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February 2nd, 2012
Learning anything strongly relies on the person training you and the confidence they instil in you to succeed and easily make the transition from learner to professional. This couldn’t be truer than it is when taking on HGV training London with the eye to gaining a new, better career. By choosing Surrey and Hampshire HGV Training you will be placing yourself in the driving seat and in the hands of our dedicated team of instructors, who will do everything in their power to make gaining your licence an understandable and rewarding process.
Everyone remembers when they were learning to drive for the first time and we all have contrasting stories about our instructors. Some of us might have failed first time and blamed it on the teaching methods of the particular instructor, while others will go through life praising how well their instructor taught them and made sitting behind the wheel a breeze. With our team of friendly and experienced training professionals who are dedicated to your success, you will most definitely fall into the second category as you hold that licence and send off your first applications.
Each instructor will take each phase of your training programme step by step and at your own pace to ensure that you are becoming a safe and competent HGV driver. The refreshing thing about our service here at Surrey and Hampshire HGV Training is also that we do not stick to a single, rigid training plan and offer training for Category C HGV Drivers, Category C+E/Artic Drivers and even LGV Training if you are hoping to gain your LGV licence Hampshire as you have your eye on a used truck.
Whichever training you are looking for, our dedicated trainers can get you through your HGV training London in a matter of days and make it an enjoyable process instead of a daunting one. Make sure to contact 01276 537 400 today to get started.
Disclaimer of Endorsement: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by Surrey and Hampshire HGV Training. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Surrey and Hampshire HGV Training, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
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January 25th, 2012
Government plans for a lorry road user charge to create a level playing field for UK hauliers have been announced today (25 January), with hauliers urged to take part and provide feedback on the scheme.
The majority of EU countries charge British-registered lorries for using their roads, whereas foreign trucks can drive for free in the UK.
Transport minister Mike Penning says: “We want to ensure that UK hauliers get a fairer deal and help maintain the competitiveness of our logistics industry. The proposals I have set out today will ensure that all hauliers who use our roads are contributing to their cost, regardless of where they are from.”
The proposed scheme will charge a time-based fee of up to £10 per day for all lorries of 12 tonnes or over using any UK road. The exact level of charges will depend on exchange rate and inflation at the time of implementation – anticipated to be 2015.
By law, the scheme cannot discriminate between UK-registered vehicles and those from elsewhere in the EU, so the road user charge will apply to all lorries, however the government says UK hauliers will not see an increase in costs because they will be compensated for the charge, most likely through a reduction in VED.
There are seven proposed bands applying to HGVs, which align with existing VED levels, as set out below:
| VED Band | User charge rate: (foreign vehicles only) | User charge rate (foreign and UK vehicles) | ||
| Daily | Weekly | Monthly | Annual | |
| A | £1.70 | £4.25 | £8.50 | £85 |
| B | £2.10 | £5.25 | £10.50 | £105 |
| C | £4.80 | £12 | £24 | £240 |
| D | £7 | £17.50 | £35 | £350 |
| E | £10 | £32 | £64 | £640 |
| F | £10 | £40.50 | £81 | £810 |
| G | £10 | £50 | £100 | £1,000 |
The proposed road user charge will be enforced by DVLA records, automatic number plate recognition cameras and via VOSA checks at the roadside, with fixed penalties issued on the spot. Non-payment of the charge would be a criminal offence, which could result in a fine of up to £1,000.
Hauliers are encouraged to take part and provide feedback on the full consultation, which will run until 18 April 2012.
Penning adds: “I want UK hauliers to get involved and respond to this consultation to make sure that the final scheme works for them – helping level the laying field with foreign hauliers, boosting their market share and increasing employment and promoting growth in the UK.”
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January 24th, 2012
Trailer manufacturer SDC has been granted approval by the Vehicle Certification Agency, an executive agency of the Department for Transport, for all five of its longer semi-trailer models.
Under the stipulations of the ten year longer semi-trailer trial all specifications of trailer must meet the turning circle requirement set out in regulation 31A(1) of the Construction and Use regulation 1986 – meaning the tractor (either 4×2 or 6×2) and trailer must be able to turn in a 12.5m circle.
SDC models meeting the VCA mandatory requirements for Vehicle Special Order are:
SDC managing director Mark Cuskeran says: “We are delighted to be the first manufacturer to achieve our LST Model Report which makes our range of trailers road legal.
