Contract hire and leasing news

Government’s MOT review delays “unacceptable”

Consortium of MOT Trade Bodies, the MOT Trade Forum, has contacted the Department for Transport to express serious concerns regarding the continuing delay in issuing the consultation review dealing with the future of the MOT Test. The review was triggered by the 2006 Davidson report concerning ‘gold plating’ of EU regulations ( in EU law the minimum requirement for regular vehicle ‘in service’ testing (MOT) is every two years). This was noted by Gordon Brown at the CBI conference in November 2005, who cited the annual MOT as an example of such ‘gold plating’– suggesting that two yearly MOTs in Britain should be considered. The MOT Trade Forum believe that three years on, any further uncertainty in the MOT industry is totally unacceptable. Government should either publish the consultation now or drop the two yearly MOT Test proposal altogether.

Annual MOTs increase road safety
Britain’s annual ‘in service’ safety examination of over 23 million vehicles each year – the MOT Test – is carried out by over 19,000 Testing Stations employing over 51,000 MOT Testers as well as additional  supporting staff. This sizeable industry makes an ongoing positive contribution to road safety. It is no coincidence that European road accident trends indicate that countries with annual Tests also have lower deaths and injuries caused by road accidents. A change to two-yearly Testing will inevitably result in a significant increase in deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads.

Key investments delayed
For almost three years since Gordon Brown’s original announcement, the MOT industry has been beset with uncertainty. A move to two yearly MOTs would halve the number of Testing Stations. The disgraceful delay by the Department for Transport in constantly deferring the consultation also means that VOSA, the Government’s own controlling Agency has delayed important new rules governing the MOT. In addition Testing Station owners cannot properly plan their businesses to ensure there is appropriate investment for the future, both technically with respect to the MOT, and commercially to provide appropriate customer service.

Consult NOW or drop the idea!
The MOT Trade Forum, consisting of all the Trade Bodies with MOT Testing Stations in their membership, demand that the Government through the Department for Transport either issues the consultation document now, or announce that the MOT Test will remain unchanged – as the best inspection of vehicle safety in the world – and that to avoid significant increases in deaths and serious injuries on the road it will remain on an annual basis into the future.

Note: The Forum’s own research indicates that over 200 additional road deaths every year (with even more people being seriously injured) would result if two yearly MOTs were adopted. This is in direct contradiction to the Government’s and EU targets on road death reduction.

European Vehicle Contracts, www.evcontracts.co.uk, is based in the North East of England. We are a long established contract hire, leasing, finance company and specialize in prestige vehicle funding. We not only fund vehicles but also supply direct from UK main dealers.

http://www.contracthireandleasing.com/car_leasing_company/evcontracts/

John Clark Mini Leasing is part of the John Clark Motor Group supplying new & used Mini’s from our two Mini Facilities in Aberdeen & Dundee to both Business Users and Private Individuals. We have a team of people with the expertise and experience to assist you with any enquiry regarding the Supply & Finance of Mini Products. Please give us a call or drop us an email and we will be delighted to assist you.

http://www.contracthireandleasing.com/car_leasing_company/john_clark_mini_leasing/

Ninety per cent of AA members underestimate the risk teenagers in cars face compared to higher-profile threats, such as drugs, drinking and gun and knife crime, research for the AA reveals. This is despite 80 per cent of accidental teenage deaths happening on the road.

Only one in ten of 18,500 respondents to the AA Populus of AA members survey see driving as the biggest source of danger for teenagers. However, while older respondents say drugs and drinking are the main threats, gun and knife crime is seen as the greatest menace by the younger generations themselves, Londoners and lower-income respondents.

Throughout this year, weekends with multiple stabbings have been matched almost victim for victim by car crashes that have killed teenagers elsewhere. The AA now fears that many of the tell-tale signs of an impending teenage road tragedy are being ignored because perilous driving is seen as less of a risk and doesn’t grab the attention as much as a stabbing. Drugs and drinking can also be more disruptive for family and friends than dangerous driving that can stay out of sight until it manifests itself as a crash with multiple fatalities.

