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    Reducingthe riskTechnologys

    key rolep20-21

    Hottopics

    Fleet expertsgive their views

    p2223

    EWS P2 NEW LAUNCH P13 COMPETITION P31

    Porsche is

    threatening

    London mayor

    Ken Livingstone

    with action over

    anned congestion charge changes.

    nd the carmaker is not alone in

    posing plans to raise the charge for

    25g/km-plus emission cars.

    Mercedes-Benz has

    launched a

    rejuvenated version

    of the SLK roadster.

    This model is being

    marketed as the ideal transport for high-

    flying professional business drivers. But

    will the new version appeal to male

    motorists more?

    Three lucky readers can win a Halfords

    Rapid Digital Tyre Inflator. The bright

    LED display

    makes it easy to

    use, day or night,

    and it can inflate

    a flat tyre in

    under four

    minutes.

    FleetNewsBusiness motoring strategy and finance8.02.082.25

    fleetnews.co.uk

    HELPING

    YOURUNA

    CHEAPER

    CLEANER

    SAFER

    FLEET

    TOP STORIES ONLINE

    Road tests: Check out video

    footage of the latest cars

    Join our forums

    Fleet Van: Scare-

    mongering hides the

    truth about duty of care,

    says Jelf Group boss

    Best Citronever?C5 borrowsfrom Germansp10-11

    Y DANIEL ATTWOOD

    ost companies environmental policies are

    sed on trying to improve their corporate

    age rather than on reducing their fleets

    rbon footprint.

    Around two-thirds (60%) of companies

    estioned in a recent survey conducted by

    asterlease said company image was theain reason for adopting environmental

    et policies.

    Almost half said cost savings were also a

    ajor motivating factor.

    But Nigel Underdown, head of transport

    vice at the Energy Saving Trust, said the

    dings proved there were corporate as well

    environmental benefits to green fleets.

    He said: The good news is that this shows

    ere is a very strong business case both in

    rms of cost and image for adopting an

    vironmental fleet policy.

    Nigel Trotman, business relationship

    anager at Whitbread, who received the

    tstanding achievement award from the

    nergy Saving Trust at its 2007 Green Fleetero Awards, said cost and image were high

    the agenda when the company adopted a

    een fleet policy in 1998.

    Fuel-efficient cars save money for the

    siness and, of course, there is an environ-

    ental spin-off, he said. But the financial

    nefits were number one, followed by the

    vironment and then company image.

    The survey also found that while busi-

    sses were writing green initiatives into

    their fleet policies, many were finding it diffi-

    cult to turn those initiatives into reality.

    This is despite the UKs leasing associa-

    tion, the BVRLA, revealing that fleet manag-

    ers are demanding greener cars and that

    their drivers cover fewer annual business

    miles. In fact, British fleets have cut theirCO2 emissions by three million tonnes over

    the past three years.

    But Robert Kingdom, head of marketing

    and business development at Masterlease,

    said that while it was encouraging to see the

    adoption of greener cars, managers also

    need to focus on other areas.

    The survey found that while more than

    50% of the respondents felt their companies

    had made positive steps in terms of choosing

    cleaner vehicles, few were considering the

    impact of driver behaviour.

    It found that almost 40% of fleet operators

    did not monitor driver mileage effectively,

    despite new research showing the signifi-

    cant savings that eco-driving can produce.

    According to the new RAC research, 60%of drivers were not aware that changing up a

    gear when revs are high can reduce fuel

    consumption. A further one in 10 check their

    tyre pressures less than once a year, and

    three-quarters are unaware that under-

    inflated tyres increase fuel consumption.

    The RAC said that by adopting green

    driving techniques, fleets could see savings

    of at least 100 per driver per annum.

    Sir Mark Moody-Stuart the former

    chairman of oil giant Shell who

    called for cars that do less than

    35mpg to be banned has admitted

    that he owns two cars that do not

    even achieve 20mpg.

    When he is not

    flying to meetings

    I am not sure of

    my annual air miles

    but they are

    substantial, he

    said recently Sir

    Mark(pictured)is

    chauffeured around New York in a

    Lincoln Towncar, which can only

    return 15-17mpg in town.

    Sir Mark has also revealed in a

    series of emails to the Daily Mails

    transport editor that he owns anAston Martin a marque he named

    as one that should be banned.

    In fact, he owns two cars that

    cannot manage more than 19mpg

    a 1949 Jaguar XK120 and a 1959

    Aston Martin DB2/4 MkIII.

