News - Page 2298

THE Government is studying a new report which offers further evidence of the dangers of using mobile phones while driving. Road Safety Minister Baroness Hayman launched the report in the House of Commons last week and said its findings would be taken into account in future Government policy on in-car phone use.

THE Motor Industry Research Association has opened a new £2 million laboratory to test the effect of radio frequency interference - such as from mobile phones - on vehicles. Such devices use high radio frequencies and must be tested to ensure that they do not interfere with any other electronic systems on the vehicle - and that they remain unaffected by the other components.

MARKET meltdown in the Far East could result in extensive dumping of unwanted imports on Western European markets as Far Eastern domestic demand dries up. Ford chief executive Alex Trotman expressed serious concerns about the impact on the global motor industry if the Japanese and Koreans look for overseas markets to absorb excess capacity made cheaper by weaker currencies.

CASH as a popular alternative to the company car has taken off again after three years of stagnation, with personal lease plans offered through employer negotiated schemes also proving popular, according to a new report. Buck Consultants' 'Company Car Report 1997/98' and the separate 'Directors' Car Report' are due to be published this week and reveal that the number of companies offering cash allowance has increased to 45% after having been static for the last three years at 36%.

NEW levels of cost control and management information were the factors which led the 170-strong Watts Tyres fleet to sign up to Fleet Cost Management's self-managed service. The company, which sells forklift truck tyres from 40 UK outlets and across the world from a factory in the Forest of Dean, has retained its in-house fleet department for the change

THE Government has set up two special units - Taskforce 2000 and Action 2000 - to examine the problem of the arrival of the new millennium and provide information on how to handle potential software problems.

TIME is running out for fleets which are yet to ensure that all their software systems can cope with the arrival of the new millennium. Two years from now the industry could potentially be in chaos, as the so-called millennium bug throws computer systems into disarray. The only solution is for all fleets in the country to take steps to ensure they and their suppliers are ready for the change.

FIRST National Vehicle Contracts is starting the New Year by passing the landmark of 10,000 vehicles on its fleet. And the expansion further adds to the dominance of the number 10 in the list of landmarks in the history of FNVC. The company started as Elton Financial Services in March 1985 with £10,000 in the bank, and was sold in 1996 to First National Bank, part of the Abbey National Group, for £10 million in 1996.

FORD has entered into a strategic partnership with Daimler-Benz and Canadian specialist Ballard Power Systems to develop hydrogen fuel cells for the vehicles of the next decade. The car-maker signed a memorandum of understanding which gives all three companies a stake in each others' activities via a complex cross-ownership agreement.

FORD chief executive Alex Trotman has attacked pressure groups who seek to demonise the car without thinking about the economic consequences for the motor industry. Trotman welcomed Prime Minister Tony Blair's establishment of an environmental task force but attacked the recent agreement on emissions at Kyoto.

PLANS have been announced for breakdown and recovery specialist Green Flag to demerge from its parent company the National Parking Corporation. This will lead to a flotation of Green Flag on the Ofex market, as a preliminary to a subsequent full listing on the Stock Exchange. As a result, NPC has halted its own plans to float.

HYUNDAI is offering fleets free servicing as part of a wider support package in a bid to drum up additional corporate business via its dealer network. The importer is aiming to consolidate on meteoric growth and increasing popularity with user-choosers by bringing its dealers closer to the small business sector and equipping them to offer the levels of service corporate customers expect.

A MANAGEMENT team is to acquire the motor distribution group Dutton-Forshaw, which includes Masterdrive Leasing & Rental, from its parent Lonrho plc for £113 million. The management buyout encompasses 30 franchised dealerships, trading as Jack Barclay, Dovercourt and Dutton-Forshaw in England, Savilles Auto Village in Northern Ireland and Dutton-Forshaw Machinery, as well as Masterdrive's 10,000 strong fleet.

AVIS EUROPE has won British Airways' official approval as its preferred car rental partner worldwide. The three-year deal gives the recently floated rental company access to the 38 million passengers BA carries each year - many of them businessmen requiring in-bound car rental.

NATIONAL Car Auctions is gearing up for a stock market flotation within the next two years. The company announced its intention to float at the time of its management buyout from Unigate in 1995 for an undisclosed sum, and feels the time is now right after three years of good growth and solid results. As a result NCA has recruited John Thompson from Deloitte & Touche to be its new finance director, replacing Keith Fisherwood who has become operations director.

