A Telford HGV driver who stood to pay £10,000 in stowaway penalties after five illegal immigrants were found in his vehicle has been let off by the Home Office.

BJ WatersTransport driver Jim Rushton insisted he had done all his checks before his truck passed through a heartbeat monitor in Calais in January.

However, five illegal immigrants were detected lying on their backs on top of his load.

Rushton described the news as brilliant and said the decision to overturn the fine was a weight off his shoulders.

He said: “The letter was worded ‘we will let you off this time, but next time you will be done’.

“It’s still not solving the problem. You don’t know where it’s safe to park in Europe. Even in Brussels they can get inside your lorry.

“Every time I’m in Calais my heart is in my mouth.”

Rushton paid tribute to his MP Lucy Allan, who put pressure on the Home Office to review his case.

• This story originally appeared in the 28 July issue. Why not subscribe and get 12 issues for just £12?

While the UK market waits for a detailed analysis of second quarter trucks registrations from the SMMT – data from Acea, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, states that registrations of vehicles above 3.5-tonne GVW increased 4.94% in the second quarter of 2016 compared to Q2 2015.

However growth in the UK in June slowed compared to new registrations in April and May. Acea offered no explanation nor mentioned any impact of the Brexit referendum on business confidence.

According to Acea statistics 11,898 vehicles above 3.5-tonne GVW were registered in the UK in the second quarter, comprising of 3.901 in April; 3,787 in May and 4,210 in June. Each month showed an increase compared to the same month in 2015; of 7.4%; 6.2% and 1.7% respectively.

Breaking the figures down, vehicles above 16-tonne GVW also showed growth. Some 2,874 new trucks were registered in the UK in April 2016, up 3.98% on the same month in 2015; 2,797 trucks were registered in May (up 6.9% on May 2015) and 2,989 in June (up 1% on June 2015). Overall the 16-tonne GVW and above sector was up 3.87% to 8,660 compared to 8,337 in Q2 2015.

In June alone growth in the UK was well below that of other major European markets. Germany saw 8,909 trucks above 3.5-tonne GVW registered in June (compared to 8,414 in June 2015, a 5.9% rise). France meanwhile saw 5,116 new units registered in the weight category, a 15.7% increase in 4,423 registrations in June 2015.

Overall the market for trucks above 3.5-toone GVW in the EU stood at 33,031 units, up 10.3% on 29,933 in June 2015. The UK accounted for 12.7% of all EU registrations.

SMMT figures for the first quarter of 2016, released in late May, saw the UK market for vehicles above 6-tonne GVW increase 19% year-on-year to 10,363 units, compared to 8,697 in Q1 2015.

Kent-based haulier Alan Firmin has taken delivery of 34 new tri-axle straight frame trailers from Lawrence David. The trailers come in three different variations of overall height from 4.323m to 4.7m and feature a mix of white and blue curtains, all in Firmin livery.

They are TUV EN-XL certified, each hanging a pair of Lawrence David Armoursheet Plus load bearing curtains able to contain unsecured loads up to 3500kg. A total of 24 of the trailer curtains have been fitted with a banner attachment zip, allowing for interchangeable artwork that the trailers can display.

The trailers have one-piece alloy roof sheets with Lawrence David track and valance, GRP front deflector with steel protection bars, chevron painted rear underun, front and rear ratchet tensioners, LED Rubbolite rear and side lights and matching yellow pull-out ladder and front grab handles.

Stuart Joyce, head of fleet and compliance at Firmin, said: “As a trusted supplier of our trailers we choose Lawrence David knowing that we will receive long-lasting, high-quality products, fine tuned to our needs as a haulier, with minimal hassle.”

The RHA is to launch legal action against the major truck manufacturers, after they were found guilty by the European Commission of price fixing and fined €2.9bn (£2.5bn).

The RHA said that after legal advice it would now pursue the case for compensation.

Richard Burnett, chief executive of the RHA, said: “We consider ourselves duty-bound to acknowledge and act upon our members’ wishes. 