“We were quite confident that our trailers would pass the physical testing carried out by the VCA as we have currently 70 longer semi-trailers in build.”
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January 23rd, 2012
A road crash involving 10 cars and three HGVs put around 60 fire-fighters from across Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire to the test in a huge training exercise.
Held in a recovery depot in Horwich, ‘Exercise Trucker’ saw crews from Rochdale, Wigan, Bolton, Bury and Chorley deal with a pile-up which put the Heavy Rescue Partnership to the test.
The partnership which has been in place for a year and has never been tested before provides a heavy rescue vehicle able to lift HGVs.
Seventeen volunteers acted as casualties in the exercise which helped crews prepare for a genuine mass pile-up involving heavy goods vehicles. With one of the cars trapped underneath a tanker on its side, 12 fire engines and two special appliances were joined by the heavy rescue vehicle.
The exercise, put together by Station Manager Geoff Thornley, also involved the Highways Agency, NHS HART team and the police.
He said: “It was a really successful day. It helped our crews prepare for a big incident as well as test the Heavy Rescue Partnership. It was nice to work together with our partners and everything went really smoothly.
“A crowd of onlookers were kept safely back and it was good for family members of our volunteers to see the training our crews undertake.
“The Partnership worked really well, the wrecking truck did its job. It was great too to work with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service colleagues, with everyone able to learn on the day.”
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January 20th, 2012
The UK’s economy relies on the efficient, safe movement of freight. If you carry out or receive deliveries, collections or servicing activity, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games could present both opportunities and challenges for your business. Here are tips on how your origination can start planning now in order to keep running smoothly throughout next summer.
• Re-time non-urgent deliveries – retime non-urgent deliveries to happen before or after the Games, when the transport network will be less congested.
• Reduce deliveries where possible –work with your suppliers to ensure that deliveries are consolidated into the minimum number of deliveries possible, to reduce the overall number of journeys.
• Talk to other businesses – start speaking to other businesses in your building, street or Business Improvement District to see if you can work together during the Games. For example, if you use the same supplier can you coordinate deliveries and get essentials delivered on the same day? Do you have a space (e.g. in the basement parking area) which you can all use as a shared storeroom to stock up on essential items, such as paper or toner?
• Stock up in advance – non-perishable goods, such as stationery, can be delivered and stored in advance of the Games.
• Keep a record of your 2011 deliveries and collections – keep a diary of deliveries and collections you make. This will give you a better idea of your requirements and how to plan for next year. These can include couriers, stationery orders, tea and coffee supplies for the office, etc.
• Create and test an action plan – start preparing now by creating an action plan and testing it ahead of the Games to ensure it is effective.
• Out-of-hours deliveries – many businesses may want to carry out deliveries, collections and servicing activity outside normal working hours. Check with your suppliers and local authority to see if you can receive deliveries out of hours when the roads are less busy.
• Change delivery times – push delivery times forward or back to avoid peak spectator times or try to re-time deliveries to less busy days altogether. For example, in the Wimbledon area, the Olympic Route Network will only be in place during competition days. Try to re-time deliveries to avoid those days.
• Communicate effectively with customers, suppliers and employees – a number of industry sectors, including catering and retail, are anticipating large increases in demand during the Games period. Work with your customers and suppliers to ensure they are aware of how the Games will impact their deliveries and how you plan to operate during the Games. Drivers in particular will need to be aware of the temporary changes to the road network in place during the Games.
• Explore different delivery options – seek out other options for getting goods to customers, such as using secure drop boxes for smaller deliveries, if appropriate, or walking and cycling part or all of the journey.
• Plan your routes – review postcode data to check whether individual postcodes in London will be affected by the Games. The data highlights what areas will be affected by the Olympic Route Network (ORN), Paralympic Route Network (PRN), Central London Zone (CLZ) or road events. This will allow you to produce a list of both clients and locations that will be impacted, acting as a timesaving tool when planning deliveries.
• Help your customers work together – if you have customers in the same area or building, encourage them to work together by sharing delivery time windows or consolidating supplies.
• Carry out maintenance now – if you work in the servicing sector, recommend your customers schedule preventative maintenance for their equipment before the Games.
