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2nd October 2003
2nd October 2003
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Page 1, 2nd October 2003
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Page 6

Prepare for fuel blockades...

Fuel protests return as the Chancellor ratchets up tax. Jennifer Ball reports. AS CM WENT TO PRESS this week fuel blockades...

As the fuel tax increase came into force on Wednesday,

CM deputy editor Emma Penny and Road Haulage Association chairman Val Smith delivered a strongly worded letter by truck-to...

... as farmers man the barricades

MILITANT FARMERS demanding higher prices for their milk plan to start blockading dairies this week and they are calling on...

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Tough truc ch for the stars

TRUCKS ARE FINALLY to be awarded star ratings for security in a bid to cut HGV crime and insurance pre miums The Motor...

Safeway drivers slam CNG trucks

DRIVERS FROM Safeway's Aylesford, Kent depot have swamped CM'S phonelines to add their voices to the furore surrounding their...

Roman holiday

Italy has been hit by a five-day strike in protest at a governmen decision to rescind a tax break] was designed to compensate...

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German toll launch is still in chaos

THE COMPANY behind the controversial new German HGV road-user charge is denying that it will be delayed for a second time. The...

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Salvesen pays up after pay strikes

A FOUR-WEEK pay dispute which severely disrupted one of Christian Salvesen's main distribution depots is over, following major...

A NIGHTWATCHMAN was murdered by thieves who broke into the Surrey haulage depot he was guarding last week.

The Metropolitan Police is seeking information and witnesses to the murder of Robert Wilson at the premises of Chessingtonbased...

EPPING FOREST District Council,which admitted this week that it will

not replace a truck park in Loughton, Essex, is now threatening to introduce overnight truck bans and weight restrictions to...

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WINNING THE FUEL BATTLE: THE FIGHT STARTS HERE!

As we went to press fuel-strike talk was in the air. We knew Gordon Brown was going to snatch another 1.28p/lit from our...

Page 12

Eddie denies squeeze

Stobart drivers claim rejected by firm. Sally Nash reports HAULIER EDDIE STOBAKI is rejecting claims that the company is...

Lucky escape from 2am arson attack

A TRUCK DRIVER asleep in his cab had a lucky escape when another driver spotted flames coming from the rear of his truck, and...

T&G charter calls for £25,000

minimum THE TRANSPORT and General Workers Union (T&G) has launched a Drivers' Charter for commercial vehicle drivers, in an...

Page 14

Tesco: every little counts?

Tesco drivers are voting on strike action. Guy Sheppard reports. ABOUT 600 TESCO delivery drivers this week began voting on a...

Nothing to do with safety

Barry Proctor doesn't condone speeding. He doesn't even hate speed cameras — but he does hate the way they're being used to...

Page 15

Renault Mascotts take new heart

RENAULT TRUCKS' heaviest Mascott chassis-cab models, running at 5.5 and 6.5 tonnes GVW, are to get new engines. They will be...

Signs for Felixstowe blacks

THE MOST DANGEROUS roundabout in Felixstowe is to have flashing signs erected, warning speeding trucks to slow down following a...

Ten-year Greek app

A N OTTINGHAMSHLRE truck driver sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in Greece after illegal immigrants were found on board his...

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A van with va-vavoom?

It's full speed ahead with the new INV Transporter. Julian Milnes reports. VOLKSWAGEN'S NEW Transporter van goes on sale this...

IN THE NEWS

Stuart Thomas gives us his regular round-up of the way the newspapers have covered the road transport industry this week....

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Add plastic to the mix

UK MIXER OPERATORS could soon be using plastic drums on their vehicles. McNeilus, the concrete placement division of American...

Thugs wanted for Brummie hijack

POLICE HAVE released e-fits of two men wanted in connection with a truck hijacking in Birmingham last month (CM 18 September)....

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Van with no name

As CM reported last week, Birmingham-based van manufacturer LDV has big plans for growth. Andy Salter investigates the new, so...

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Compared with rre current LDV Plot and Convoy the new

range is a major leap forward fcr the company, with the raked screen and pointed bonnet giving a modern look that bears...

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Hauliers threaten to bring UK to halt

But will the promise of more fuel blockades make any difference to fuel prices? Jennifer Ball reports. F i el protesters are...

Operators' views

Steve Barclay, Wean Freight Services, says: We would definitely join the fuel protest. The government is killing the haulage...

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Economy on the rise...

LATEST FIGURES show an upturn in the economy with an increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP)often referred to as a...

Page 27

Manchester nited

Troublesome militancy and fearsome wage demands? No. Bob Monks, general secretary of the Manchester-based URTU, believes...

Page 28

Drivers from hell

I write regarding the letter from Peter Hinds last week about Hell Drivers and his wish to research this film which, apart from...

Confusion over working time

FM WRITING WITH a couple of points of clarification with reference to your article on the Working Time Directive (CM 4...

