An IAM Drive & Survive poll of over 300 drivers shows that 24 per cent of drivers don’t realise that failing to take the training on time will lead to their disqualification from professional driving. Unqualified drivers will also have their vehicles seized.

Sixty two per cent of drivers think that the biggest risk of failing to complete the Driver CPC training is ‘a risk of drivers not being allowed to drive professionally’.

Since September 2009, all LGV and PCV drivers are required to complete 35 hours of training every five years. For PCV drivers the deadline is September 2013 and for LGV drivers it is September 2014.

Twenty-six per cent of respondents said that they are part of Driver CPC programmes, but nearly a fifth have not yet taken any action, or are postponing their training until next year. This means that thousands of drivers will be applying for training next year in the run-up to the deadline, which will cause capacity issues for driver training organisations.

Attitudes towards Driver CPC are also mixed:

• 38 per cent say that it’s a bureaucratic nuisance, but they accept they must do it

• 29 per cent agree with CPC, and

• 25 per cent think that it’s a waste of time and effort.

IAM Drive & Survive head of training Simon Elstow said: “Whether they agree with it, or not, commercial drivers must take the Driver CPC if they are to keep working. With so many companies putting off their training until the last minute, there will be drivers who miss out simply because they’ve left it too late.”

Isis Insurance services are a specialist HGV and haulage insurance broker and have many years experience in arranging competitive Haulage and HGV insurance. We are not a call centre so when you call us you will get straight through to a HGV insurance specialist who will be able to discuss your haulage insurance requirements with you

This article was supplied courtesy of i-Truck →

Buy to let is growing from strength to strength and is poised to take over from social housing as tenancy of choice for renters.

New figures from the government and mortgage lenders show 16.5% of the housing stock in England and Wales comprises buy to let homes – compared with 17.5% that is social housing.

The gap 30 years ago was 3 million in favour of social housing – now it’s just 200,000 properties, says the Communities and Local Government Department’s Housing Survey for 2011.

At current rates, buy to let will overtake social housing in less than five years.

Last year, the Council of Mortgage Lenders says landlords added 84,000 new homes to the total of buy to let homes in the UK.

The figure is ahead of 2010 but only a third of the level of the market high, which peaked in 2007.

“The buy-to-let market continues to operate at relatively subdued levels, but it is clearly continuing to recover from its low point in 2009,” said the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

The CML revealed buy-to-let mortgages make up 13% of total owed on mortgages in the UK, and 11% of gross mortgage lending in the last quarter of 2011.

CML director general Paul Smee said: “Buy-to-let lending continues to perform well. Demand for rented property remains high, so the rationale for buy-to-let remains strong, and there is little reason to foresee any change to this positive outlook for the sector.

“These figures do not suggest that buy-to-let is crowding out first-time buyers; more that it is performing a really important role within the overall housing market. The benefits of the availability of good quality, private rented housing should not be overlooked, especially as there are many households which need the flexibility and mobility that the private rented sector is well placed to provide.”

Arranging the right level of let property insurance cover is very important and Isis insurance have many years experience in arranging let property insurance with a number of the UK’s leading let property insurance companies.

We are not a call centre, so when you contact us you will get straight through to a let property insurance specialist who will be able to discuss your individual needs with you.

If your home is going to be unoccupied for a month or more, you need to make sure you have the right sort of insurance in place. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your normal household insurance policy will do the job – you actually need to buy specialist unoccupied home insurance.

Houses stand empty for different reasons. For example, you might have moved to a new house and be waiting for your old property to sell or be let out to tenants. Or you could be in rented accommodation while your home is refurbished or an extension is added.

Another common scenario is when someone inherits a property but needs to wait for probate to clear before they can take full and active possession.

Standard home insurance usually stipulates that the property must not stand unoccupied for more than 30 days at a time.

The insurance companies worry that, if the house is left vacant for longer periods, it might become a magnet for burglars or vandals. And if no-one is present, damage caused by a leaking pipe or other problem will not be spotted, meaning the clear-up costs will be that much greater.

What does unoccupied home insurance provide?

The core of an unoccupied house insurance policy (sometimes referred to as empty house or unoccupied property insurance) is cover against the risks posed by fire, lightning, earthquake, explosion and aircraft.

If you need additional cover, you can add extras such as contents insurance and insurance against malicious damage, theft and subsidence.

