BUSINESS NETWORK


New lease of life for old cars at motor vehicle workshop


West Nottinghamshire College’s engineering tutors are praising locals for their response to an initiative started earlier this year. A call to the public to donate


their old cars or car-sized vans which had come to the end of their life resulted in a fleet of both old and new vehicles being available to students who are learning motor vehicle engineering at the college’s Kirkby-in-Ashfield campus. Engineering tutor Dave Rymell


said: “Our motor vehicle students constantly need different vehicles to work on and when we put the call out a few months ago offering a local collection service of vehicles no longer needed, we had such a wonderful response. “We’ve had 14 cars to date and


we’re happy to take more. Students from entry level through to Level 4 all need practice on the workings of different engines, exhaust systems


Tutor Dave Rymell (left) and Jaden Webb, who is studying the entry-level Diploma in Introduction to Vehicle Technology


and suspension systems. “It’s a win-win situation as we


get to use a car right up until its life’s end and we are helping someone to dispose of a vehicle


they no longer use.” Once the curriculum have


finished using the vehicles they are recycled and aren’t used again on the roads.


AA drives forward with grey fleet duty of care awareness


‘Unlike some of its rivals, the Arteon doesn’t flaunt its assets to attract attention’


But it’s in the rear that the


Arteon really scores over its rivals. It has good headroom, but the leg room is simply astounding. Three adults can sit comfortably


on the rear bench and, behind them, the boot is huge with a wide aperture. Given the gap between the


bumper and the backs of the seats, one might describe it as cavernous. Fold the seats flat and there is


almost two metres of useable boot floor.


Unlike some of its rivals, the


Arteon doesn’t flaunt its assets to attract attention. At first glance, it’s just a Passat, or maybe a CC. Only an experienced eye (or a fellow VW driver) will notice its lower profile and wider track. As a VW, the Arteon may not


sport a premium badge but it comes from a stable that includes Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini so you can expect, and get, premium quality.


Employers still have a duty of care to employees who use their own cars business network July/August 2018 73


Employers, fleet and HR managers should be exercising their duty of care to help their grey fleets to stay safe and legal when driving for work, says the AA. Approximately 14 million drivers use their own


vehicles for work in the UK, but many employers are unaware of their duty of care in the event of an accident.


‘Driving is the most dangerous activity for most workers during office hours’


Organisations can be prosecuted for corporate


manslaughter if an employee is involved in a fatal crash while driving their vehicle for work. But nearly half of fleet managers consider grey fleet management as ‘unimportant’, despite the risks associated with employees using their own cars for business.


Stuart Thomas, Director of Fleet and SME services


at the AA, said: “Driving is the most dangerous activity for most workers during office hours, but if your contractor were to have an accident while out on business, would you know who was liable?” It is also vital for drivers to understand the importance of responsive and responsible driving, including the correct use of technology such as satnavs. Responsible driving has risen in significance as an


issue for grey fleets since the Government increased driving penalties for offences including mobile phone use and speeding, as taking employees off the road could result in substantial periods of business downtime and loss of income. Stuart added: “Employers and HR managers can


share essential information and guidance to help drivers to stay safe and legal on the road within a driver’s handbook, which should be issued to all employees who drive for work.”


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