Ready for impad

Congratulations CM on your new look, and greatly improved magazine. The many articles involving the Working Time Directive...

Page 30

Exposed! The scandal of truck parking in Britain

Closing truck parks are leaving HGV drivers forced to stop by law stuck for a place to stay. Chris Tindall and David Harris...

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Call for action

The Drivers Action Movement has slammed the government over its continued failure to take action on overnight truck parking...

So why have things got so ba

The soaring value of land is one reason. It's a tough decision for local authoriti( to keep land aside for truc when they could...

Page 33

For whom the Bell toll!

TC postpones revocation to allow operator time to make amends, acknowledgement of its honesty. Mike Jewell reports. A...

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Letting go

Failure to consult staff when redundancies are threatened can cost companies dearly. Nicky Taylor oc_)‹.s at what employers...

Redundancy is an act of dismissal and is governed by

Section 98 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 which deals with dismissal and redundancy payments. • Dismissal must be caused be...

Page 36

Licence hacked after 'third party' defence

A RAFT OF maintenance, hours and tachograph offences have led to a newly-established Welsh operator having its licence more...

Driver fined £700 for five extra hours

AN IRISI I TRUCK driver has been fined 000 after being found to be more than five-and-a-half hours over the normal nine-hour...

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Quick adion saves Operator's Licence

A WASTE DISPOSAL operator which acted quickly to raise standards on inspections, maintenance and test passes has avoided action...

Unauthorised trucks cost firm £650

A KENT COMPANY has been fined £400 and ordered to pay £250 prosecution costs for using more vehicles then the maximum permitted...

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Digital dithering

Digital tachographs will be law in new trucks from August 2004 but the ktit won't be widely available until 2005. Patric...

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Talk to each other

Many accidents occur during delivery. Draft HSE guidelines aim to reduce the toll by improving communication. Patric Cunnane...

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URBAN

WARRI O R New CM isn't just about the familiar. In a fresh look at our roadtests, we'll also bring you the low-down on...

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En route from proving yi )tind to the test route

start, we dropped in it Waitrose headquarters at Bracknell for the experts in urban distribution to cast an eye over the Atego....

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While you might expect the modestly powered Atego to be

at a disadvantage on the motorway, it's actually in its natural urban environment that it feels slightly wanting. It's been a...

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PRECI SI OP

PERFORMERS W hen you call the emergency services from a landline,the operator knows which number you are calling from, and by...

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t! t !!•1_ • and at they don

With conventional tracking systems costing serious money. many may well offer more features than are needed. While none of...

Page 51

A stableful of pure breeds

If you've got the course, EV has the horse. Andy Salter reports on its latest 8x4 tractor. D af has moved to plug the...

THE VERDICT

The 8x4 XF is never going to be a massive market for Dal, although it is understood to be a lucrative business and in the heavy...

Page 52

GOING WITH THE FLOW

Tanker rigs can be highly specialised. We look at a system that can be whipped off to let the unit run as standard. Bryan...

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Lewis Tankers

Hensall-based Lewis Tankers runs and maintains a 76-strong, mainly tanker fleet that delivers a range of flammable, corrosive...

Page 54

Meller Flowtrans

George Meller began his company in 1960 selling pumping equipment to the UK pen-chemical industry and in 1978 sold out to...

Page 55

Dustcart for the new Elite

Robin Meaes dons his donkey jacket to try out Dennis Eagle's latest chassis cab and finds life as a binman can be surprisingly...

Page 56

COST CUTTER?

Tyres are an expensive outgoing for any operator or owner-driver. Optimal peformance saves money in fuel and tyre replacement....

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GEORG

A Black Sea O N MI' M I ND Minded by Kalashnikov-toting, drink-swilling, Lada-driving Black Sheriffs, Oliver Dixon travels...

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WHAT PRICE SAFETY?

Increasingly, truck manufacturers are adding electronic safety and driver assistance systems to their options list. But are...

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gagilugam Clearly, all these systems are very effective in what

they do. But just how necessary they all are remains to be seen. CMbelieves ESP should be moved from the options list to the...

Page 66

Daunted but daring to dream

A fter a few quiet weeks starting up the company the truck is now working. I gave a short presentation to a local business and...

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Meres two-into-one on vans

Van parc set to More than double after taking on sister firm's vehicles M ercedes-Benz's used vehicle division will more than...

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Boost used-truck prices with conversions and guarantees

A s more 'fleet-spec' trucks enter the second-hand arena, used dealers looking to maximise their retail opportunities should...

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Business boom for Doncaster

Kevin Swallow finds a recent C/A auction producing some startlingly good results. A s the hazy summer days drifted towards...

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No Premium to pay on quality Renaults

Dropping in on Renault dealer JDS Trucks in Oldham reveals two cracking fleet trucKs up for grabs. Kevin Swallow reports. L...