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The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead for Roads Policing has suspended classroom-based speed awareness courses for 12 weeks, due to the Coronavirus lockdown.

In a statement, it said: “It is no longer appropriate nor proportionate for police forces to offer classroom based education courses.”

The UK Road Offender Education (UKROEd), which operates, manages, administers and develops the scheme on behalf of the Police Service, said it is working with forces and course providers to establish options to deal with drivers who have already been offered a course.

A Digital Classroom option has been approved for the National Speed Awareness Course, to be able to cater for members of the public who already had a course booked.

Some Police Forces and Course Providers are now taking steps to use this as an option and will be contacting offenders to explain what is going to happen next.

Drivers who have received a course offer, but not booked a course yet are being offered dates after the 12-week suspension period ends.

Motoring lawyer Nick Freeman has warned the suspension may cause many motorists who get caught speeding during the lockdown period to be issued with fixed penalty notices instead.

He told express.co.uk: “Motorists should be aware that minor transgressions which may have previously resulted in a speed awareness course may now result in a penalty points and fines.

“These speed awareness courses have always been discretionary – there is no automatic entitlement.

“But most constabularies offer them. However, as they are currently not an option, drivers convicted of speeding in these circumstances will get points and a fine.”

DriveTech, one of the UK’s largest course providers, has been working quickly to re-arrange and restructure its current venue-based courses to allow equivalents to be offered to delegates online.

The business, which is part of The AA, said it is planning to run 400 courses this week, and more the following week.

It also claimed most police forces were helpful in granting extensions beyond the cut-off date.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “We have always argued that driver education is preferable to simply giving fines and penalty points as drivers can learn from the errors of their ways.”

Speaking to Fleet News about the suspension of speed awareness courses, Peter Millichap, marketing director at Teletrac Navman, said: “Delivery drivers are among the key workers playing a pivotal role in keeping the UK supply chain moving during this epidemic, and fleet managers will be doing all they can to ensure that the transport of goods continues to run as smoothly as possible. “

“However, it’s likely that operators will be feeling overwhelmed and maintaining driving behaviour may become a secondary priority, but it’s so important that the increased pressure doesn’t cause drivers to speed.

“The roads might be quieter but this shouldn’t be exploited and now more than ever it’s important that operators remind their drivers to take care on their journeys, continue to comply with the law and keep other road users safe.

“Technology can play a key role during this unprecedented time, by providing fleet managers with reassurance that they have complete visibility, ensuring their drivers are maintaining best practice.”

More than 1.2 million drivers attended a speed awareness course last year. The courses usually cost between £80 and £100, but motorists will not be required to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice or pick up penalty points on their driving licence. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that I have been talking about wireless electric vehicle charging for over 3 years. It seems that the industry is seeing sense at last.

Interest is increasing in electric vehicles (EVs), but consumer anxiety and misconceptions over the ease and availability of charging has slowed EV proliferation on a global scale.

While wireless charging addresses many of those concerns, there are still myths circulating about how it works.

In reality, EV wireless charging is as efficient as plug-in options. Wireless EV charging based on magnetic resonance technology operates between 90% to 93% efficiency from the grid to the EV battery, well within the 88% to 95% efficiency range of conventional Level 1 or 2 plug-in EV chargers.

Wireless delivers the same charging power – in the same amount of time – as conventional plug-in methods.

EV wireless charging is flexible. Magnetic resonance requires neither physical contact nor fully accurate car alignment. No mess or fear of forgetting—your EV charges automatically, hands-free. The same charger can support low vehicles like a sports car up to high ground clearance SUVs.

Magnetic resonance can also work through water, snow, ice, concrete and asphalt—so the EV can charge no matter the circumstance or installation.

EV wireless charging is safe. Wireless charging is a totally hands-free experience. No gas pumps or charging cables to mess with.

Magnetic resonance systems deliver energy from a ground pad to an embedded vehicle-side receiver, and all magnetic fields are contained in a limited space underneath the vehicle.

Following years of rigorous analysis and testing by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), wireless EV charging meets all regulatory guidelines for human safety.

Wireless EV charging technology keeps stray magnetic and electric fields below the well-established safety limits used in all consumer products, such as induction cooktops, cellphones or Bluetooth headsets. Sensing and processing hardware, which can detect foreign and living objects and vehicle position, ensure safety and ease of use.

