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Fleet decision-makers and the leasing industry is bracing itself for a price hike on new company car and van orders in the event of a ‘no deal’ Brexit.

However, in a note from BMW, seen by Fleet News, the German manufacturer has announced a customs duty related increase of more than £3,000 on the recommended retail pricing (RRP) of the BMW i3, irrespective of whether there is a free trade deal or not.

BMW had announced at the beginning of October that BMW i3 models, along with the majority of other BMW models, would be subject to an “economic increase” in the recommended retail price rise from January 1, 2021.

Due to changes in the ‘Product Specific Rules of Origin’ legislation, it says that the maximum permitted content of non-EU and non-UK materials means these models will be subject to additional tariffs after the end of the Brexit transition period.

This will be the case, it adds, “whether or not there is a free trade agreement with the EU”, which means a further increase in the RRP of BMW i3 models is needed.

The current RRP for a BMW i3 (ZI3I), valid until December 31, is £35,120 – the previously announced RRP, to be effective from January 1, was £35,670. However, BMW says that the new RRP from January will now be £38,785 – an increase of more than £3,600.

Similarly, the current RRP for a BMW i3 (ZI3J), valid until December 31, is £37,650 – the previously announced RRP, to be effective from January 1, was £38,200. However, BMW says that the new RRP from January will now be £41,315 – again an increase of more than £3,600.

It says that for Direct Sales Agency Agreement vehicles, orders registered on or before December 31 will be charged the pricing valid on the date of order.

Meanwhile orders registered on or after January 1 will be charged as follows:

Vehicles which arrive in the UK on or before December 31 and which are marked sold on or before December 31 will be charged the pricing valid on the date of order as the vehicle will not incur additional import charges. Vehicles must be registered by April 30, 2021, to benefit from this pricing.

Vehicles which arrive in the UK on or after January 1, regardless of the date of order, or which are marked sold on or after January 1, will be charged at the new price, incorporating the customs duty increase and are not price protected.

BMW’s price hike comes after Renault issued its own price warning ahead of a free trade agreement not being reached.

In a letter from Renault’s fleet director, Mark Dickens, to customers, he says that the manufacturer has been in discussions with our factories to secure “increased production of vehicles and parts” to mitigate any risk of disruption to supply at the UK-EU border.

In addition, he said that Renault has increased capacity and staffing to ensure the “timely delivery of vehicles, parts and accessories to our customers”.

Any customer order created up to and including October 31, 2020, will be price protected regardless of the importation date, he says.

Any order placed from November 1 onwards, and that is matched to a vehicle imported from January 1, however, could be subject to revised pricing based on the imposition of vehicle tariffs.

In the event that tariffs apply on import, Renault says that those will be as per World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms, and will be added to the order price. Tariffs on WTO terms equate to 10% of the total new vehicle price including options.

Furthermore, it says any vehicle imported from January 1, ordered from November 1, could be subject to revised pricing based on the imposition of vehicle tariffs.

Finally, it says that any customer order created from January 1 would be subject to any new pricing irrespective of vehicle importation date.

Dickens wrote: “We will continue to closely monitor events and will keep you informed of any developments.”

Fleet News reported last month, how manufacturers had written to leasing companies warning them that they cannot guarantee company car prices beyond the end of the year, even for some models being ordered now.

In letters sent to vehicle lease provides by major carmakers, including BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz, they say that the threat of a ‘no deal’ Brexit was to blame for the potential price hike.

Talks between the UK and EU are due to resume in Brussels at this 11^th hour. A free trade deal is looking less likely but still in the balance.

Any deal between the UK and EU would need to be ratified by parliaments on both sides, so time is running out for an agreement to be reached and to get the sign off before December 31.

Residual Value Concerns

A senior manager working at an FN50 vehicle leasing company, said the lack of clarity around pricing was a big issue for the industry.

He said: “Our view is that we should be advising clients to hold back on orders unless they choose from the manufacturers that have said they will honour prices.”

He envisages a number of cancellations from customers where any price protection doesn’t apply.

Furthermore, in terms of future residual values, he said they were in a state of “limbo”.

“There is an argument that they should increase proportionately to the increase in new vehicle prices,” he said, “but that would only be if we expected that the used market increases in value proportionately in three years’ time.

