The Freight Transport Association (FTA) has commented on the forthcoming toll rise for the Severn Crossing which will see prices for lorries increase by an extra 90 pence in the New Year. The FTA has condemned the decision made by the Severn River Crossing PLC (SRC), who built the bridge, to increase the charge for hauliers from £17.20 to £18.10. The Severn crossing is a vital trade corridor and the FTA is concerned about the impact on businesses on both sides of the river.

Ian Gallagher, FTA’s Policy Manager for Wales, said,”Severn tolls already cost companies many thousands of pounds a month; this latest price hike will make life a lot tougher for hauliers who cross England into south Wales and comes at a time when companies are already struggling in the face of higher fuel costs. In an industry with notoriously tight profit margins, road freight operators often have no choice but to pass their costs on to the customer, which stokes inflation and is certainly not good news in a faltering economy”.

Ford Focus Zetec S

Ford is adding a new Ford Focus Zetec S to its model line-up with the new car being specifically designed for the UK market. The Zetec S combines sporty styling and economy, offering a choice of four engines, including the new 1.6-litre 180PS EcoBoost petrol engine.

The Zetec S is based on the Zetec model but adds a full sports styling kit, 17-inch alloy wheels with sports suspension featuring stiffened springs and dampers, aluminium-style sports pedals, red LED tail lamps and Ford Power starter button.

Ford Focus Zetec S interior

The four engine options are as follows;

• 1.6-litre 180PS EcoBoost petrol (0-62mph in 7.9 seconds, 139g/km of CO2 and a top speed of 138mph)
• 1.6-litre 115PS TDCi ECOnetic
• 1.6-litre 125PS Ti-VCT petrol
• 2.0-litre 163PS TDCi

Anthony Ireson, Ford Britain marketing director, said,”Zetec S models have always been popular with UK customers and so we are delighted to welcome our new Ford Focus Zetec S to the range. With sporty exterior body styling and impressive performance and economy, this latest addition is set to be another showroom hit”. Ford contract hire is on the site now.

Do you need a new van?

London’s new Low Emission Zone requires larger vans, minibuses and other specialist diesel vehicles to meet “Euro 3″ emission standards if they are able to drive freely in the new zone, which comes into effect on the 3rd January 2012. Research conducted by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has found that out of the 3.57 million vans on UK roads at the end of 2012, over 31% were not eligible.

The new legislation will result in many van operators having to pay a daily charge to enter the zone. Usually, “Euro 3″ vehicles are those that have been registered after the 1st January 2002, so if you run a commercial vehicle that is older than 10 years from January next year, you may well be affected.

Paul Everitt, Chief Executive of the SMMT, said,”It’s not only emissions that improve when owners and operators upgrade, fuel efficiency also gets better, returning real-world benefits on top of the LEZ savings. SMMT anticipates a slight rise in commercial vehicle registrations in this last quarter of 2011 as owners and operators buy-into more efficient, compliant vehicles. The CV market has been strong all year and is up 20% for the year-to-date. It’s clear that those businesses and individuals running vans and trucks in the capital have already begun to renew their vehicles and we’ll be watching with interest how the market performs over the next few months.” 

If you are thinking about changing your commercial vehicle then we have all models available now on contract hire.

Further information about the Low Emission Zone can be found at the TfL website.

Honda has announced that normal car production will resume due to an improvement in the supply problems in Thailand, with full car production at Swindon re-commencing on Monday the 19th December 2011. This will also see the start of mass production of Honda’s new Civic.

The severe flooding in Thailand had affected the supply of parts however with the situation improving, Honda is getting back to normal. Andy Platek, Director of Manufacturing at Honda in Swindon, said,”Our Associates have shown great understanding over the last month and we are all now really excited about the prospect of starting to produce our new Civic”. If you are interested in the new Civic as your next company car then we have Honda contract hire prices on the site now.

Bentley Mulsanne

Bentley has been recognised with the “Best of the Best” award, by Robb Report magazine for luxury sedans (saloons), at the recent 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. The prestigious “Best of the Best ” award was presented in front of the Mulsanne Executive Interior Concept, a multimedia connectivity concept that offers an impressive array of business, comfort and entertainment features.

The Mulsanne EIC allows senior executives to conduct business on the move (or unwind between meetings) with Mulsanne rear passengers receiving individual Apple iPad workstations with full internet access, plus a large drop down LED screen ensures you can watch movies or television as well. In addition to the Mulsanne EIC, Bentley showcased the new Continental GTC and the new Continental GT at the show.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has called upon the UK government to use today’s Autumn Statement to deliver tangible changes to unlock private sector investment and support export-led growth. Specifically they want the government to focus on the following.