EV wireless charging is being standardised on a global scale. Today, charging connectors have not been standardized across automakers and regions, and drivers sometimes have difficulty finding a plug that fits their specific model.

For wireless charging, automotive industry groups including SAE International (global), IEC/ISO (global) and CATARC (China) agreed from the beginning to create industry standards to ensure full interoperability.

EV wireless charging is dynamic. A future benefit is dynamic charging, which enables charging ‘on-the-go’. This is a breakthrough for taxi fleets which will be able to ‘power snack’ as they move through taxi queues waiting for passengers.

Wireless charging can help accelerate adoption of EVs in taxi fleets—important for the urban environment—by eliminating charging down-time and maximizing ‘in-service’ time on the roads.

EV wireless charging is a key enabler for the future of mobility. Wireless charging will also be critical for autonomous vehicles and autonomous parking, automatically charging by positioning themselves over local wireless charging pads.

While full robo-taxi deployment may be some years out, auto-valet parking is near at hand. Ultimately, robo-taxis are expected to dominate the passenger-miles in urban environments and smart cities, and wireless charging is a key enabler.

EVs are reshaping the automotive industry, and wireless charging can help make them accessible and appealing to all.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New analysis from used vehicle pricing specialist Indicata has revealed the potential impact Coronavirus will have on the daily rental and leasing sectors.

In its free-to-download White Paper, Indicata looks at the short, medium, and long-term effects of Covid-19 on the European used car industry, particularly rental and leasing companies.

The research includes analysis of nine million used vehicle advertisements across Europe each day. It highlights that Northern Europe saw a sales fall of 21.5% between March 11 and 18, while southern Europe, including Italy saw sales fall by 44% during the same period.

A clear correlation between infection rates and the fall in used car sales between March 11-18 versus the same period in February, was uncovered.

As the virus progresses, Indicata says re-marketers will need to know the country-by-country market trends to identify the most effective sales channels.

Andy Shields (pictured), global business unit director at Indicata, authored the White Paper. He said: “The relationship between the increase in the number of people with Covid-19 and the measures each individual government introduces to fight the pandemic is already having a detrimental impact on European rental and leasing companies.

“Countries will have different challenges at different times and it’s all about equipping companies with the right data to help assist them in making fast decisions.”

He says that rental companies are likely to have contracted their annual volumes with OEMs already and now need to re-assess current contracts.

“In many cases contracts will be defaulted on, such is the loss of demand in the rental industry,” Sheilds explains.

This will leave OEMs with a stock of unregistered, and in some cases registered ready for delivery, new vehicles the rental industry does not want.

In addition, de-fleets will be happening, and rental companies may try and hold risk vehicles until after the initial social distancing. However, when there is significant volatility on demand and differences between country the capacity to absorb stock at any one time becomes more challenging.

According to Sheilds, the challenge for the leasing industry will be to manage the current volatility in the market while respecting the fact that there may be no short-term recovery in residual values.

In 2008/9, many leasing companies extended vehicle contracts. With the risk used vehicle prices will be depressed for an extended period, an immediate run on vehicles may not be ideal. Even so, vehicles will still need to be remarketed over the downturn.

The White Paper also looks at how the last recession played out for both the new and used car markets across Europe and how those same trends may repeat in a world dominated by Covid-19.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Compensation could be owed to UK business that bought or leased new cars and vans between October 2006 and September 2015, as a result of legal action taken against five shipping firms for price fixing.

MOL, “K” Line, NYK, WWL/EUKOR and CSAV were found to have violated EU competition law by the European Commission on February 21, 2018. The EC held that the shippers had coordinated rates, allocated tenders, coordinated reductions of capacity in the market and exchanged commercially sensitive information to maintain or increase the price of intercontinental shipping of new vehicles.

The companies were fined £343m by the EU and now class representative Mark McLaren has filed a claim against them for overcharging UK consumers and businesses, instructing law firm Scott+Scott UK LLP.

McLaren said: “When UK consumers and businesses purchased or leased a new car, they paid more for the delivery of that car than they should have done, as a result of a long-running cartel by five of the world’s leading maritime shipping companies. I have spent much of my career working in consumer protection and I strongly believe that compensation should be paid when consumers are harmed by such deliberate, unlawful conduct.”

Affected vehicles include those from Ford, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Peugeot, BMW, Mercedes, Nissan, Toyota, Citroen and Renault.

