC vehicles, as well as on uniforms, literature and the web site. • Tibbett and Britten is to add 18...

Peer aims to save impounding law

by Miles Brignall • Faltering legislation to introduce the impounding of unlicensed vehicles looks to have been saved by an...

Driver didn't see through windows

• A lorry driver who claimed he didn't know the difference between a house window and a computer program of the same name has...

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Hours shock for Wincanton

by Michael Jewell IN One of the country's largest hauliers, Wincanton Logistics, has been fined almost £30,000 for drivers'...

French hauliers aim to set up in the UK

• While many British hauliers are hoping to base their vehicles on the Continent, it has emerged that as many French operators...

RHA leader goes under

• Martin Edge, the recently reelected chairman of the Shropshire branch of the Road Haulage Association, has been forced to...

Row over container delivery

• A Scottish haulier is in dispute with a York-based skip and container company which advertised in Commercial Motor after it...

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Another firm killed by rates and costs

by David Craik • Merseyside haulier Hardisty, which fought a bitter dispute with the Vehicle Inspectorate through the pages of...

1 THE LORDS

COMMENT HAVE IT... ho says the House of Lords hasn't got a purpose? Two weeks ago CM revealed that the Labour Government was...

'Make or break' fuel lobby

• Hauliers are being urged to descend on London in their thousands on 24 February in a "make or break" lobby of Parliament to...

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Chemicals firm to 'flag out'

by Karen Miles • A major chemicals manufacturer threatens to embarrass the Government twice over, by dropping plans to shift...

• The future of a group of small hauliers is

to remain secure following Tibbett & Britten's takeover of Hampshire-based intermodal operator Haulmark Europe. Tibbett &...

Haulier goes for broke

• A haulier who tried to force a non-paying freight forwarder into bankruptcy so he would get the money he was owed, is...

Business as usual at TipCon

• The Road Haulage Association has moved quickly to allay fears that this year's TipCon show has become a casualty of the...

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54 arrests in latest swoops

by Tim Maughan • Police arrested 54 hauliers across the UK last week for offences ranging from drug trafficking to theft, in...

Illegal passenger sues over injury

• Commercial drivers in Ireland could be held responsible for injuries to illegal passengers if the decision of a Dublin Court...

Disbelief at HO promise

• Hauliers are dismissing the Government's promises to exclude vigilant drivers from the impending fines designed to deter...

White Paper spin-offs due in the spring

• The Government has promised that its long delayed Transport White paper "daughter documents", including the one on freight,...

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Shop non-EU drivers, says VI

by Karen Miles • Hauliers are being urged to report cut-price competitors who are using illegal, cheap eastern European...

MoD is back for more

• The Ministry of Defence has asked for tenders for work worth hundreds of millions of pounds following proof that contracting...

AA suggestions anger RRRA

• A row has broken out in the recovery industry after the AA ran a series of adverts suggesting that other operators are...

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Plea falls on deaf ears

by Karen Miles • A recovery operator who has complained to his MP about the poor state of British haulage says he is wondering...

GKA traded at the risk of creditors

• A haulier has been disqualified from being a director for trading while "at the risk of his creditors" Geoffrey Aston, of...

Maritime merger creates combined fleet of 140

• Maritime Haulage has merged with Port of Felixstowe Transport to form a fleet of almost 140 trucks. The new firm, trading as...

A90 fencing promised —but it's not enough

• Truck drivers are being forced to make "suicide bids" when joining or crossing the A90 dual carriageway between Perth and...

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• Mail-order firm Grattan has taken delivery of seven 350hp

Iveco Ford EuroTech Cursor 8 tractive units. Grattan ran extensive trials of the Cursor-engined tractors for Iveco,...

Sonia unveils Euro-3

by Toby Clark ▪ Scania has shown Euro-3 versions of its truck engines, a number of refinements to the 4-series cab and chassis...

ERF savers for St Helens

• St Helens Borough Council has added four new ERE EC rigid waste collection vehicles to its refuse fleet and in a bid to cut...

Atego mixer chassis debut

• The Concrete Company of Peterborough has taken delivery of the first Mercedes-Benz Atego 2628 6x4 Hyrnix truckmixer chassis,...

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Service kits support Ecoair

• A new service kit has been introduced by Ecoair UK to support its range of rotary air compressors. The ECOnomy, ECOmin and...

Job software for the independents

• Three independent CV workshops, including Prismo in Cheshire, have just invested in Trace Systems' computer software package...

Speedy tyre removal

it Spalding's tyre tread bead breaker is now in its Truecraft workshop equipment range. It allows quick and easy tyre changing...

Simple aligning

• Protrak QCT is a new low-tech wheel alignment system which can easily and simply be used to measure camber, toe and thrust...

Cleaning on a budget

• Pressure washers and vacuum cleaners have been added to the Rand equipment range, providing budget-conscious products backed...

Wiper range revamp for 'easy fit'

• Trico has relaunched its CV blade range, and introduced "exact fit" blades for trucks to simplify fitting. Blades in the VS...

Tamper-proof air brake coil

• Allen Industrial now produces the "Push-in" air brake coil designed to use a wide variety of end connector combinations so it...

Boost for Mobil CV lubricants

• Mobil has upgraded its CV lubricants, relaunching them under the banner "Delvac". The range covers every diesel engine...

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Farm decision

• Kirkpatrick Carriers has to wait to see if West Midland TC David Dixon will allow it to base 30 vehicles at Seafield Farm,...

