Recovery Members Update December 2011

Welcome to RHA Recovery Member Update!

Hello everyone and welcome to the latest issue of the RHA Recovery Member Update.

Common sense has prevailed, says RHA

The Road Haulage Association welcomes the announcement that the proposed January fuel duty increase will be cancelled and that the 5pence per litre proposed for August 2012 will be reduced to 3 pence per litre.

“This represents a victory for the RHA and for the FairFuelUK campaign group”, said RHA Chief Executive Geoff Dunning.

“For many, the announcement will offer some respite but the fact remains that if the UK economy is to stand any chance of recovery, a much longer term solution is essential.  

The Association also welcomes the news that there will be a £5bn investment into infrastructure; in particular improvements to the road network in the Midlands, the South West and of course the halving of tolls on the Humber Bridge.

“We’ve come a long way”, concluded Geoff Dunning “ but  if this industry is to thrive, there is still a very long way to go.”

Recovery Surveys

Naomi will be calling our members on a regular basis and we hope to conduct several surveys in the course of 2012 looking at topics that affect our membership. The first survey will be taking place on Thursday 8th December and your feedback will be greatly appreciated.

We will be completing this survey to gain valuable information on how the latest LEZ compliance affects them. All Information received will enable us to formulate our responses to stakeholders like TfL in future discussions.

Members Briefings

RHA Recovery was acknowledged for the proactive work we did on the introduction of the EU directive on Drivers Hours. At the time we conducted Members Briefings and encouraged members and prospective members to come along and listen to what the Drivers Hours and use of Tachographs legislation would mean to recovery operators.

The Members Briefings will follow a similar format in that we will be inviting members and non-members along to regional meetings to enable everyone to get to know our RHA Recovery team find out about the many benefits of RHA membership and share their views about the issues that affect them most .The first Briefing will be covering the South East and will be held at a venue in London. More information when we have it!

Green Flag Contract

The Green Flag deadline has come and gone, leaving over 100 operators with great holes in their schedules. We have heard of at least two companies that have closed their doors as a result. Some companies have been given until the middle of February until their contracts come to an end. It is also clear that contracts for sub-contracting are available.

The other major clubs have shown concern about the Green Flag strategy in so much as they have concerns about the ongoing reliability of their own network coverage. Green Flag have stated that one of their aims is to have mass branding and working with five national contractors enables them to do that.

LEZ and Green Flag protest

Failure to reach agreements with Transport for London (TfL) after three recent meetings involving the RHA, other trade bodies and individuals prompted several individual companies to protest this month by forming a cavalcade of recovery vehicles on the M25.

RHA Recovery was not consulted about the protest but some of our members took part. The cavalcade moved onto the M25 in an anti-clockwise formation under the supervision of the police. When fully formed the cavalcade of protesting companies stretched to nearly a mile.

The RHA recognises the frustration felt by its members and the industry as a whole, and it understands the feelings of people who want to express themselves in legal protests organised in cooperation with the Police. We will continue to lobby for the changes that our members seek and urge the government and TfL to take notice of the points raised by the industry.

Emergency Services Show

RHA Recovery attended the Emergency Services Show this year held at Stoneleigh Park showground near Coventry.

Whatever your view of the Emergency Services and the support they require, it is only by attending the show that you appreciate the size of the industry that supports the Emergency services. When we think of the Emergency Services we tend to think of Fire, Police, Ambulance, but unintentionally we forget of the others, water rescue services, used for rivers and flooding, mountain rescue, caves & mines, riot control:- all require specialised equipment to assist them in their role.

The RHA will definitely be there again next year and we recommend you pay a visit, whether you are looking for equipment or possible work contacts.

RHA Recovery Committee

As we reported in our last newsletter, Nikki King, has come to the end of her tenure as chair of the RHA Recovery Committee.  She has done some sterling work in the chair and was one of the founders of the ERRI group.  She has also pioneered R Licences for our industry, and was the inspiration behind the industry charity RISC and remains a trustee of the charity. Nikki has formed a very close bond with the recovery industry and I am sure she will always be around for help, support and guidance.

Nikki leaving has created a position for the post as chair and the committee will be looking to appoint a new chair at its next meeting in December. We are also very keen to recruit three new members to the committee. The commitment is attending six meetings a year and the rewards are playing your part in supporting our industry at all levels and with stakeholders across the industry.

This is a great opportunity for someone who can spare some time and help influence the direction of our industry. Anyone interested should contact Dave Gregory on 07976 829927.

Contact Us

This has been a very difficult period for our industry. The RHA remains steadfast and focussed on working hard for our members and forming relationships with stakeholders to promote our industry and the work it does.

We are still very much looking for new members. The benefits of RHA Recovery membership are strong because it is part of the Road Haulage Association infrastructure.

If you are interested in joining RHA Recovery or would like information on what we can offer, please contact us at our Peterborough office Naomi Hirst will deal with your enquiry, she can be contacted on 01733 842 775 . Alternately you can call Frank Taylor on 07968 409202.