Consultation on Motor Vehicle Block Exemption launched: NFDA and AECDR respond
The European Commission has this week launched the public consultation on the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (Commission Regulation (EU) No 461/2010). The purpose of the consultation is to assess whether and to what extent the objectives of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MVBER) are fulfilled. Motor vehicle distribution and after-sales agreements are currently subject to Commission Regulation (EU) No 461/2010 (MVBER).
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AutoSock first to gain European supplementary grip standard
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) published the new European Standard EN16662-1:2020 for supplementary grip devices on 27 May 2020, which covers not only metal snow chains but also devices made from other materials. On 27 September AutoSock announced that its textile alternative for cars and light commercial vehicles to 3.5 tons was the first and is currently the only product worldwide to be certified according to the new European Standard. As a result, it will be a regulatory approved alternative to snow chains in all EU countries effective 1 December 2020.
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Mounting evidence of fly-tipping and abandonment alarms TRA members
This autumn could bring with it a new rash of tyre dumping and site abandonment warns Britain’s Tyre Recovery Association (TRA). The association has warned that there are several factors of which the public, our regulators and the tyre trade should be aware. The TRAs latest comments follow a previous warning that market conditions were likely to have such consequences earlier in the year.
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Face coverings mandated for UK dealers
With yet another raft of measures to curb the spread of Covid 19 being introduced by government, the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK, has intervened in an attempt to clarify the situation vis-à-vis car dealerships.
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Addressing the EV ‘charging anxiety’ problem
We are continually being told that electric vehicles are the future – indeed, petrol and diesel-engined vehicles are scheduled to be phased out in the UK market; the original deadline was 2040, but this was brought forward to 2035, and there is talk of possibly introducing the ban in 2030. This last date is regarded by many as unachievable – when the deadline was brought forward to 2035, Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, described the situation as “extremely concerning” and accused the Government of “moving the goalposts.”
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TyreSafe launches Tyre Safety Month campaign with online briefing
TyreSafe has launched its 2020 Tyre Safety Month campaign with its first online briefing. Following the success of its previous ‘Get Into The Groove’ campaign, TyreSafe has prepared a fresh batch of cultural parodies with which to publicise its ACT acronym – standing for Air pressure, Condition, Tread. A range of movie poster parodies, including ‘Judge Tread’, ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Under Inflated’, and ‘Done in 60 Seconds’, are available for garages, businesses and other organisations to encourage motorists to take better care of their tyres. The distribution of the materials will reflect the digitalisation trend of this year, driven by the necessity of adapting to Covid-19 Crisis conditions; a wide variety of banners formatted for each of the major social media networks will be available. The briefing featured a panel discussion with Stuart Lovatt, Highways England strategic road safety lead; Tony Crook, National Fire Chief Council lead officer road safety; Simon Turner, Driving for Better Business campaign manager; and James Luckhurst, Project EDWARD founder.
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European tyre industry to help achieve new EU climate goals
The European Commission’s new target of a 55 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 has been welcomed by the tyre industry. The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association said that the industry is ready to “ready to contribute” to the latest decarbonisation goals. The association added that its “members have been committed to reducing their CO2 footprint throughout the tyre life cycle and investing in innovative and sustainable mobility technologies for many years now.” The association was responding to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s 16 September State of the Union address.
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Low performing car tyres illegal from 1 May 2021
On 7 August the government shared some results from its recent type approval consultation. That four-week consultation period came to an end on 26 June 2020 and sought views from across the automotive industry relating to what statutory instrument should supersede European type approval Regulation (EU) 2018/858, which covers new vehicle safety. The result? Low performing car tyres and van tyres will be illegal from 1 May 2021. The government type approval consultation supports 30-month grace period for running down such stocks. And OBD ports will remain open for independent garages to access repair and maintenance information.
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Government accelerates pothole mapping project
The UK government has launched an audit into the mapping of potholes in England. Aided by data from on-road businesses such as Uber, Deliveroo and Tesco in addition to local highway authorities and highway data and mapping company Gaist, the Department for Transport will identify ‘pothole hot-spots. The scheme intends to better target road improvements as people return to work and school. According to the most recent research published by Kwik-Fit on the subject, potholes caused £1.25 billion of damage to vehicles in 2019, with the average bill for affected motorists £115. Potholes damage most frequently afflicts tyres, wheels, suspension, and steering.
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NBRA calls for Job Retention Scheme extensions
The National Body Repair Association, the trade association for the UK’s vehicle body repair shops, calls on the government to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). Despite bodyshops being permitted to remain open during the lockdown, as they provided an essential service, the 80 per cent reduction in accident repair claims meant almost all had to close and place their staff on furlough.
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Tyre recycling and energy generation – why the time is now
Early in 2020 the UK government suggested a tentative plan to ban the export of all end of life tyres (ELTs). The timing was unfortunate, with the challenges of the rest of 2020 becoming increasingly apparent at the start of spring. However, with strict recycling, energy from waste, and environmental targets to meet over the next twenty years or so, many companies are pressing ahead in raising awareness and innovating within the broad recycling sector. ELTs represent a particularly important part of the new era in recycling introduced by the UK’s Environment Bill, not least because of new and incoming measures internal and external against used and end of life tyre exports, a popular, yet often damaging solution to the problem. Rory Hughes, technical director at IRR Waste 2 Energy, and a waste and recycling expert with more than 35 experience in the industry, told Tyrepress why adopting a more holistic approach to tyre recycling is the way forward.
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‘Suspend apprentice levy contributions’ IMI urges Government
Virtually every day reveals some new effect of COVID-19 on everyday life and on the automotive and associated industries. The latest gloomy news comes from the Department for Education, which has focussed the spotlight on the impact of the pandemic on apprentice recruitment. And the automotive sector appears to be one of the hardest hit. Across all sectors, apprenticeship starts in June 2020 fell by 57 per cent, compared to the same time period in 2019.
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