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By Steve Nash, CEO of the Institue of the Motor Industry (IMI)

There is much speculation that the government is planning to move forward the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to 2030, with hybrids given a reprieve to 2035.

I admire the confidence of those feeding this speculation – apparently there are assurances that the infrastructure will be ready by this date.

But there is so much more to consider than simply the charging infrastructure.

Indeed, in some ways the charging network issue is relatively simple to resolve… It just needs investment, and rather a lot of it!

However, we won’t get the network we need if the government leaves it largely to private businesses to solve the problem, as it has done up to now.

The investments made by our government are paltry compared to other countries.

But I worry that a much bigger piece of the jigsaw has been forgotten.

What about the technicians to service and repair this new automotive technology which, in turn, will give motorists the essential confidence they need?

The automotive sector has seen – much like many other industries – massive falls in sales over the last 6 months as a result of Covid-19.

Right now, therefore, the appetite for recruitment and training is low as recent data attests.

Yet training of the existing workforce on these new drivetrains, as well as recruitment of the next generation of workers is vital.

The latest Department for Education (DoE) data shows that apprenticeship starts in the Automotive sector in July 2020 fell by 59% compared to the same period in 2019.

And the latest ONS data shows that approximately 2% of jobs in the sector have been made permanently redundant with potentially an additional 7,200 planned before the end of September.

Further underlying the financial pressures facing the automotive sector, over half (56%) stated that Covid-19 had increased the risk of insolvency of their business; an increase of 3% since last reporting.

Against this backdrop, and with so much of the country waiting to hear if new restrictions may impact business income further, does it really make sense to heap the pressure on an already beleaguered sector?

As we advance towards a zero-emission future, the technology that technicians will be coming into contact with is changing – resulting in high voltage electrics becoming commonplace.

Motorists driving electrified vehicles want to know that they are handing over their vehicle to someone who has the right skills.

Those who aren’t properly trained or equipped to work on electrified vehicles would be risking serious injury or potentially fatal shock.

The IMI TechSafe standards, endorsed by OLEV at the end of 2019, mean that electrified vehicle users can access the IMI Professional Register to check the electric vehicle technical competencies of technicians at their local garage.

This is a crucial step in giving car buyers confidence that their electric vehicle can be serviced, maintained and repaired by a garage with the right skills – and that removes a key barrier to EV adoption.

But it’s also important that government looks at investment in skills training to support a sector that is currently severely depleted by Covid-19, to ensure its zero emissions goals can be achieved. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles in England and Wales were six times higher in 2019 than the previous year.

Official figures show that last year, almost 13,000 devices were reported stolen, with London particularly badly hit. There were just 2,000-plus thefts in 2018.

Criminals sell the parts as desirable spares or simply for the value of the precious metals they contain – rhodium, palladium and platinum.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims, car crime lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said police were committed to tackling the thefts and the organised gangs behind them.

“Police forces across the country are involved in planning and undertaking intelligence-led operations, at both the regional and national level, to stop converters from being stolen, as we recognise the devastating impact these crimes can have upon the lives of victims,” she told the BBC.

Stolen vehicle recovery expert Tracker suggests that hybrid vehicles are at a particular risk. Clive Wain, head of police liaison at Tracker, explained:

“Plug-in and self-charging hybrid vehicles are a highly desirable target for thieves as their catalytic converters are less corroded than those in petrol and diesel vehicles which rely on them more.”

Wain says that there are simple actions that drivers can take to protect their vehicle, including physical barriers to make thieves think twice before targeting their car.

“Installing an alarm that activates if the vehicle is lifted or tilted are particularly effective and owners should consider investing in a catalytic converter protection device or marking system,” he said.

“Fitting a stolen vehicle recovery device, such as those on offer from Tracker will ensure that if a car is stolen, it will be located and recovered quickly before the essential parts are removed for re-sale.”

