Surrey & Hampshire Latest News

Man remanded over Tottenham Court Road seige

May 1st, 2012

A man has appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court and been remanded in custody after a siege in central London last Friday 27 April, which closed Tottenham Court Road for several hours.

Michael Green, 48, of Stevenage, Hertfordshire, has been charged by by the Metropolitan Police with the following offences:

• Possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid/gas or electrical incapacitating device;

• False imprisonment;

• Making a bomb hoax/communicating false information;

• Causing criminal damage; Recklessly endangering life.    

No bail application was made by Green’s solicitor at the appearnce yesterday (30 April) and he will remain in custody until a plea and case-management hearing at Blackfriars Crown Court on 24 July.

Posted in News | No Comments »

DAF Trucks commits to CV Show 2013 on strong performance

April 27th, 2012

DAF has already committed to next year’s CV Show, in spite of being absent this year, evidently due to commitments at the near-coincident RAI commercial vehicle show in Amsterdam last week.

“I can assure you we will be back next year, as well as [engaging in] some significant activity later this year at Hanover,” Ray Ashworth, managing director of DAF Trucks, told a press party.

In fact, DAF used the RAI exhibition to launch its Euro 6 truck engine.

“This is a clear demonstration that DAF has the technology ready for Euro 6 and indeed learnt a lot from its sister product – the EPA10 [Paccar] MX engine that is now sold in something like 25% of all Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks in the USA,” commented Ashworth.

“While that engine uses the technology platform and SCR [selective catalytic reduction] and EGR [exhaust gas recirculation], together with a closed type [diesel] particulate filter, our new Euro 6 engine is very much more sophisticated,” he continued.

“The integration of the after treatment system, using over 40 sensors, 14 control units and common rail fuel injection running at 2,500 bar, as well as variable geometry turbocharger technologies, makes this new MX13 Euro 6 engine a much more complex product development,” he explained.

Ashworth said the first of these new engines will appear in a DAF truck later this year. But he also stated that DAF’s Euro 6 development work doesn’t mean nothing’s happening with Euro 5.

“We will carry on building Euro 5 alongside Euro 6 in the coming years… Many parts of the world remain happy with Euro 3 or Euro 5 technology, including our new markets of Brazil, India and China where Paccar has invested heavily over recent years,” said Ashworth.

And these are clearly growth markets for DAF: “In 2011, DAF registered 5,200 vehicles outside the EU,” confirmed Ashworth. “For example, 1,500 in Russia and 1,000 CFs in Taiwan.”

He also agreed that, on the run up to Euro 6 engines becoming mandatory in 18 months’ time, DAF expects business for Euro 5-engned trucks in its home markets to peak back at pre-recession levels.

Quite simply, as operators will want to reap the benefit of their considerably lower cost, compared to Euro 6, particularly given the inadequacy of the government’s current RPC (reduced pollution certificate) policy – which makes purchasing Euro 5 a no-brainer against Euro 6.

“Our [drive] for 2012 will be on promoting the existing model range, with a focus on fuel economy. That means advanced transport efficiency (DAf’s Ate campaign) – upgraded engines and aerodynamic bodies,” said Ashworth.

“Our new ATe Euro 5 engine range with new pistons, software, oil control and other fuel saving devices, is showing typical improvements of 3—5%, compared with equivalent models of 12 months’ ago. Of course, that gives us a challenge for Euro 6 as well, because our target is to match this new improved fuel efficiency at Euro 6,” he added.

For him though – and for many others throughout the transport industry – this is not just about improved engine technology: “Our aerodynamic body on the LF has a proven 8.3% fuel saving,” he said.

And that kind of development, along with DAF Trucks’ factory body programme – now with more than 2,000 trucks in operation and an annual running level of over 1,000 bodied vehicles coming out of the Leyland factory – is continuing to grow market share.

“Our market share is running at virtually 30%, which is an all-time high,” said Ashworth.

“The LF in particular is doing very well, being responsible for nearly 40% of all sales in its sector. Paccar Financial is now funding over 40% share of our registrations despite all the headline news that the banks are back.

Posted in News | No Comments »

Stoneridge to showcase tachograph technology at CV Show

April 17th, 2012

At this year’s CV Show in Birmingham Stoneridge Electronics will be showcasing its newSE5000 Exakt digital tachograph, now with Duo technology. Visitors will also be able to get demonstrations of Stoneridge’s new Smartphone apps and free online training tool. On top of that, Stoneridge will demonstrate the recently launched ARENA 250 Roller Brake Tester as well its OPTAC3 tachograph analysis software packages.

Developed in consultation with drivers, the new Duo technology is built into the SE5000 Exakt digital tachograph, giving drivers real-time updates, including countdowns on drive and rest times, as well as useful warnings when nearing the driving limits. Drivers can organise and manage their driving time more efficiently which will maximise driver and vehicle utilisation and ultimately make fleets more profitable. The SE5000 Exakt Duo is also 2nd source of motion ready* in line with the new 1266/2009 legislation due to come in later in the year, and will continue to offer the One minute rule time savings which have seen fleets benefiting from an average of 45 minutes extra driving time per driver per day.

Stoneridge has also created two free apps and will be giving visitors the chance to demo these and see how they work with the tachograph to make life easier for drivers and fleet managers. To help fleets further save costs, Stoneridge has also developed a free online training tool full of useful instruction videos and tutorials to help fleets and drivers get started with the SE5000 Exakt Duo. The Tool is already available at www.SE5000Exakt.com.

Moreover, workshop visitors will be able to get to know the recently launched ARENA 250 Roller Brake Tester. The ARENA 250 benefits from dual functionality, providing Brake Testing and Tachograph Calibration in one bay.

Posted in News | No Comments »

TruckNet UK charity auction raises £1,700

April 16th, 2012

This year’s TruckNet UK annual charity auction broke all records, raising £1,700 for the Professional Drivers Foundation.

Approximately 40 drivers attended the auction, which took place at Longford House in Cannock, Staffs, on 7 April – with some generous employers allowing drivers to depart a day early and divert off route to attend.

The Professional Drivers Foundation is run entirely by volunteers and every penny raised  goes directly to assisting drivers in need.

An MAN branded watch sold for some £280, while a holdall bearing the same branding sold for £100 on the day.

The event was sponsored by Commercial Motor publisher Road Transport Media and supported not just by MAN but Volvo,  Scania, Iveco, Tachodisc, Nynehead Books and Nightowl Truckstops who donated many items auctioned.

Posted in News | No Comments »