“There is an argument for that, but the future used values would then be increasing in value because of a one-off tariff that is being imposed rather than anything that relates to enhanced value.

“Such increases may be correct when looking at the actual price values of new vehicles, but it is also a value based on the future value prediction of a tax, which doesn’t feel quite right either.”

He continued: “If the tariff was imposed for just an – undetermined – period of time, and then taken away, what would happen to used car prices? Will they also increase now for a while and the turn back or will they stay at the higher value? Will future residual values also rise and then fall again in that scenario?

“In essence, the uncertainty will show through in the new car and used car market we believe and cause a de-stabilising effect. This is never good news for anyone in the automotive sector.”

‘Costly’ Brexit Preparations

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed the cost to the sector of preparing for Brexit has surpassed £735 million, with more than £235 million spent in 2020 alone.

Most companies (67%) across the industry say they are doing everything in their control to prepare for new processes that will come into play on January 1, with 70% securing GB Economic Operators Registration and Identification (EORI) numbers, 60% spending significantly on stockpiling and 52% employing customs agents, as companies also try to prepare for any disruption or delay to supply chains.

However, significant gaps in the industry’s ability to plan still exist, with a lack of clarity on the nature of the UK-EU’s future relationship hampering the efforts of almost nine in 10 (86%) firms to prepare.

Critical questions remain unanswered. With the industry’s competitiveness built on Just-in-Time deliveries, companies cannot afford any supply chain delays so clarity on the operation of key new customs systems such as the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) and the Permission to Progress (P2P) process, is vital, says SMMT.

Moreover, even if the UK and EU do conclude a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) from the end of 2020, there is uncertainty as to how companies will prove origin or products; if firms cannot do this then they will not be able to benefit from preferential trading terms.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “As the UK-EU FTA negotiations enter the endgame, now is the time for both sides to deliver on promises to safeguard the automotive industry.

“Securing a deal is absolutely critical but it cannot be any deal. To work for UK automotive it must deliver for UK products and that means securing the right terms and conditions that allow our exports – now and in the future – to be zero tariff and zero quota trade.

A deal that failed to achieve this would be the equivalent to no deal at all, devastating jobs and slamming the brakes on the UK’s ambitions to be a world leading manufacturer and market for electrified mobility and battery technologies.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

For the last two years I’ve questioned the need for an electric vehicle charge infrastructure. We now have a deadline following which no petrol or diesel cars can be sold so we need to be satisfied that we can charge our EV’s.

Manufacturers are already developing cars with ranges up to 800 miles whilst BP have superfast chargers that can charge 80% in around 30 minutes. With average annual mileage dropping and set to remain low post COVID there is no need to have a massive charging infrastructure.

These are my views but they don’t seem to be shared by too many others. Let’s see what others say.

The number of public electric vehicle charging devices has increased 18% in the UK over the past year to 19,487.

The figure is included in the latest Electric Vehicle Charging Device Statistics report produced by the Department for Transport, which says that, of these, 3,530 were rapid devices.

This is an increase of nearly 10 times since 2015.

Rod Dennis, RAC data insight spokesman, said: “The rise in the number of charge points across the UK is very encouraging and sends all the right signals to drivers who might be thinking about opting for an electric model next time they change their car.

“Add in the fact that many people with electric cars can charge from home and overall it’s a positive picture.

“But there’s still a way to go and the focus now needs to be on installing as many fast chargers as possible, given that less than a fifth of public chargers are rapid.

“While the speed of fully charging an electric car can’t compete with the five minutes or so it takes to fill up a petrol or diesel model, a greater number of faster chargepoints could help tempt more people to ‘go electric’ sooner.”

The DfT report says there is an uneven geographical distribution of charging devices within the UK.

London has the highest level of charging device provision per 100,000 of population with 63, while Northern Ireland is lowest with 17. The UK average is 29 per 100,000 people.

Some UK local authorities have bid for Government funding for charging devices, and others have not.

The report says most of the provision of charge points has been market led, with individual charging networks and other businesses such as hotels choosing where to install devices.

Charlie Jardine, founder and CEO, EO Charging, the electric vehicle charge point and charging software developer, added: “It’s great to see an 18% increase in public chargers this year with a 7% increase in available chargers in the last quarter alone.