The claim is being brought in the Competition Appeal Tribunal as a collective action on an opt-out basis, so that all eligible consumers and businesses will benefit from any damages awarded without incurring any legal fees or risk of adverse costs.  The value of the claim is believed to be in excess of £150 million – or up to £60 per vehicle.

Businesses or consumers that purchased one or more new cars, or light commercial vehicles, between October 2006 and September 2015 are automatically included within the class.

Class members will not pay costs or fees to participate in this legal action. The legal action is being funded by Woodsford Litigation Funding.  There are no legal or other fees, or any risk of adverse costs, for class members.

For additional information or to register interest, visit https://www.cardeliverycharges.com  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The electric vehicle homecharge scheme and workplace charging scheme have been confirmed for another year by the Office for Low Emissions Vehicles (OLEV).

It has also confirmed the continuation of the on street residential chargepoint scheme for another year.

From April 1, 2020, the grant will be set at £350 towards the cost of purchase and installation of a chargepoint at home through the electric vehicle homecharge scheme, and £350 towards a chargepoint socket at work through the workplace charging scheme. This is a reduction from £500.

Businesses are now allowed 40 sockets under the workplace charging scheme, up from 20.

The grant has also been extended to include larger electric motorbikes.

Local authorities can apply for a grant to cover part of the capital costs of installing chargepoints for residents who lack off-street parking. The grant rate will be set at £6,500 per chargepoint – extendable to £7,500 in certain circumstances.

To date, more than 120,000 domestic chargepoint installations have benefited from grants as well as more than 6,500 workplace installations, across the UK.

The Government says reducing the grant rate will enable more people to benefit from both schemes and provide better value for money for the taxpayer. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government has announced a series of measures to improve the safety of Smart Motorways, following a review commissioned by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

In October 2019, the future of Smart Motorways, which don’t have a hard shoulder and rely on cameras and signage for all-lane running, was called into question following an admission by Highways England that the dangers of removing the hard shoulder had not been fully investigated.

Today’s announcement secures the future of the roads, with an 18-point improvement plan (detailed below).

Analysis commissioned by the Transport Secretary reportedly found that “in most ways”, smart motorways are as safe as, or safer than, conventional ones.

The report highlights risks that are lower on smart motorways compared with conventional motorways; include tailgating, rapid changes of vehicle speeds, vehicles drifting off the carriageway and vehicles being driven too fast.

There was also an admission that some risks are higher than on conventional motorways, for example the risk of a collision between a moving and stationary vehicle.

In order to address these risks, the Transport Secretary’s new measures include abolishing confusing “dynamic hard shoulder” motorways and substantially speeding up the deployment of “stopped vehicle detection” – a radar-based system which spots stationary vehicles – so that it is installed across the entire smart motorway network within 36 months.

This will enable broken down drivers to typically be detected within 20 seconds, with lanes closed more quickly.

Shapps said: “I’ve been greatly concerned by a number of deaths on smart motorways, and moved by the accounts of families who’ve lost loved ones in these tragic incidents.

“I commissioned an urgent stocktake of smart motorways to provide a clearer picture of their safety and make recommendations on next steps. I envisaged it to be swift, but during the course of our investigations a complex picture emerged – which warranted further work.

“That work has now concluded and overall, evidence shows that in most ways smart motorways are as safe as or safer than conventional ones.

“But I am clear that there is more we can do to raise the bar on smart motorway safety. The extended package of measures I have set out will help rebuild public confidence in our motorway network and ensure that safety is firmly at the heart of the programme.”

The AA has commended the review, having spent a decade campaigning for improvements to the design and safety of Smart Motorways.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “The fact that 38% of breakdowns happen in live lanes on smart motorways means drivers have been at risk. Tragically people have lost their lives, and in some cases coroners have indicated this could have been avoided.

“No driver wants to be stuck in a live lane with nowhere to go; at best it is incredibly distressing, at worst it can be fatal.”

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, added:

“We know road users are concerned about safety when they think what would happen if they broke down on a motorway with no hard shoulder. So we welcome this package of improvements including more technology to detect breakdowns quickly and for there to be extra effort to spread the word about what to do if you break down.

“We will be pressing Highways England further in two areas. First, to confirm that the M4 smart motorway, between Reading and Heathrow, will have additional safety features from day one. Second, to check that red ‘X’ gantries on all smart motorways are spaced appropriately so they can protect people if something goes wrong.”