The policy will also cover your liability risks as the owner of the property. So, for example, if a drainpipe fell down and damaged a parked car, or if there were an explosion and people outside the property were injured or killed, you would have financial protection against any claims made against you.

What determines the cost of an unoccupied property insurance policy?

Any additions you make to the basic cover will affect the cost of your policy. Other factors will come into play, such as:
- How long the property will be unoccupied;
- Why it is unoccupied;
- Whether there is building work in progress;
- Whether the property is to be let, sold or reoccupied by the policyholder.

Remember that unoccupied home insurance is not necessarily an annual policy. If you can tell the insurance company how long the property will be unoccupied, they will arrange the cover accordingly – perhaps for three or six months.

If things do not go to plan – for example, if the sale of the property does not go through as quickly as expected – you may have to renew the contract.

What can be done to control the cost?

Security is a major issue with unoccupied properties. The insurance company that provides your unoccupied property house insurance will probably specify a certain level of door and window locks. You may be able to secure discounts if you go beyond the requirements, perhaps by fitting a burglar alarm.

You can also reduce the premium by opting for a higher excess than the one stated in the policy, which might be £100 or £200. The excess is the amount you pay towards the cost of any claim, so do not set the figure at such a level that you will not be able to pay. And remember, if you set your excess at £500 and you suffer a claim worth, say, £400, you will get nothing from the insurer.

Isis insurance has been arranging unoccupied property cover for many years and has access to many schemes from some of the UK’s leading unoccupied property insurance companies with a range of covers available.

According to newspaper reports, government officials are considering using cameras at petrol stations to check insurance and tax details with the DVLA before drivers are able to fill their cars with fuel.

However Mr Trudgill told Insurance Age that the insurance practicalities need to be thought through first.

“What happens when someone has only just got insured? There is normally seven days to get on the Motor Insurance Database (MID) and you could need petrol within that time,” he said.

“As a long term thing if certificates of insurance were phased out and the MID became the ultimate proof of insurance then perhaps this could work in the future. Right now there is a time period in which to update the MID.”

The obvious gap between obtaining insurance and the record appearing on the MID could also impact on fleet customers.

Mr Trudgill confirmed that Biba would be contacting its motor committee to formulate a response over the coming week and investigating opportunities to meet with the relevant civil servants, although this may take a little longer.

“It is safe to say we are going to speak to the motor committee to consider the unintended consequences and practicalities as, with the seven day notice period, it is clearly an issue as things stand,” he added.

Isis Insurance is a specialist HGV insurance broker and has many years experience arranging competitive HGV insurance. We are not a call centre so when you contact us you will get straight through to a HGV insurance specialist who can discuss your Haulage insurance requirements with you.

The majority of European countries already charge all road users a fee. The UK has been one of the only countries that doesn’t charge foreign haulage companies for road use.

The Department for Transport said UK lorry drivers pay 16 euros for a two day trip to the Netherlands but a Dutch driver pays nothing when using British roads. Under the proposed legislation Britain will now charge £10 which is the maximum amount permitted by the EU.

British lorry drivers are still faced with the charge as the law states that a discrimination between UK registered and non-UK registered vehicles cannot be permitted.

However, policy makers are proposing to alleviate the charge by allowing British lorry drivers to claim the money back against their road tax.

The Freight Transport Association and many UK hauliers have  welcomed the move.

FTA chief economist Simon Chapman said the change was overdue.

However, he warned the new arrangement must be revenue neutral for UK companies.

He said: “Clearly, ensuring that foreign lorries pay to use our roads is the right thing to do, after all many UK hauliers spend thousands every year on using roads in Europe via different road user charging schemes.

“But as ever the devil is in the detail and FTA will be making sure that the final proposal works for, and not against, the industry.”

Isis Insurance is a specialist HGV insurance broker and has many years experience arranging competitive HGV insurance. We are not a call centre so when you contact us you will get straight through to a HGV insurance specialist who can discuss your Haulage insurance requirements with you.

The force used the lorry, loaned to them by a haulier, as bait on the A5 near Lutterworth.

The area has seen 45 HGVs targeted by thieves over the past three years, police said.

Police worked with TruckPol, a road freight crime unit, on the operation but the vehicle was not targeted.

Warning to thieves

Det Sgt Sue Coutts, from TruckPol, said: “Road freight crime is organised, increasingly violent and market driven.

“Organised criminals respond to demand, travelling the length and breadth of the country to steal goods and vehicles,” she said.

