No More Severn Toll Charges – Swannells – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news July 27, 2017

Last week the government announced the toll charges on the Severn crossings will be scrapped at the end of 2018. An announcement that has been greeted with a sigh of relief from the freight industry. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) hailed the announcement as a victory, stating that they have spent the last ten years, lobbying for charges to be removed to boost business in Wales and the south west.

Last Friday (July 21st), the Secretary of State for Wales the Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, was at the Severn Bridge to make the announcement that all vehicles will be able to cross for free at the end of next year.

FTA’s Head of Policy for Wales and the South West, Ian Gallagher, said: “We have fought long and hard on behalf of FTA members to get these charges removed. They represent a huge financial burden for logistics companies in the area – money that would be better spent on upskilling, recruitment and purchasing greener vehicles.”

Swannells Transport – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon

Central Government Control – Swannells – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon

The two bridges spanning the Severn estuary on the M4 and M48 motorways in Wales have seen year-on-year price increases, costing the sector millions of pounds. The administration of the two bridges will revert to central government control by the start of 2018, when the current charging system will automatically end. Currently, it costs £20 for a HGV to cross into Wales and £13.40 for a van.

Mr Gallagher continued: “The announcement today heralds the death knoll of what are the most expensive tolls in the UK, representing a massive disincentive for inward investment and economic growth across the region, and is warmly welcomed by the Freight Transport Association and its members.

Before finally adding “Goods vehicle operators will be applauding this decision, a decision which will allow them to reinvest more than £43 million annually collected at the booths – money which can now be reinvested in job creation and improving fleets.”

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200 Drivers a day caught on phones – Swannells – Haulage Companies in Cambridgeshire

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news June 28, 2017haulage comapanies in cambridgeshire

More than 200 drivers a day were caught using their mobile phones whilst driving during a 4-week crackdown carried out by police.

Almost 6,000 motorists were penalised by the police force in the four weeks after the tougher penalties were brought into place, that is the equivalent to one driver every seven minutes.

Campaigners said the findings suggested many drivers were ignoring repeated warnings regarding the dangers of using mobiles whilst behind the wheel, despite a number of publicity campaigns and the risk of harsher punishments.

Since 1 March, drivers who are caught on their phones while drivers can receive six points on their license and a £200 fine, up from the previous penalties of 3 points and £100. The changes mean new drivers risk losing their license if caught on their phones.

Swannells Transport – Haulage Companies in Cambridgeshire

Calls for efforts to kerb illegal mobiles phone use intensified in the wake of a string of high-profile cases and research indicating that it is widespread.

Figures obtained after Freedom of Information requests show forces recorded 5,977 instances of drivers illegally using their phones in the four weeks starting from 1 March. Seven forces did not provide figures and some cases may not have been logged at the time of the FOI responses were issued, meaning the number of incidents could actually be considerably more.

The Metropolitan police registered the highest number of incidents (2,037), meaning more than 70 drivers a day were caught using a handheld phone on London’s roads.

Second in the charts was the Thames Valley police force with a total of 478m followed by Police Scotland (339), Hampshire police (280) and Cheshire police (224).

Some of the incidents included:

A lorry driver texting on the M2 in Kent
A driver on his phone while driving a school minibus with ten children on it in Manchester
Norfolk police stopped a woman who was responding to a message about her lost dog being found
A lorry driver was caught using his mobile phone whilst driving around a roundabout
A man was spotted doing his online banking while driving on the M5 near Birmingham

The RAC Foundation said the increased penalties were a start, but also said the figures for March suggested that the message still isn’t sinking in.

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Surge in Electrical Vehicle Sales – Swannells – Haulage Companies in Cambridgeshire

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news June 14, 2017haulage comapanies in cambridgeshire

The number of electric cars in the world accelerated past the two million mark last year, as prices fell and manufacturers launched new models.

Back in 2005, the number of battery-powered vehicles were in the hundreds globally. Ten years later, in 2015, there were one million and in 2016 sales jumped 60%.

