Penning unveils lorry road charging plan


14


The UK government has announced details of its promised lorry road user charging scheme. The charge which is billed as creating a fairer deal for UK hauliers compared with those from other EU member states, would levy a charge equivalent to around £10 a day for lorries of 12 tonnes or over using any road in the UK. However, the precise charges will depend on exchange rate and inflation at the time of implementation – likely to be 2015, subject to the legislative programme. Under the plans, UK hauliers would pay an annual (or six month) charge for each HGV at the same time and in the same transaction as they pay Vehicle Excise Duty. Foreign hauliers could pay daily, weekly, monthly or annual charges. The charging levels must comply


with the Eurovignette Directive which sets out maximum daily charges. Non-payment of the user charge would be a criminal offence,


which could result in a fine of up to £1,000. The user charge would be enforced by DVLA records, ANPR cameras and roadside checks by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency. VOSA would also be able to issue fixed penalties on the spot to drivers who had not paid the charge and take financial deposits from those based outside the UK. The charge will apply to all


lorries as, under EU law, the scheme cannot discriminate between UK- registered vehicles and vehicles from elsewhere in the EU. However, the vast majority of UK


hauliers would be compensated for the charge under the government’s proposals, most likely through a reduction in Vehicle Excise Duty for UK-registered vehicles. That means that 94% of UK-registered HGVs over 12 tonnes would not pay any more than now, according to the Government’s calculations. Some 4% would pay no more than £50 a year extra and a further 2% would


pay slightly over £50 more, but the maximum extra cost would be £79, it says – and these increases could mostly be avoided by replating to a slightly reduced weight. Roads Minister Mike Penning


said: “We want to ensure that UK hauliers get a fairer deal and help maintain the competitiveness of our logistics industry. Each year there are around 1.5 million trips to the UK by foreign registered lorries – but none of them pays to use our roads, leaving UK businesses and taxpayers to foot the bill.” The Freight Transport


Association’s chief economist, Simon Chapman, commented that the gradual liberalisation of domestic haulage markets in EU 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. At the British International


Freight Association (BIFA), director general Peter Quantrill said: “On first view, this looks like a positive development. However, it is a very complicated issue and we need to look into the details.” Quantrill added that while BIFA


agrees with the principle that all haulage companies that use UK roads should contribute to the cost, regardless of where they are from, “some of our members sub-contract transport to foreign haulage companies, and it is not immediately clear how this plan might affect them. It seems conceivable that some of our members could see increased operating costs should this plan come to fruition and we will be seeking their input.” Consultation on the plan will run


until 18 April: http://www.dſt.gov.uk/consultations/ dſt-2012-03


Slow going in central Asia, says IRU study


Some 30% of transport time is lost at borders while ‘unofficial payments’ account for 28% of transport costs, according to preliminary findings of the joint International Road Transport Union-Economic Cooperation Organisation initiative to monitor international trade by road. The results, unveiled of


the Council


at of


a meeting Permanent


Representatives of the ECO, showed


that on average, 29.9% of transport time is lost at borders, while 28.3% of transport costs, excluding fuel, are due to ‘unofficial payments’. Moreover, the barriers reduce


the average speed of trucks to just 14.5km/h (9mph) across the ECO region and, said the IRU, clearly confirm the need to urgently implement the key UN trade and international road transport


Hauliers see double-dip


Economic development and transport performance in OECD and EU countries will slow down and stagnate in 2012, following a feeble economic growth in


2011,


according to the IRU Road Transport Indices. The IRU (International Road Transport Union) indices, which compare GDP growth, road freight transport volumes and new vehicle registrations in 58 countries, also predicted that the BRIC countries would continue to outperform OECD nations in terms of growth in tonnes transported in 2012. In fact, transport operators from BRIC countries transported 7.7% more goods in 2011, whereas transport operators in the


OECD and EU transported only 1.7% and 1.6% more respectively. The 2012 forecast for OECD and


EU countries shows that growth in transport volume will slow to 0.9% and 0.8% respectively, before finally stagnating in the 3rd and 4th quarters. New vehicle registrations for the first two quarters of 2012 will increase for the OECD and EU by 0.9% and 0.7%, before equally coming to a halt in the second half of the year. The IRU added that there were


many parallels to the 2008 economic crisis as well as early signs that the OECD and EU are heading for a double dip recession, although this is still avoidable.


facilitation instruments such as the Harmonisation and TIR Conventions. IRU also called for increased cooperation between ECO transit States, a multilateral transport permit system and provide multi-entry and transit visas for professional commercial drivers. According to the report, a journey from Turkey via Iran, Turkmenistan


and Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan could take 250 hours and swallow up US$7,000 in costs. Launched in June 2011 in


Ashgaba, Turkmenistan, ECO aims to analyse data on international cargo deliveries by road transport and to identify the main impediments and barriers. The final report and recommendations will be published in April 2012.


