AT THE HEART OF THE ROAD TRANSPORT INDUSTRY.

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29th March 1990
29th March 1990
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Page 1, 29th March 1990
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EMISSION IMPOSSIBLE

• What exactly does the British Government have against the British road haulage industry? When will it sink in that 90% of all...

WHEEL LOSS CAMPAIGN

• Contributions to Commercial Motor's Wheel Loss Fund continue to come in — but we've still got a long way to go before we can...

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Rubber trucks

• Intertrail Contracts has won a three-year/S3m contract hire deal to supply 40 vehicles to the London Rubber Company. The...

Creditors meet

• The creditors of Expressway Couriers, trading as C & H Transport and C &: H Vehicle Hire, will meet at the Birmingham Chamber...

Merger check

• Yorkshire's biggest bus operator, South Yorkshire Transport, has been referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission — the...

Stowed growth

• Road transport companies are confident of growth in the second quarter of this year — but only at a third of the rate they...

Foden wins

• Peter Foden, chairman and chief executive of ERF, has been awarded the 1989 Castrol/Institute of the Motor Industry Gold...

Gone Western

• Swaines of Stretton subsidiary and international haulier Western Roadways of Bristol has gone into receivership.

UK goes for hardest emission regs

• Britain has launched a campaign to subject Europe to some of the strictest diesel emission laws in the world for trucks over...

US firms lags in Europe

• American companies are less efficient than their UK counterparts at distributing their products in the EC, according to a...

Lost ditch • As CM went to press unions and

management were meeting at Iveco Ford's Langley plant followin g a vote for strike action over a wage claim. Iveco Ford says...

Quota discussed

• Raising the licence quota for international hauliers in the EC will be discussed by EC transport ministers in Brussels today...

Union report

• TGWU generalsecretary Ron Todd will report to his new executive tomorrow (Friday) on the inquiry into alleged irregularities...

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NBC sell-off report battle

• Whitehall has been accused of a cover-up over alleged under-valuing of the National Bus Company which was auctioned off to 72...

Trapped by leak

• A group of 12 HGV drivers were stranded overnight at a service station when a leaking drum of lethal insecticide blocked them...

Fight for Justice

• A German company is planning to take its government to the European Court of Justice over restrictions which prevent it from...

Congestion clearout

• Transport Secretary Cecil Parkinson is to scrap part of the controversial road improvement package planned for London...

. on to the M25

• Congestion is so severe on the M25 that about 30% of hauliers avoid it says a Transport Studies Group report. The worst black...

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Parcels firms fight back

• A national network of 135 courier firms is being established to compete against the big names in the cut-throat express...

NFC loses prime site

• NFC and British Rail plan to appeal against a High Court ruling which could cost them millions of pounds. Justice Hoffmann...

Council review

• Hillingdon Council is seeking a judicial review of the Government's directive banning the council from carrying out its own...

Free security IN Vehicle security specialist Safe-Haul has fitted a

free vehicle security device to one of the vehicles in Stennett's Transport fleet following the theft of two tractor units from...

RHA tells Dip to back CM

• The Road Haulage Association has challenged the Government to match a pledge of £1,000 for Commercial Motor's Wheel Loss...

—111110CFEST gg • Top truck manufacturers are set to display

their finest wares at Commercial Motor's Truckfest '90 at the East of England Showground, Peterborough on 6-7 May. AWL),...

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BT makes TX connection

• The first Foden trucks to be fitted with the new Perkins TX engine have gone into service with British Telecom subsidiary BT...

BRS Western trials demounts

• BRS Western is running trials with two demountable trailer bodies with hydraulically-powered legs on a contract servicing...

First UK Scania R143 heads for Peterhead

• The first 346kW (470hp) Scania R143 in the UK has gone in to service with Graham Cordiner of Peterhead. The DSC14-04 engine...

Bass century

• Bass North has taken delivery of its 100th urban artic from vehicle conversion specialist Reliance Mercury, just 18 months...

