RHA Compliance Services announce new Vehicle Inspection package 18 June 2007

The Road Haulage Association has always been at the forefront of providing an excellent range of compliance services for its members. These include Contracts of Employment, Risk Assessment and Management, Operational Audits and RHA Lawplan as well as general day to day advice. But whatever the service, there's always room for improvement. Therefore, on Friday 15 June, RHA Compliance Services will launch a brand new service package; Vehicle Inspection. "We have been looking for some time for a provider to deliver a package of vehicle-based compliance services to RHA members," said RHA Chief Executive Roger King. "Having examined the market, we felt that the most competent service was the one provided by the FTA’s vehicle inspection service team. Being able to offer quality audit and inspection services to our members is a great enhancement to RHA membership. The services will be offered under the RHA Compliance Service banner but will be delivered by engineers from the FTA Vehicle Inspection Service." "The Freight Transport Association is delighted to extend the benefits and experience achieved over 40 years of the vehicle inspection service to members of the RHA," said FTA Chief Executive Richard Turner. "Safety is a universal issue of paramount importance to the transport industry." The RHA is delighted that this new service for members also gets the seal of approval from Senior Traffic Commissioner Philip Brown: "The launch of this service has the potential to make a major contribution to road safety."

UK ports policy - Development essential 18 June 2007

The Freight Transport Association says that the Department of Transport needs to use its forthcoming Ports Policy Paper to accept responsibility for funding inland transport links from ports, as happens in all other developed nations. FTA says that the Government should use its forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review and accompanying documents to set out its policy on the funding of key rail and road infrastructure upgrades required to improve links with the ports and to reduce congestion and the costs which go with it. The proposals in the Planning White Paper designed to streamline and hasten the completion of major infrastructure projects, including road, rail and ports, should also be implemented. FTA's views are contained in a new paper titled 'UK port development' published today (Friday 15 June). The paper sets out what kind of port development the UK requires and what the Government should be doing to help that happen The UK's economy, and the supply chain that supports it, is undergoing substantial change notably in respect of imports from the Far East and the large numbers of containers in which those imports arrive. It is estimated that the growth in that container traffic across the world will double in the period between 2000 and 2010 and the impact of that will be felt at UK ports, and with the road and rail infrastructure which serve them. In his report on transport's role in sustaining the UK's productivity and competitiveness Sir Rod Eddington warned the Government that shipping demand is forecast to outstrip existing and currently anticipated UK ports capacity, and without further expansion delivery costs could increase by some £140 million per annum beyond 2030. FTA says that the UK needs greater ports capacity and that need is now becoming urgent. But it also needs to be supplied in a way which ensures economic competitiveness. Efficient ports operation impacts positively on consumer prices and on the speed and reliability of delivery. Equally congestion at ports and the links to them results in extra, and avoidable costs and poor service for the end consumer. The Government is responsible for the provision of road and rail links - it must recognise this obligation and invest in infrastructure itself rather than make demands on port developers and their customers to fund such links.

Classic Volvo trucks help celebrate joint anniversaries 12 June 2007

Volvo Truck and Bus Limited celebrated the 80th Anniversary of AB Volvo and the 40th Anniversary of Volvo Trucks in the UK by hosting a special convoy of classic commercial vehicles from Volvo’s UK headquarters at Warwick to the Commercial Vehicle & Road Transport Club Annual show at The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon on the 9th June. Over thirty trucks and 57 customers and Volvo enthusiasts travelled from far and wide join in the celebrations, which included a Swedish lunch of pea soup, meatballs and lingonberry pie. The line-up included examples of most of the vehicle types sold by Volvo in its 40-year UK history, including F86, F88, F7, F10, F12, F16, FH12, FH16 and even two specially imported N12’s that where employed as ballasted tractors for heavy haulage. Managing Director Markku Olkinuora was delighted to see such a fine collection of vehicles and commented on the enthusiasm and dedication shown in preserving these fine vehicles and looking after Volvos heritage.