Almost 3 million workers in Britain are eligible for increased pay from April, after the UK government said it would increase the official Minimum Wage. The government said the “national living wage” for over 25s would increase from £8.21 an hour to £8.72 from the start of April 2020.
The Klarius case and the future of exhausts in an electric vehicle world
On 3 December 2019, Manchester Crown Court cleared five current and past directors and managers of Klarius Products Ltd of charges of selling non-typed approved catalytic converters. Following the news of the Klarius directors’ acquittal, Tyres & Accessories got in touch in order to find out the inside line of what happened in and around the case.
With 2020 just around the corner, the future of the UK new car market looks bleak amidst economic and political uncertainty. The latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) shows the new car market continued to decline with new registrations down 1.3 per cent year-on-year.
£94m lost following discontinuation of car tax discs
The abolition of tax discs has led to soaring numbers of unlicensed vehicles and an unpaid tax bill of £94 million, as reported in the DfT’s 2019 survey on Vehicle Excise Duty evasion.
Tyremakers among 52 automotive suppliers in US$23 million antitrust settlement
Tyre manufacturers Toyo, Bridgestone and Continental are amongst the 52 automotive suppliers that paid a total of $23 million in settlements for antitrust law violations in California, USA.
Manchester Crown Court cleared five current and past directors and managers of Klarius Products Ltd of charges of selling non-typed approved catalytic converters on 3 December. The case, which was brought by the DVSA, had alleged that between 01/02/2013 and 30/08/2015 the business of Klarius Products Ltd, carried on for fraudulent purposes, the marketing, distribution and sale of counterfeit and non-type approved catalytic converters.
New EU label ‘simplifies consumers’ winter tyre choice’ – Nokian
Nokian has welcomed the new EU tyre label. The company says it is especially useful for winter tyre consumers, as the tyre label will now include information concerning grip on snow and ice. So far, markings related to properties required in demanding winter weather have been absent. The purpose of the tyre label is to guide consumers toward tyres that are more fuel-efficient, safer, and quieter. The new label will enter into force in May 2021.
New European Tyre Label set for May 2021 introduction
Seven years after the initial introduction of the European Tyre Label, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have decided on the next phase of the European Tyre Label, which is set to be introduced on 1 May 2021. Article 14 of the agreement requires a review of the regulation by June 2025.
ETRMA welcomes the provisional agreement on European Tyre Labelling Regulation review
In mid-November, the Green Party in the EU Parliament put out a statement on twitter saying: “tyres release more than 500,000 tonnes of microplastics into the environment?”. Stating that this means it is “time to reinvent the wheel”, the green party added: “Yesterday [13 November] we fought hard and we managed to convince the EU to label tyre abrasion in order to tackle plastic pollution”. With this in mind, Tyres & Accessories asked ETRMA what the pan-European tyre industry is adding to the discussion.
“Fake parts” have risen to become a multi-billion-pound problem affecting the safety and performance of vehicles in motorsport and on the road, according to European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) estimates. January’s Performance & Tuning Car Show at Birmingham’s NEC will hold a forum at which consumers can seek expert advice on this worrying trend.
Agreement reached on EU Tyre Labelling Regulation changes
Proposed changes to the EU Tyre Labelling Regulation came a step closer to becoming reality on Wednesday when the European Parliament, Council and Commission reached a political agreement on the matter. The text of the Regulation now awaits formal approval by the European Parliament and the Council. Once both endorse the updated Regulation in the coming months, it will be published in the Official Journal of the Union and will enter into force 20 days after publication. The new Regulation will apply from 1 May 2021.
Bristol City Council is proposing a diesel vehicle ban combined with a clean air zone charge as part of a “bold approach” to tackle air quality. This followed a six-week long public consultation in the summer when more than 5,000 responses were received.
PRA welcomes the prospect of Budget fuel duty cuts
Senior sources have confirmed that the Government would announce the 2ppl fuel duty cut later this year - the first reduction of the motoring tax in eight years. “The PRA has welcomed hints carried by national media that the Treasury may be considering fuel duty cuts in the upcoming Autumn Budget”, said Brian Madderson, chairman of the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA).
MPs call for ban of hands-free mobile phone use behind the wheel
A group of MPs is calling for drivers to be banned from using hands-free mobile phones in England and Wales. While it has been illegal to use a handheld phone at the wheel since 2003, using a hands-free device creates “the same risks of collision”, the Commons Transport Select Committee has warned.
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