Blue move

• Steventon Engineering of Abingdon, UK agent for West German Spitzer tankers, has supplied Blue Circle with its first tanker...

Scottish production

• Boalloy has started manufacturing truck bodies in Scotland. The first rolled off the production line at Cwnbernauld on...

ADM chooses York trailers

• York Thermostar has signed a 2250,000 deal with food distributor ADM to supply six tri-axle meat trailers, three of which are...

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BVRLA calls for more

• Leading short-term truck rental operators have backed a call from British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association chairman Max...

Profits down • Dealer Evans Halshaw's pre-tax profits fell 8%

last year to £9.17m, despite a 37% increase in turnover to 2400.79m.

Nigtitshift team nearly complete

• West Midlands parcels firm Nightshift Express is looking for two more transport operators to join its network of 34 UK...

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Dunstable at risk RV1

• Renault Vehicules Industriels offset major losses in both the UK and US markets with a "very strong performance" on the...

Vegetable trouble II Bulk vegetable transport company BVIT of Hull

is now in the hands of joint administrators Ron Hodkin and Trevor Clark of Spicer & Oppenheim & Partners, who are attempting to...

More truckstops soon

• The first of a chain of nine truck park complexes will be opened by Freight Parks of Reigate, Surrey at the beginning of...

BRS hits the Blue Circle

• MS Western has won a five-year/22m contract-hire deal to supply six tractors, 12 trailers and seven drivers to Blue Circle...

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Report predicts 4x4 boom

• Over the next four years there will be explosive growth in European demand for offroad 4x4s and multi-purpose vehicles, says...

MAN tractors meet regs

• MAN says it can meet all the new 16.5m artic turning and length regulations with its 3.5m tractive units. Applications...

400s posted to Parcelforce

• Leyland Daf has won a £12m contract with the Royal Mail, marking its biggest order to date for 400 Series vans. The 1,050...

• On 24 May Leyland Daf will launch a series

of Heavy Haulage User Group meetings to offer Special Types operators help with engineering, service, parts and general back-up...

Unic build-up

• Iveco is to invest over £100m in expanding its French Unic engine-production plant to give a capacity of 15,000 engines a...

Exotic AWDs

• AWD has won a 23.5m order for 420 TJ 8.0-tonne trucks from its Moroccan distributor, Saida Star Auto_ The vehicles will be...

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Wallace Arnold moves

• Wallace Arnold of Leeds has set up two companies to run its holiday business. Wallace Arnold Tours will continue to promote...

Disabled petition

• London Dial-a-Ride Users Association has delivered a petition to the House of Commons calling for all new buses and coaches...

Midland Scottish is number two for SBG

• The second Scottish Bus Group company up for sale is Midland Scottish, the Falkirkbased subsidiary operating throughout...

Road user fee

• The Chartered Institute of Transport is pressing the Government to introduce a road pricing system to ease congestion in...

Dual purchase boosts Caldaire fleet • West Yorkshire Bus and

Property Group has bought two North-Eastern bus companies, boosting the Caldaire fleet to over 1,000 vehicles. The two...

Elderly service

• Blackpool Transport is introducing eight new Optare Delta single-deckers as doubledeck replacements in its home town. The...

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Code to help uneasy riders

• A code of practice for dealing with bus passenger complaints is to be developed by the Bus and Coach Council and the...

Bigger share

• Yorkshire Rider's share valuation has been pushed up to 19.5p per 5p share. Contributing factors to the increase are given...

Museum revamp

• The London Transport Museum celebrates its 10th birthday today (Thursday) with the announcement of a 22m refurbishment...

BCC slams exhaust plan

• Government pressure to bring forward the introduction of US-level diesel emission controls for trucks and buses has met with...

Widow sues for EO.4m

• Strathclyde Buses is facing a 240000 claim for compensation from a widow, who alleges that her husband's death was caused by...

