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Demand for Used Vans Boosted by New Emission Rules

Saturday, December 3rd, 2011

It may seem strange but many van drivers in the UK, especially around London, are looking to get rid of their commercial vehicle and pick up an older, used one. The reason for this is that new emission rules on vans comes into place at the start of next year and vans built between 2002 and 2006 are the most compliant.

The new emission rule comes into force in the UK on 3rd January 2012, at which time van drivers who’s commercial vehicles don’t meet Euro 3 Emission Standards could end up paying a £100 daily charge for entering the London Emission Zone (LEZ).

Second Hand Sites Booming

Manheim Remarketing, a vehicle auction site, has said that because of this new rule change they have seen a huge increase in the amount of people visiting their website, looking for second hand vans that meet the new emission rules.

The auctions for 3-5 year old vans have been the most popular and in fact some second hand vans have had over 350 buyers competing for them. When asked about the boom in second hand vans, James Davis, director of commercial vehicles at Manheim Remarketing said: “I would encourage dealers to source vans now rather than wait until the end of the year as there will likely be a large number of drivers wanting to avoid paying the £100 daily charge for entering the LEZ.”

Things to be Aware of

Although picking up a second hand van may save you a £100 daily charge it is still worth taking into account the other costs you may face. Unlike with a new van you cannot be sure of any problems it has had in the past and so you should have a full garage check up straight away to uncover any potential problems or use a service such as My Reg Check to see if it has been involved in any bad crashes.

You will also want to get a new van insurance quote on any second hand van you are interested in to make sure your premiums are not going to shoot through the roof! You may save money on emissions charges but if your insurance goes up this saving may be in vain.

We are always behind initiative that lower emissions and save money, but you don’t want to save yourself a few quid now only to get stung later by repairs or an increased insurance premium.

Tags: commercial vehicles, Emissions rules, London Emissions Zone, Van Insurance
Posted in Law | No Comments »

Councils milking motorists like never before

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

It will come as no secret to millions of hauliers, delivery drivers and other professional motorists, that a survey carried out by a nationwide motor group has revealed that parking charges have increased dramatically in the last two years.

Mind boggling figures

According to the report, English councils raised an extra £184 million pounds in the past 24 months by upping their off street and on street charges, and incredibly they now bring in over £1.3 billion a year. The Co-operative Motor Group who based their report on freedom of information requests were quick to point out that this sum was only for parking and did not include revenue raised from parking penalty charges.

Post code lottery

Drivers who are already struggling to make ends meet due to the escalating cost of commercial vehicle insurance and fuel charges will be less than impressed with the figures. When they are broken down into local and regional statistics it would appear that some council’s are acting like present day Sheriffs of Nottingham. Take Doncaster for example. In the last 12 months drivers in the South Yorkshire town have seen on street parking charges go up by 125%, yet at the other end of the M18 lorry drivers in Hull have seen their charges fall by 15%. Over the Pennines in Wigan hard pressed van drivers have reason to look long and hard for discount van insurance as their off street parking charges have gone up by 92%.

Wolverhampton shows the way

It appears there is little rhyme or reason to the rates set by individual councils and nothing motorists can do about it. As far as domestic drivers are concerned they are a captive market. Perhaps everyone should consider moving to Wolverhampton who put the rest of the councils to shame by actually bringing down their charges by a third. The statistics don’t show what effect this has had on the town and its shopkeepers but it would come as no surprise local motorists have done very well out of the deal. The Midlands town is right in the middle of one of the UK’s densest population areas and drivers and shoppers from surrounding towns may well have been drawn into Wolverhampton by the cheap parking.

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance, Councils, Parking, Van Insurance, Wolverhampton
Posted in Law, Van Insurance, commercial vehicle insurance | 2 Comments »

Education for speeding drivers splits opinion

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

The verdict is still out on the decision of the Department of Transports to allow Police Forces across the UK new options when it comes to prosecuting speeding van drivers and other motorists.

Second chance option gains favour with the police

Transport minister Philip Hammond famously said that: “We’re going to crack down on the most reckless and dangerous drivers, we’re going to support those who are basically law-abiding but who perhaps have an occasional lapse.” When announcing the new measures open to the law enforcement agencies across the country. Now, 37 out of 44 Police constabularies have indicated that they will be offering speeding drivers the option of paying for remedial driving tuition instead of three points on their license and a compulsory £80 fine. It is for sure that professionals drivers will certainly plump for the lessons instead of points on their license, something that could impact massively not only on their commercial vehicle insurance but even their livelihood.

Driving organisations in agreement

Driving organisations by and large seem supportive of the plan, especially as the option for the driving course can only be selected once every three years. This, say the drivers groups will make sure repeat offenders cannot carry on with their bad attitude without being punished. They also point out the Government strategy in re-educating “accidental speeders” could well end up saving lives. Far too many drivers never give the Highway Code a second thought after they have passed their test and sorted out their van insurance.