Tracker’s top tips for safeguarding your vehicle:

• Park your car in a safe spot – a secure garage is the best option, but a well-lit and overlooked parking spot is also a great – it doesn’t take long to steal a catalytic converter, but it’s certainly not a quiet job so the more visible the car, the better the deterrent.
• Install cameras – Thieves don’t want to be caught on camera. Installing CCTV to keep an eye on your car or parking in areas covered by public CCTV is good protection.
• Install a vehicle tracker system – If a car is stolen, the police are far more likely to be able to find and return it safely if it has a device fitted.

Police forces across the country have also issued the following advice and information to help drivers protect their vehicles:

• Consider installing a Thatcham approved alarm to your vehicle. Ones that activate if your vehicle is lifted or tilted are particularly effective.
• Use a catalytic converter protection device or marking system.Catalytic converters control and convert exhaust emissions from your vehicle into less toxic substances. If yours is stolen, you will know because your vehicle’s engine will sound different. If you suspect your catalytic converter has been stolen, report it immediately by calling 101.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The school-run appears to be behind a peak in morning traffic, according to black box data from the RAC.

New Government statistics, published last week, suggested that the traditional morning and evening rush hours had disappeared.

The latest figures for June from the Department for Transport (DfT) showed that in the morning peak there was a 21.4 second delay per vehicle mile travelled on local A roads, compared to 56.7 seconds in February.

It was the same for the evening peak, which reported a 25.8 second delay per vehicle mile travelled, less than half of the 63.6 seconds reported before the pandemic in February.   

However, analysis of hundreds of thousands of trips taken by RAC Insurance customers has revealed that the beginning of the school year in England has led to a marked rise in cars on the road, particularly at what appears to be the peak drop-off time of between 8am and 9am.

Looking at average weekday traffic between Monday, September 7, and Wednesday, September 16, between these hours there were the same number of cars being driven as on a weekday in January.

Car volumes during these times were also up 55% compared to the period before most schools had returned (week beginning August 24).

The figures appear to show that the UK’s morning rush hour is caused more by people dropping children off at schools and nurseries than it is by commuters heading to places of work, given that many people are still working from home.

The fact that many schools are operating staggered drop-off times in light of the coronavirus may also be having the effect of extending the rush hour as well as changing the morning routine for some families.

At the other end of the day, car volumes are now at around the same level between the end of school ‘rush’ of 3pm and 4pm and evening ‘rush’ of between and 5pm and 6pm as was the case before the first coronavirus lockdown in March, suggests the RAC data.

RAC Insurance spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “What’s abundantly apparent is how dependent parents are on the car for getting children to their places of study or play during the week – and with fewer people prepared to take public transport at the moment, the reliance on the car as the transport mode of choice has increased.

“Workers that used to drop children off and then carry on to offices or other workplaces are clearly still using their cars for these trips, but just returning home again instead.

“It may also be the case that many are opting for the car so they can be back at their desks to start work as promptly as possible.

“The staggered ‘drop-off windows’ introduced by many schools as a result of the pandemic to cope with large movements of children may be another reason for the rise.”

Daily RAC breakdown figures also show a ‘return to normal’, with mid-week call-outs in particular only a little below those seen during the first few winter months of the year.

But interestingly, since the schools returned patrols have on average been called out to more rush-hour breakdowns than expected with this being balanced out by fewer later in the day.

Dennis continued: “The million-dollar question, of course, is what happens next and whether morning road traffic continues to rise in the autumn, or whether it stays at the sort of level we’re seeing now.

“The rising number of coronavirus cases, together with the introduction of local lockdowns and the threat of new nationwide restrictions, may also have an impact on people’s willingness to return to public transport.

“But while there is a huge number of possible scenarios that have the potential to change our travel habits, what does appear clear is that millions of us will continue to rely on the car for completing the journeys we have to make.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Business travel hit a post-lockdown peak in August with every sector of the UK economy enjoying its highest weekly increase at some point, according to new data from Allstar Business Solutions.

The analysis of its customer data found average fuel consumption peaked in the week beginning August 17 at 125% above the lockdown baseline.