“They have made it clear that they feel aggrieved at the news of a truck pricing cartel and are looking to us to represent them.

“Last week, the association’s board of directors met to discuss the EC’s £2.5bn fine. Their unanimous decision was that the association should progress compensation claims on behalf of its members.”

RHA national chairman Jim French, director of PD Portcentric Logistics, said that it was a serious issue for an industry that works on tight margins where trucks are typically the largest capital investment made.

"I wish to make clear that the RHA will not, itself, be beneffitting from any financial action," French said.

He added that the RHA was keen to mintain the amicable and close working relationship it has always enjoyed with the truck manufacturers.

Last month, the EC found that MAN, Volvo Group, Mercedes-Benz, Iveco and Daf broke EU antitrust rules by forming a cartel to discuss the coordination of factory prices for trucks; timings for the introduction of emissions technology; and passing on the cost of such technology to customers.

An investigation into Scania’s involvement continues.

The truck manufacturers have since responded to the verdict.

Bandvulc has formed a partnership with refuse vehicle firm Refuse Vehicle Solutions (RVS).

The companies worked for “several years” before forming the partnership, which will see Bandvulc provide RVS with tyres for its vehicles.

Bandvulc said the partnership was a “perfect fit” for the two firms, which both pride themselves on “top class service and outstanding quality”.

Sinead Jones, who works in a commercial support and development at Bandvulc, said: “We’re delighted to be able to add RVS to our portfolio.

“Our offer was based upon delivering realistic options and continuing to demonstrate our flexible approach to developing bespoke solutions for RVS.”  

Daimler and Tesla have revealed plans to bring fully electric-powered HGVs to market in the next few years.

Daimler previewed its 26-tonne, battery-powered urban truck at the eTruck campus in Stuttgart last week (pictured). The truck is based on a Mercedes-Benz 6x2 chassis and was only a partial unveil as Daimler is holding some cards (such as the cab) close to its chest until next month’s IAA CV Show in Hannover. 

The Urban eTruck is still a work in progress and is expected to be in full production in the next decade. 

Daimler said that in that time technological advancements to batteries will give the electric urban distribution vehicle a realistic working range of 200km. Payload will be approximately 1.7 tonnes less than an conventional diesel but Daimler said an expected EU exemption will allow an electric 6x2 truck to go to a new maximum of 27-tonne GVW. This will reduce the weight penalty to a mere 700kg.

Going down to lighter weights, Daimler is further down the testing line with the battery-powered 6-tonne and 7.5-tonne GVW Fuso Canter E-Cell, which have recently completed more than 50,000km of testing in Portugal with no major problems reported. 

Daimler recently placed a test vehicle with parcel delivery specialist Hermes for real-world testing in Stuttgart. While it is still early days, Hermes reported that driver acceptance was positive and the vehicle performed to specification, although the 100km range of the 7.5-tonne truck is an issue.

Both the eTruck and Canter E-Cell are a major step for Daimler. Head of Daimler Trucks Wolfgang Bernhard said: “The time is right, and Daimler is determined to be at the forefront of this new technology. Electric trucks are now an integral part of Daimler’s portfolio.”

Meanwhile, Tesla, the electric car manufacturer known for its Roadster and S models, is to expand its electric vehicle product line to address all major segments including Semi trucks. 

Founder Elon Musk said at a recent press briefing: “The Semi is in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year.”

Musk also spoke of variants such as a pick-up truck.

The Volkswagen Crafter will be a direct rival to the Ford Transit’s range when it is launched next year, after the German manufacturer revealed the specification for its new in-house-built van.

Front- and rear-wheel-drive versions will now be available as well as Volkswagen 4Motion all-wheel-drive variants. 

Launched with three vehicle lengths and three heights, with single- and double-chassis cabs, there will also be bodied dropside and tipper models direct from the factory. There will also be Luton and caged tipper vehicles through the newly introduced Converter Recognition programme. 