The 18 points outlined in Shapp’s plan are:

• Abolishing the confusing “dynamic hard shoulder” smart motorways, where the hard shoulder operates only part-time and is a live running lane the rest of the time
• Substantially speeding up the deployment of “stopped vehicle detection” technology across the entire “all lane running” smart motorway network, so stopped vehicles can be detected and the lanes closed more quickly. Highways England is to accelerate its plans and install the technology within the next 36 months, setting a clear public timetable for the first time
• Faster attendance by more Highways England traffic officer patrols on smart motorways where the existing spacing between places to stop in an emergency is more than one mile, with the aim of reducing the attendance time from an average of 17 minutes to 10 minutes
• Reducing the distance between places to stop in an emergency to three quarters of a mile where feasible so that on future schemes motorists should typically reach one every 45 seconds at 60mph. The maximum spacing will be 1 mile
• Installing 10 additional emergency areas on the existing M25 smart motorways on the section of smart motorway with a higher rate of live lane stops and where places to stop in an emergency are furthest apart
• Considering a national programme to install more emergency areas where places to stop in an emergency are more than one mile apart
• Investigating M6 Bromford viaduct and the M1 at Luton, Sheffield and Wakefield where there is evidence of clusters of incidents. Where an intervention is considered likely to make a difference, we will look to make changes at these locations
• Making emergency areas more visible – all emergency areas will have a bright orange road surface, dotted lines on the surfacing showing where to stop, better and more frequent signs on approach and signs inside giving information on what to do in an emergency. These will be installed by the end of spring 2020
• More traffic signs giving the distance to the next place to stop in an emergency, so you will almost always be able to see a sign. Typically, these will be between approximately 330 and 440 yards apart
• More communication with drivers. We recognise that we could do more therefore we are committing to an additional £5m on national targeted communications campaigns to further increase awareness and understanding of smart motorways, how they work and how to use them confidently
• Displaying ‘report of obstruction’ messages automatically on electronic signs, triggered by the stopped vehicle detection system, to warn drivers of a stopped vehicle ahead, this is currently being trialled on the M25 and then a further trial on the M3
• Places to stop in an emergency shown on your satnav by working with satnav providers to ensure the locations are shown on the screen, when needed
• Making it easier to call for help if broken down by working with car manufacturers to improve awareness of the use of the eCall ‘SOS’ button in newer cars to call for help
• We have changed the law to enable automatic detection of ‘red X’ violations and enforcement using cameras and we will be expanding the upgrade of smart motorway cameras (HADECS) to identify more of those who currently ignore the ‘red X’. The penalty is 3 points on the driver’s licence and a £100 fine, or the driver can be referred to an awareness course
• An update of the Highway Code to provide more guidance
• Closer working with the recovery industry on training and procedures
• Reviewing existing emergency areas where the width is less than the current 15 foot wide standard. If feasible and appropriate we will widen to this standard
• A review of the use of red flashing lights to commence immediately. We have listened to the calls for recovery vehicles to be allowed to use red flashing lights. We will commence work immediately on a review.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Fewer than half of van drivers use hands-free or Bluetooth technology to make calls, according to research conducted by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Van drivers make on average seven calls a day whilst driving and spend an average of 37 minutes on the phone for work each day however, only 41% of drivers use hands-free and Bluetooth technology on a frequent basis, according to a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles survey.

Claire English, head of fleet at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, said: “Mobile phone use behind the wheel is a topic that we’ve been monitoring over the past couple of years and the recent statistics show it’s still a huge safety problem on UK roads.

Despite carrying a hefty punishment, it lacks the taboo of other offences such as drink-driving and this needs to change.

Van drivers ignoring mobile phone laws risk getting a £200 fine and six penalty points on their licence.

According to the RAC Report on Motoring, 17% of drivers in the UK admitted to sending and receiving texts, checking e-mails or posting on social media while driving. Last year, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles revealed 23% of drivers do not have hands-free kit in their van.

The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles research also revealed that van drivers in London, Yorkshire and the Humber, and the North East are most likely to dial using the handsfree-technology while Scottish van drivers are twice as likely to give hands-free a miss compared to any other region.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles offers a Bluetooth hands-free kit as standard across its entire model range. English said: “As part of our Working With You promise, we’re committed to improving safety on UK roads for both our customers and other road users, always ensuring we provide the right equipment for the job, for example offering Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) and a handsfree kit as standard across the range.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

While 2020 got off to a strong start with demand from Britain’s car dealers keeping wholesale values of used cars above the usual seasonal levels, and the strongest February since 2012, the market is now showing signs of weakness.