    I drive them occasionally for fun

    with the grandchildren. They should

    know what they will miss, he said.

    As a tip of his cap to the environ-

    mental lobby, he also owns a hybrid

    Toyota Prius.

    I think as a society we need to

    develop policies which allow people

    to have the convenience of personal

    transport, including large androomy vehicles, but at higher levels

    of fuel efficiency, he said after the

    Society of Motor Manufacturers and

    Traders accused him of hypocrisy.

    The article (Fleet News, February

    14) containing Sir Marks

    comments prompted a flood of

    readers letters, some of which are

    featured on page 27.

    Sir Mark inthe firing line

    Green image put

    above substanceAlmost two-thirds of firms adopt environmental policies to boost profileEXCLUSIVE

    [email protected]

    Most companies environmental policies are aimed primarily at improving their image

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    BY DANIEL ATTWOOD

    Porsche has said it will take the

    mayor of London to court unless

    he amends his planned changes

    to the congestion charge.

    Mayor Ken Livingstone

    announced recently that cars that

    emit more than 225g/km of CO2

    will be charged 25 to enter

    London. Previously the cost was

    8.

    All but one of Porsches current

    range of sports cars and SUVs

    emit more than 225g/km.

    Now the carmaker has said it

    will make an application for a judi-

    cial review of the proposed

    changes, which it called unfair

    and disproportionate.

    Andy Goss, managing director

    of Porsche Cars GB, said: A

    massive congestion charge

    increase is quite simply unjust.

    Thousands of car owners driving

    a huge range of cars will be hit by

    a disproportionate tax, which is

    clear will have a very limited

    effect on CO2 emissions.

    The proposed increase will bebad for London and will send out

    the signal that it is not serious

    about establishing itself as the

    best place in the world to do busi-

    ness.

    Land Rover and Masterlease

    have also condemned the

    changes.

    But Porsche may not have to

    go to court. Mr Livingstone is

    fighting for re-election on May 1.

    Conservative candidate Boris

    Johnson has yet to announce his

    congestion charge plans but said:

    Londoners use cars because ofthe appalling state of the trans-

    port system.

    And the Liberal Democrat

    mayoral candidate Brian Paddick

    said: Porsche has a point.

    A spokesman for the mayor

    said: Porsche is trying to deprive

    Londoners of their democratic

    right to decide whether they want

    gas guzzling and polluting cars to

    drive in London.

    Porsches threat comes on top

    of news that three out of four

    Londoners oppose the congestion

    charge increases, according to anew ICM opinion poll.

    EVENTS ROUND-UP

    Risk in Fleet conference website launched

    Rent-backNorthgate has launched a

    sale and rent-back product.

    Companies using the new

    product will get a cash

    injection and see the removalof depreciating vehicle

    assets from their balance

    sheet. Companies will either

    rent the same vehicles back

    at a fixed rate or, if they are

    older than 27 months, take

    delivery of new vehicles.

    Plant Corsa order

    Bill Plant Driving School

    is to order a further 100

    Vauxhall Corsas in

    addition to the 64 it has

    already taken delivery of

    over the past six months.

    The company has a

    nationwide fleet of 300

    Corsas. Jake Plant, fleet

    manager at Bill Plant, is

    pictured above with GM

    fleet sales manager Ann

    Taylor.

    Funding boostThe Department for

    Transports spending budget

    has been increased subjectto parliamentary approval

    by a staggering 584 million.

    This takes the departments

    budget for this year to

    13.689 billion. Its adminis-

    tration budget is being

    increased by 5 million to

    294.5 million.

    Answers onlineA growing number of fleet

    managers are turning to

    the internet first for

    advice, help and fleet

    management tools, says

    Chevin Fleet Solutions.Chevins website

    chevinfleet.com has

    seen an increase in traffic

    since the creation of a

    toolbox graphic that links

    to information about how

    its software can increase

    efficiency.

    NEWS

    IN BRIEF

    2 28.02.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk

    A dedicated website has been

    launched providing full details of

    this years Risk in Fleet

    Conference, including detailed

    information on the 13 speakers

    taking part.

    The website can be found at

    www.riskinfleet.co.uk

    The conference, which will

    take place on April 22 at the

    National Motorcycle Museum,

    Birmingham, will focus on

    financial risk and corporate risk,

    including the impact of the

    Corporate Manslaughter Act,

    which comes into force in April.

    The website also includes

    information on what each

    session will cover.