However, fuel consumption for August overall dropped 4.4% compared to July, which Allstar attributes to the August bank holiday, although last year the fall was more significant at 9% for the same month.

Allstar’s latest Business Barometer Monthly Snapshot, which is tracking business mileage and credit card data as an economic indicator of recovery by sector, found the long-term trajectory also remains upwards, with businesses travelling 1.06 billion more miles in August than June.

Paul Holland, managing director of UK Fuel at Fleetcor, Allstar’s parent company, said: “Although at first glance seeing a drop in business fuel consumption in August may suggest a slowdown, this followed a sharp rise in June and July.

“The decrease in business travel can also be attributed to August traditionally being a quiet month thanks to the bank holiday weekend, as well as increased domestic and foreign holidays as some coronavirus regulations were eased.

“Early indicators seem to suggest a stronger start to September as children return to school.

“It’s encouraging to see all sectors witnessing their highest weekly growth spikes during the last month; highlighting a continued hunger for businesses to get back on the road as the recovery continues.

“While the number of people on holiday clearly had a downward impact towards the end of the month, it doesn’t appear this will have a long-lasting effect.”

The week commencing August 17 was, on average, the most active for businesses on the road since the start of lockdown.

Arts, entertainment and recreation witnessed a 407% increase in mileage – just days after government lockdown restrictions were eased for some leisure businesses.

Manufacturing (161%), construction (141%) and financial services (106%) also saw their most significant post-lockdown growth during that week.

In comparison, hospitality and catering saw its largest weekly growth (211%) during the week commencing August 24, potentially due to people becoming increasingly comfortable with returning to restaurants towards the end of the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme.

The same is true of wholesale and retail businesses (161%), while education saw its largest spike in business travel (258%) during the week commencing August 31, likely due to preparations for students returning to the classroom. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

More than 8,000 fatal and serious injuries could be prevented over the next 20 years if an investment package of £1.2 billion was made, says the Road Safety Foundation and Ageas.

The funding would improve around 3,000 miles of roads and would also boost the UK’s economic recovery and save society almost £4.4bn over the same period, according to a report published today by the organisation.

Dr Suzy Charman, executive director of the Road Safety Foundation and author of the study, said: “This 20th annual report shows that less than 1% of roads were significantly improved between 2013-2015 and 2016-2018.

“This report identifies an investment package of £1.2bn… with great returns: every £1 invested should benefit society by an average of around £3.60.

“We’ve already demonstrated that infrastructure safety measures can be developed and implemented very quickly, providing jobs and saving lives.

“At a time when we need to boost our economic recovery and protect the NHS, what better way of saving our society an estimated £4.4 billion over the next 20 years. Let’s move forward and save lives by improving these roads.”

The ‘Looking Back – Moving Forward’ document reports that:

• 60% of all deaths are concentrated on 13% of Britain’s roads
• There were significant reductions in the number of fatal and serious crashes on 22 routes between 2013-2015 and 2016-2018; the total number of fatal and serious crashes on these 400km of road fell by two-thirds from 251 to 86, with an estimated Net Present Value of £351m over 20 years
• 765km of 38 persistently higher risk rural routes have been the location of more than 1,400 fatal and serious crashes between 2013 and 2018. The value to society of preventing these would have been almost £700 million.

The data from the report has been used to update the interactive ‘Dangerous Roads Map’.

This reveals Britain’s riskiest roads and highlights where targeted investment could save lives.

In the foreword to the report, Lord Whitty, chair of the Road Safety Foundation, said: “British progress has depended largely on rising European vehicle standards.

“Similar advancements have not been seen in infrastructure safety.”

Whitty praised the government’s Safer Roads Fund, launched in 2016, as an influential step.

He added: “Systemic management of infrastructure risk is now required by law elsewhere in Europe.

