News - Page 2282

SHELL UK has claimed new engine technology, catalysts and better vehicle maintenance could achieve much greater and more cost-effective air quality improvements than more widespread use of low sulphur city diesel.

THE new Vauxhall Astra should enjoy improving residual values over the next few years.

ROVER has introduced four new derivatives of the 600 specifically designed to offer company car drivers added extras while not hitting fleet managers' budgets too hard.

BE an environmentalist and drive a new car - that's the message from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders as it continues to press the Government to introduce a scrappage scheme.

MORE than 85% of fleet managers want the current company car tax regime to change, and more than one third believe a benefit-in-kind tax based on a driver's private miles rather than business miles would be the fairest levy.

LACK of availability of ultra low sulphur diesel is likely to hinder driver demand for the 'green' fuel incentivised in the Budget.

OFFICIAL Government figures showing carbon dioxide emission levels and fuel economy for every car on sale in Britain expose the confused thinking behind Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown's Budget message to fleets.

A POOLE-based company is aiming to extend its success in the liquid petroleum gas marine market into the road vehicle market.

FLEET demand is at the heart of the aim of Calor Gas and Halfords to double the number of liquefied petroleum gas filling stations in the UK.

FLEETS with the biggest incentives to convert their vehicles to gas, are sticking with petrol and diesel because of the lack of a viable gas refuelling infrastructure.

SKODA is planning to spark a fresh sales drive by launching its first 'super clean' vehicle in the next few weeks.

NORWICH Union is launching an insurance policy which will give fleets the choice of two premiums - one with driver training and one without.

BCH Group plc has announced record preliminary results for the year ended December 31, 1997, including a 47% rise in pre-tax profits to £2.99 million (1996: £2.03 million).

LONDON'S first elected mayor will have new powers to run transport in London which could see the introduction of congestion-charging and a parking tax with the cash raised invested in improvements in public transport.

THE British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association will continue to lead the fleet industry in a 'forceful and purposeful way', chairman Colin McLean said at the organisation's annual dinner on Tuesday.

Fleet News/Kwik-Fit Fleet - Company car driver survey results

GERMAN car manufacturer BMW is to buy Rolls-Royce for £340 million.

VISITORS to the 1998 Fleet Motor Show have the chance to win the free use of a £40,000 Cadillac STS for a month. The luxury car imported from the US goes on sale in Britain in the week before the show, which opens at Donington Park, East Midlands, for four days from May 11.

TIREDNESS has become a major safety concern for company car drivers, with more than one third admitting to falling asleep behind the wheel.

ELECTRONIC trading pioneer OASIS has formed a strategic alliance with GE Information Services to open up new markets for its automated authorisation and invoicing system.

STAFFORDSHIRE-based motor retailer Greenhous Vauxhall has supplied another 26 new vehicles to heating and electrical specialist F Bailey (H&VE).

DAGENHAM Motors, the UK's largest dedicated Ford dealership group, is expected to announce further territory gains this year following successful talks with the manufacturer.

ARSENAL FC is the venue for the 1998 RAC-Fleet News Five-a-Side Soccer Challenge, to be run in association with Royal & SunAlliance, with the aim of raising thousands of pounds for Motability.

MAZDA Business Centre Eastgate Mazda in Bristol has secured a six-car deal with Cardinal Medical.

BSM Fleet Training has joined forced with Shead, the longest established Lloyd's motor insurance syndicate, to offer customers free risk management advice, discounted driver training and insurance premium rebates.

DOVERCOURT Ford has secured a £10 million solus fleet deal to supply a minimum of almost 400 vehicles over three years to Chelmsford Taxibus and Chelmsford Minicabs.

A CLAMPING scheme designed to crack down on road tax dodgers has claimed more than 2,000 victims in its first six months.

THE company behind the Orchid mobile telephony-based vehicle tracking, location and navigation system says that the product has met Thatcham testing standards which should result in lower insurance premiums for vehicles fitted with the system.

DIAL has won a contract to run the accident management business of Bemrose Corporation - 170 vehicles across the company's four major UK operating units.

BT has launched an advertising campaign promoting the virtues of tele and audio conferencing as an alternative to the company car.