Ineos Cars' boss Tom Crotty has denied it was forced to change its mind over building an assembly plant in Bridgend because of Brexit costs, despite being in favour of the split from the EU. He has said there was a ready made assembly plant offered by Mercedes as the German company had revised its plans for using its assembly plant on the French/ German border. The Massive growth in driver-owned … [Read more...]
Five myths about road gritting are busted.
The onset of winter sees the return of gritting lorries on roads across the UK. In addition to clearing snow and ice, specialist operators The Gritting Company is keen to dispel five myths about road gritting: Myth 1: “The winter wagons contain grit.” Untrue. It’s not grit, it’s salt. The small stones that make up grit can leave a sticky residue with the risk of a slippery road … [Read more...]
Too much data defeats delivery
Businesses are suffering from an information overload. A five point list aimed at helping fleets gain maximum insight from their data has been issued by FleetCheck as businesses seek to identify new levels of efficiency as they head into 2021. The fleet software specialist says that the continuing economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus crisis has prompted many to look again at their … [Read more...]
Drivers delay servicing but risk fines
Nearly half of UK drivers have put off servicing or essential car maintenance across 2020, according to a new study from money.co.uk.The study from the financial comparison service found that 48% of drivers had delayed repairs or services for their vehicle across the coronavirus pandemic, as average mileage has plummeted, and MOT’s have been deferred.The survey of motorists … [Read more...]
Grey fleets not black and white for home-workers
The rise of home working in the wake of the coronavirus crisis is creating issues for fleets when it comes to classifying journeys, says the Association of Fleet Professionals. Describing the problem as “The New Commute,” the organisation says that problems revolve around whether an employee’s home is now officially their place of work. Paul Hollick, AFP chair, explained, “If someone is working … [Read more...]
Lessons in safely living on the roads
With fortunate students about to embark on their university courses, some will be facing their first autumn and winter behind the wheel and it’s worth repeating some good advice from Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s Head of Driving and Riding Standards. “Our driving habits start being set from the moment we venture out alone after passing our driving test, try to retain the good ones that your … [Read more...]
Driving standards post lockdown are worrying
British drivers are worried about the quality of other people’s driving as many are set to the return to the road after the coronavirus lockdown restrictions are lifted, according to new research by comparethemarket.com. Nearly one in three are worried about other ‘rusty’ drivers who have hardly used their car in months. According to the research, three quarters (76%) of motorists have used … [Read more...]
Top tips for dealers to safely reopen
The motor retail industry is preparing to get back to business, with car dealerships beginning to open their showrooms. But times have certainly changed over the last few months, business as usual is different and companies will need to navigate what the ‘new normal’ looks like. There’s no doubt that it will be a very different retail environment, so dealers will need to find ways to … [Read more...]
Always read the small print!
Washing a car the other day and my eyes were attracted to the tyres, specifically what all those numbers and letters really mean. It was just as well because two needed changing and I know it's important to get not only the correct size but also their loading weight, as set out in the manufacturers handbook. They might all look the same, but there’s more to those black and round tyres on your … [Read more...]
Lockdown security warning to businesses
Security of used cars and vans without access to formal storage facilities could be a growing problem for the remarketing sector over the course of the coronavirus lockdown, says the Vehicle Remarketing Association. The body, which represents organisations involved in the remarketing of 1.5m cars and vans every year, said that large numbers of vehicles left largely unattended in storage could … [Read more...]