ADDITIONAL expansion at Honda's Swindon plant will enable the manufacturer to meet growing fleet demand for Civic and the new Accord next year. Honda announced the creation of a further 400 jobs at the Swindon factory as it gears up for full production of the Civic Aero deck and the all-new Accord alongside the Civic 5-door.

SAAB has released the first official pictures of its 900 replacement which is due to arrive in the UK in April after a world debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month. Badged the 9-3, the new model is described as an 'evolution' of the 900.

THE RAC has underlined the importance of the UK fleet industry and its commitment to fleets by promoting Penny Hadfield to director of fleet and accident services - the first time an RAC director has been in sole charge of fleet. Hadfield, previously head of fleet, takes on overall responsibility for all RAC operations, sales and customer support services in the motoring organisation's fleet division.

BODYSHOPS risk being left high and dry with courtesy car fleets as insurance companies switch to daily rental cars as replacement vehicles. The Retail Motor Industry Federation claims major insurers are looking to remove the burden of courtesy cars from repairers, and as a result cut hourly labour rates.

TOYOTA has been chosen to supply cars to three water industry companies. Hyder Services, which runs a fleet of 1,400 vehicles, has appointed Toyota under a dual-badge deal with Vauxhall to supply vehicles for the Hyder group of companies which includes SWALEC and Dwr Cymru Welsh Water. The fleet will include Starlet, Corolla, Avensis, Camry, Picnic and Previa models, as well as Lexus GS300s and LS400s.

TAX free Fixed Profit Car Scheme mileage rates for 1998/99 will remain at their 1997/98 level, the Inland Revenue announced this week. The authorised mileage rates will apply for business mileage from April 6, 1998.

AWARD-winning ND ServiceTeam fleet manager Peter Carson has resigned his position after a row with senior management over the company's new direction. Carson left his job after seven years with the company following senior management changes at Norsk Data.

DAVID Hurst, AA general manager, motor manufacturer and dealer services, has left the motoring organisation to pursue his ambition of buying a motor dealership. Hurst joined the AA in 1995 to help the organisation win manufacturer business, after holding senior roles with both Ford and Nissan.

LEX Service has acquired complete ownership of the UK import franchise for Hyundai. Lex bought a 50.1% stake in the business four years ago, and has bought the remaining 49.9% from the International Motors Group for £20 million, with payments staggered until September 2000.

LEADING contract hire companies have joined forces to challenge PHH Vehicle Management Services' bid for Harpur UK's fuel card operations. As reported two weeks ago the fleet industry has become increasingly uneasy about the influence the $186 million deal will give PHH over the fuel purchasing market.

THE Inland Revenue is to fund a driver training programme for its 900 car drivers through savings made by switching its fleet to a fast rotation cycle. Epping-based ATC Driver Training won the contract to train the Inland Revenue's drivers following a wide tender process.

A NEW action plan to reduce the use of company cars - particularly perk vehicles - and encourage the widespread introduction of employee 'green commuting' schemes has been drawn up by a powerful Government committee. The wide-ranging report from the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment investigated the use of company cars and employee travel patterns, freight transport, demand management, local air quality and increasing vehicle efficiency and calls for 'cost-effective action by both business and Government'.

MANY of the fleet decision-makers who tested the new Land Rover Freelander in Spain appear to have been won over by the car's performance and style. AT&T fleet manager Fiona Whittock runs a fleet of about 900 cars. She handles some 60 four-wheel-drives which are only offered to executives, but said the Freelander could well find its way on to the choice list for all drivers.

VOLVO'S newly established in-house leasing operation has more than doubled its contract hire business in its first year of trading. Volvo Car Finance opened its doors for business in January after the Volvo UK wound up its joint venture with UDT and brought the operation in-house with finance from its Swedish parent company.

IBSTOCK Building Products has extended its fleet holding period to four years after signing a solus supply deal for its 250 vehicles with Lex Vehicle Leasing. Ibstock went out to tender with 19 suppliers for its user-chooser fleet before appointing Lex to supply full maintenance contract hire on a four-year, 100,000 miles basis.