Road rules relaxed for car sales peaks


The UK government is to relax cabotage restrictions temporarily for car transporters carrying complete cars and vans during the two annual registration peaks - between 22 February to 31 March and 25 August to 30 September each year. While cabotage restrictions generally limit all foreign HGVs to no more than three loaded operations across the country within a seven-day period, during the periods of relaxation there will be no requirement for the vehicle to enter the UK carrying goods, and no limits on the number of operations that may be undertaken in this country. The


Society of Motor


Manufacturers and Traders welcomed the move. Commercial vehicle manager, Nigel Base, said: “We are extremely pleased that government has agreed to relax the cabotage rules ahead of the March and September registration peaks, it will enable the smooth running of these busy periods, maintaining the


UK’s current strength in new car sales and helping to boost our economy.” The Freight Transport


Association, however, was unenthusiastic, saying that it could create “a dangerous precedent” for opening up other sectors of the haulage market to foreign competition, something it would not like to see while there are such wide disparities in fuel costs between the UK and the Continent. Managing director of policy, James Hookham, commented: “We are concerned about any relaxation while the disparity in fuel duty between the UK and Continent is so great. But we recognise that the number of vehicles involved isn’t huge and it is for quite short periods of time.” He questioned, also, whether would


there be sufficient


checks and sanctions against foreign-based operators. An FTA suggestion that cabotage operators be temporarily registered had been rejected by the Department for Transport as being too complicated, something that the association disputes. James Hookham pointed out, also, that the two pre-registration peaks in transporter demand are of the UK car industry’s own making, as it had urged the government to maintain a ‘year letter’ registration system to help stimulate the new car market. FTA’s concern now is to


ensure that car transporters are not used as “the thin end of the wedge” for opening up of the entire UK haulage market. While


Damco gains Myanmar licence it is not against this as a long term


Freight forwarder Damco has


gained a permanent license to operate under its own legal entity in Myanmar, making it one of the first supply chain solution


providers to offer genuine end-to- end logistics services there, it says. The EU agreed in April to liſt


restrictions on most exports apart from arms and similar equipment.


Palletways adds Czech and Slovakia


Palletways is to extend its pan- European coverage to include full services to and from the Czech Republic and Slovakia from 2 September, bringing its coverage to a total of 13 countries. The Palletways Group network now comprises over 300 depots and 12 hub operations, with a distribution network made up of independent transport companies. Palletways is also adding a Mini


Quarter Pallet and a Light Pallet to all its pan-European services from the same date. It now offers a total of five different standard pallet types on all pan-European services, making it by far the most comprehensive offer within the sector, it says. Managing director of


Rachel Alpha


Palletways Europe, Rachael Alpha, said the addition of the two countries “reinforces our position as Europe’s largest network for the express distribution of palletised goods.”


aspiration, it would not like to see this happen while major disparities in fuel costs remain.


Scientists warn of Argie ant invasion


A group of Spanish scientists is calling for closer observations of shipping routes after they discovered that alien species of


ants are establishing


themselves in different parts of the world. The researchers have published a report in the Royal Society Biology Letters that looked at the numbers of exotic ants in the Netherlands, US and New Zealand and found that larger than expected numbers of the insects are being unwittingly shipped around the world. The BBC reported lead author Veronica Miravete, from the University of Gerona in Spain, as saying: “Due to their small size, most ants


are transported involuntarily in containers and other boxes, together with soil, wood, ornamental plants and fruits on ships or airplanes.” Once they set up home,


the new species often out- compete existing species, posing a potential threat to the environment. According to the BBC, aggressive Argentine ants have been building mega- colonies in Europe. International regulations


have demanded fumigation of wood used in packaging and in pallets for some time, but the report implies that the ants can be found in any part of shipping containers or their contents.


Third delay for Able UK decision


Transport Minister Norman Baker delayed a decision on the proposed £450m Able UK East Halton marine energy park for a third time, on 28 August. The Government had already postponed a decision on the site, near Immingham, in May and July, although the minister has now said he is


‘minded’ to approve it. He said he needed further information about the ecological impact of the scheme on the Humber Estuary and assurances that the project would not jeopardise operation of the Killingholme Branch railway. Yet another date has been set for a decision - 18 December.


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