Backhouse Jones News.
Archive for May , 2009
Graduated Fixed Penalties: go live date 28 May
Tuesday 26th May 2009Members are reminded that Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA)
Refunds of vehicle excise duty: correct use of V14
Tuesday 26th May 2009The 2008 Finance Act introduced new rules concerning refunds
National Trade Routes: M25 - widening and operation contract let
Tuesday 26th May 2009The Highways Agency has let a £6.2 billion Design,
Electric vehicles: Mayor of London launches 2015 strategy
Tuesday 26th May 2009Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, has launched an ‘Electric Vehicle Delivery Plan' for London
Scottish ferries review: online business survey
Tuesday 26th May 2009The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a review of all of Scotland's internal ferry services
Long-term rail freight plans: DfT publishes strategy paper
Tuesday 26th May 2009The Department for Transport (DfT) has published a strategy paper reiterating the basis of the Strategic Freight Network (SFN) for rail
Commercial Vehicle Safety: The Foresight Saga
Thursday 21st May 2009Would European roads be safer if the latest electronic control systems played a bigger part in controlling vehicle steering and braking?
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
Thursday 21st May 2009Also referred to as electronic stability program (EPS) or on trailers “roll stability program” (RSP).
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Thursday 21st May 2009Also knows as “lane guard system” (MAN), “lane keeping support” (Volvo) and “telligent lane assist” (Merc).
Adaptive cruise control (ACC)
Thursday 21st May 2009This is designed to prevent braking distances becoming dangerously small.
Advanced Emergency braking system (AEBS)
Thursday 21st May 2009This is forecast to offer the greatest safety benefit to cost.
Driver alert support (DAS)
Thursday 21st May 2009This monitors driver’s alertness and issues a warning when it is reckoned to have deteriorated to a dangerous level.
The Employment Act 2008 – Its effect on redundancy
Thursday 21st May 2009As we have previously discussed in our article dated 7 April 2009, the Employment Act 2008 has repealed the statutory disciplinary and grievance procedures introduced by the Employment Act 2002. This has had a knock on effect on the law relating to Redundancy.
10 Things You Need To Know
Wednesday 20th May 2009TOP TEN FAILURE ITEMS at the Annual PSV Test
RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2009
Tuesday 19th May 2009The 2009 RHS Chelsea Flower Show’s ‘Urban Garden’ awards have been given for outstanding designs suitable for small urban spaces.
Traffic Commissioner addresses question of phoenix companies, administration and repute.
Monday 18th May 2009The case was Heard in the Transport Tribunal and we have summarised the transcript below:-
The number of lorries on UK roads has fallen dramatically, with the cut being linked to the recession,
Friday 15th May 2009Department for Transport figures show. The total fell 12% in the first quarter of this year on the same period in 2008, and 7% in the previous quarter. The number of lorry drivers looking for work is reported to have increased fivefold in the past 12 months.
Cabotage: transitional restrictions lifted for remaining 2004 accession states
Thursday 14th May 2009As from 1 May 2009, hauliers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary are no longer constrained by the transitional cabotage scheme that has been in place since those countries joined the EU on 1 May 2004.
Heavy Goods Vehicle Incident Analysis
Tuesday 12th May 2009Data has been retrieved and analysed from the Highways Agency command and control incident database specifically looking at incidents involved Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV’s) in the North West region during a two year time period – 1st March 2007 to 1st March 2009.
What is a risk assessment?
Friday 8th May 2009Very generally, a risk assessment is a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to you or to other people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or whether you should do more to prevent harm.
PI reform 2010 delay
Friday 8th May 2009Implementation of the long-awaited Ministry of Justice personal injury reform has been delayed until April next year.
Local Transport Act Implementation Bulletin
Friday 8th May 2009Introduction from Nick Bisson, Director, Regional and Local Transport Policy, Department for Transport:
Road Transport Working Time Directive: Commission's proposals rejected
Wednesday 6th May 2009The European Parliament, yesterday Tuesday 5 May, voted to reject the European Commission's proposals to amend the Road Transport Directive.
Working-time: future of opt-out discussions fail
Wednesday 6th May 2009Last week, talks on the EU Working Time Directive broke down without agreement being reached.
Driver CPC administrative arrangements: DSA consults on improvements to scheme
Wednesday 6th May 2009The Driving Standards Agency (DSA), on Tuesday 5 May, launched a consultation proposing measures to improve the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) scheme which affects professional bus, coach and lorry drivers. The proposed improvements include:
Routine hgv driver walk around check: new DVD from FTA
Wednesday 6th May 2009From 1 April 2009, Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) roadside enforcement staff and the police have had new powers to issue fixed penalty notices for infringements linked to vehicle roadworthiness, overloading and drivers' hours and records offences.
First Corporate Manslaughter Prosecution Announced
Tuesday 5th May 2009The Crown Prosecution Service (“CPS”) has announced that they have commenced the first prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
Caution ahead
Monday 4th May 2009Few industries have been hit harder by the recession than haulage and logistics.
LV calls for stringent EU wide driving standards
Monday 4th May 2009A new report ‘The rise of EU drivers in the UK’, commissioned by car insurer LV, has revealed that HGV traffic from the EU has increased by a third.
Shapoor v MIB: Liability for Failure to Report RTA to Police
Friday 1st May 2009In circumstances where an uninsured driver gave misleading information as to whether he was insured, the innocent claimant did not breach clause 13 of the Uninsured Driver Agreement 1999 in failing to report the accident to the police. The appeal concerned the correct construction of the condition precedent set out in clause 13 of the 1999 Agreement. Although the point is often taken by the MIB there is no reported decision.
