The poor condition of Britain’s local roads is laid bare today by new figures from the RAC which show its patrols went out to more than 8,100 pothole breakdowns between April and June 2023, the highest number in five years. Since the start of 2023, the RAC has dealt with 18,250 breakdowns for damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels – the call-outs which are most … [Read more...]
Van replacements extending, say AFP
Some van fleet operators are discovering that replacement cycles can be stretched to up to eight years without encountering major problems, the Association of Fleet Professionals is reporting. Paul Hollick, chair at the industry professional body, said that a range of new skills had been developed by fleet managers that were making these longer cycles operationally viable and economically … [Read more...]
Parts, people and processes are slowing repairs
Service, maintenance and repair issues mean that fleets are facing excessive vehicle off-road time, the Association of Fleet Professionals is reporting. Paul Hollick, chair, said AFP members buying SMR were regularly reporting a range of problems. Some of these, such as parts supply, were felt to be outside the control of suppliers - but others, including levels of communication, were more … [Read more...]
New law’s threat to UK supply chain & businesses
Business group Logistics UK has raised concerns about the government’s proposed Retained EU Law Bill currently making its way through Parliament and the risks which its adoption will pose to UK businesses and the nation’s supply chain. In a letter to PM Rishi Sunak, Logistics UK’s Chief Executive David Wells OBE has highlighted the industry’s concerns about the Bill, which is due to be … [Read more...]
Concerns mount over further delays to border checks
Any additional delays to the introduction of post-Brexit border checks on imports will simply postpone the inevitable, and send mixed signals to businesses that have been urged for months to get ready for the additional formalities involved with moving goods across the UK’s borders, according to business group Logistics UK. Responding to news that Boris Johnson is considering a further delay to … [Read more...]
Fleet budgets challenged as hires are extended
Service, maintenance and repair budgets are being severely challenged as fleets are forced to run vehicles for longer, with no end in sight to the immediate lack of vehicle availability due to the semiconductor crisis. According to tyre and maintenance provider ATS Euromaster, both fleets and leasing companies are having to juggle new car availability against extended rentals and increased … [Read more...]
EVs depreciate less than petrol or diesel cars
A leasing company has analysed a popular online car marketplace and compared the prices of the UK’s most popular used cars against the number of miles the car had done to uncover the average depreciation cost per mile our cars drive. The average price an petrol or diesel car depreciates is 67ppm or by £4,669.90 a year compared with an evs cost of 55ppm and £3,833.50 annually, meaning evs save 18% … [Read more...]
UK drivers shunning electric cars over costs
Over half of UK drivers say electric cars cost too much and charging points are too scarce. The Opinium survey of 2,000 UK drivers, commissioned by InsuretheGap, a supplier of Guaranteed Asset Protection, asked drivers what they thought of electric cars. Cost is the biggest concern for most drivers, with 56% saying electric cars cost too much (58% men and 54% women), rising to 65% of 55 and … [Read more...]
Toyota Yaris tops for reliability, German marques low
THE Toyota Yaris is the most reliable of the UK’s best-selling cars. From nippy city runarounds to larger family motors, British drivers have always had their favourites when it comes to getting from A to B with as little fuss as possible. Now warranty specialists MotorEasy have run the numbers on the top 10 models to see which of them really delivers in terms of swerving hefty repairs … [Read more...]
Businesses stretch to survive
New data compiled by epyx has shown the increased level of contract extensions made on company cars and vans during the coronavirus crisis. Looking at transactions through its 1link Service Network service, maintenance and repair (SMR) platform, used by fleets operating four million vehicles, it has produced a comparison for April-August 2020 – the height of the pandemic so far – with the same … [Read more...]