Power will come from a 2-litre TDI engine that has been developed specifically for the Crafter with power ratings of 101hp, 121hp, 138hp from a single turbocharged unit, and 175hp from a bi-turbo engine. Manual transmissions will be standard, but an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox will also be added to the range. 

The new model has been developed with the help of a number of large fleets, including TNT, the RAC and National Grid, with specific attention paid to the courier and logistics sectors, servicing and mobile workshop fleets and leasing companies. Equipment levels in the Crafter will be decided nearer to launch on a local market basis, but new technology will include blindspot detection, sidewind assist, sign assist, post-collision braking and emergency calling. There will also be the option of adaptive cruise control, LED headlights with cornering and automatic main beam functions, and a Rear Traffic Alert system to reduce the chance of an accident while reversing.

Volkswagen said the introduction of a front-wheel-drive (FWD) Crafter van, something not previously available on outgoing Mercedes-Benz-built Crafters, will allow them to approach new customers and improve on the model’s current 7.4% market share. FWD models will occupy a 3-tonne to 4-tonne GVW range, while rear-wheel-drive (RWD) vans will start at 3.5-tonne GVW and reach up to 5.5-tonnes. Towing capacity has increased by 500kg to 3.5 tonnes.

Orders for the FWD vans will start in November this year, with deliveries expected during Q1 2017. Additional models will then be added to the range throughout 2017 with the RWD and automatic versions available by the end of the year.

The first pictures of the Mercedes-Benz 1-tonne pick-up have been released, showing hot weather testing in Spain. The manufacturer had already announced its plans to enter the intensely contested pick-up market but is expected to reveal the truck by the end of the year, possibly at the Paris motor show, where it could be given the name X-Class.

Alternative rumours suggest the model could continue the company’s 4x4 naming strategy and be given a GLT badge, a nod to the GLS name used on its large premium SUV. The pick-up is likely to be aimed at the higher end of the 4x4 market, a competitor to the Volkswagen Amarok, which gets a powerful V6 engine.

The Mercedes truck will use the Nissan NP300 Navara platform and with it, is likely to adopt the 2.3-litre 4-cylinder diesel and multi-link coil-sprung rear suspension. Expect a 3.5-tonne towing capacity, excellent on- and off-road driving manners, and the option of a full leather interior with plenty of chrome – not to mention a suitably expensive price tag.

Axle weighing specialist Axtec has won a four-year contract renewal to maintain and certify the DVSA’s network of 55 roadside enforcement weighbridges across the UK.

The Runcorn-based company, which has held the DVSA contract for 20 years, said that as part of the contract it will carry out regular level surveys to certify that flat weighbridge approaches are within legal limits.

Axtec’s in-house construction team has the facilities to build, fit and repair any weighbridges.

Axtec staff will undertake routine maintenance and calibration using equipment carried on a trailer hauled by a Daf XF. This weighbridge test vehicle will be used for emergency repair work at night or weekends, enabling repair and re-certification to be completed quickly.

Axtec MD Keith Gresham said: “The DVSA have asked us to develop ways of reducing costs, without compromising service to deliver better value for the taxpayer during the course of the contract.”

This article was published in the 4 August issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?

Cartwright has made its first sale to South America following an order for its double-deck trailers from a haulier in Chile.

The Altrincham-based company delivered four high-specification refrigerated trailers to Ecobox. They have three compartments - frozen, chilled and ambient - in a moving double-deck trailer. The trailers are mounted with Carrier Transicold Vector 1950 multi-temperature units. During the design process, Cartwright staff and Ecobox representatives visited Asda depots to see its double-deck refrigerated equipment in operation. It also produced training manuals and support information in Spanish.

Meanwhile, Cartwright has announced two appointments to its sales team. Jon Wilcock has joined as key accounts manager, after five years as area sales manager with a rival manufacturer, and Andrew Holliday has been appointed national account manager.

This article was published in the 4 August issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?

Steel piping supplier Shawston has taken delivery of two new 7.5-tonne Daf LF 150 dropsides and a Ford Transit from Asset Alliance on a five-year contract hire agreement.