Ensign Dominators

• London independent Ensign has ordered 24 Dennis Dominators for service on its London Regional Transport tendered routes. The...

New edition

• The 1990 edition of The Little Red Book, the UK guide to the passenger transport industry, is now available. It includes...

Armchair drivers' prize

• Two drivers working for Brentford-based coach operator Armchair Travel have won the International Road Transport Union's...

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BT work clears driver

• The driver of a vehicle belonging to ARM Construction (Chorley), has been cleared of a series of tachograph offences by Leeds...

Stoke haulier is fined

• Stoke-onTrent haulier Eric Wilkinson was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,405 when he admitted making a false...

Don Vale denies charges

• [)on Vale Transport of Old Denaby near Doncaster has been ordered to pay WIll) in fines and costs following an incident in...

Licence renewed despite opposition

• Swansea haulier Arthur and Morgan has had its licence renewed despite local authority opposition, following a visit to the...

Charges dropped • Rotherham Magistrates ordered the defence costs of

William Horton & Sons of Doncaster and one of the company's drivers to be paid out of public funds, after charges alleging the...

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G Stiller wins increase

• Despite representations from local residents, G Stiller (Midlands) has won unrestricted authority to operate 30 vehicles and...

Tacho fines • A total of 27 drivers employed by

the Russell Davies Group have been fined a total of .23,620 after admitting a series of drivers' hours and tachograph offences...

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Budget offers cold comfort

• This year's Budget has done little if anything to help the road transport industry and a lot more to harm its prospects,"...

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BUSINESS MOVES

STELLAR SWITCHES • Battery charger and vehicle alarm specialist Stellar Components is moving its production and sales...

PRESTON FOSTERS TACHO CHECKS Foster Tachograph Analysis has moved from

Preston town centre to a business village in north Preston, near junction J32 of the M6. Contact 5 Eastway Business Village,...

MOVING DISTRICTS • The Association of District Councils, which represents

more than 300 nonmetropolitan councils in England and Wales, has moved to 26 Chapter Street, London SW1P 4ND, telephone 01-233...

DEALERS

INJECTION OF DEALERS • EuroTec has been appointed as the UK central distributor for American diesel fuel injector specialist...

DEALING WITH MAN • MAN has appointed Meo and Gilbert as its sales and service dealer in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

Contact Meo and Gilbert at Willow Road, Yaxley, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE7 3HT, phone (0733) 240627. MAN has also opened...

EVENTS UPDATING DANGER

• Pira's annual seminar Update on Dangerous Goods will be held on 13 June 1990 at the British Film Institute in London. It...

GLASGOW DELIVERS FREIGHT 2000

• Distribution exhibition Freight 2000 will be held on 10-12 September at the Scottish Exhibition Centre, Glasgow. It will...

FREIGHT RACE OVER TO LYDDEN • The next Lydden Truckspeed

meeting will be held on 7-8 April at the Lydden circuit, near Dover in Kent. Entry is £4.00 on Saturday and £5.00 on Sunday;...

MINDING YOUR EUROPEAN BUSINESS • The first of a series

of five seminars on Continental haulage has been designed for transport firms in Yorkshire by Leeds City Council, the Freight...

PUBLICATIONS

EASTERN PROMISE WITH THE IFTA • The Freight Transport Association has produced a handbook for international operators called...

SERVICES

MORE FROM CAMERON • Scania distributor Cameron Motor Services of Barnsley has improved its vehicle servicing capability with a...

TEACHERS ASSURANCE

MORE SAVINGS WITH URTU • United Road Transport Union members are now entitled to discounts on a range of insurance and...

TRAINING

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH SEDDON • Seddon Atkinson offers courses to all operators' maintenance staff at its training school in...

PRODUCTS

HIGH-LOAD FOR LOW LOADERS • A new high-load trailer tyre for specialist low platform and livestock vehicles has been developed...