Paperwork is the key

• Operators have to keep records on paper so Traffic Commissioners can make judgements about them on the documentary evidence....

Cleared on weight offences

• Keighley-based Watkinson Lifting and Transportation and one of its drivers have been cleared of alleged overweight and width...

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Breakdown vehicle was exempt

• Audenshaw, Manchester-based Thomas Platt, trading as R&P Commercials, was cleared of using a vehicle when the tachograph was...

Gray to find new centre

• Doune, Perthshire-based Robert Gray and Partners, trading as H&R Gray, has six months in which to find a new operating...

Hours agreement stops punishment

• Glynwedd Pipe Systems, which had been fined £14,000 for permitting drivers' hours offences, escaped with a warning when it...

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EVENTS

• 10 February: University of Huddersfield debate: This house believes that agency drivers are more trouble than they are...

TRAINING Bone up on dangerous goods

• The Road Haulage Association has set up a series of training courses to help hauliers comply with the new legal requirements...

PUBLICATIONS FTA Yearbook

• The 37th edition of the FTA's Yearbook of Transport Law has just been distributed to FTA members. Key updates include...

PEOPLE Hella

• James Bodkin has joined automotive components supplier Hella as national filter specialist. Lex Transfleet • Mark Clisset...

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Yes, Minister

T Tread your recent article setting out your views on the Government's plans to impose a civil penalty on drivers who carry...

Turkish delight

O n the evening of 22 December 1998 I shopped on the 22:30hrs Zeebrugge to Dover ferry This arrived in Dover at around 03:30hrs...

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DAM worrying

I t has been reported that the Vehicle Inspectorate has warned some road haulage companies about using "cheaper eastern...

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Weighty problems

'Co liming the publication r of CM's Cargo Facts on 0-licensing (CM 7-13 Jan), re the question: "Do vans with trailers need an...

Contentions view

S ome time ago Eddie 5tobart stated: "If transport rates needed cutting in order to obtain business, they were too high in the...

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0 t's nearing that time of year when the Hawk

starts thinking about spring cleaning and having a bit of a turn-out. A thought ifs safe to say that has never crossed the mind...

Flying colours

u here are fans, and then there are FANS To say Formula One fan Phil Grinsell was pleased with the West McLaren Mercedes 1998...

Country matters Country matters

0 ed-blooded truck • drivers may like to boast that they have sown plenty of wild oats in their time, and now some will be...

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FORD & WAIWN

soucrroRs COMMENT Is it too much to ask that someone comes up with a definitive guide to how to keep truck wheels on? For the...

THE LOST-WHEEL SYNDROME

CARELESS TORQUE COSTS LIVES The Department of Transport has produced a guidance leaflet for HGV operators, Careless Torque...

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r WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF A

loCONVICTION? • Every conviction has to be notified to the Traffic Commissioner within 28 days. This will probably result in a...

THE LOST WHEEL SYNDROME

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT REPORT ON THE INCIDENCE OF WHEEL DETACHMENT FROM COMMERCIAL VEHICLES This report estimates that there...

THE LOST WHEEL SYNDROME

THE VEHICLE INSPECTORATE Categorisation of Defects on Road Vehicles states that: • More than one missing or loose...

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THE LOST-WHEEL SYNDROME

PROSECUTIONS • The operator, driver or fitter can be liable to prosecution following the discovery of loose or missing...

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INTAIN YOUR DEFENCE

THE LOST—WHEEL SYNDROME CONCLUSION Is it possible to give the operator definitive advice on the optimum frequency of wheel...

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DON'T FORGET IT CHECK IT!

D o your drivers check their vehicles every day for defects? If they do, how do they report them back to you? If you've...

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VA L U ED

• Volvo introduced the FM last year to supersede models at the heavier end of the FL range, but the FL rigid stays in...

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BILOW

HOT IL COLE, Whatever the economic climate, people have to eat. But is the controlled-temperature sector recession proof? If...

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BUILD-UP TO THE BIG ONE

What are the priorities for controlled-temperature operators as the Millennium approaches and supermarkets begin stocking up...

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THE COLD CHAIN KEEPING WITHIN THE LAW

ACCURATE TEMPERATURE MONITORING is an essential requirement for anyone carrying food products in the UK, The Food Safety Act...

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C01:01. 130

Productivity is the name of the game in temperaturecontrolled transport. To meet this need manufacturers have developed a range...

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REFRIGERATION UNITS

IN Developments in refrigeration units include the introduction of scroll compressors from Frigoblock and Thermo King, and the...

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F E

FOR THOUGHT The future of diesel as a practicable engine fuel could be in doubt. Chris Graham considers some of the...

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,CENT

DISPOSALS W hat do you do with your scrap tyres? Are they disposed of responsibly, or do you simply chuck them over the...

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Andy Sauter is a Vehicle Inspectorate vehicle examiner working in

Area 18, which covers Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Leicestershire and Rutland. His working week didn't...

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Sites for used Renaults

Four regional used truck centres are to be set up by Renault Truck Commercials, Renault VI's group of wholly-owned dealerships...

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RENAULT VI

+ Renault VI has appointed Martin Rhodes as general manager, used operations, while Paul Young has been promoted to used...

There's a scarcity of triaxle 13.6m box, curhainsided and flatbed

trailers on air suspension, and those that do come under the hammer are attracting competitive auction bids. "But 40ft tandems...

Rental giants 'set trailer hire rates'

A leading trailer dealer claims UK hauliers are paying 35% more to hire trailers than they ought to because there's too little...