Drivers ‘right-minded’ on smart motorways
After last month’s government announcement of a five year pause in the introduction of new smart motorways to assess their safety, new research reveals that an increasing number of drivers are taking their own precautionary measures when using smart stretches already in operation. According to a study conducted on behalf of Kwik Fit, 73% of drivers avoid driving on the hard shoulder of a smart motorway even when signs show it is open for traffic. This proportion has increased from 56% of drivers in 2019.
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IGA and DVSA partner for MOT updates
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is partnering with DVSA to host a presentation to garages across the country in 2022. The idea is to keep businesses up-to-date with “new legislation and industry scams to be aware of, as well as providing an opportunity for discussion of topics such as MOT testing and garage work provision.”
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Tyre punctures, space savers, sealant solutions and the tyre business
One consequence of car manufacturers seeking to improve their eco scores is that they have taken drastic steps to reduce the weight of the vehicles they produce. With that in mind, spare tyre and wheel assemblies have increasingly been seen as, well, a spare wheel in the life of the average motor. And thats made many marques call the need for the common-or-garden spare tyre into question.
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Apprenticeships recovery too slow to fill skills gap – IMI
The Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has released data that suggests industry apprenticeship take-up is increasing, but too slowly to fill the sector’s current skills gap.
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NMDA expects “record year” for new PTW sales after buoyant January
January 2022 experienced a 161.4 per cent increase (2353 units) for new PTWs in comparison to January 2021, a month that was once again plagued with partial lockdowns. “The latest power Two Wheelers (PTW) registration figures showed a positive outlook for 2022; as long as supply continues to increase, PTW retailers can expect a record year for new registrations driven by high demand” said Paddy O’Connell, Head of National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA), commenting on the latest MCIA new registration figures.
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Remaxx Sport tyre paste also suits electric vehicles
Mounting paste, or tyre soap as it is called, is an indispensable part of changing tyres. According to garage supplier Rema Tip Top, many automotive businesses that focus on mounting ultra-high performance tyres and run-flats with standard mounting equipment – select Remaxx Sport as their first choice. Here Moris Khalil, product manager Automotive at Rema Tip Top, explains how Remaxx Sport can also be used on electric vehicles with very high torques.
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IGA to launch security information portal for independent garages
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is launching GarageSafe this year to establish and maintain access to security level vehicle information for independent garages. GarageSafe is based on America’s successful National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF), which already has security and key coding information for many vehicle manufacturers. The IGA is bringing this online gateway to the UK with the intention of supplying information to certified garages.
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Kwik Fit raises £300,000 for Prostate Cancer UK
Despite the impact that pandemic restrictions have placed on face-to-face fundraising, over the last year Kwik Fit raised more than £300,000 for its charity partner Prostate Cancer UK. With Covid-19 restricting the options for fundraising, the programme has placed a greater focus on online activity and staff participating in virtual and individual events. These included a team of employees from the company’s Fleet and Mobile division completing a “round the world” trip - walking, running and cycling a total of 25,734 miles and raising over £18,000.
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Greg Ward joins Halfords
Greg Ward has joined the Halfords Autocentres business, where the experienced truck, bus and agricultural tyre specialist will be commercial sales director.
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Formula One Autocentres opening branch number 128 in Worksop
After months of planning, on 17 February, Formula One Autocentres is opening a new branch in Worksop. Five jobs are set to be created at the newly built bespoke centre. The Worksop centre opening brings the number of branches in the family-owned business to a total of 128 garages across the UK.
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Yuasa get set for takeoff with world famous air display team The Blades
Yuasa, a brand of global battery manufacturer GS Yuasa, are taking their sponsorship programme to new heights by teaming up with world famous air display team The Blades. The partnership will see Yuasa logos feature prominently on the team’s four aircraft as they perform exhilarating close-formation aerobatic displays to well over four million people at events in 2022.
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“Learning by doing” – Rallysport Engineering teams up with TMD Friction to aid students
TMD Friction, through its Mintex braking brand, has teamed up with Rallysport Engineering Academy in Essex to support its young students with their motor vehicle studies. Rallysport Engineering specialises in supporting a wide range of young learners aged between 14 and 16 who find the normal learning environment a challenge, or to those who find a hands-on approach to learning more beneficial.
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Recovery’s small steps show most valuable consumer, light commercial tyre segments
The 2021 recovery of the UK car, SUV and van tyre (Light Vehicle) replacement market may not have been the desired quick return to pre-pandemic numbers, but GfK data supplied exclusively to Tyres & Accessories gives us some idea of how 2019 market growth areas have preserved continuity through the last two Covid-afflicted years. Tyres designed for the larger rims of higher performance and newer car models, SUV and light commercial vehicle tyres, and tyres offering performance in all seasons continued to grow at quicker rates than the whole UK replacement tyre market. These overall figures, shown in the top left-hand corner of the infographic, show that unit sales increased by three per cent within the panelmarket – similar figures comparing 2020 with 2019 published in February 2021 showed that unit sales contracted by 14 per cent for comparison. Meanwhile, the value of the UK’s Light Vehicle tyre market rose by seven per cent according to the panelmarket. GfK’s panelmarket data tracks points of sale around the UK to indicate aftermarket tyre trends – the data used for this article compares January-December 2021 to full-year 2020.
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January LCV sales fall, but EV sales on the rise
The UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market fell by -26.9 per cent to 17,566 registrations in the first month of 2022 compared with a bumper January last year, according to the latest figures issued by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
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