“We look forward to seeing this number grow as electric vehicles are set to be an essential part of how we ‘build back better’ from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Whilst increasing the availability of public charge points is an important step in overcoming the barriers to EV adoption, 59% of vehicles on roads are company vehicles so businesses must carefully consider installing their own EV charging infrastructure.

“We’ve seen much evidence of businesses leading the way on this in recent months, with significant demand from our customers transforming their fleets across the UK and Europe from diesel and petrol to electric.”

At the end of last month, Richard Jones, managing director of Lex Autolease – the UK’s largest leasing company – labelled the country’s charging infrastructure “not-fit-for-purpose”.

He told Fleet News parts of the country are poorly served, limiting the wider adoption of EVs.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

 A man who stole construction machinery worth over £22,000 was caught out by the digger’s hidden tracker.

Robert Smith, 56, of Cuckoo Lane, Rampton, Cambridge, took the digger and trailer overnight between September 27 and 28, 2018.

The machinery was stolen from a substation in Wittering on the outskirts of Peterborough, but at 8:20pm on September 28, the digger’s owner was told by a telematics company that the vehicle was on the move.

It was at this stage the owner knew it had been stolen and called police. Co-ordinates from the tracker pinged in a wooded area and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter was called to assist officers.

The helicopter captured a van being driven out of the same wooded area, leaving the stolen digger and trailer behind.

The helicopter tracked the van onto a main road and followed it until it stopped, and two men ran from the vehicle on foot.

The van then continued but was stopped not long after by officers from Lincolnshire Police, with Smith – the driver of the van – being arrested on suspicion of theft.

In police interview Smith answered ‘no comment’ to all questions.

He was later served a postal requisition charging him with theft from the person of another. Smith denied the offence but changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial at Cambridge Crown Court on October 28.

He stood trial alongside two co-defendants who were found not guilty by jurors.

Smith was sentenced at Peterborough Crown Court on November 3, where he was handed 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to complete 70 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,945 in compensation to the owner of the digger and trailer.

DC Jon Edwards, who investigated, said: “This was a case where officers were helped immensely by the NPAS helicopter and it highlights how useful that assistance can be.

“Despite Smith’s ‘no comment’ interview, and claims he was out poaching in the area, he was essentially caught red-handed with the stolen machinery.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Ford will begin recalling Kuga PHEV models to replace their battery packs, following an announcement in August that a potential fault could lead to fires.

Sales of the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUV were halted in the Summer when it was discovered that the car’s battery pack could overheat and cause a fire.

The manufacturer says it has now identified the cause of the issue and will replace the battery packs in all affected vehicles.

A statement issued by the brand said: “The root cause has been identified as a battery cell contamination issue in our supplier’s production process and we have determined that the best course of action for the safety of our existing customers is to replace the drive battery pack.”

The same issue was discovered with batteries used in some BMW plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The recall will require the car to be in a workshop for at least one day. Ford will offer a collection and delivery service, as well as courtesy vehicle where required.

Ford says it will carry out the necessary repair to all affected vehicles between late December 2020 and March 2021.

Ford will provide extended warranties or £500 fuel vouchers as compensation to affected owners.

Drivers are advised not to charge their vehicle and not to use the EV Mode, Sport or Snow settings until the vehicle has been repaired.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Fleet operators are at the nexus of the digital and physical realms.

Whilst more business is done online than ever before, just in time logistics help keep modern supply chains lean and profitable, and form a critical part of many business operations transporting materials from A to B.

Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are improving vehicle and driver safety, finding more efficient routes, and delivering great customer experiences.

These connections, which will soon benefit from 5G networks, power the modern economy but can also be exploited for unintended purposes.

Essentially, as more devices and systems connect to the internet, the greater the amount of targets threat actors (hackers) have to exploit.

Indeed, the attack surface of a modern vehicle has never been larger: infotainment systems; OBD II dongles needed for telematics and insurance; GPS navigation systems; digital key fobs; fleet management systems; dashcams etc. plus connected apps offering tracking and remote unlock services – these are all connected devices or systems that have the potential to be exploited by threat actors.

Heavy vehicles have connected more widely through satellite and cellular communications for quite some time.

Consequently, heavy vehicles currently have more avenues for remote access than light vehicles.

Coupled with a high level of electronic homogeneity within commercial trucking fleets, an adversary could easily develop viable exploits that could attack large numbers of vehicles simultaneously.