Europe, the US and China accounted for more than 90% of electric vehicle sales last year, with China having the most amount of electric cars out of the three, according to research by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

In some European countries, electric cars have become so popular in the last year that they are taking significant market share from petrol and diesel cars. In normal, almost a third of new cars sold are electric, the higher proportion in the world, followed by 6.4% in the Netherlands and 3.4% in Sweden.

Whilst the UK is a way behind in terms of annual figures, new figures show that in May a record 4.4% of new cars sold were hybrids or pure electric models. The UK government launches a scheme back in 2011 to help encourage people to buy electrical cars, since the scheme launched, over 100,000 electric cars have been sold under it.

Swannells – General Haulage Specialists – Haulage Companies in Cambridgeshire

The growth globally indicated a ‘“rapid market evolution” in electric cars, however, they still only make up 0.2% of all passenger cars, a figure that the IEA were eager to point out.

Clean vehicles director at the Brussels-based Transport and Environment group, Greg Archer, said: “The rapid rise in electric vehicle sales is a consumer-driven phenomenon rather than being down to the efforts of suppliers.”

Longer battery ranges, more charging ports and lower costs are responsible for the surge in demand of electric cars, he went on to say.

Worldwide, the IEA found there were 2.3 million charging points, although public ones were outnumbered six to one, suggesting that most drivers were recharging their batteries at home.

The IEA estimates there will be around 140 million electric cars on the road by 2030 if countries continue to meet the Paris climate deal’s goal of avoiding dangerous temperature rises.

Electric Haulage? – Swannells Transport – Haulage Companies in Cambridgeshire

One popular brand of electrical cars is Tesla, they have recently said that they are working on making an electrical lorry that can be used for haulage and transportation with the hope that it will be on the roads by 2019.

Could the future of haulage be electrical?

Swannells – Haulage Companies in Cambridgeshire

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Clean Air Policy – Swannells – Warehousing Companies in Cambridgeshire

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news May 11, 2017warehousing companies in cambridgeshire

Trading conditions on British high streets could be more difficult for businesses following the announcement of the government’s plans on air quality, according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA).

The plan fails to give any clarity or certainty over what will happen, but it could result in diesel vehicles being restricted in 38 cities and towns across the UK. The FTA, says these kinds of restrictions could potentially directly penalise operators who are providing vital goods and services to businesses and consumers. The FTA also say that high street prices could increase to cover the costs of transportation.

Swannells – Warehousing Companies in Cambridgeshire

Christopher Snelling, Head of National and Regional Policy of the FTA, had this to say: “At a time when British businesses, particularly sole traders and SMEs, are under intense financial pressure, a clean air plan that will penalise vital logistics operators and prevent them from reaching customers in our towns and cities would be a massive blow,”

He continued: “With hardworking families already feeling the strain caused by rising inflation and continued economic uncertainty about Brexit, the announcement will increase the pressure on small businesses and the high street, the backbone of the UK’s trading environment.

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Warehousing Companies in Cambridgeshire – Swannells

He continued: “Truck and van users will be furious when they see how the Government is targeting commercial vehicles in its proposals. The latest generation of HGVs are the cleanest vehicles on the road but also the most expensive. The real problem is 12 million diesel cars yet there is nothing in the Consultation to support commercial vehicle users through these changes. This is another example of politics getting in the way of progress.”

Under the new plan, which was announced on the 5th May, vans older than just 2 and a half years, as well as lorries older than 5 years, will be charged a fee every day for entering a Clean Air Zone. According to the FTA’s Van Excellence Report 2016, there are currently more tan 4 million vans on Britains roads.

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UK Roads not ready for autonomous HGVs – Swannells – Warehousing Huntingdon

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news April 19, 2017warehousing huntingdon

There’s no doubt that one day autonomous HGVs will have a place in the haulage and freight industry, but according to a report carried out by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), roads all across the UK are nowhere near ready for autonomous HGVs.

The government published a report claiming that “an early example of CAV (connected and autonomous vehicles) close to deployment.”

The report also stated that “HGVs may be one of the first that will take the advantage of CAV technologies because, if you are an operator, you have an interest in pence per mile rates and you can benefit in fuel economy platooning”

But the majority in the industry recognise that there will be a number of challenges if these plans are to go ahead, especially as you would still need to have a driver at the wheel along with the autonomous vehicle, does this mean you pay them less as they are not driving?