• Freight forum events – attend one of the upcoming freight workshops where you will receive advice and speak to other companies about how they are approaching the task.
• Walk or cycle where possible – look into walking or using bikes for small, local deliveries. For example, if your usual loading/unloading location is not available, consider whether the driver can park nearby and deliver on foot.
• Re-route delivery vehicles to specific areas – if you have multiple depots, you might be able to avoid congestion by re-routing vehicles from different depots to complete particular journeys, avoiding temporary road restrictions.
• Use driver’s mates to reduce delivery times – employ a driver’s mate on restricted routes. The mate could be dropped off with the delivery and collected afterwards, to negate the need to stop for longer than necessary in restricted areas.
• Manage customer expectations – make customers aware that deliveries are likely to take longer and factor these extended times into your estimates for deliveries
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January 19th, 2012
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Highways Agency in order to form closer links with the agency and improve conditions for haulage workers.
Both of the bodies’ chief executives announced their plans to foster further cooperation and understanding between their respective organisations.
The main thrust of the MoU is to help both parties develop relevant and helpful transport initiatives, such as creating clearer transport warnings for snow and ice in case of severe weather conditions.
Theo de Pencier, chief executive officer of the FTA, said the two organisations shared the aim of making life easier for freight professionals.
“With closer collaboration and a sharing of intelligence we look forward to effecting real change for the better,” he added.
The FTA recently expressed its support for Transport for London’s scheme to reduce pollution in the capital city by reducing carbon emissions through the Clean Air Fund.
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January 18th, 2012
As economists like to point out, congestion is a sign of success. The roads of Zimbabwe are ominously jam-free.
But you can have too much of a good thing. London is set to grow by around a million people in the next 20 years. There is a real prospect that, without effective intervention, the capital’s aged arteries, already desperately clogged, will simply seize up. And congestion is not just inconvenient. It comes at a heavy price, exacted in decreased productivity, wasted leisure time, carbon emissions, localised air pollution and road accidents.
In the long run the solution may be “pay as you go” road pricing – the extension of the congestion charge. But the London public are a long way off seeing things this way.
In the meantime, one obvious solution is staring us in the face. If our roads are packed from dawn until dusk, they are relatively little used from dusk to dawn. Instead of restricting night-time deliveries to shops and other businesses, as at present, the Mayor and local councils should be encouraging goods vehicles to deliver at night and during what the road lobby calls, with unexpected poetry, the “shoulders of the day” (late evening and early morning).
The arguments in favour of letting lorries out after dark are overwhelming. Lifting the current curfew would significantly reduce congestion and lower carbon emissions. The number of goods vehicles entering London has more than doubled since the 1970s. It would also lessen the price of freight transport. Current restrictions on night-time deliveries mean lorries spend much of their working lives sitting in lay-bys and lorry parks on the edge of the city. It could even reduce bike accidents and deaths – more than half of bike deaths in London involve goods vehicles.
The major objection to night-time deliveries has always been noise. But banning freight from our roads at night is a very blunt way of reducing noise pollution. For a start, the freight fleet is much quieter than it was. Existing lorries can be retro-fitted and new ones made quieter – and the saving freight companies would make on night-time deliveries would quickly cover the costs of vehicle-quietening.
Remember too that the noise cars and lorries make can now be recorded as they move around. It wouldn’t be too hard to penalise noisy offenders.
You don’t have to believe me or the freight lobby. Ask the Noise Abatement Society. Even it is broadly supportive of night-time deliveries, partly on grounds that they will lessen congestion and the pollution associated with it, partly because they see it as an opportunity further to improve the fleet.
That’s why many European cities, including Paris, don’t just allow night-time deliveries: where larger lorries are concerned, they insist on them. HGV drivers are now allowed out only at night.
Of course, the effects of moving to out-of-hours deliveries will need to be monitored. We’d need to know its impact on the city’s most vulnerable. Once upon a time London’s poorest found shelter in back alleys and inner courtyards. They are now housed, as often as not, along our noisiest, most polluted roads.
But these days blanket restrictions on night-time deliveries belong, like starvation diets, to another time.
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January 16th, 2012
A new dedicated coach and lorry park, serving Birmingham city centre, is now open to hauliers and coach operators, nearly ten years after the closure of the city’s last such dedicated facility.