Road safety campaigners not so happy

This attitude is not shared by Road Safety groups such as The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) and BRAKE. A RoSPA spokesman predicted many drivers would look to take advantage of the system, using precedent as an excuse, while BRAKE are quite vehemently opposed to the idea. They asserted their campaign for more stringent punishment for dangerous drivers everywhere whether it is a speeding van driver or a motorist driving when over the limit.

The new laws which will give the police more power to close loopholes for driving offences are set to be introduced in 2012. It seems both sides of the debate will have plenty to say in the meantime.

Tags: Department of Transports, Motorists, Police, road safety, speeding
Posted in Law, Van Insurance, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Consequences of driver fatigue are serious

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Falling asleep or becoming overly fatigued while driving any kind of vehicle is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do. Driver fatigue can be experienced by casual drivers or professional van drivers and is a major cause of accidents and fatalities throughout the United Kingdom.

Not just a case of dropping off

The term “driver fatigue” does not have to mean that the driver has fallen asleep behind the wheel. It refers to any degree of tiredness that the driver has on their journey. This could mean anything from boredom, to the driver actually losing consciousness at the wheel. It is vital to note this definition and for all drivers to realize that it is not just lack of sleep that can cause problems, they can also be caused by disinterest or even a lack of attention. If the vehicle is in an accident and it is proven that fatigue was the cause, any commercial vehicle insurance policy may be void.

Penalties are harsh

Accidents are caused by tiny changes in the driver’s ability to react to what happens on the road. Fatigue will affect the driver’s reaction time and if the van is moving at a high speed even the slightest delay in reaction can cause an accident. Fatigue will also affect the driver’s ability to pay full attention to what is happening on the road as well as altering the driver’s ability to process information and then make a split second decision while driving. Falling asleep at the wheel is a driving offence. It can lead to disqualification from driving, 3 to 11 penalty points on a driving licence and could even result in the loss of a job, vehicle and independence not to mention more expensive van insurance cover.

Cause of numerous accidents

Driver fatigue is a serious problem resulting in many thousands of road accidents each year. It is not always possible to calculate the exact number of fatigue related accidents because it is difficult to know for sure if fatigue was a factor. The early hours of the morning and the middle of the afternoon are thought to be the peak times for fatigue accidents. Drivers on long journeys on monotonous roads, such as motorways, are the most likely to lose concentration.

Ways to stay fresh and alert

There are proven ways to counteract the problem. Before any long journey always get a good night’s sleep. If possible plan the journey to make sure regular breaks can be taken. Understand the risk that illness or medication will add to potential fatigue and understand the warning signs of becoming tired. Never start a long private journey after a full days work and if at all possible share the driving. Warning signs to look out for include finding it difficult to keep eyes open, having difficulty focusing the eyes, daydreaming, yawning, and being irritable and restless.

Tags: Accidents, Safety, Van Insurance
Posted in Advice, Law, Safety, Van Insurance, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Ignorance no excuse

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

Van drivers across the UK are being asked to check their commercial van insurance policies this week as a number of recent court cases have proved that ignorance is no excuse for breaking the law.

Drivers unaware they are not insured

Many van drivers routinely lose their driving licences every year for driving without being insured but usually the culprits are completely aware that they are breaking the law. Recent cases have shown that some drivers are not aware that they are in fact driving without insurance.

Differences in cars and vans

The problem stems from the differences in a conventional car insurance policy and a van insurance policy. A conventional car driver’s policy will allow the driver to get behind the wheel of any other car and drive it. He will be covered by third party vehicle insurance and it is something that thousands of British motorists have done over the years.

Expensive mistake

A conventional commercial vehicle insurance policy does not offer the same amount of cover and this has caught several drivers out in recent weeks. It is a particular problem for new entrants into small businesses who are not familiar with the difference in policies. The problem for any driver caught in this way is that local magistrates will have no way of distinguishing a genuine mistake from those reckless criminals that blight the roads of the UK. It is almost certain that a driving ban will accompany a fine, which will in turn probably mean the hapless driver is also out of a job.

It is of course just a simple matter of reading your insurance policy and making sure that it offers the cover that you require, cheap van insurance is readily available, but is not cheap at all if it doesn’t offer the protection you are looking for.

Companies also warned

The onus in this does not always fall on the individual driver, in one case the driver worked for a company with several vehicles and presumed he was covered to drive each and every one; he wasn’t, and as a result lost his licence. An employer should always know exactly which employees are covered to drive which vehicles and once again ignorance of the law will not prevent a hefty fine. It is really a case of common business sense.

Tags: commercial van insurance, commercial vehicle insurance, Law, van law
Posted in Law, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Trucks and vans charge ahead in new registration figures

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

Once more the commercial sector in the guise of vans and trucks are the star performers in the latest round of figures released by a leading organisation in the motor industry. It appears there is no let up in drivers seeking commercial van insurance to try their luck in making a living on the road.

