Today the ‘coldest extreme sport event in the world’ got underway in Canada’s Yukon Territory. Seven German, Austrian, Swiss and French teams and a total of 14 athletes are taking part in this year’s Fulda Challenge, the 13th edition of the tyre maker-sponsored Arctic decathlon. Over the course of the coming five days the athletes will participate in ten sporting events in temperatures up to minus 40º Celsius, and will cover almost 1,000 miles in doing so.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has responded to a recent Motorist Forum report on customer experience of franchised and independent MoT stations and garages in the wake of the government’s statement on the matter. While Brian Spratt, IAAF chief executive, praised the Roads minister for taking a “balanced view”, he said a fundamental change of attitudes towards communication is the key to improving the garage customer service experience. The Motorists Forum report put forward 12 recommendations to the government on how to improve the garage customer experience, details of which can be found on the IAAF website.
Plans to offer practical driving tests from branches of Halfords have been given the go ahead by Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond.
Driving tests will be available from the Halfords store in Wellingborough from Tuesday 5 February. Other branches of Halfords across the country are expected to start offering tests in coming months. All tests will be conducted by Driving Standards Agency (DSA) examiners.
The total UK bus and coach market rose 34.2 per cent to 8,102 units in 2012, ending the year on a high. 2012 was a positive year for the overall bus and coach market, with significant growth posted across the sector: Registrations of purpose-built buses and coaches climbed 12.4 per cent in the year, posting 3,811 units. Converted bus registrations rose 62.2 per cent in 2012 to 4,291 units.
While it should come as no surprise to readers that slippery roads contribute to more accidents in colder weather in the UK, the latest drop in temperatures has prompted Cooper Tire to remind drivers of the last two years of accident data, suggesting that specialist winter tyres could help reduce the chances of a prang. During November and December 2011 the UK’s average temperature fell from 8.7°C to 4.8°C and Department for Transport figures showed a significant rise in accidents involving slippery roads in the winter months. A similar trend was recorded in 2010.
Pirelli’s Carlisle factory has been given the title ‘Export Champion’ by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) – one of only five successful Cumbrian businesses. The North West region Export Champions programme was launched during Export Week by UKTI regional director, Clive Drinkwater. It forms part of a campaign led by Trade and Investment minister Lord Green to increase the number of British exporters by a quarter, which would boost the economy by £36bn. The idea is that Export Champions will inspire novice exporters to pursue overseas markets.
Sweden’s government has decided that from the start of 2013, trucks operating within the country must have tyres with at least 5 mm pattern depth and winter tyres on their drive axles between 1 December and 31 March, whenever winter conditions occur. This new requirement has been applauded by Nokian Tyres, which says it “can be expected to substantially increase road safety during the winter season.”
Michelin’s contribution to raising awareness of road safety was recognised yesterday at a lunch held in London, to celebrate the company winning the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award. The tyre maker was presented with the award in May for its on-going commitment to road safety. The lunch is held annually to commend award winners and Michelin joins other frontrunners and government ministers at the event, which was hosted by HRH Prince Michael of Kent GCVO.
A package of measures promised as part of the Red Tape Challenge is being launched for consultation by Roads Minister Stephen Hammond today. The consultation looks at ways of streamlining the way in which operators have to comply with regulations around drivers' hours; tachographs and the support of green technology.
Demand for winter tyres at Kwik Fit has quadrupled over the last four years, and the company anticipates a continued rise in orders. However the fast-fit network concedes that only a small number of UK motorists are purchasing season specific tyres and it says research shows that 68 per cent of drivers are uninformed about the differences between cold and warm weather tyres, while 23 per cent haven’t even heard of winter tyres.
UK chancellor George Osborne has scrapped – or at least, postponed – the planned 3p rise in fuel duty in his Autumn Statement. With reports suggesting that UK mileage is holding reasonably steady, this represents a crumb of short-term comfort for businesses and motorists, though the Office for Budget Responsibility prediction of stagnant growth will keep the pressure on the UK economy. Though fuel price campaigner Quentin Willson welcomed the news, arguing “money that's spent on fuel duty is not spent on the wider economy”, it seems likely that campaigns to reduce fuel duty will also continue, since the chancellor will continue to be pressed to take gambles to help kick-start the UK economy. Tyre service specialist ATS Euromaster is amongst those calling for reductions in fuel duty, while PwC’s automotive expert also pointed out that the fuel duty rise is still due to happen on 1 September 2013.
The perils of entrusting your safety to part-worn tyres will receive the Beeb’s attention today, at least in part of the country. At 7.30pm this evening (3 December), BBC Inside Out West Midlands will present a motoring-themed show, with one of three articles asking the question many in our industry already know the answer to: How safe are part-worn tyres?
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Representatives from Tatneft-owned Russian tyre maker Nizhnekamskshina have taken part in the 2nd Congress of Russia’s Ecologists. The Moscow-based event, held on 21 and 22 November, aimed to address and implement the tasks defined in the "Principles of the Russian Federation State Policy in the Economic Development till 2030". The environmental forum also served as a platform for discussions on important events in the field of environmental protection plus options for processing household solid wastes, oil and other industrial wastes.
A report ('Lifelines 2012') by the Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) says that the quality of road markings in the UK is "in rapid decline" and accuses the Department for Transport and the Highways Agency of failing to grasp the urgency of the problem.
The survey looked at 7250km of UK roads and found that 40 per cent of markings on Scotland's motorways and dual carriageways and dual carriages in Wales need immediate replacement. The figures for England's motorways and dual carriageways were 38 per cent and 36 per cent respectively. 44 per cent of markings on Highways Agency single carriageways fall into what RSMA calls the "danger or warning zones".
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Tyre retailer Merityre Specialists Ltd, which has 22 branches across southern England, has joined TyreSafe. Commenting on its reasons for joining Tyresafe, the retailer’s director Noel Pope said that “Educating motorists about safe driving should be a priority for all businesses connected to the automotive industry, especially those at the sharp end who have face-to-face contact with the public. It’s vital that drivers understand just how safety critical tyres are to a car’s handling and the performance of the tyre should be high on the agenda when it comes to their purchase.”
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