    Speakers include Chuck Ives,

    head of fleet for Network Rail;

    Freddie Watts, fleet manager for

    Office Depot; Nigel Trotman,

    fleet manager for Whitbread; Jon

    York, fleet manager for British

    Gas; and Paul Gallemore, head of

    health, safety, environment and

    supply chain HR for Wolseley UK.

    Senior executives from a

    number of organisations will also

    be presenting, including

    PricewaterhouseCoopers,

    Lincolnshire Road Safety

    Partnership, Norwich Union,

    Zurich Risk Engineering, Arval

    and EurotaxGlasss, FMG

    Support and Lyons Davison.

    Details are available on www.

    riskinfleet.co.uk or call Maddie

    Collins on 01733 468171, email

    [email protected]

    ppl/ppg

    DIESEL..............................110.1/500

    SUPER UNLEADED........110.5/502UNLEADED......................104.5/475

    FOUR STAR......................106.0/482

    LPG......................................53.6/244

    UK FUELPRICES

    [email protected]

    Porsche threatens

    mayor with courtThe recent cold snap has thrown

    into focus the varying quality

    standards of biodiesel and theissues of running fleets on high

    levels of the eco fuel.

    The use of biodiesel is growing

    as fleets look for cheaper and

    greener alternatives to traditional

    fuels. But not all is going as

    expected: for example, a bus

    company in Norfolk had to apolo-

    gise to customers for unprece-

    dented disruption to its services

    after the biodiesel in all of it 11

    buses froze, leaving the vehicles

    unusable.

    First Eastern Counties manag-

    ing director Peter Iddon said

    until the problems of using the

    biodiesel in cold weather are

    overcome, the bus company will

    go back to using low-sulphur

    diesel.

    Generally, biodiesel has a

    slightly higher freezing point

    than standard diesel. But, accord-

    ing to the quality of the biodiesel,

    that freezing point changes.

    According to experts at Glouces-

    tershire-based biodiesel producer

    Green Fuels, biodiesel made

    from vegetable oil behaves very

    similarly to standard diesel,

    freezing at around -12C.

    However, the spokesman said

    those blends made from tropicaloils such as palm oil, or fuel

    made from animal fat, struggle in

    the northern European climate

    with a freezing point much nearer

    to zero degrees.

    But due to the number of

    different production methods,

    there are very few standards for

    production of biodiesel. Only

    expensive high-end rapeseed oil-

    based biodiesel has a set Euro-

    pean standard EN 14214.

    Fleets running their cars or

    vans on blends of up to 5% biodie-

    sel mixed with normal diesel

    have nothing to worry about.

    Public sector fleets in e-commerce movePublic sector fleets are increas-

    ingly moving towards e-commerce

    links with major suppliers.

    The trend is part of a wider

    move towards using e-commerce

    to minimise costs and improve

    service, says cfc Solutions.

    Cfcs Andy Leech said: A

    couple of years ago, most public

    sector fleets lagged behind their

    private sector counterparts in the

    use of e-commerce. Now, some

    have caught up and even over-

    taken them.

    He said that the most advanced

    public sector fleet software instal-

    lations now have more than a

    dozen e-commerce links.

    Mr Leech explained: In fleet

    software, as in many other areas

    across IT, the use of Extensible

    Markup Language (XML) has

    made the adoption of e-commerce

    much more practical and effec-

    tive. It means that we can struc-

    ture our fleet software to take data

    from a supplier over the internet

    with ease, allowing our systems

    to talk to others without the need

    for special interfaces.

    Cold snaphits biofuelvehicles

    Porsche drivers would be hard hit by the congestion charge changes

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    Defleet dealBCA and BT Fleet have

    announced a national

    vehicle remarketing

    programme. BCA willhandle around 3,000 cars

    and vans this year for the

    fleet management company.

    BCA has sold vans for BT

    Fleet for years, but the

    addition of cars to the

    remarketing programme is

    a new development.

    Towing DVDThe Highways Agency

    has launched a new DVD

    Fit to Tow to raise

    awareness of the safety

    risks involved when

    towing a trailer. The DVD

    features demonstrations

    on how to correctly

    attach trailers, how to

    maintain them and what

    to check for to ensure it

    is safe to tow.

    AA routingTele Atlas has won the

    contract to provide the UK

    and pan-European mapping

    and routing data used by

    the AAs online routing

    resource, AA Route

    Planner. The data enables

    route planning via virtually

    every road, village, townand city as well as nearly

    40,000 places or points of

    interest.