This survey into the “greatest risk to the safety of teenagers” emphasises the need for parents and friends to keep an eye out for potentially dangerous circumstances. These may include:

• a car over-loaded with passengers,
• someone driving beyond the limit of their experience, such as a more powerful car, longer distance, a type of road or time of day that the driver is not used to,
•  a driver whose personality or reputation indicates a worse than comfortable risk, although many other teenagers feel under pressure to show off by taking risks when driving.

Overall, the survey found the greatest risks to the safety of teenagers were seen to be: drugs 31%, drinking 25%, gun and knife crime 25%, driving 11%, smoking 4%, sex 1%, disease less than 1%, and other 2%.

Drugs were seen as the biggest threat in Northern Ireland (38%), Wales (37%), North West (35%), North East (35%), Yorkshire and Humberside (34%), Scotland (34%), East Midlands (33%), the South (31%), South West (31%), East Anglia (31%) and the West Midlands (30%). In London, 32% of drivers saw gun and knife crime the main threat, while drugs were seen as the second biggest risk (27%).

“It is easy to worry that teenagers may fall in with the drug or knife culture – they may or they may not. However, one thing is for certain: they will travel by car with friends of their own age, where just one moment’s bravado, foolishness or just plain bad luck can kill. In 2006, 29 children aged 13-15 died in collisions in which they were likely to have been driven by people of their parents’ age group. This compares with 286 teenagers aged 16-19 killed mostly while being driven by their mates,” says Edmund King, the AA’s president.

“This is not a matter of trying to outdo other dangers in terms of significance and importance, every teenage death is a tragic waste. The biggest killer of UK youngsters approaching adulthood is car crashes and the tell-tale signs of a tragedy in the making can be more obvious than other risks and therefore preventable by parents and friends.”

John Clark Leasing is part of the John Clark Motor Group of Companies supplying over 14,000 Vehicles Per Annum throughout the UK. We have dealerships in Aberdeen, Dundee, Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline & Edinburgh who can help cater for all your motoring needs and ensure that you enjoy every part of your Leasing experience with us. Our relationships with Manufactures and the Financial Service Sector enables us to provide outstanding value to all our clients whether you have one vehicle or a Fleet of vehicles we can tailor a package to suit your needs. Please feel free to call us and discuss your Motoring requirements as we are confident we can help you reduce your Motoring costs.

http://www.contracthireandleasing.com/car_leasing_company/john_clark_leasing/

Recent reports of falling crude oil prices are not benefiting motorists, The Telegraph reports.
Despite the price of crude oil now around the $100 mark, a massive reduction on the July peak of $147, petrol companies are once again failing to pass on the reduction to the forecourt customer, according to the AA.

Although the weakening pound may partly accountant for the cost of petrol, the AA still estimate that the price of petrol should be no more than 111p a litre instead of the average of 112.7p. Which the organisation says means the average driver is paying £18 too much for fuel every month.

A spokesman for the AA told The Telegraph; “The question we are asking is what the hell is going on? Too many British motorists are punch drunk from all the price rises this summer to notice that the price is still far too high.”

Bristol Street Motors have a very special offer on the Citroen C-Crosser 2.2 HD DTR+. Now priced at £179 per month based on 3+24 months*.

* Subject to availability

Car and van leasing company, Square 1 Leasing, has launched a new business to meet the rising demand for LPG, Crain’s report. LPG Fleet Solutions will target medium sized companies in a bid to save them money on the cost of running diesel vehicles.

The venture began after Square 1 Leasing supplied four vehicles to electrical company, Hirst and Danson who were keen to find a way to reduce the cost of running their company fleet.

Joe Makepeace, Hirst & Danson’s health and safety manager told Crain’s;

“We were sat in the office and looking at our bills and to be honest I knew nothing about LPG other than the fact that a friend who had a Land Rover converted a couple of years ago set fire to his. But when you discover that the price of LPG is 50p a litre and we were paying £1.31 per litre for diesel…95 per cent of our fuel bill is diesel for the vans, and it’s a lot of money.”

Square 1 Leasing resolved to supply LPG vehicles on lease and sell Hirst and Danson’s old fleet.