As you would expect, we are keeping a very close, daily, eye on retail footfall, auction attendance and prices in the trade and retail data. Today (23/3/2020) the values in Live are down 1.5% since last month on average, but there has been a marked change in the market since the beginning of last week.

There is the likelihood that demand will continue to decline, and with it, values in the short term. Our forecasting team is currently predicting values to drop by more than the seasonal norm over the coming weeks.

Our short-term forecasts for the coming months will be worse than otherwise would have been the case, as the effects of COVID-19 continue to be felt.

At present, our longer-term forecasts for one to five years in the future are likely to remain broadly unchanged, as we wait to see longer-term impacts on new car registrations, especially following plant closures from many manufacturers.

A fall in registrations this year could help support used values in the long term, and there are also a great many other factors which could yet influence values in various directions.

The automotive industry is navigating uncharted waters, and the coming months will provide an unprecedented challenge as the UK has to adapt to new ways of working, socialising and shopping.

To keep customers informed on a fast-moving market Cap HPI is reviewing daily data feeds that are received from trade and retail sources, and the changes reflected accordingly.

The team of experienced industry experts is supported by data analysts and scientists who ensure that the data is reflected in all valuation products. Our Business Continuity Plan has been enacted and our valuation services will continue to function as normal.

Be assured that values are set by Cap HPI using an unrivalled breadth of data sources, big data technology and a team of editors who scrutinise trends and movements in the market in real-time.

The team of experts is supported by data analysis and audit managers, who ensure the quality of the data.

As a call to action, I would encourage all customers to use the data and tools at their disposal. The market is changing daily, and situations such as this are the reason Cap Live was developed.  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

FleetCheck has added coronavirus symptoms to its Vehicle Inspection App’s fit-to-drive section.

The app is designed to increase fleet safety for cars, vans, HGVs, buses and coaches and is widely used, having been used to complete two million checks.

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, said: “The fit-to-drive declaration is an essential part of the app as well as fundamental fleet risk management itself. It means that a driver is making a declaration each day that they consider themselves OK to work.

“Clearly, when we’re all dealing with something as contagious as coronavirus, this takes on a whole new dimension, especially as many of the fleets still working on a daily basis are home delivery companies that are dealing with the public.”

The new, coronavirus-based declaration that FleetCheck has written and made available to our customers aims to provide a simple and easy reminder for drivers of the symptoms that they are likely to be experiencing if infected, says Golding.

The Vehicle Inspection App was introduced in April 2017 and creates the means for drivers and fleet managers to schedule, carry out, confirm, follow-up and audit all kinds of legally-required inspections from daily walkarounds to weekly or monthly checks.

It has been continually enhanced, notably to incorporate a range of features such as support for languages commonly used among UK fleet drivers, the fit-to-drive declaration, enhanced damage, defect and collision reporting and shift recording.

A new, streamlined version of the app, called FleetCheck Driver, was launched earlier this year and provides a simplified solution for fleets that currently have no risk management measures in place.

Golding said: “Last week, as an example, 170,000 checks were undertaken using the app so it is no exaggeration to say that the fit-to-drive declaration could help to play a useful part in stopping the spread of the virus among and by drivers.”  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

The following information is guidance provided by the Government. During the MOT 6 month exemption period you must ensure that the vehicle is still roadworthy and safe to drive.

You’re responsible for making sure your vehicle is always safe to drive (‘roadworthy’). It can be unsafe even if you have a current MOT certificate.

You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get 3 penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

Checks you should carry out

Every time you drive you should check:

• the windscreen, windows and mirrors are clean
• all lights work
• the brakes work

Your vehicle’s handbook will tell you how often to check the:

• engine oil
• water level in the radiator or expansion tank
• brake fluid level
• battery
• windscreen and rear window washer bottles – top up with windscreen washer fluid if necessary
• tyres – they must have the correct tread depth and be free of cuts and defects

The handbook will also tell you when your vehicle needs to be serviced.

Tyre tread

Tread must be a certain depth depending on the type of vehicle:

• cars, light vans and light trailers – 1.6 millimetres (mm)
• motorcycles, large vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles – 1mm

Mopeds only need to have visible tread.

There must be tread across the middle three-quarters and around the entire tyre.

By Graham Hill – reprinted from Government website