AVO

diameter of 600inm and can take up to 950kg per tyre. Smith Wheels has developed a heavy-duty wheel for use with the tyre....

RESTYLED SLEEPER III Jennings Coachwork of Crewe has updated its

sleeper cab conversion for the Leyland Daf Freighter/Cruiser/ Constructor 6 range. It includes side windows and a revamped...

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CALCULATING COSTS II A rate calculator for worldwide courier users

has been designed by TNT Skypak to help customers identify costs before committing themselves to a delivery. It is available...

DIY WINDOWS • LCI3 has launched a DIY kit for

converting light CV windows to electrical control to suit most makes of light van. A pack to convert two doors costs £89.99....

ROAD NEWS

DALTON BYPASS APPROVED • The Government has given the go-ahead for the proposed bypass of Dalton-in-Furness and the A590 Melton...

ROADWORKS

• LONDON AND THE SOUTH EAST M1 London; Overnight closures of slip roads at J3-4 (Scratchwood/A41). M4 Berkshire: Overnight...

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• Last week the Hawk heard RHA chairman Roy Bowles

(or Royal Bowles as he is known in RHA circles following his OBE) make a speech at the Young Executive Section conference. He...

• A suggestion in a reader's letter in Commercial Motor could help to save lives on UK motorways.

A traffic policeman spotted Alan Holmes' letter (CM 22-28 February) suggesting the inside lane should be closed initially as a...

• The latest Mercedes-Benz advert for the 1733 tractor which

appeared in last week's Commercial Motor raises two questions in the Hawk's inquiring mind: firstly, how much did the company...

• When the Hawk was summoned to the prestigious British

Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association's Anti-Theft Award ceremony last week, he was surprised to find who stole the limelight...

• Last week I met a Department of Transport chappie

by the name of Ian Mackay, who is senior executive officer for freight policy and road haulage. The conversation turned to the...

• It's nearly time once again for the RHA national

board elections. Charles Gam of MachUis Transport certainly had something to say about that (if you remember Garn first shot to...

• The growing band of "pirate" firms taking advantage of

owner-operators, has pushed a Sussex haulier into compiling a list of bad payers. He hopes that by distributing and up-dating...

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THI R ST

The Stroto is let down badly by its fuel consumption, which is a pity because in most other respects it is an effective...

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SPANISH

RITE Arts International, which specialises in removals to Spain, as become the first remover in the UK to replace its...

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GROWING OLD GRATEFULLY

Most operators appreciate the importance of personal pension schemes, but few realise that there are other options, like small...

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ITIRUCK

STOPS HERE We have driven down the Great North Road from York to Grantham and across to Birmingham with Dennis Mills, the man...

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WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF BIG FLEET MANAGEMENT

W elcome to Commercial Motor's look at what big truck fleets bosses are doing, thinking and saying about the 1990s. Fleetplan,...

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CASH FROM COMPUTERS

Computers are more than a fancy toy for transport managers. Having accurate records of fuel use and parts warranty periods can...

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Clinching that contract

M ore and more big contracts are coming up for grabs. Supermarket chains such as Gateway and the Co-op, construction merchants...

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OVER HERE

FOR THE BEER Why has one of Germany's oldest breweries joined the British-based Brewery Transport Advisory Committee? What can...

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ALL THE LATEST TECHNIQUES

Interest rates, inflation and the number of company failures are all increasing at the same rate as business confidence is...

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GOOD CONNECTIONS

British Telecom relies on a 78,000-strong vehicle fleet for making good connections. Commercial Motor talks to the man behind...

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YOU'VE GOT 38 TONNES TRAVELLING AT 100 KMH UNDER YOUR RIGHT FOOT.

HERE'S A COMFORTING THOUGHT. Avon is the only tyre manufacturer to have achieved the British Standards Institution's highest...

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EASTS OF

URDEN Farming brothers Jeremy and Peter Francis (inset, facing page) take livestock to the Continent. But they return carrying...