The benefits that connecting fleets brings must be balanced against cyber, safety and continuity risk to ensure a resilient business.

2019 blackhat threats on auto overtook whitehack threats for the first time (Source: Upstream).

Currently, ransomware is the preferred tactic used by threat actors with Check Point Research reporting a 50% increase in the daily average of ransomware attacks during 2020.

It’s taking its toll on businesses globally; this year the Australian logistics giant Toll Group suffered two ransomware attacks within three months and they have yet to disclose the full cost impact to the business.

Ransoms and unplanned costs can be hefty; IBM Security X-Force has reported seeing ransom demands of more than $40 million this year.

Although, that is a snip compared to the $400 million expenses Fedex faced in the first 12 months following the NotPetya malware incident in 2017.

Cyber-threats to connected fleets are not just limited to actions within a company’s own networks either, as the cyber threat may affect a manufacturer directly, and subsequently it’s customers.

With more research being conducted and the number of cyber attacks increasing, there may be additional disruption to connected fleets due to maintenance cycles and vehicle recalls.

In 2019 security researchers found Teletrac Navman, Global Telemetrics and LoJack smart tracker app APIs had authorization vulnerabilities, allowing a hacker or thief to take over the account, track individual vehicles in real time, suppress theft alerts, and extract personal data.

If a vehicle was alerted as stolen, the thief could also delete the alert and prevent any further action being taken.

One tracking device could be remotely triggered to immobilize the vehicle, stopping it from being driven (Upstream 2020). 

Threats come in other forms; using a vehicle as a weapon is a popular tactic for terrorists and extremists.

Lone actors and small cell operations don’t require large financial support when they can hire, or hijack, a vehicle and use it in an attack.

In recent years, individuals have driven vehicles as weapons into crowds of pedestrians in fatal attacks in major cities including New York, Edmonton, Toronto, London, Berlin and Nice, France.

The Global Terrorism Database recorded 12 incidents where vehicles were used as the weapon in a terrorist attack between 2015-2018 in the US alone.

There is a risk that threat actors with extreme political beliefs could utilise technology like connected vehicles to conduct an attack.

So what is being done?

Manufacturers are responding to threats by hosting bug bounty programs whereby white hat hackers try to identify any potential weaknesses.

These programs indicate a growing awareness of the vulnerabilities and potential damage, should they be exploited.

The Hackerone bug bounty platform hosts public vulnerability disclosure programs for both Ford and General Motors and shows the large number of vulnerabilities that existed before the programs launched.

Security by design principles are slowly becoming the standard for all IoT devices, yet with the myriad of devices that will be connected to the internet, let’s not forget the responsibility organisations and individuals have to ensure their devices, systems and networks are properly patched, updated and backed up safely and regularly.

Other measures can include encrypting data and systems, using multi-factor authentication (MFA) and even Intrusion Prevention Systems to prevent entry to vehicles and onboard systems being hacked.

With this type of security in place, it can also help to minimise operational risk and the business impact by including cyber insurance as part of an overall risk protection strategy.

Traditionally, cyber insurance has been an ‘add-on’ to existing commerical policies or only provided third party cover in the event of a breach, potentially leaving businesses woefully underinsured and without specialist expertise to remediate the short, medium and long-term impacts of a cyber attack.

It’s worth utilising tailored cyber insurance services as part of a comprehensive defense strategy against threat actors.

Connectivity, automation and electrification will continue to be the most dominant automotive technology trends in the next decade; Frost & Sullivan forecasts that by 2025, 55% of all trucks in North America will be part of connected fleets.

As technology advances, the potential for vulnerabilities to be exploited also grows, so fleet owners and operators need to consider the implications; how can they control cybersecurity risks while still embracing innovation?  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A third of drivers admitted to breaking the speed limit, with older, higher-earners among the worst offenders, a new survey has revealed.

It also highlighted a need for a greater number of visible speed limit signs, as motorists admit they have unwittingly broken the speed limit because they did not know the limit for the roads they were driving on. 

The findings were revealed by Venson Automotive Solutions, which ran the survey ahead of Brake Road Safety Week 2020, which is centred around speeding.

Simon Staton, director of client management at Venson Automotive Solutions, said: “Our survey findings suggest that more needs to be done to make people aware – both in terms of in-car tech to alert drivers to their speed and dominant signage on UK’s roads – of varying  speed limits, particularly in the wake of new reduced limits across many towns and cities.

