Backhouse Jones News.
Archive for December , 2008
Load-Handling and LOLER
Tuesday 30th December 2008LOLER is the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The regulations aim to reduce risks to employees, and others' health and safety from lifting equipment provided for use at work.
Bulk diesel prices: continue to weaken
Tuesday 23rd December 2008UK contract bulk diesel and gas oil prices continued to weaken last week, with prices tracking recent falls on the Rotterdam product markets. Contract diesel fell 1.89 pence per litre (ppl) to 81.16ppl, which represents a fall of 6.4 per cent compared to a year ago. Gas oil fell by 2.08ppl to 37.66ppl, representing a year-on-year decrease of 16.1 per cent.
Headlamp aim at annual test: new test procedures
Tuesday 23rd December 2008From January 2008, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) will be using an electronic beam tester to test headlamp aim in the annual roadworthiness test for heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles. The introduction of electronic testing will be accompanied by a relaxation in the headlamp aim tolerances.
GB freight strategy: Government launches discussion document
Tuesday 23rd December 2008Last week, the Department for Transport published its long-awaited discussion document which analyses movement of major freight commodities on the strategic national corridors, and sets out Government's understanding of the issues affecting each freight mode. A key output of this is a series of end-to-end journey studies. The first two of these were published alongside the discussion document and cover container freight movements through international gateways and roro freight movements. It also considers how Government can work with industry to facilitate effective freight movement while mitigating its environmental and social impact.
Transport infrastructure investment priorities: 20-year vision announced
Tuesday 23rd December 2008FTA has welcomed Transport Scotland's Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR), which was published on 10 December. The review stresses the importance of facilitating freight movements as being fundamental to delivering sustainable economic growth for Scotland.
Road traffic: to rise by 32 per cent by 2025
Tuesday 23rd December 2008The latest Road Traffic Forecasts published by the Department for Transport show total traffic on the GB road network continuing to grow over the coming decades at similar rates to the recent past, but at a significantly slower pace compared to the period before 1990.
Regional trade routes: A46 Newark to Widmerpool dualling plans get ministerial go-ahead
Tuesday 23rd December 2008Ministerial agreement has been secured for the 28km long dual two lane carriageway from the A606 at Widmerpool to the roundabout at Farndon, south of Newark. Draft scheme orders will be published shortly. Work is planned to begin next summer.
Severn Bridge tolls: new prices from 1 January 2009
Tuesday 23rd December 2008On 1 January 2009, new toll prices will be introduced on the M48 Severn Bridge and M4 Second Severn Crossing. The new rates will be:
Commercial vehicle registrations: continue to slide
Tuesday 16th December 2008Registrations for heavy goods vehicles and vans are continuing to see sharp falls compared to a year ago, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
Wine barge "bus stop" call
Saturday 13th December 2008The barge shuttling wine containers on the Manchester Ship Canal from the Port of Liverpool to Irlam Container Terminal, is now making a regular "bus stop" call at Ellesmere Port en route
Driver CPC: ADR core module to count to periodic training requirement
Friday 12th December 2008The Driving Standards Agency has confirmed to FTA that part of dangerous goods training will be allowed to count towards the 35 hours of periodic training that drivers are required to complete every five years to maintain the validity of their Driver CPC.
Manchester Congestion charging: voters reject proposals
Friday 12th December 2008Manchester voters have rejected the proposals to bid for part of the Transport Innovation Fund to improve congestion in Greater Manchester.
Backhouse Jones team member James Lomax on secondment to a multi-national transport PLC.
Wednesday 10th December 2008For the full month trainee solicitor - James Lomax - will be going on secondment to a multi-national transport plc
Diesel prices: further falls anticipated
Wednesday 10th December 2008Last week bulk diesel prices rose slightly, by around 0.6 pence per litre (ppl) to 85.2ppl as at Friday 5 December.
VOSA test stations: test lane capacity cuts
Wednesday 10th December 2008Following a review of its test station estate, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has concluded that there is some over-capacity and as a result has been examining where surplus test lanes can be removed. It has identified 10 test stations across the network where extra capacity exists. At each site one test lane will be decommissioned. The decommissioning will take place when the calibration of key equipment expires. The 10 relevant stations and expected dates of de-commissioning are:
MOT testing: DfT rules out tests every two years
Wednesday 10th December 2008In November 2006, the Davidson Review of the Implementation of European Legislation - which reported in November 2006 - questioned why the UK test vehicles earlier and more frequently than the minimum requirements of EC law. EU law currently requires, as a minimum, a first test of cars not less than four years after registration, and subsequent testing not less than every other year thereafter. Currently the UK requires that cars are tested three years after registration and then annually thereafter.
Impounding: minor changes to hgv scheme proposed
Wednesday 10th December 2008The Department for Transport is consulting on the act under which regulations governing the hgv impounding regime are made.
BAR - British Association of Removers
Wednesday 10th December 2008In partnership with Baker Tilly we now offer an advice line to member of BAR.
Jobs with high injury risk pose greater issues for employers
Wednesday 10th December 2008R v Chargot Ltd (t/a Contract Services) and others (House of Lords - 10 December 2008)
Frost's radical Freight*Bus
Monday 8th December 2008Multi-disciplined design specialist, Hugh Frost's radical urban transport proposal, called On-Route, is designed to tackle the two biggest problems caused by city-centre transport today; congestion and pollution.
Graham brings four decades of corporate experience to Backhouse Jones
Thursday 4th December 2008EXPERIENCED solicitor Graham Quigley has joined Backhouse Jones as the transport specialist's new corporate solicitor.
