On 22 October, industry experts and representatives from some of the largest companies in the UK road transport sector took their seats in the British Museum lecture theatre for the Commercial Vehicle Forum 2013.
Organised by the SMMT, Road Haulage Association and the Institute of Road Transport Engineers, the event consisted of two panel-led debate sessions and aimed to address some of the key issues affecting the road transport industry.
In his keynote speech, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Robert Goodwill MP, outlined the government’s ongoing plans to support the road transport sector’s continued growth. These include improvements to the UK road network with 400 miles of additional motorway, and a £3bn maintenance budget to combat the unacceptable state of many roads.
RECESSION SHAKE-UP
BBC broadcaster, Justin Webb, acted as chair for both panel sessions. The first panel was comprised of Henry Foy, motor industry correspondent for the Financial Times; Giles Margerison, sales director for TomTom Business Solutions UK & Ireland; Sarwant Singh, partner of Frost & Sullivan and David Weller, former head of UK logistics at the Mothercare Group.
Delegates were in agreement that the global recession has forced fleet operators to be more creative, and shaken them out of a “don’t fix what isn’t broken” approach to fleet management. There is no doubt that increased economic pressures over recent years has lead to the development of cost reduction and environmental policies that would otherwise not have been a priority for fleets, and that drivers are now more engaged with fuel saving initiatives than ever before.
FUTURE-PROOFING FLEET
The issue of how best to utilise the UK’s overcrowded road network was also a popular topic. Increasing the number of out-of-hours deliveries to help ease rush hour congestion and improve the flow of traffic was a well received idea. Beverley Bell, senior traffic commissioner for Great Britain, commented that after the success of such schemes during the 2012 Olympics, more local councils are now open to running trials.
The practicality of electric LCVs was also hotly debated. Henry Foy was a passionate advocate for adoption of the technology, arguing that an electrified fleet would solve many issues by providing a clean, quiet and efficient transport option. Whilst there was an agreement that for SMEs and couriers an electrified van fleet could be a real asset (especially if the Plug-In Van Grant is extended), delegates were adamant that until the cost of EV batteries is reduced, they will never be installed in freight and HGV vehicles.
Ray Ashworth, managing director for DAF Trucks, revealed that the company’s R&D investment is driven by governmental regulations such as Euro 6 adaptations, leaving a very minimal budget for “flair” research into new technologies. There was a feeling that unless the freight industry receives significant funding to support research into alternative fuels and electric power, fossil fuels will remain the dominant power source for the foreseeable future.
REGULATION OF LCVS
For the second panel, Henry Foy and Sarwant Singh were joined by Beverley Bell, senior traffic commissioner for Great Britain, and Laura Moran, commercial vehicle director of Hertz UK.
Bell expressed concern about the lack of regulations for drivers of vans under 3.5 tonnes. She pointed out that in comparison to the stringent regulations of the heavy truck and freight sector, anyone with a full UK driving licence is entitled to drive an LCV. Bell argued that this was a real problem for the industry, and exacerbated the “white van man” stereotype of reckless and aggressive LCV drivers. Strict driving hours, training standards, and vehicle maintenance policy for vans were all cited as areas where guidelines were needed.
Despite strong agreement about the necessity to regulate the van sector, there was a common feeling that any governmental policy would need to be drawn from collective EU legislation. As there is currently no such legislation in place, Bell suggested that the focus should instead be on promoting a “culture change” amongst van drivers to improve their attitude towards road safety and develop their relationship with other road users.
Laura Moran concluded that the road transport sector is an industry of two halves; with cutting edge HGVs jostling for road space with single-operator van fleets. The challenge now is to close the gulf in funding, regulations and training for each, and to ensure the industry functions as efficiently as possible at every level.