    Pothole damageDamage caused by

    potholes increased

    significantly last month.

    Warranty Direct said the

    number of suspension or

    axle damage claims leapt

    by 46% between

    December 2007 and

    January 2008.

    Green guideA green best practice guidehas been developed to help

    fleet managers who want to

    make their fleets more

    environmentally friendly.

    The Lloyds TSB Autolease

    guide can be found at www.

    lloydstsbautolease.co.uk

    Saab schemeCars Direct has intro-

    duced an online

    programme for Saab

    dealers. It allows them to

    purchase Saab vehicles

    from the Masterlease

    Groups contract hire

    stock without visiting

    auctions.

    IN BRIEF

    www.fleetnews.co.uk 28.02.08 3

    BY KEITH NUTHALL

    Fleets could benefit from cheaper

    cars after the World Trade Organ-

    isations (WTO) seven-year-old

    Doha Development Round

    entered the final phase of negotia-

    tions.

    High on the agenda is the elimi-

    nation of import duties on cars

    and vans.

    This could substantially reduce

    car manufacturers costs and,

    depending upon the negotiating

    skills of end users such as lease

    companies, these savings should

    be passed down the line to fleets.

    The price cuts could also help

    offset anticipated increases in the

    cost of new cars brought about by

    the imposition of fines in 2012 for

    manufacturers who fail to meet

    emission targets ( Fleet News,

    February 21).

    The deal affects cars imported

    in and out of the EU, which is

    classed as one country by the

    WTO. However, there is no guar-

    antee that sufficient critical mass

    will be secured importing and

    exporting countries signing up

    must account for 99% of world

    trade in automobiles.

    Even if this is not achieved, the

    final draft deal issued this month

    includes a formula for signifi-

    cantly reducing import duties

    covering all industrial goods,

    including cars, car parts and fuel.

    Assuming the talks finish as

    planned this year, these import

    tax reductions are almost certain

    to come into force by 2010.

    Although the final reduction

    figure has not yet been agreed,

    the range of cuts being debated is

    dramatic. For example, cases

    where import duty is charged at

    100% could see that rate reduced

    to 7.4%. The weakest cut so far

    under discussion for developed

    countries would be 10% down to

    5% which is still a 50% reduc-

    tion.

    Special automobile sectoral

    negotiation chairman Don

    Stephenson said: A lot of the

    architecture for the various

    modalities are agreed or close

    enough that I would risk propos-

    ing them. Thats real progress.

    Import duty change

    could cut car prices

    A major new event designed torecognise excellence and best

    practice in the van fleet industry

    will take place on December 2.

    The inauguralFleet Van Awards

    is being launched to reflect the

    growing size and importance of

    the light commercial vehicle

    sector and the critical role it plays

    in keeping British business

    moving.

    Fleet Van, the industry-leadingmonthly title for commercial

    vehicle fleet operators, is a sister

    title toFleet News.

    The awards will cover three

    categories fleet managers,

    suppliers and vehicle manufactur-

    ers. Headline awards include van

    fleet of the year, van of the year

    and an editors award.

    The winners in each category

    will be announced during anevening ceremony on December

    2 at the National Motorcycle

    Museum, Birmingham. It will

    follow the annual Fleet Van

    Conference, which takes place at

    the same venue during the day.

    For further details contact

    events manager Sandra Evitt on

    01733 468123 or email sandra.

    [email protected]

    Strathclyde Police has introducedthe first electric scooter to be

    used for active duty by a British

    police force.

    The emission-free Vectrix elec-

    tric scooter will be used to help

    police Glasgow airport.

    The scooter, which has a top

    speed of 62mph, will be used

    mainly for patrol and parking

    duties at the airport.

    Following a two-week trial to

    test for performance and usabil-

    ity, we quickly established that

    the Vectrix was capable of meeting

    our requirements, said Inspector

    Colin Pearson, of Glasgow airport

    road policing.

    The bike will enhance our

    ability to enforce parking legisla-

    tion and also to assist the regula-

    tion of traffic within the busy

    airport road system.

    Alan Tait, assistant fleet

    manager of the transport and

    logistics department at Strath-

    clyde Police, added: The Vectrix

    has proved itself as a real practi-

    cal alternative to petrol-powered

    machines.

    It offers the same performance

    but without the harmful emis-

    sions.

    The Corporate Manslaughter

    Act, which comes into force

    on April 6, is topping fleet

    managers concerns.