The trucks, which feature dropside bodies from Bevan Group, will operate from the company’s High Wycombe, Bucks, site, delivering steel piping products to building sites in London, the West Midlands and Dorset.

Asset Alliance will undertake tyre replacement responsibilities, breakdown cover, safety inspections, servicing, and repair and maintenance.

Shawston group operations manager Steve Wilson said Asset Alliance’s full-service package works well for his business because of the flexibility it offers.

“Fixed-price monthly payments also make it easier to manage a vehicle’s lifetime costs and effectively provide us with a warranty on the vehicles for the full five-year term,” he said.

The steel supplier expects the trucks to cover up to 28,000 miles a year, working five-and-a-half days a week.

This article was published in the 11 August issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?

Legal action against the five truck manufacturers that participated in a cartel is gaining traction, with approximately 30 hauliers in conversation with London competition law firm Hausfeld.

Hauliers could be entitled to thousands of pounds in compensation, according to Hausfeld.

The law firm is looking at taking the manufacturers – Daf, MAN, Iveco, Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler and Volvo and Renault Trucks parent Volvo Group – 
to court after the European Commission (EC) last month fined them a total of €2.9bn (£2.5bn) for price-fixing.

Anthony Maton, managing partner at Hausfeld’s London office, estimated that operators could have overpaid by up to 18% for each truck they purchased while the cartel was operating between 1997 and 2011.

This figure is based on a study commissioned by the EC in 2009 that found customers are on average overcharged by 18% while a cartel is functioning.

Based on the estimated average price of a truck, operators could have overpaid by up to €8,000 per purchase, he said. Maton told CM:

“You may have bought 30 to 40 trucks over that period if you’re an SME and lost €200,000. Unfortunately for truck buyers, the €2.9bn fine goes back to the EC.”

Operators would also be entitled to interest on the amount they overpaid from the date they purchased the truck, he added.

Maton said Hausfeld has been approached by both large and small truck operators that hope to recoup some of the money lost.

He said the firm would initially approach the manufacturers to see if an out-of-court agreement could be reached.

The process could take between six months and three years, depending on how the case is resolved.

“We want to make sure the clients come out with a good relationship with the supplier,” Maton added.

The RHA, which is also launching legal action against the manufacturers on behalf of its members, said it is in negotiations with the relevant parties, but would not comment further.

An investigation into Scania’s role in the cartel is ongoing.

• This story originally appeared in the 11 August issue. Why not subscribe and get 12 issues for just £12?

The next generation of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been spotted undergoing hot weather testing in Spain.

Camouflaging around the front of the vehicle suggests the Sprinters will have a new-look grille, which is expected along with the possibility of smaller headlight clusters.

The picture does not show the effort that had gone into hiding the interior of the test vehicle, which hints at a significant update to the Sprinter’s dashboard.

Also expected for the new Sprinter vans are more efficient engines and a series of new safety features.

• This story appeared in the 11 August issue. Why not subscribe and get 12 issues for just £12?

This is the first photograph of what is believed to be Scania’s new truck, albeit in scale model form.

The image, which appeared on Dutch website iepieleaks.nl last weekend and has since gone viral, depicts what is presumably a promotional model commissioned by the manufacturer.

Although prototypes have been photographed on European roads for the past 18 months, this is the first time we have seen the new truck without its camouflage, and confirms that the next-generation Scania will feature a new cab.

The truck will be launched on 23 August and streamed live at nextgenscania.com.

• For full details see CM 25 August.
• This story originally appeared in the 11 August issue. Why not subscribe and get 12 issues for just £12?

Furniture retailer DFS has re-liveried its fleet of commercial vehicles.

The work, carried out by vehicle branding specialist RGVA, based in Maidstone, Kent, included fitting the TraxxOne system on more than 400 demount truck bodies and 89 tri-axle trailers at 60 UK sites. The system was installed after a successful 70-vehicle trial in Scotland.

TraxxOne is a high-tension aluminium framing system used to apply ripple-free, high-definition printed banners on the side of CVs. This enables marketing campaign banners to be slid into position in all weather conditions and quickly changed.