The RHA released a statement saying that the idea of CAV is being treated with caution.

Swannells – Warehousing Huntingdon

Before we see autonomous vehicles involved in the haulage industry, it is clear that serious change is needed for UK roads. While manual drivers have years of experience and are now used to the road conditions, autonomous vehicles may have only been tested on well layered, even roads.

Before the government looks to invest further into autonomous vehicles in the UK, the majority of the haulage industry recognises that the more serious issue is the state of the roads in the UK, and it is an issue that continues to hold the industry back. Once the roads have been sorted, then the government can look to invest further in autonomous vehicles.

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Our New Scania

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news March 30, 2017

Here at Swannells Transport, we’re proud to announce we have added a new vehicle to our fleet.

Our new truck is a new generation Scania R520 model with a V8 engine and is one of the first in the country.

Like any job, the right working environment can improve efficiency levels as well as job satisfaction, which is something we take into consideration.

When talking about the new purchase, Andrew Swannell said: “We are lucky; our drivers are loyal and take great pride in their vehicles. They are like our extended family and we want to give them a great working environment where they continue to enjoy their job. With the Next Generation Scania, we have just that, you can tell the interior has been designed with the driver’s needs and comfort in mind,”

Here’s a couple of photos of our new truck:

10,000 haulage firms on ‘red list’ – Swannells – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news March 15, 2017haulage companies in huntingdon

Around 10,000 haulage firms are on a ‘red list’ because of the threat they pose to other road users, according to the body that enforces lorry safety in Britain.

The list represents one in eight transport companies and is used by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to target enforcement.

Swannells Transport – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon

According to the DVSA, the hauliers are failing to ensure adequate maintenance and safety or to monitor drivers’ hours. The body went on to say that the sanctions for repeatedly flouting the rules are inadequate.

Gareth Llewellyn, DVSA chief executive said that the regulatory system was ‘ripe for review’.

Transport companies with vehicles that weigh 3.5 tonnes of more need an operator license, which carries obligations to ensure vehicles are safe, road worthy and regularly inspected.

The DVSA enforces the regulations through roadside spot checks. During 2015, almost 30,000 were checked at the roadside or companies premises, and nearly 9,000 were served with prohibition notices.

Impound Vehicles – Swannells Transport – Haulage Companies in Huntingdon

Depending on how severe the defect, a vehicle is immobilised until repaired or the operator is given a deadline to get it fixed.

The DVSA scores operators on the likelihood their vehicles will be operating, with a green, amber or red rating.

Mr Llewellyn said: “Where we believe there is something of imminent impact for the public, we will impound that vehicle – it is about making sure those things that are really posing a risk to the public are taken out very quickly.”

But Chris Snelling from the Freight Transport Association, said the red list in itself was not an indicator of the industry’s safety record, but of the capability of the DVSA to undertake enforcement.

He went on to say if safety standards across the industry rose, he would anticipate the DVSA would still maintain a red list of 10,000 lower-performing operators.

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Diesel Cars in London – Swannells – Warehousing Huntingdon

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news February 14, 2017warehousing huntingdon

London’s air is so polluted that motorists should be given up to £3,500 to persuade them to get rid of their old diesel vehicles and replace them with more environmentally friendly vehicles, according to Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London.

The nitrogen dioxide that is emitted by diesel cars is a key contributor to London’s poor air quality, which is so bad that City Hall now advises the public to avoid leaving the house unnecessarily on the worst-affected days.

The Mayor of London is urging the government to introduce a scrappage scheme, costing around half a billion pounds, that would offer incentives to low-income households and businesses to scrap their older vehicles.

Kahn would also like to see the car tax redesigned so that it no longer gives drivers an incentive to choose a diesel car. “The toxic state of our air leaves us with no choice but to rid our city of the most polluting diesel vehicles. It is shocking that nearly half of new car sales in the UK are still diesel vehicles and the national system of vehicle excise duty still incentivises motorists to buy these polluting cars,” Khan said.