    When asked what factors

    were likely to impact on their

    policy decisions over the next

    12 months, 90% of managers

    cited the new act, compared

    to 71.7% in the same period

    last year.

    Fleet News will be

    publishing a definitive guide

    to the new legislation, which

    will cover everything fleetmanagers and decision-

    makers need to know to

    ensure they are compliant

    with the new law.

    The GE Capital Solutions

    fleet services quarterly

    company car trends report

    also found that concerns over

    duty of care for employees

    driving company vehicles

    also posted an increase up

    from 92.8% to 95.5%.

    Fleet Risk Consultants has

    produced a checklist for

    managers worried about

    their compliance status. This

    can be viewed on theFleet

    News website at www.

    fleetnews.co.uk

    Fleet fears

    over new act

    Strathclyde Police are using electric scooters at Glasgow airport

    Cheaper cars could be on their way if import duties are eliminated

    FirstFleet VanAwards launched

    Blue lights go green with electric scooter

    [email protected]

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    NEWS

    Keep in touchCommunication between

    fleet managers and their

    drivers should get easier

    with the launch of a new in-

    vehicle fixed data terminal

    (FDT) by Minorplanet

    Systems. The FDT allows

    two-way communication

    with drivers via email,

    internet/intranet access,

    sat/nav and telephone.

    Hazard alertsDrivers on the M42 will

    become the first on the

    motorway network to see

    digital pictograms on

    overhead electronic

    signs. The pictograms

    will be used on 36

    existing signs over the

    motorways 11-mile

    Active Traffic Manage-

    ment stretch to warn of

    any hazards ahead such

    as congestion.

    Toll exemptionThe Freight Transport

    Association has called for

    the exemption enjoyed by

    Dartford residents, which

    allows them to use the

    tolled Thames crossing for

    free, to be extended to local

    businesses.

    Drivers let downNearly two-thirds (60%)

    of motorists are unable

    to check their tyre

    pressures because

    airline facilities on petrol

    forecourts are out of

    order. TyreSafe, which

    carried out the survey, is

    calling on forecourt

    owners to check the

    condition of their airline

    equipment.

    IN BRIEF

    www.fleetnews.co.uk 28.02.08 5

    Compulsory tyre

    checks increaseBY JOHN MASLENCompanies are introducingcompulsory tyre safety checks to

    their fleets in record numbers

    amid concerns at the level of

    unsafe work vehicles on the

    roads.

    Industry estimates suggest that

    up to 800,000 fleet vehicles are

    running on at least one unsafe

    tyre. Research by Kwik-Fit Fleet

    shows that 25% of inspected vehi-

    cles require immediate attention,

    usually because tyre tread depths

    are illegal.

    The current fine for driving on

    illegal tyres is 2,500 per tyre and

    three points per tyre on the driv-

    ers licence.

    Kwik-Fit has seen demand for

    independent tyre checks soar and

    is expecting to carry out 250,000

    this year, up from 220,000 in 2007.

    As a result, it is adding 30 vehicles

    to its 200-vehicle van fleet to cope

    with demand. One key reason for

    the increase is the Corporate

    Manslaughter Act, which comes

    into force in April.

    Companies want to prove they

    are meeting their duty of care to

    employees by keeping them safe

    on the road.

    Among companies signing up

    for the regular tyre safety checks

    is Crewe-based mobile phone

    company, the 20:20 Mobile Group,

    which operates 147 vehicles.

    Andrea Shipman, the compa-

    nys assistant manager (fleet and

    benefits), said: Not only is it vital

    from a duty of care perspective,

    but there is no lost time with staff

    having to go to centres to have

    the checks carried out.

    Cheadle-based Trinity-Chiesi

    Pharmaceuticals ensures tyre

    safety checks are undertaken on

    approximately 40 head office-

    based company cars every two

    months.

    In addition, Kwik-Fit Fleet

    mobile technicians undertake

    checks on up to 250 vehicles

    driven by staff and other people

    working on behalf of the company

    when they all attend twice-a-year

    UK conferences.

    Trinity-Chiesis Angela Hart,

    said: From my perspective as

    fleet manager, the audit trail these

    checks create is of huge signifi-

    cance in terms of demonstrating

    our compliance with our duty of

    care responsibilities towards our

    drivers.

    Fleets wanting to offset carbon

    emissions have been told they will

    be able to rely on a new code of

    practice that will ensure all offset

    companies actually provide the

    services they advertise.

