Commercial Motor 26 September issue - on sale now!

26 September 2013

This week’s Commercial Motor is guest-edited by Richard Fry – the deputy MD of Frampton’s Transport Services and former chairman of the Road Haulage Association – and he brings years of experience in the business to another bumper issue!

We take a look at issues close to Fry’s heart – including:

•    Are maximum pallet weights to much? And does this put delivery drivers’ health at risk? We investigate this rising phenomenon.
•    Is the 14.6m dead as a dodo? If longer semi-trailers are for those who cube out before they weigh out, then when go shorter? We explore the pro’s and con’s.
•    Can you claim for compensation if a road is closed? Re-routing is expensive – it costs time and money and fuel. If there is blame, can you make a claim?
•    Be proud to buy British! Fry has always been a advocate for buying close to home, but in today’s global economy, can your average haulier really run on all-British products, goods and services?
•    What has FairFuelUK ever done for you? Working for the RHA fry has been at the forefront of the campaign to lower fuel duty. But what does the industry think about what happens in the corridors of power?

Finally, our cover stars are McCulla. They are more than just Merc’s and we discover what it takes to keep cool on the cutting edge of temperature controlled transport.

Make sure you pick up this week’s copy of Commercial Motor at a newsagent or MSA today. Or why not subscribe to receive a discount, plus delivery to your door?

Iveco rescues Grays Truck and Van from administration

Iveco has bought dealership Grays Truck and Van out of administration for £1.72m.

A14 toll is a tax on Suffolk hauliers says trade body

Plans to charge hauliers up to £3 for using the A14 amount to a “toll tax”, leaving the region’s haulage operators at a competitive disadvantage, according to business leaders.The warning from Suffolk Chambers of Commerce came as it launched a campaign against the plans to construct a toll road in Cambridgeshire.

Mick Jackson steps down as Skills for Logistics boss

Mick Jackson, chief executive of Skills for Logistics (SfL), has been replaced with immediate effect by his former deputy Ross Moloney as the board searches for a replacement.

£5,000 fine after worker struck by skip

Newcastle-based Skip haulier NA Park has been fined £5,000 for safety failings after a worker suffered serious head injuries when he was struck by a falling skip.

Hammersmith flyover project will complete in 2015

The final phase of maintenance work on the Hammersmith flyover in London is scheduled to begin next month (October) with completion due in early 2015.The maintenance project, which began in late 2011, has involved strengthening the flyover’s 16 spans, replacing the bearings carrying the structure, renewing carriageway drainage, and waterproofing and resurfacing the entire structure.

Variable speed limits set for M4

Variable mandatory speed limits may start operating between J19 and J20 of the M4 near Bristol as early as Thursday (26 September) as part of the delivery of the managed motorway upgrade scheme, the Highways Agency has confirmed.The agency plans to open the hard shoulder on the M4 on a trial basis only in coming weeks, before making it fully operational later in the year after the testing and commissioning phase.

Repute tarnished for running haulage firm via Skype

A Kent haulage boss who attempted to manage transport operations from Canada using video-call service Skype has had his repute severely tarnished.In a decision following a public inquiry in September in Eastbourne, South East traffic commissioner (TC) Nick Denton (pictured) was told how Graham Wilson was sole director and nominated transport manager of Gillingham-based GTW Transport when Vosa carried out a maintenance investigation in October 2012.

What makes a good used truck?

In an upcoming edition of Commercial Motor (3 October), the winners of the inaugural Used Truck Awards will be revealed. The shortlist (CM, 1 August 2013) was drawn up by a panel of experts who proved candid and unforgiving in selecting the contenders; there was little room for sentiment.

Tipper worker’s death "should have been prevented"

Kent aggregates specialist Moores Turf and Top Soil has been ordered to pay more than £180,000 in fines and costs after a worker was killed by dangerous lifting equipment on a tipper truck.

Pall-Ex Polska fuels network's growth

Pall-Ex Polska has gone live, becoming the fifth Continental territory within the UK business’s expanding pallet network. Run by KMC Services, it is Pall-Ex’s second Eastern European territory after Pall-Ex Romania, which launched in late 2011. The 19-member network, which began officially operating on 13 September in Poland, joins Pall-Ex Italia, Iberia and France, which went live in May of this year, as part of the enlarged group.