The new secure park, at Brewery Street will provide 32 coach or lorry spaces, be monitored by CCTV and feature a rest room with hot and cold water, showers and toilets.
Since the loss of the Masshouse Coach and Lorry Park in 2002, there has been no dedicated long stay coach or lorry parking facility for the City Centre except for limited non-secure coach parking spaces at some attractions and venues.
The design of the facility has taken on board market intelligence on lorry parking collated by the DfT and the West Midlands Freight Quality Partnership, and coach parking information from Birmingham’s main visitor attractions. The coach park will cost £12 for up to 12 hours parking and £15 for 24 hours
RHA Director of Policy, Jack Semple said: “This is good news for the industry, because it meets an urgent need. Safe and secure rest areas are essential for truck drivers who must take regular breaks by law and in the interests of road safety.
“Birmingham has been very poorly served in terms of suitable truck parking, with good driver facilities and also security – crime against the industry is a serious problem, which we are discussing with the police and government.
“The RHA has worked closely with the West Midlands Freight Quality Partnership over the past few years to identity suitable sites. We applaud Birmingham City Council for taking the issue seriously and hope many more drivers will be able to rest easy.”
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January 10th, 2012
The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is urging operators to do their part in supporting the Mayor of London’s Clean Air Fund, aimed at improving air quality in the capital.
Natalie Chapman, FTA head of policy for London, says: “Reducing engine idling, even for short periods, reduces engine emissions and improves local air quality.
“By cutting fuel consumption it saves money too,” he adds. “Many of our members already employ best practice to reduce excessive idling, and we are happy to support a campaign which will help raise awareness across even more commercial vehicle operators in and around London.”
More information can be found at www.tfl.gov.uk/switchoffengine
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January 9th, 2012
HUGE lorries sent down tiny roads by out-of-date sat-navs could become a thing of the past after the Government announced a summit on the problems the navigation tool can cause.
The summit, in early March, will be hosted by Local Transport Minister Norman Baker. He wants to see an end to the misery caused when lorry and car drivers follow out-of-date directions from their navigation systems.
Mr Baker also wants highway authorities, mapping providers and sat-nav manufacturers to work more closely to ensure everything possible is done to make sure the right vehicles are on the right roads.
The Department for Transport said it can take months for map updates to make their way from local councils to the devices.
The summit will take place around a month before local authorities gain important new powers to decide how their roads appear on maps – helping them to direct traffic better.
Mr Baker said: “Out-of-date directions mean misdirected traffic – a scourge of local communities.
“It is vital highway authorities, mapping companies and sat-nav manufacturers work more closely together to provide drivers with accurate, up-to-date information on traffic restrictions such as narrow roads or low bridges.
“This will help prevent huge lorries from being sent down inappropriate roads and ensure motorists are given the best possible directions.”
The difficulties have been highlighted in the results of a survey carried out by the AA in June last year which revealed a third of 16,850 motoring association members polled carried a sat-nav in their car, while two fifths – 59 per cent – of respondents admitted to having been lost in their car during the previous year.
Misleading directions from sat-navs can also have more serious consequences. Last week, a judge at Bradford Crown Court partly blamed an in-car navigation system for a road accident in which a father died when a motorist overtook a lorry in pitch darkness and driving rain and ploughed into his motorcycle.
Driver Roland Kadas-Tar had admitted to relying on his electronic route map to check for bends in the road ahead when he could not see himself.
The AA, however, said accidents caused by sat-navs were rare and the “cost benefit of the technology is far more for the benefit side rather than the detrimental side”.
Paul Watters, head of public affairs, said the summit should be used to discuss ways to make sat-nav updates cheaper. Updates can cost hundreds of pounds, but are required regularly to keep on top of changes in road layouts.
“If this summit makes local authorities provide more timely information to those who produce sat-navs, it will be useful for motorists. But it also needs to suggest cheaper updates for the technology.
“At the moment it can cost £100 plus to update and it puts people off.”
He added that motorists need to make sure they understand how their sat-nav functions to ensure accidents do not occur.
“People need to take a step back and read their manuals for their sat-navs. You can stick to main roads and motorways if you plug into the device that that’s what you want.”
In a study produced by sat-nav app developer Skobbler in October, it was found that 51 per cent of 2000 motorists polled had never updated their sat-navs.
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