“Highways England and Transport for London have set ambitions that no-one should be hurt on their networks by 2040 but must now target infrastructure risks systemically along busy routes.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The following article mentioned specifically fleet managers being responsible for offences that drivers are convicted for. But beware if you are a director, owner or partner of a company that either provides company cars or pays an allowance for employees to use their own cars on business (either a car allowance or mileage allowance) as the same rules apply to the person responsible.

Fleet decision-makers could face the same penalty points as their employees should they be convicted of a driving offence, the Licence Bureau is warning.

The supplier of driver licence validation services says it is witnessing an increasing number of these cases being recorded on its system.

Responsible parties can incur the same penalty points as the actual vehicle driver due to the often unknown and much misunderstood ‘cause or permit to drive’ legislation.

Licence Bureau says that it means even though the initial offence was committed by a third party, it was ultimately the fleet manager’s responsibility.

Steve Pinchen, sales director of Licence Bureau, explained: “This much unknown rule has some very serious implications indeed for individuals and businesses alike.

“Those responsible for business fleets – of any scale – really do need to do their homework and ensure that they have all bases covered when it comes to compliance. Not only that, but there is a cultural aspect here too where everyone must be attuned to minimising road safety risk.”

According to the Road Traffic Act 1988/1991, ownership of a vehicle involved in an offence is irrelevant. This therefore implicates both owned business fleet and grey fleet operators.

The Act also cites that causing or permitting driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence can incur three to six points with fine up to £1,000.

The points remain for four years on licence from date of offence. The ‘person responsible for the fleet’ can have the points added to their own personal driving licence.

At present, the majority of these ‘dual penalty recipient’ offences recorded on Licence Bureau’s system relate to ‘causing or permitting using a vehicle uninsured against third party risks’ – an offence which carries six to eight penalty points.

Pinchen said: “Beyond the actual penalty points there are the knock-on implications for elevated risk profiles within the business and what that might mean for insurance premiums; professional and personal impacts for fleet managers; as well as potential for reputational damage for the company.”

Other offences recorded on Licence Bureau’s system include ‘using a vehicle with defective tyres’ which carries three penalty points for each individual implicated, and ‘using a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle’ which carries three to six penalty points.

The volume of motoring fines and penalties incurred by company car and van drivers increased by 3% in 2019, according to figures from Lex Autolease released earlier this year.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Renault has launched ‘Be Mindful, Don’t Idle’ education campaign to improve air quality around schools after new research showed the scale of the problem.

More than 8,500 schools, nurseries and colleges in England, Scotland and Wales are located in areas with dangerously high levels of pollution, but the return to school could see the problem intensify with 62% of parents saying they are more likely to drive their children to and from school as a result of the recent pandemic.

The increased dependency on the car comes as more than a quarter (27.2%) admit to leaving their engines running – known as idling – during the school run, according to a detailed new study by Renault. Men are 50% more likely to do it than female drivers, representing 32.7% and 22% respectively.

Renault studied the habits and attitudes of more than 4,000 ‘school run’ parents and motorists. Of the reasons given for leaving their engines running nearly a third cited doing so because they are only stationary for ‘a short while’ and 26% wanted to keep the heater or air-con on.

Almost two-thirds (60%) of all drivers said they were unaware that it is illegal under Rule 123 of the Highways Code. Authorities can now issue £80 fixed penalties under Road Traffic Regulations 2002 and Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 in Scotland.

A lack of parking near schools is the biggest infrastructural challenge to idling.

Overall 23% said they needed to be ready to move their car into a suitable parking space. Naturally, this issue is worse in urban areas – 60.9% – compared to rural locations with just 11.5%.

The report underlined the reasons for the ‘school run’, with 30% dropping their children off by car because it’s on their way to work, 18% because of safety concerns and 12% have no other means of getting them to school.

The issue of idling is greatest within built-up urban and suburban areas according to Renault. Half of those live in cities, yet 12% of those in rural areas admit to doing it regularly. Idling for just 10 seconds wastes more fuel than restarting the engine.

A 2019 study by Kings College London revealed that children in London travelling to schools across the capital are exposed to air pollution five times higher than at any other time of the day.