For more details contact Square 1 Leasing.

Van fleets can improve their fuel economy and cut their carbon footprint by renting ultra-efficient ECO-Start-equipped Mercedes-Benz Sprinters from Northgate Vehicle Hire.

Britain’s largest light commercial rental company has added the vans to the fleets operated by subsidiaries Delta Vehicle Hire, which is centred in Southampton and covers the South East; Cartrux Vehicle Hire, which is centred in Birmingham and covers the West Midlands; and Bristol & West Vehicle Hire, which is centred in Bristol, with locations covering the South West.

Northgate Vehicle Hire’s decision to add ECO-Start Sprinters to its rental fleet is the latest environmentally-friendly move by Britain’s leading van rental specialist, which operates a fleet of more than 68,500 vehicles, as its helps businesses to cut their fuel bills and at the same reduce emissions.

ECO-Start is a factory-fitted option on all Sprinter models with four-cylinder diesel engines and manual transmissions. When the system is active it will automatically stop the engine when the vehicle is stationary, and when certain predefined vehicle conditions are met, after a two second waiting period. The engine will automatically restart when the clutch pedal is pressed.

In an urban environment with heavy traffic the savings can be substantial - depending on driving style and traffic density:

• Fuel consumption can be cut by 10 per cent, according to Mercedes-Benz, although real world driving tests by commercial vehicle publications have achieved improvements of up to 30 per cent when compared with a van not equipped with ECO-Start.
• Reduced exhaust emissions - zero emissions during system operation while engine is off
• Reduced CO2 emissions - zero emissions during system operation while engine is off

Northgate Vehicle Hire operations director Ian Moffat said: “ECO-Start represents a fantastic opportunity for urban van fleets to benefit from this effective yet simple technology, and see a decrease in their fuel bills and carbon footprint.

“Our decision to add ECO-Start equipped vehicles to the fleets operated by three of our rental companies demonstrates our commitment to helping companies reduce their operating costs by working closely with the leading vehicle manufacturers.

“We will gauge customer reaction to these vehicles over the coming weeks, but we expect significant demand for ECO-Start Sprinters in which case we will look to add more models to our fleet and make them available at many more of our 80+ rental centres.”

Steve Bridge, van sales and marketing director for Mercedes-Benz UK, said: “We are delighted that Northgate is offering the benefits of this ‘green’ technology to their customers. Based as it is on a regular diesel van, it is easy to use and represents a quick win for everybody.”

In addition to having available the latest vehicles equipped with the most modern technology - almost all vehicles are less than 27 months old - Northgate Vehicle Hire actively promotes ‘green’ initiatives such as telematics and driver training.

The company has just relaunched a free three-month trial offer of its Vehicle Monitoring telematics system. The web-based system, which is being increasingly adopted by cost-conscious fleets, offers a range of benefits including increases in fleet productivity by 15% leading to a potential 20 per cent reduction in fuel costs, a 15 per cent saving on overtime claims and insurance cost reductions of 30 per cent through cutting the number of accidents.

Meanwhile, one of the benefits of Northgate Vehicle Hire’s established driver training initiative, which is available through Fleet Technique it’s specialist fleet management subsidiary, is fuel consumption improvements of around 7 per cent as staff drive more efficiently with reductions in harsh braking and acceleration.

Based in Sale, Cheshire, Swap-a-Lease is a company delivering a unique car lease transfer service aimed at saving vehicle lease customers time and money.

In short, Swap-a-Lease is as a ‘matchmaking’ broker, pairing those who want to exit leases with those who require convenient shorter term lease agreements.

Once a potential ‘match’ has been found Swap-a-Lease takes care of all the leg work, managing the transfer of the lease from beginning to end.

Why is this service such a benefit? Because getting out of lease agreements early can be costly. Swap-a-lease offer a service which could ease the headache of end a car leasing agreement early for both the leasing company and the cutomer.

This service enables customers locked into leasing contracts to find a viable low cost way out, whilst offering opportunities for others to opt-into convenient lower cost, short-term leases where the deposit has already been paid, providing them with the best of both worlds.