“Their methods range from curtain slash thefts to aggressive robbery and hijackings.”

TruckPol’s figures show 1604 LGVs were stolen in the UK in 2009, with 2552 in 2010 – an increase of more than 50%, with 66 HGVs stolen in Leicestershire in 2010.

Caught out

Leicestershire Constabulary worked with The Harborough District Community Safety Partnership to set up the surveillance in Magna Park, close to a distribution centre used by lorries as an overnight stop.

Officers loaded the HGV with fake goods and installed equipment to alert police if the vehicle was broken in to.

Police said the lorry was parked in a lay-by for six nights during November and December, but was not targeted.

Despite this, police said the operation had been a success and they had gathered useful intelligence, as well as arresting two men on suspicion of theft of diesel.

Sgt Steve Bunn, who is in charge of the local neighbourhood team, said: “Previous campaigns have focused on educating and warning drivers who park in lay-bys.

“This was our effort to take the fight back to the criminal by deploying techniques to catch them in the act of stealing from the lorry.

Isis Insurance are a specialist HGV insurance broker, and have many years experience in arranging competitive HGV insurance.

Commenting on a government consultation on lorry road user charging published last week, Simon Chapman, FTA’s Chief Economist, said: “Foreign lorries don’t contribute a penny to Treasury coffers, leaving the taxpayer to foot the bill for the external costs they cause. To compound the situation, foreign trucks fill up with diesel bought outside the UK, where fuel duty is far lower, so not only do they avoid contributing to the UK economy at the pumps, they also put domestic companies at a massive commercial disadvantage. Clearly, ensuring that foreign lorries pay to use our roads is the right thing to do, after all many UK hauliers spend thousands every year on using roads in Europe via different road user charging schemes.

“The proposal recognises that for this system to work it needs to be both revenue neutral and not administratively burdensome for UK hauliers. The proposal to ask for payment from UK hauliers at Vehicle Excise Duty renewal time is sensible. But as ever the Devil is in the detail and FTA will be making sure that the final proposal works for, and not against, the industry.”

The high-rate of duty of UK-purchased diesel compared to diesel purchased elsewhere in Europe has provided foreign carriers with a cost-advantage over UK-based hauliers.

Meanwhile, the gradual liberalisation of domestic haulage markets in Member States has allowed hauliers to compete fiercely for business on price, and undercut domestic rates charged by UK hauliers – pushing rates to uneconomic levels in certain parts of the UK, particularly around East Coast ports.

Chapman concluded: “A lorry road user charge will go some way to assuage industry fears over threats from Europe that restrictions governing the number of freight movements allowed in a foreign country could be removed.

“This ticks the right boxes in terms of fairness, firmness and forward thinking on future competitive challenges that the UK haulage industry may face

Isis Insurance is a specialist truck and lorry insurance broker and has many years experience in arranging competitive truck and lorry insurance. We are not a call centre so when you contact us you will get straight through to a truck and lorry insurance advisor who will be able to discuss your individual requirements with you.

The Agency estimates it removes nearly a quarter of a million sacks of litter from England’s motorways every year, but a roadside message campaign last summer reminding drivers to dispose of their litter responsibly saw a decrease in the amounts of litter collected on motorways in North West England and the East Midlands.

Roads Minister Mike Penning said:

“Litter is an unsightly and unnecessary burden and one that we can easily avoid – that’s why I am asking people to take one simple step towards make the roads a safer and more pleasant environment for everyone. The money and staff resources spent removing nearly a quarter of a million sacks of litter from England’s motorways could be far better spent elsewhere.

“Following the ‘Bag it, Bin it!’ message is an easy way to reduce litter. If all drivers kept a bag in their vehicle to store rubbish and then disposed of it safely, it would be a really positive move in tackling roadside litter.”

Roadside litter is not only unsightly, but is also a threat to the environment and wildlife and can block drains and cause flooding. For highway authorities, clearing litter diverts much-needed resources away from road maintenance and repairs, while items thrown from moving vehicles can be a hazard to other road users.

The Highways Agency plans to repeat and extend its roadside message campaign during the build-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Agency will also look to work with Defra and Keep Britain Tidy to raise public awareness of the dangers and costs of litter, and ensure that England’s motorways and major roads are set to provide safe and pleasant journeys during the Games.