The company did not take a vehicle out of service during seven-week installation process.

RGVA commercial director Richard Cox said: “This is the biggest installation we’ve carried out using Traxx products.”

This article was published in the 18 August issue of Commercial Motor. Why not subscribe to get 12 issues for just £12?

With the launch of Scania’s new models fast approaching, most of the attention has been on the big tractors.

However, one eagle-eyed photographer on an assignment in Europe last week spotted this lightly disguised P-cab rigid near the German-Danish border.

The launch of the next-generation Scania takes place tomorrow (23 August).

It will be streamed live on www.nextgenscania.com and you can follow @Comm_Motor for the latest news and reaction from the event itself.

For full details see Commercial Motor on 25 August edition, and why not subscribe to the print edition today to get your first 12 issues for just £12. 

Billy Bowie Special Projects has added six Renault Range T 460 mid-lifts to its 125-stong mixed fleet to meet demand for its services.

The 44-tonne vehicles, supplied by Renault Trucks Scotland, come with six-year repair and maintenance contracts and join a Range T and 32-tonne Range C 430 8x4 with Atlas Hooklift in its fleet.

They will carry out tanker work across Scotland and the East of England and will be based at the liquid waste haulage and septic tank hire and cleaning specialist’s Kilmarnock and Garforth depots.

Fleet operations director Douglas Bowie said: “Following the changes in environmental standards there is a greater requirement for the treatment of liquid waste.

"To meet this, we need reliable trucks and first-class service.” 

• This story first appeared in Commercial Motor 18 August. Why not subscribe today and get 12 issues for £12?

Eddie Stobart has taken delivery of 50 box trailers from SDC for use in its online fulfilment business.

The new trailers are already delivering express trunking between some of the UK’s biggest sorting centres and final mile depots, according to the operator.

Neil Rowbotham, online fulfilment sector director at Eddie Stobart, said: “The new trailers, in addition to our high-specification tautliners, will bring greater efficiencies and flexibility to our business by facilitating the fast and secure movement of loose parcels typical of online fulfilment, but with the capacity to accommodate conventional wheeled cages as well.”

The trailers can also be used in the wider Eddie Stobart fleet as required.

MAN has released the first pictures of its new panel van, the MAN TGE.

Based on the Volkswagen Crafter and built at Volkswagen’s new plant in Poland, the TGE will be powered by a 2-litre TDI engine with four power ratings of 101hp, 121hp, 138hp and 174hp. 

The three lower-powered engines will all use a single turbocharged unit, but the 174hp engine gets a twin turbo. 

Like the VW Crafter, the TGE range will span 3- to 5.5 tonnes, but importantly for MAN it now means its portfolio spans 3-tonne to 44-tonne GVW.

Front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive models will all feature in the MAN TGE’s range, with two wheelbase lengths, three roof heights and three vehicle lengths of 5,983mm, 6,833mm and 7,388mm. 

Maximum payload for a 3.5-tonne van will be close to 1,500kg, with a load volume on the largest vans in excess of 18m3 thanks to vehicle heights of 2,340mm, 2,575mm, and 2,800mm.

Production will start in April 2017, with order books opening a month earlier. 

Expect a staggered launch throughout Europe with deliveries beginning in the early summer, and UK models arriving in the autumn. 

• This article first appeared in Commercial Motor magazine 18 August 2017. Why not subscribe today and get 12 issues for £12?

Customer demand and a strong performance in 2015 has prompted GBA Services to buy 22 new Krone trailers.

The Lancashire operator placed the near-£500,000 order after turnover increased 37% last year.

The order includes 10 dry liner box trailers, 10 curtainsiders with sliding roofs and two twin evaporator fridge trailers.

The trailers will work for customers across Europe.

Operations director Peter Zak said: “This purchase represents significant investment for the company, but is justified by the increase in new business.

"Our vision for the future includes growth in our time-critical, pharmaceutical and high-value logistics sectors, all of which will be supported by this investment.”