“Driving a vehicle at excess speed is one of the most common motoring offences. However, with the HSE estimating that more than a quarter of all road traffic incidents may involve somebody who is driving as part of their work at the time, more must be done to curb speeding.

“Fleet managers and businesses need to ensure they have a Duty of Care policy in place that includes driver licence checking, driver risk assessments and driver training.

It is important to also monitor speeding fines and accident data to understand the drivers that pose a risk to the business, themselves and other road users, and work with them to improve their  behaviour behind the wheel.

Businesses can also encourage user-choosers to consider in-car technology to help them drive responsibly such as intelligent speed assistance systems. Educating drivers and ensuring best practices are in place will in turn save lives.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Cap HPI says it is prepared to handle any large volume shifts in pricing from manufacturers that may arise from a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

Fleet News revealed last week how leasing companies are being warned about a potential price hike on vehicles if the UK and EU fail to strike a trade deal.

In letters sent to vehicle lease provides by major carmakers, including BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz, they say that the threat of a ‘no deal’ Brexit is to blame for the potential price hike.

If no deal is reached and ratified before December 31, automotive trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), has previously warned that World Trade Organisation (WTO) non-preferential rules, including a 10% tariff on cars and up to 22% on vans and trucks would apply.

That would have equated to a price increase of almost £3,000 on the average UK exported car to the EU, a £2,000 price increase on UK vans exported to the EU and a price increase of £1,800 on cars and vans imported from the EU, if fully passed on to UK consumers.

However, the UK is able to set its own tariff levels (as all countries can) and has since published the UK Global Tariff rates, which is the tariff schedule that will be adopted from January 1, 2021.

Following a consultation, the Government has agreed to simplify the tariff levels, with a 10% rate on all cars, vans and HGVs.

Manufacturers are working with Cap HPI on the scenarios relating to the potential charges and where the manufacturers have used the Cap HPI template, the new pricing change data will be ready in its system and visible in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

It says that data will be available from January 1, 2021, to ensure fleets can continue to price vehicles accurately and easily.

Despite the Government’s target date of October 31 for a deal to be struck, negotiations are ongoing. If the protracted discussions end in a no-deal and no further talks are agreed, tariffs will come into force on January 1, 2021.

The impact will be significant, says Cap HPI, with vehicle manufacturers having to amend their vehicle and options prices to take these tariffs into account.

Jon Clay, head of vehicle identification at Cap HPI, said: “The team at Cap HPI has worked diligently with partners to ensure the new vehicle data systems are prepared for any eventuality.  If a no-deal Brexit is enforced, Cap HPI has ensured it has the teams in place to process the data supplied in an agreed format with the manufacturers.”

Vehicle manufacturers have been working closely with Cap HPI on a wide range of scenarios for some time to ensure a smooth transition for customers. Any pricing changes will start to be visible as early as the manufacturer allows, but most likely changing from January 1, it said. The changes will be made on a model range by range basis.

Experts at Cap HPI have offered guidance on the potential impact of Brexit on used car values.

Andrew Mee, head of forecast UK at Cap HPI, said: “As yet there is no evidence that Brexit concerns are having a negative effect on used car values.

“An outcome that sees tariffs on new cars may result in a reduction in new cars sales, which would be good news for used values.

“In the short term, higher new car prices may pull up some used prices, especially for newer cars.”

However, he said used values are still likely to fall during 2021 as the negative impact of coronavirus on consumer confidence, which could be worsened if Brexit has further negative impact on GDP and unemployment, is likely to outweigh the positive impact of higher new prices.

In the longer term, from three years into the future, the reduction in used supply should help lift used values, which by then Cap HPI expects will have recovered from the coronavirus impact.

Mee concluded: “We will not be altering our future value forecasts until we know for certain that tariffs are being introduced, how long they might last for, and post Brexit economic forecasts are updated, so that we can fully assess the broader picture.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

British Car Auction’s online car retailing platform cinch has secured a £50m finance facility from HSBC and Natwest to boost its inventory.

Cinch launched in July 2019 as a rival to Auto Trader, offering car retailers an online marketing platform on which to promote their stock for sale. Last month (October 2020), it announced that it would begin selling cars, putting it in direct competition with its clients; such as online retailer Cazoo.