The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) have just released the new registration figures for February and by now it comes as no surprise to anyone that van sales are leading the way. It’s been that way for some time now and Paul Everitt, the Chief Executive of SMMT, must be running out of superlatives when he describes the success of the commercial sector month after month.

Sales constantly over 250,000

For vans and trucks as a whole, the number of new registrations in February was an impressive 27.4% up on the rolling year from February 2010. The actual amount of 13,181 was less than the January figures but still excellent. It meant that over a quarter of a million drivers looked for a van insurance policy over the rolling year and that can only be good news for the industry.

The performance in the truck division really was superb. Slightly over 2,000 new vans were sold in February which was over 50% more than the same period last year and nearly matched the figures for January which are always regarded as difficult to follow. It gives trucks a rolling year increase in sales of 11.1 %.

Van sales have been the one bright light in a dark tunnel for seemingly an age. February was no different. Sales of over 11,000 vans showed an increase of over 23% on those of last February and both the year to date figures and rolling year performance were outstanding.

Cars doing their bit

It also made a nice change for Paul Everitt to be able to announce that car sales were very good, and all in the garden would appear to be rosy if it wasn’t for the spectre of Government cuts and the frightening price of black gold. The talk of fuel reaching £2 a litre is no longer just a whisper and any slight recoveries in the motor industry can only be judged as frail while fuel prices remain so volatile.

Tags: commercial vehicle insurance, new registration figures
Posted in Law, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Grieving mothers look for van ban

Tuesday, October 5th, 2010

It seems that a catalogue of accidents involving 15 seater vans could bring about a ban on their use for college and school students.

At the moment there is big debate going on in North America about their suitability and even their roadworthiness as several accidents have resulted in loss of life. The story can be traced back to 2008 when two students in Canada lost their lives in separate accidents.

Isobel Haines and Stella Gurr, both lost sons in the 2008 crashes and ever since have been campaigning for the 15 seaters to be banned from transporting students. Because of their size the vans have been ideal for transporting student sports teams including hockey, soccer and basketball. After a private members bill in the Canadian Parliament sought the banning of the vehicles for transporting students the federal government launched its own investigation of the vans.

A decision on the review, which is said to have determined that the vans are three times more likely to ‘roll over’ in accidents than other vehicles will be announced this autumn, but already three Canadian states, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Quebec, have pre-empted the announcement and already stopped using the vehicles to transport children engaged in school activities.

Over the border in the USA, the National Transportation Safety Board figures show that in a ten year period over 1100 people died in accidents where the said vans rolled over. The vans in question include the highly successful Ford Econoline model that has been sold to millions of van drivers across the world and, as Ford have been quick to point out, has passed all necessary safety standards.

Critics claim the vans are more suited to the kind of work where commercial vehicle insurance is required such as carrying cargo rather than human beings, as the vehicles do appear to tend the roll over in accidents more easily than a conventional school bus would.

When Canadian Transportation minister, Chuck Strahl, releases the findings of the review he will have the attention of van drivers and transportation companies not only in Canada but around the world. The two mothers say they will carry on the campaign until they get the complete ban that they are seeking.

Tags: Law, North America, Safety, school minibuses, Van Insurance, Van Safety
Posted in Law, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »

Clampers on the way out

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

In what must be one of the best pieces of news for urban van drivers in some time, it appears that at long last, wheel clamping on private land is to be outlawed.

For many years delivery drivers, tradesman and removal van drivers to name but a few, have been plagued by the actions of unofficial clamping firms blatantly abusing their powers to harass motorists. Fines of up to £400 have been commonly administered on hapless motorists unaware that they were contravening parking restrictions, as signs informing the public that clamping was carried out in the area were not easily seen.

In one high profile case a couple of months ago, a lady in Kent was actually blocked in her car by clampers eager to tow her vehicle away and impose a penalty. She had in fact only been turning her car round on a piece of what she thought was spare land and had never left the vehicle.

Vans and cars have also been damaged by clampers towing vehicles away. This had led to court cases and frustrated van drivers having to make claims on their commercial vehicle insurance.

Case studies like this should now be a thing of the past as Lynn Featherstone, a Home Office minister, is understood to be preparing a statement in which she will announce that the laws in England in Wales on wheel clamping on private land will be rewritten to mirror those in Scotland. Wheel clamping on private land was banned in Scotland a short time ago.

Landowners will now have to rethink their policy on how to protect their private property, but fencing the land off is always an alternative and few would object if landowners turned spare land into official car parks that were charged and administered fairly.

The aptly named ‘cowboy’ clamping firms who will now be outlawed, are going to be out of pocket to the tune of £1 billion according to some experts. It is doubtful they will be missed by anyone.

Tags: Advice, commercial vehicle insurance, Fines, Law, Van Insurance, Wheel Clamping
Posted in Advice, Law, Van Insurance, Wheel Clamping, commercial vehicle insurance | No Comments »