“I’m urging the government to immediately review this policy, and today I’ve delivered a detailed report on how it can deliver an effective national diesel scrappage fund. One that both fairly compensates motorists and rapidly helps clean up our filthy air.

Air pollution is thought to cause around 50,000 early deaths every year while costing £27.5bn to try and maintain. Last April it was called a ‘public health emergency’ by MPs.

Under the mayor’s proposed scheme, van drivers in London would be given up to £3,500 towards the cost of a cleaner model, and low-income households could receive a credit worth £2,000 that they could use on alternative transport, such as joining a car pool, or on a new vehicle.

Swannells – Warehousing Huntingdon

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Delivering This Winter – Swannells Transport – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news January 5, 2017warehousing cambridgeshire

The New Year means that winter is well underway, with the official start of winter being the 21st December. The Freight Transport Association (FTA) is supporting Highways England’s winter road safety campaign which this year highlights the dangers of driving in the rain and encouraging drivers to slow down during inclement weather conditions.

Swannells Transport – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

At this time of year, attention is often concentrated on the disruption caused by snow and ice, whereas statistics say driving in the rain, with wet roads and poor visibility, actually poses a greater threat. 85% of road traffic incidents in bad weather take place in the rain and almost 100 times more road deaths occur in rain compared with snow and ice. One reason for this is that the danger of driving in the rain are often underestimated by drivers.

However, snow and ice and other types of severe weather also pose problems for transport operators who are particularly busy at this time of year delivering the goods everyone needs.

FTA’s Head of Road Network Policy, Malcolm Bingham said: “It’s important to be prepared for all types of weather at this time of year, and FTA has a suite of products and services designed to help and advise road users. We work closely with the national highway authorities and the Met Office to communicate vital weather information and provide a traffic information service which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure that vital amber and red winter weather alerts are passed on to members as they are issued.”

Swannells – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

Swannells Transport – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

Thank you for reading the latest news from Swannells Transport. We provide a range of different services including general haulage, hazardous freight, we are also BRC qualified and on top of all of that, we are able to meet your warehousing needs. For more information on any of our services, get in touch with us today.

New Penalties For Use of Mobiles When Driving – Swannells – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

Local Buzz Marketing Latest news November 16, 2016warehousing cambridgeshire

Plans to double fines and penalty points for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving has sent a strong message to drivers, but we still need better enforcement for the measures to work according to the Freight Transport Association (FTA)

The Department for Transport (DfT) has released its response to the consultation on ‘Penalties for use of a Hand Held Mobile Phone Whilst Driving’. The DfT now proposes that those caught using a hand-held phone whilst driving will receive:

A £200 fine (currently just £100)
6 points for all drivers (currently 3)
No option to take a remedial course

FTA’s Head of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Policy, Ian Gallagher had this to say: “These proposed changes should go some way towards making all drivers think about the consequences of their actions. Vocational drivers also risk their livelihood as many of our members already have in place a zero tolerance for employees in breach of these rules.”

Police in England and Wales are conducting a week-long crackdown on motorists who use their phones while driving. The National Police Chiefs’ Council said the campaign aims to “make driving distracted just as socially unacceptable as drink driving”.

Swannells – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

The national week of actions comes after a previous one back in May, which resulted in the detection of over 2,000 offences across the week.

It comes after an RAC surgery in September suggested the number of motorists illegally using mobile phones while at the wheel was rising. Out of all the motorists asked, 31% of them said they had used a handheld phone behind the wheel compared with 8% in 2014.

A Dangerous Past Time – Swannells – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

People checking social media and texting is nor becoming much more common than taking calls at the week, according to PC Derek Kitcher of Gwent Police. He stated that most offenders don’t even realise that a police car is next to them until an officer beeps their horn.

Fellow officer SGT Leighton Healen told the BBC that it was something that was becoming socially unacceptable and was a dangerous “pastime”.

Drink-driving was a personal choice whereas mobile phone usage seems to be a spontaneous offence, he said.

”What we want to do is educate people, raise awareness around the use of mobile phones and prevent it in the first place. As a police force, I’m not always keen to issue that fine if education is better served.”

Swannells – Warehousing Cambridgeshire

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