It allows consumes to find, buy, finance and part exchange their car online, with a 14-day money back guarantee.

As a marketplace, dealers, car manufacturers and leasing companies can also offer their vehicles directly to consumers through the cinch platform.

Geoffrey Head, cinch’s finance director, said: “This finance facility from HSBC UK and NatWest comes at a pivotal time for our business and will allow us to further develop our end-to-end digital offering for consumers.

The pandemic has drastically changed consumer behaviours and the ability to sell vehicles online will continue to be critical across the automotive sector. We are committed to developing this offering for both our consumers and partners across the industry.”

The new funding package, which includes £35m of funding from HSBC UK and £15m from NatWest, will be used to bolster cinch’s own inventory programme with around 5,000 new vehicles. Cinch says, along with its dealer partner stock, it will be among the UK’s largest direct-to-consumer platforms.

Gerard Haughey, head of global trade and receivables finance, Large Corporate, at HSBC UK, said: “Cinch’s fully digital offering is playing a central role in transforming the used car market for the digital age.

We are delighted to be able to support the business with a fairly unique inventory only asset-based lending facility as the team at cinch build this innovative service for the benefit of consumers and all players in the industry.”

Martin Noakes, head of asset based lending at NatWest, added: “This innovative financing package will help cinch achieve its ambition of providing cars to consumers in a convenient way through its online platform.

Our support will enable cinch to futureproof its business and keep pace with changing consumer behaviour in their industry.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New cameras aimed at catching drivers tailgating have identified some 10,000 vehicles committing the offence in the first two weeks of trials.

Tailgating, driving too closely to another vehicle, is a factor in around one in eight casualties on England’s motorways and major A roads.

Highways England and police have joined forces to tackle the offence, with motorists caught tailgating to be sent letters advising them they were too close to another vehicle and highlighting the dangers of not leaving safe braking distances.

Highways England’s head of road safety, Jeremy Philips, said: “These new cameras have, sadly, highlighted just how many people are driving too close on our roads.

“We understand that most tailgating is unintentional by drivers who are simply unaware they are dangerously invading someone else’s space. But not leaving enough space between you and the vehicle in front can be very frightening and intimidating – it could also prove fatal.”

More than 130 people killed or seriously injured in incidents involving people driving too close in 2018.

Caroline Layton, a data and intelligence analyst for Highways England, says she feared her small car was going to be “crushed” when she was tailgated by a lorry in motorway roadworks.

She was travelling within the speed limit through roadworks on the M27 when the lorry started to pull closer to her vehicle.

Footage captured on her rear dash cam shows the driver flashing his lights and gesticulating at her before he eventually indicates and overtakes her.

She said: “He came up really close, just a couple of metres behind. I thought I had to slow down because if it hit me at 50mph I would be crushed.

“This was very intimidating behaviour and likely to cause a crash and serious injury. If anyone had stopped in front of me he would have gone into the back of my car and I would have been sandwiched in the middle.

“From the driver’s seat, all I could see in my rear-view mirror was the lorry’s grill.”

A survey for Highways England found that while more than a quarter of drivers admitted to tailgating, nearly nine in 10 people say they have either been tailgated or seen it.

PC Dave Lee of Northamptonshire Police’s Safer Roads Team, which is supporting the trial, said: “Motorists who experience tailgating can often feel intimidated and put under pressure to increase their speed in a bid to create more space between them and the offending vehicle.

“However, we have seen first-hand the devastating consequences which tailgating can cause. People who carry out this extremely dangerous behaviour are not just putting themselves at risk, but the lives of other road users.

“Reducing the number of people who are killed or seriously injured on our county’s road network remains a policing priority for the Force, which is why it is important to work with our partners on such campaigns in a bid to save lives by making our roads safer.”

Highways England has been working with infrastructure consultancy AECOM on the cameras.

Philips said: “We are trialling the new cameras to make drivers aware of their behaviour and encourage better driving.

“We are also using the Space Invader video game character as a quick reminder to drivers of the risks of tailgating. Our message is simple – Don’t be a Space Invader, Stay safe, stay back.”

Highways England has a dedicated webpage where drivers can find more information about tailgating and what they can do to stay safe.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Government has agreed a six-month £1.8 billion funding deal with Transport for London (TfL), but a suggestion the congestion charge zone could be expanded has been taken of the table.