Renault found that London accounted for the highest number of idling offenders – 22.5%.

“The fact that the majority of people don’t realise that idling is illegal just highlights the scale of the problem,” explained Matt Shirley, senior manager, electrification and new mobility.

“Every minute a car is idling it produces enough emissions to fill 150 balloons. It goes without saying, if the 27% of school run journeys stop idling, there would be a significant improvement in the air quality for their children.

“This is not about demonising the school run, our study underlines the importance, even more so since lockdown, of the car. We just want parents and guardians to be mindful of the detrimental impact of idling, and to alter their behaviours for their own children and those around them.”

New analysis by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), on behalf of Global Action Plan (GAP) and the Philips Foundation, shows that if outdoor air pollution is halved, there could be up to a 20-50% reduction in the number of children with poor lung function across the UK and Republic of Ireland. 

The analysis also finds the reduction in air pollution seen during the country-wide lockdown lead to asthma attacks in children all but disappearing. 

Given the most positive improvements to children’s lung resilience is likely to be realised if changes are enacted around the 2,000 schools in the most polluted hotspots across the country, a coalition has formed comprised of Global Action Plan, the Philips Foundation, Living Streets, Modeshift Stars and Mums for Lungs, with the support of Philips, the National Education Union, and NAHT.

The group is calling for nationwide action by the Government and local authorities to improve air quality at schools, driven by a legally binding target to meet World Health Organization limits. 

To support the movement, Global Action Plan and the Philips Foundation, with the endorsement of Philips, have launched “The Clean Air Schools Framework”. The framework is a free online tool that gives teachers, headteachers, parents and local authorities a bespoke blueprint of actions for tackling air pollution in and around the school from its database of 50 actions. 

The coalition is especially urging all local authorities to use the framework, highlighting actions taken in the London Borough of Hackney, which is one of the leading community grassroots initiative proactively tackling air pollution and pioneer of School Streets (one of the framework’s key actions).

The first four School Streets launched in the borough showed that traffic reduced by an average of 68%, the number of children cycling to school increased by 51% and vehicle emissions outside schools (NOx, PM10 and PM2.5) are down by 74% as a result of the schemes.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Average used car values exceeded £8,000 for the third month in a row in August, with sold volumes continuing to rise, up by 3.9% over the month, reports BCA.

BCA sold record numbers of vehicles online in August. Daily online sales entries averaged more than 6,000 units, with a record number of 7,400 vehicles offered on Wednesday, August 19, the highest volume of vehicles ever offered by BCA online in one day.

BCA chief operating officer for UK Remarketing, Stuart Pearson, said it has seen “improving levels” of supply reaching the marketplace throughout the period of the pandemic with “well-matched demand” for stock from its buyer base.

“The marketplace is operating very efficiently and this is good news for all professional operators in the used vehicle sector.”

He added: “Anecdotally, many dealers are telling us that their stock churn has improved significantly, with many holding lower volumes of stock but still selling as many vehicles as they might have expected pre-Covid19.”

Used car challenges ahead

Indicata, however, suggests that the UK used market showed its first signs of cooling off in August, according to its latest used car report.

During August, it says that the UK was the only one out of 13 European countries to experience a year-on-year fall (-3.3%) with the sub-three-year sector down by 15.75%.

Volumes were also down by 50% in the sub 12-month sector caused by OEMs reducing their push on self-registrations and demonstrators as new car shortages continue following the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. The six-nine-year age group was the only one to rise during August by 8.8%.

Hybrids and electric vehicle (EV) sales were up year-on-year by nearly 50%.

Meanwhile, market stock levels grew by 3% in August as used cars stuck in the wholesale supply chain have finally seen the light of day.

“The UK used car market saw an interesting blend of high prices, improving stock levels and a fall in demand year-on-year,” explained Jon Mitchell, Indicata’s group sales director.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Automotive companies from across the UK and EU are calling for an ambitious free trade deal, warning that ‘no deal’ will have a catastrophic impact on the industry.