• R&D tax credit reform – Offer reform to make the R&D tax relief ‘above the line’ to generate more investment and jobs, by making the incentive more visible and allowing the UK to compete more effectively with overseas competitors.
• Capital allowances – Allowances for capital spending in the UK are now among the lowest in the G20. To grow and develop the domestic supply chain, government must therefore help smaller and medium enterprises (SMEs) to invest now in plants, machinery, technology and retooling.
• Skills – Skills are vital for productive and globally competitive suppliers. Flexible government support is needed to deliver up-skilling of the existing workforce and also support for advanced apprenticeships.
• Business rates – The competition for investment and new model development with sister plants is intense for UK manufacturers. Current business rates for manufacturing sites are not internationally competitive, risking global investors favouring other countries in Europe and around the world in a drive to reduce cost per car.
• Access to affordable finance – Without the ability to obtain competitive finance and credit, businesses across the UK – particularly SMEs – are unable to invest and grow. The government’s credit easing plan has to be well targeted to meet the needs of the businesses it is trying to support.

Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive, said,”Action to build the competitiveness of UK plc through private sector investment will be key to delivering economic growth. Next week’s Autumn Statement will be crucial in determining the rate of UK economic recovery and the future decisions of global automotive companies and their supply chains”.

EV charging point

Elektromotive, the Brighton-based electric vehicle (EV) charging station manufacturer, is calling on the Chancellor to continue with the £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant for buyers of electric vehicles. The Plug-in Car Grant is due for review in early 2012 and Elektromotive considers the electric vehicle incentive is crucial to consumer uptake of cars like the Nissan LEAF and Mitsubishi i-MIEV.

Only 786 cars were sold using the grant in the first three quarters of 2011 ,which is well short of the Goverment’s 8,000 unit cap incentive and as more car manufacturers bring qualifying electric vehicles to the market it does seem sensible to continue with the incentive.

Calvey Taylor-Haw, Managing Director of Elektromotive, said,”Persuading consumers to invest their time and money in new technology always presents challenges, but it’s important to provide buyers with an incentive. With enough money left in the pot from this year, and valuable tax revenue accrued from each EV sale, the Government could easily continue to offer the remaining fund to those joining the electric vehicle revolution in 2012″.

Toyota GT 86

Toyota will unveil the eagerly waited Toyota GT 86 four-seater sports car at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show with a return to its sporting roots. The Toyota GT 86 has a 197bhp Subaru horizontally opposed, front mounted, 1,998cc petrol engine, coupled with Toyota’s D-4S injection technology, powering the rear wheels of the car.

It has MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear and rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, with ventilated disc brakes fore and aft. The car comes with either a six-speed slick manual transmission or six-speed automatic with paddle shift operation on the steering wheel and is an entirely driver-focussed, compact sports car.

Toyota GT 86

The lower grille has a “scorpion” look giving the GT 86 a powerful appearance and the rear spoiler, twin exhausts and the “86″ piston logo all convey the power of this new sports car. Inside the steering wheel is trimmed in buckskin for best performance and grip and the instrument cluster is arranged around a large tachometer.

The driver-focus of the cockpit is further enhanced by carbon-effect trim, all-black roof lining, red stitching on the upholstery, aviation style rocker switches and lightweight aluminium pedals. The Toyota GT 86 should go on sale in June next year when full details on pricing, vehicle specifications and accessory options will be released.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists has reduced its Skill for Life advanced driving and riding training programmes by 10% this Christmas, with prices down from £139 to £125, as part of a special Christmas gift voucher scheme. The Skill for Life course consists of regular coaching sessions with one of 200 regional volunteer groups and when you are ready, you are put forward for the advanced test, which has an eighty per cent pass rate “first time”.

There are many other driving and riding courses on offer, including track “Skill Days”, “Momentum” courses for younger drivers and even a cycling course as well. Further information can be found at the IAM website through the following link;  www.iam.org.uk/xmas

The Classic Cars Classified website for classic car enthusiasts has just been sold to Bauer Media for an undisclosed sum. The website was established on 2004 and is the number one website for anyone interested in buying or selling classic cars from around the world. The site receives around 1 million visitors per month from the UK, USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand and has just been re-built to improve its ease of use.

Bauer Media (who also own Fleet News - one of Comparecontracthire.com’s partners) commented,”The UK’s best website for buying and selling classic cars, parts and automobilia – Classicarsforsale.co.uk – has been redesigned to make both buying and selling a classic car even quicker and easier as well as more secure. It is still completely FREE for private sellers to place adverts and there are great packages available for dealers and traders”.