News
SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT BVRLA DEMANDS ELECTRIC VAN
vehicles, according to the BVRLA. Commercial vehicles form one of the main focuses of the rental and leasing industry organisation’s new Future of Fleets Manifesto 2024, which outlines a series of measures it wants the next government to adopt. Among the BVRLA’s requests are the full alignment of rules for 4.25 tonne electric vans with 3.5t diesel vans and
T
he next UK government needs to ‘throw the kitchen sink’ at decarbonising commercial
the solving of issues facing commercial vehicles with both public and private EV charging infrastructure, including too- small charging bays and problems with grid upgrades.
Speaking at the BVRLA’s Autumn
Parliamentary Reception, where the manifesto was launched, the organisation’s director of corporate affairs, Toby Poston, said: “Van use has exploded in recent decades. It has doubled in the UK and emissions are up by 60%.
HALF OF UK VAN DRIVERS
survey by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has found 48% of UK van drivers overloaded their vehicles in the past year alone.
Vans are the only vehicle class where we have seen that sort of increase. “I would go as far as to say that the
government needs to throw the kitchen sink at commercials. “We need more fi nancial incentives to support uptake, we need to get to grips with red tape and we really need to look at the appropriate charging for commercial vehicles. Ideally, we need charging infrastructure that likes things big and heavy.”
Among the other requests contained
in the BVRLA’s manifesto are the locking in of the ZEV mandate and more support for used and rental EVs. Poston said: “I’m really proud to say that our sector is not just embracing decarbonisation, [but] it’s driving it. Our members already have around 400,000 pure electric vehicles on the road today. “Working with government, we can
harness the fi nance, the expertise and the passion in our industry and deliver millions more EVs over the course of the next Parliament.”
ADMIT OVERLOADING VEHICLES A
VW said the finding came despite 89% of drivers claiming to know the legal weight restriction for their commercial vehicle. The survey found that carpenters were the tradespeople most likely to overload their vans (63%), followed by builders (60%), electricians (55%) and painter decorators (55%). Overloading a vehicle by as much as 30% of its gross vehicle weight could lead to a fine of up to £300. According to VW, this means the nation’s van drivers are risking a combined £703m in penalties. Anything above 30% overloaded and offenders could be issued with a court summons and a custodial sentence in the most serious cases. A DVSA spokesperson said:
“DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone
Overloading a van by as much as 30% of its gross vehicle weight can lead to a fine of up to £300.
from unsafe drivers and vehicles. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure their vehicle is safe to drive. “They should make sure they know the maximum permitted gross vehicle
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weight and [the weight] limits on each axle of their vehicle. “We take enforcement action against drivers and operators who risk people’s lives by overloading or not securely
loading their vehicles. Our accessible online guidance provides everyone with the information they need to load their vehicle safely and avoid risking the lives of other road users.”
WhatVan? November 2023
www.whatvan.co.uk
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