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UPMARKET IVIALG

A young Dover-based haulier has come top in a Government graduate enterprise scheme and has expanded from one truck to seven in...

Page 86

NOISE POLLUTION 11 Happening on a copy of your magazine

the other day has prompted me to write to air a grievance. I live about half a mile away from the recently-opened Bridgnorth...

I am seeking information regarding four films made by Rotinoff

Engineering/Rotinoff Motors Ltd, of Colnbrook, Slough, Buckinghamshire, around 1955/56. I understand that their is a three-reel...

GIVE US A CHANCE • Once again one of Commercial

Motor's pet subjects is brought to the forefront of transport matters. In the issue of 15-21 March, the editorial and lead...

DANGEROUS PRACTICE

• What has gone wrong this year with the CPC exam? The shooting season has surely started early as it does not usually start...

TACHO TROUBLE

• My attention has been drawn to your story about Lucas Kienzle in the edition of Commercial Motor dated 8-14 February. 1...

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• RYDER ROBERTSON/ PONSONBY/HOWE/ MILES Ryder Distribution Services has appointed

four distribution development managers to build up its company's logistics business. Peter Robertson will be based at Slough....

Jeff Miles is based at Manchester. He was business development manager for Federal Express Systemline.

• HERONFREHNIT COMPTON/CHADFIELD Distribution and contract hire company Heronfreight has promoted Rob Compton to deputy...

• SEALINK KENNERLEY Bill Kennerley has been appointed freight and

planning manager of Sealink's Isle of Wight services. He was previously the PortsmouthFishbourne route manager.

• FREIGHT TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION BAILEY/HUMBERSTONE/ HAZEL/CROSS/PURDIE The Freight Transport Association has elected this year's Lincolnshire Division committee.

Chairman is Geoff Bailey, transport manager (eastern counties) for Grimsby-based Scaffolding & Plant; senior vice-chairman is...

• DFDS TRANSPORT TURNER Rod Turner has filled the newly-created

position of general manager (temperature control) at DFDS Transport's Harwich branch. He joins from Exel Logistics Temperature...

• BRS SOUTHERN JOHNSON/POPLE BRS Southern has made Mark Johnson

operations manager of its Beccles branch. He is responsible for the profitability of all the branch's services, but will...

• XP EXPRESS PARCELS BEN F I E LD/NOB LE

XP Express Parcels' new general manager (road division) is John Benfield. He worked at TNT for 14 years and before that was...

• LEX TILLOTSON COX Leyland Daf truck and van dealership

Lex Tillotson has promoted Margaret Cox to marketing manager of its Birmingham branch. She has worked at the company for 11 years.

• SAAB SCHARP/EATON/ KARNSUND Anders Scharp, president and chief executive

officer of Electrolux, will be the next chairman of Saab-Scania. He will continue to manage Electrolux where he has worked for...

• WASTE MANAGEMENT JAMES

Waste Management has appointed Dyfrig James as deputy managing director. He was previously director of operations and...

• MOTORWAY TYRES JACKSON David Jackson is the new national

account sales manager at Motorway Tyres. He is based at Manchester, and is responsible for 57 depots. Jackson joins from the...

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WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT DO YOU WANT?

H ardly a day passes at Commercial Motor before someone rings up and asks "What's the best vehicle to buy?" While even road...

Page 134

SPOILT FOR CHOICE

Before buying a light commercial, you've got to know what you need it for, and what different models can offer. We've broken...

Page 140

What's yours called?

Light vans under 3.5 tonnes are traditionally low-priced and consequently rather basic. On the other hand, operators buy them...

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The appliance of sense

What light commercial can an operator buy which will do the job efficiently but still remain within the law? Gross vehicle...

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QUESTIONS

T he bewildering choice of makes, models. bodies and options available to the prospective light commercial vehicle buyer makes...

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BREAKING EVEN

With fuel economy high on the list of priorities to a prospective van buyer, here's a step-by-step guide to help you choose...