Further details of the campaign can be found at  www.highways.gov.uk

Isis Insurance is a specialist HGV and Haulage insurance broker and has many years experience in arranging competitive HGV and Haulage insurance for individual HGV owner drivers and fleet operators.

The new contracts will ensure motorways and major ‘A’ roads continue to be maintained to high standards while delivering substantial savings and making the major part of the Highways Agency’s contribution to reducing the budget deficit. Nationally, the new style Asset Support Contracts (ASCs) are replacing the existing arrangements, known as Managing Agent Contractor (MAC) contracts, and will form the basis of the delivery of maintenance and improvement services for most parts of England’s motorway and trunk road network.
Key features of the new contracts include:

* maintenance standards which are ‘outcome based’ and less prescriptive about how and when work is delivered
* affordable levels of service, with appropriate quality but no reward for over-delivery
* incentives for innovation and efficiency, including the opportunity for contract extensions
* simplified pricing mechanisms with a schedule of rates and ‘year on year’ cost reduction mechanism
* a higher cost threshold for works, to allow more procurement through the Asset Support Contract rather than by separate tender
* managing technology maintenance and improvement works through the main contract, for more efficient and joined up delivery.

Derek Turner, the Highways Agency’s Network Development and Delivery Director said:

“I believe that these new contracts deliver the best possible value for money without compromising safety. This is because we are selecting only the most capable and best performing suppliers through competitive, effective and timely commercial procurement.

“The contracts may have changed, but our essential requirements remain the same – a safe and well maintained road network. Contractors will retain their incident support capability, but will be better able to deploy their staff more flexibly. Our winter fleet will work as usual to keep the network open during periods of severe weather. We and our contractors always put the safety of road users first when prioritising maintenance and improvements and we will continue to do so.”

Mike Wilson, South West Regional Division Director added:

“I am looking forward to working with Atkins Skanska to manage and maintain our network in the South West. More than 90% of the Agency’s expenditure is delivered through contractors and that is why we need to work with an efficient, effective and professional supply chain to drive down costs and deliver the highest quality service. I am confident that this new contract will do just that.”

The Highways Agency is due to award the second Asset Support Contract – for roads covering parts of the North West – later this year, with all of the Agency’s regionally based maintenance contracts moving to ASCs by 2015. In the meantime, key ASC principles will be ‘retrofitted’ to existing contracts so as to deliver cost benefits as soon as possible.

The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England’s motorways and other strategic roads on behalf of the Secretary of State. Further information can be found at www.highways.gov.uk

Isis insurance are a specialist truck and lorry insurance broker, and we have a number of specialist schemes arranged to provide cover for truck and lorry insurance. We are not a call centre so when you contact us you will get straight through to a truck and lorry insurance specialist who will be able to discuss your individual needs with you.

Spiralling fuel costs are bad for businesses, hauliers and road users. They have a devastating impact on haulage businesses, their customers and ultimately everyone through the prices on the shelves. With the cost soaring over the course of 2011, the Government is set to raise fuel duty by 3.02 pence per litre in August 2012.

The FTA is backing the FairFuelUK Campaign; a coalition of logistics organisations, motoring groups and the public, to send a clear message to Government: scrap all planned future duty rises and develop a clear and sensible way of stabilising future fuel prices for the benefit of the economy.

The FTA has set up a FairFuel e-petition on the Government website which has attracted over 130,000 signatures. Following the success of the e-petition, there was a debate on the floor of the House of Commons on Tuesday 15 November. This revealed the huge opposition to planned duty rises across the country, and across the party divide.

The FairFuelUK campaign helped to secure a better deal for Britain’s hauliers and motorists in last March’s Budget and November’s Autumn Statement, by persuading the Chancellor to both postpone a planned duty increase for April, cut duty by 1ppl and abandon a planned rise for 2012. However, this was swamped by the price of fuel rocketing with an upswing in the price of crude oil.

However, there’s still a duty rise scheduled for August 2012, which could have devastating consequences for business and motorists alike.

The FTA would be grateful if you could support the campaign by joining them  in Westminster on 7 March, as part of ‘National Fair Fuel Day’, a mass lobby and your chance to take your own experiences directly into the corridors of power.

Alongside the FairFuelUK figurehead, the motoring journalist Quentin Willson, FTA will be in Westminster encouraging our supporters to contact their MP face to face, and explain the grave impact of fuel prices on their daily life.

Please browse http://www.fta.co.uk/microsites/fuel/index.html to find out what FTA are doing, and how you can help.