Longer trucks, maybe?


The European Commission has opened a public consultation on allowing longer trucks of over 25.75 metres and weighing up to 60 tonnes on the pan-European road network. The consultation, which runs until 27 February, would revise Directive 96/53/EC. However, the Commission


added that it has no intention of authorising use of these trucks at this stage, saying that there are still too many unknowns about the long-term impact of such vehicles, in particular on infrastructure, road safety, the environment and modal shiſt. One issue that may be addressed


is the anomaly that, whereas some EU countries’ national legislation allows 25.75m long trucks – for example Sweden and Finland – cross-border movements between such countries is, technically, illegal. The Commission is


also


considering adapting rules on vehicle length to allow improvements to aerodynamics, and allowing derogations from weight limitations for


Issue 1 2012


///NEWS NEWS ROUNDUP FORWARDING & LOGISTICS


Delamode International Logistics has opened a new Romanian consolidation terminal dedicated to the garment trade at Urziceni, about 40km from Bucharest. Growing numbers of garment manufacturers have set up in the region, catering for the quick response high fashion end of the market that cannot easily be served from China. Delamode is using its transport network in Romania to offer a groupage service dedicated to the garment trade hubbed on the new terminal.


Dachser has opened a dangerous goods warehouse at Ploiesti near Bucharest. The 6,500 sq m, 11,500 pallet spaces facility is currently the only one of its kind in Romania, says the freight and logistics company.


Danone Romania and Norbert Dentressangle Romania have joined forces to create NDL Frigo Logistics to serve the chilled goods logistics market. The new venture offers a national distribution network covering 20,000 points of sale, managed by a team of qualified Romanian logisticians and supported by state-of-the-art IT systems. General manager Jean-Claude Bernaben said “the main objective is to become market leader in chilled goods logistics in the Romanian market.”


Norbert Dentressangle has completed its acquisition of Chinese freight forwarder, APC Beijing International, following a memorandum of understanding signed in July 2011. APC Beijing International operates a network of 16 offices covering all China’s key coastal and inland regions.


Kerry Logistics is to start work on a new logistics centre at Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan Province in the second quarter of 2012. The logistics centre, scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2013, will be built on 70,000 sq. m of land and will target the electronics and technology, automobile, industrial and material science sectors.


DB Schenker Logistics will open a joint venture with long-time partner Khimji Ramdas Group in Oman in early 2012. Schenker Khimji will provide air and ocean freight, land transport, contract logistics and supply chain management. It will also add project cargo, aerospace parts and cultural and sports events to its portfolio. DB Schenker Logistics’ delegate in Oman will be managing director of the new company.


DB Schenker has opened a new branch office in Hohhot, capital of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region and its first in the area. Hohhot is major industrial city and a woollen textile production area, while the food industry is also important.


Panalpina has opened a new logistics centre in Tianjin, northern China as part of a three-year plan to set up similar facilities in Greater China. The new centre, 10,000sq m in its first phase, features a CCTV monitoring system and 24/7 on-site security personnel. It will be developed as a hub first for the whole Bohai Bay district and then for Northern China. Some 5,000 square meters are exclusively for the Bosch Automotive Diesel Systems.


electric


vehicles, together with removing some of the existing restrictions on transport of 45-foot containers. ec.europa.eu/transport/road/ consultations/2012-02-27-weights- and-dimensions_en.htm


The U-Freight Group is offering a wine tasting suite where buyers and sellers can sample vintages at its logistics centre at Pudong Airport, Shanghai, along with comprehensive storage facilities with sophisticated temperature and humidity control. It follows U-Freight’s certification under the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency Wine Storage Management Systems Certification Scheme, allowing the forwarder to officially provide commercial wine storage services at its warehouse at Kwai Chung. Earlier in 2011, one of U-Freight Logistics’ facilities in Hong Kong was officially approved by the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency for the provision of commercial wine storage.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40