If no deal is reached and ratified before December 31, World Trade Organisation (WTO) non-preferential rules, including a 10% tariff on cars and up to 22% on vans and trucks would apply.

Such tariffs – far higher than the small margins of most manufacturers – would almost certainly need to be passed on to consumers, making vehicles more expensive, reducing choice, and impacting demand. Furthermore, automotive suppliers and their products will be hit by tariffs, they say.

New calculations, published on Monday, September 14 by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), suggest that a reduction in demand resulting from a 10% WTO tariff for cars and vans could reduce EU and UK factory output over the next five years by three million units.

That would equate to losses worth €52.8 billion (£48.7bn) to UK plants and €57.7bn (£53.2bn) to those based across the EU. Suppliers would also suffer from these changes, it says.

The lead organisations representing vehicle and parts makers across the EU, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA), along with 21 national associations, including the SMMT, have joined forces to warn that this combined loss in trade value would seriously harm one of Europe’s most valuable assets.

Collectively, the EU27 and UK automotive sector is responsible for 20% of global motor vehicle production and spends some €60.8bn (£56bn) on innovation each year, making it Europe’s largest R&D investor.

The SMMT’s chief executive, Mike Hawes, said:  ”These figures paint a bleak picture of the devastation that would follow a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

“The shock of tariffs and other trade barriers would compound the damage already dealt by a global pandemic and recession, putting businesses and livelihoods at risk.

“Our industries are deeply integrated so we urge all parties to recognise the needs of this vital provider of jobs and economic prosperity, and pull out every single stop to secure an ambitious free trade deal now, before it is too late.”

The industry says that any deal should include zero tariffs and quotas, appropriate rules of origin for both internal combustion engine and alternatively fuelled vehicles, plus components and powertrains, and a framework to avoid regulatory divergence.  

Crucially, it says that businesses need detailed information about the agreed trading conditions they will face from January 1, 2021, to make preparations. This, combined with targeted support and an appropriate a phase-in period that allows for greater use of foreign materials for a limited period of time, will ensure businesses are able to cope with the end of the transition period.

Eric-Mark Huitema, ACEA director general, said: “The stakes are high for the EU auto industry – we absolutely must have an ambitious EU-UK trade agreement in place by January. Otherwise our sector – already reeling from the COVID crisis – will be hit hard by a double whammy.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Speed limits on parts of four motorways are to be cut before October in a trial to reduce pollution.

Highways England said the limit will be reduced from 70mph to 60mph in areas that have seen higher than recommended levels of nitrogen dioxide.

The reduced speed limit will be introduced on M6 junctions 6 to 7 by Witton, M1 junctions 33 to 34 by Rotherham, M602 junctions 1 to 3 by Eccles and M5 1 to 2 by Oldbury.

Each locations is up to 4.5 miles long and the new speed limits will be operational 24 hours a day.

The reduced speed limits will be assessed after 12 months to see if they are having an impact, or if the air quality level is compliant.

Ivan Le Fevre, head of environment at Highways England told the BBC: “Ultimately the air quality challenge will be solved ‘at the tailpipe’ by vehicle manufacturers and changes in vehicle use.

“Until this happens we will continue our extensive programme of pioneering research and solutions.”

Recent Department for Transport figures show the proportion of cars sticking to the speed limit is at its highest on 60mph roads.

The data measures speed and compliance at sites where the road conditions are free-flowing, for example roads with no junctions, sharp bends, speed enforcement cameras or other traffic calming measures.

In 2019, 50% of cars were found to exceed the speed limit on motorways, 54% on 30mph roads and just 9% where limits were 60mph.

The DfT says the statistics provide insights into speeds at which drivers choose to travel when free to do so, but are not estimates of average speeds across the whole network.

It notes that the average car speeds under free flow conditions were close to the speed limit on motorways (69mph) and 30mph roads (31mph) – and under the speed limit on 60mph roads (50mph).  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News