TfL had asked for a £5.7bn package to prop up services for the next 18 months, after passenger numbers and revenues have fallen after the March lockdown.

However, after an interim funding measure was agreed a couple of weeks ago, the possibility of TfL having to expand London’s congestion charge zone to the north and south circular appeared to be conditional to this latest financial deal.

An initial bailout from the Government in the wake of the coronavirus crisis has already seen prices increased and its hours of operation extended.

It now applies from 7am to 10pm, seven days a week, while drivers must pay £15, rather than £11.50, to enter the zone.

At the time, TfL described that as a ‘temporary’ price increase as a result of a funding agreement between the Government and the transport authority.

It secured a £1.6bn bailout from the Government after warning it could have to cut services.

The proposed extension to the £15 congestion charge zone, which was mooted as part of this latest deal, would have gone live in October next year, when the expanded ULEZ is also introduced due to be introduced covering the same area.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, labelled the plans “ill-advised and draconian”, and warned it would “punish Londoners for doing the right thing to tackle Covid-19”.

Talking after this latest round of funding was agreed, he said: “These proposals from the Government (if given the go-ahead) would have hammered Londoners by massively expanding the congestion charge zone, scrapping free travel for older and younger Londoners and increasing TfL fares.”

The deal makes around £1.8bn of Government grant and borrowing available on current projections to TfL in the second half of this financial year.

TfL will itself make up through cost savings the £160 million gap the deal leaves from the nearly £2bn the organisation projects it will need to run the tube, bus and other TfL services for the remainder of this financial year.

As part of the deal, London will also have to raise extra money in future years. Decisions about how this additional funding will be raised are yet to be made by Khan, but some of the options that he and the Government have agreed to be looked at include a modest increase in council tax, pending the appropriate consultation, as well as keeping in place the temporary changes to the central London Congestion Charge that were introduced in June 2020, subject to consultation.

Khan said: “This is not a perfect deal, but we fought hard to get to the best possible place. The only reason TfL needs Government support is because almost all our fares income has dried up since March as Londoners have done the right thing.”

Two Government special representatives will continue to sit on TfL’s board.

A new Government-chaired Government oversight group will monitor the implementation of the agreement and the sustainability plan.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “This deal is proof of our commitment to supporting London and the transport network on which it depends. Just as we’ve done for the national rail operators, we’ll make up the fare income which TfL is losing due to Covid-19. Londoners making essential trips will continue to be able to use tubes, buses, and other TfL services, thanks to this Government funding.

“At the same time, the agreement is fair to taxpayers across the country. The Mayor has pledged that national taxpayers will not pay for benefits for Londoners that they do not get themselves elsewhere in the country.

“Over the coming months, as we look to move beyond the pandemic, I look forward to working with London’s representatives to achieve a long-term settlement, with London given more control over key taxes so it can pay more costs of the transport network itself. This agreement marks the first step towards that, potentially allowing a longer-term, sustainable settlement for TfL when the course of the pandemic becomes clearer.”

Logistics UK, formerly the Freight Transport Association (FTA), welcomed the decision not to go-ahead with the expansion of the congestion charge zone.

David Wells, chief executive of Logistics UK, said: “The Government’s decision to… refrain from expanding the London Congestion Charge is a huge relief to logistics businesses, many of whom continue to struggle financially and operationally as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

“Now, Logistics UK is urging Government to reconsider whether logistics activity should still be included in the temporary conditions added in June 2020, which saw a significant increase in the fee and longer operating hours.

With little alternative to using lorries and vans to keep London stocked with all the goods the population needs, it simply amounts to an additional tax on those charged with supporting the capital during the pandemic, and beyond.”

Peter Hogg, London city executive and UK cities director at Arcadis, also welcomed the deal between Government and TfL.

However, he said what the settlement illustrated was the need for a “new, long term funding model for TfL”.

“More than ever, London and national government as well as business and citizens have to protect London’s status as a global economic powerhouse. That is impossible to achieve without a correspondingly world class transport network.

“Both Government and the GLA will know that a twice yearly Punch and Judy show to agree a short term funding settlement is not a sustainable way to achieve a world class network.

“It is important that central Government and the GLA use the next months to develop a robust long term funding model for TfL that allows for capital investment, effective operation and – above all – a genuinely world class network that bolsters London’s global competitive advantage.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News