Recovery Members Update September 2011
RHA at the Professional Recovery Tow Show
The show takes place this week at the Telford International Centre. Friday and Saturday, 30 September and 1 October, are the dates for your diary and the RHA will be there on stand C5
The RHA stand will be manned by Frank Taylor supported by Peter Butler and Chris Seaton. Information on the full range of benefits of RHA membership, the work that we are doing on your behalf and the many commercial services that we offer will be available. We will also have details of the Recovery Drivers CPC Module that will be available next year
There are over 60 exhibitors showing off the latest technology in trucks and also other exhibitors who are closely aligned to the industry such as insurance, fuel cards, IT, equipment manufacturers, lift specialists and diagnostic equipment.
Entry is free so why not make time in your schedule to drop in?
For more information about the show, please visit: www.recoverytowshow.co.uk
RHA takes your concerns to the highest level
Issues that are of real concern to the recovery industry have recently been raised at the highest level with Transport for London (TfL). At a meeting held during September, RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning stressed the significance of the recovery sector during discussions about preparations for the Olympics, urging TfL to give recovery operators who are answering a call priority use of Olympic Lanes. The meeting also was addressed by Commissioner for Transport, Peter Hendy. At a subsequent meeting organised by Alastair Peoples, the Chief Executive of VOSA and attended by officials from the Department for Transport, a review of the meeting with TfL confirmed that the recovery industry’s concerns had been taken on board, and we look forward to updating members as and when we hear more.
ERRI Business Conference
This takes place on Thursday 29 September from 2-4pm. John Woodcock MP, the Shadow Undersecretary of State for Transport will be in attendance as will Rob Flello MP, chairman of the Freight Transport APPG.
The issues being discussed are:
- Motor Insurers Database
- London Low Emission Zone
- Red Lights and Hard Shoulder Safety
- R Licence
There are some very topical issues and the experts are there to answer any questions you might have. If you wish to come along to the ERRI Business Conference, please call 07976 829927 and register.
Green Flag Contract Review
This is causing some of our member’s great concern. Clearly the time it has taken after several deferrals is not helpful in members and other operators planning their business strategy.
Also there have been rumours that Green Flag might be considering reducing its dependency on the amount of operators they use. Dave Gregory will be writing to Green Flag and also RBS to seek clarification.
Dave Gregory has also written to the CEO of RBS and other directors as has Nikki King our chairman and requested urgent meetings in order to try and influence decisions. Both have urged other trade associations to do likewise.
Red Light
Geoff Dunning CEO RHA has been in contact with Nikki King and as a result is writing to Mike Penning, Secretary of State for Transport, expressing the Recovery Industries concerns that the same level of protection should be given which is presently given to Emergency Services/HATO staff
Click on the link for RHA Letter to Mike Penning
LSTs – clarity and certainty needed
The government’s announcement on longer semi-trailers, has recently been made. Mike Penning said the government would reveal its plans for the introduction of longer semi-trailers- increasing e length limit of an articulated lorry to 18.75m-in the house next month, then at least the industry will know exactly where it stands.
Penning announced we are not going to introduce heavier weights and we are not going to in traduce mega trucks whose introduction has been proposed to us.
The consultation on whether to allow 15.65 metre semi-trailers (against 13.6 metres now) for UK domestic haulage closed in early summer and much of the industry was at that time expecting a decision to have been announced before now.
Fair fuel Petition
I am asking for your help – please read this to the end.
As you know, the RHA is supporting Fair Fuel UK, who had such a successful campaign in the first quarter of this year. This resulted in the Government:
- Withdrawing a planned inflationary fuel duty increase of 3p per litre.
- Cancelling the fuel duty escalator that would have added 1p per litre and
- Announcing a 1p reduction in fuel duty.
As a result, every litre of diesel that has been bought by our members (and everyone else) has been 5p per litre cheaper than it would have been without the campaign. Please do not miss any opportunity to repeat this message as widely as possible.
The next step in the campaign is to persuade 100,000 people to sign an on-line Government e-petition on fuel duty, so that we can get a debate on the issue in the House of Commons. Government policy as it stands is to increase fuel duty by inflation on 1st January next year, then again by inflation in August – these increases could total 6 or 7p and that could have a major adverse effect on the economy, the haulage industry, our members and ultimately the RHA itself.
Please encourage as many people as possible to sign the petition and ensure that you sign it yourself if you haven’t done so already.
The total is now over 96,000 – so there isn’t far to go, but we need this last push.
Click here for to sign the e-petition
New kid on the block
Hello to all RHA Recovery members, please allow me to introduce myself, Frank Taylor Area Manager but also with responsibilities in supporting RHA Recovery. For my sins and in a distant past life I served as Recovery Mechanic for 20 years in REME working on Scammell Explorers, Leyland’s but also Foden & Scammell EKA, but the days of lying on the motorway disconnecting a prop with the snow blowing horizontal are long gone, later I ran my own haulage company operating at one time 12 tractors 24 tlrs. I shall be on the stand at Tow show so I would be delighted to meet you,. Should you need any assistance please call the Help desk at Peterborough 01733 261131 or myself on 07968 409 202
WEDNESDAY 2ND FEBRUARY 2011 VICINITY BOWESMOOR HOTEL
APPROX. 5 - 6.45AM
2 MILES FROM DURHAM – CUMBRIA BORDER
APPEAL FOR WITNESSES
PLEASE HELP
My son Julian Tinker was killed in a multi vehicle accident. There was a broken down lorry in the nearside lane when the accident occurred. You may remember if you were in the area because my sons’ white combo van was cut in half. All the passenger side was missing, including the roof, back and doors. His spaniel gun dog “Echo” was also killed in the accident.
We do know that westbound vehicles were flashing eastbound traffic to alert them of what was ahead. Any phone or video footage before, during or after the accident could be helpful to the police.
Julian was a good lad who would help anyone. If you saw anything, even though it may seem trivial to you, please contact the police. You may have seen a damaged vehicle or something else relevant. It was a dark, windy, wet morning.
PLEASE RING DURHAM POLICE ON : 084560 60365
OR LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR KEVIN KITSON ON 0191 3752374
Thank You