    The carbon offsetting industry

    has already been told to create a

    common standard for their prod-

    ucts in advance of the new code of

    best practice.

    Its important that consumers

    who want to buy carbon offsets

    with confidence can do just that,

    said environment secretary Hilary

    Benn.

    When a consumer buys a

    tonne of carbon with the Govern-

    ments quality mark, theyll know

    theyre buying a full tonne of

    carbon.

    However, environmental

    campaign group Friends of the

    Earth has urged caution, arguing

    that the code will be of limited

    benefit.

    This code will still allow offsets

    to be sold for our increasingly

    polluting lifestyles, said the

    groups spokesperson, Mary

    Taylor.

    She urged companies to

    produce less CO2 in the first place

    rather than looking for ways to

    offset it.

    The Government rejected

    claims that the offsetting project

    would encourage more polluting

    practices.

    It has appointed AEA to become

    the accreditation body for the

    code. The code will initially only

    cover offsetting products using

    Kyoto-compliant credits.

    Carbon offsetting standard set to be introduced

    The Government has introduced

    new measures to force contrac-

    tors to carry out roadworks more

    efficiently, safely and to higher

    standards.

    Currently, sub-standard road-

    works cost 14 million a year in

    repairs and associated costs,

    such as congestion.

    The new rules, announced by

    transport minister Rosie Winter-

    ton, will see qualified road

    workers re-tested every five

    years to check they are aware of

    the latest requirements and best

    practices. At the moment,

    workers simply have to complete

    a re-registration form and pay a

    fee to stay on the Street Work

    Qualifications Register.

    In addition, councils have been

    given new powers to limit delays

    and congestion caused by road-

    works. From April 1, they will be

    able to insist that utility compa-

    nies give longer notice periods

    before starting roadworks.

    Councils will also be able to

    impose conditions, such as a

    banning rush-hour working.

    They will also be able to intro-

    duce a permit scheme mean-

    ing contractors will have to apply

    for a permit before starting

    work.

    Compulsory tyre checks can

    save staff and companies time

    [email protected]

    New rules forroadworks

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    BY KEITH NUTHALL

    Cross-border delivery of new

    vehicles by drivers could be

    banned in a bid to stamp out

    fraud.

    Dealers may be forced to use

    car transporters as the European

    Commission tries to stop tax

    evasion and registration fraud.

    The commission is proposing

    that the delivery-by-driving

    method of moving new cars

    should be excluded from the TIR

    (Transports Internationaux

    Routiers) system for the Euro-

    pean Union, which provides

    simplified customs procedures.

    The move follows concerns

    that the system whereby new

    vehicles are driven from manufac-

    turers to dealers and on to custom-

    ers across European borders is

    leading to tax evasion and fraud.

    At present, cars that are being

    driven across several inter-

    national borders attract customs

    duties and inspections only at

    their destination country.

    The commission says that

    while moving cars by transporter

    is relatively easy to control, cars

    being driven to customers risk

    being diverted on to the black

    market.

    There is a much higher risk of

    fraud, said the commission, which

    has led to it proposing banning

    the movement of unregistered

    cars by any other means than

    transporters.

    The commissions proposal

    follows a similar amendment

    made last September to the UN

    Customs Convention on the Inter-

    national Transport of Goods

    under cover of TIR carnets.

    EUROPEAN NEWS

    www.fleetnews.co.uk 28.02.08 7

    Fleet News Europe is sponsored by

    www.bca-europe.com

    www.fleetnewseurope.com

    FleetNewsEurope

    [email protected]

    Fraud concern

    over new cars Governments from eastern Europe and central Asia were hauled overthe coals this week at a United Nations Economic Commissionmeeting. The European ministerial meeting in Geneva criticised the

    governments for causing transport bottlenecks through infrastructure

    under-investment. The meeting of transport ministers was held to

    discuss how poor roads and under-equipped border crossings are

    hampering economic growth.

    The European Commission has tried to sweep away reluctance by

    transport companies to take part in public-private partnerships. Many

    companies are confused about their ability to secure public contracts.

    Brussels has now issued practical legal guidance on how such

    partnerships should be treated under European Union public

    procurement laws and procedures. More details can be found at

    www.ec.europa.eu

    The European Investment Bank has shown how it intends to pump

    money into boosting European Union biofuel production: its planning

    a41.5 million loan to Hungarian manufacturer Tempora Bioenergia

    Zrt.

    It proposes using the funds to build two oil mills and an attached

    bio-diesel refinery with a 100,000-tonne per annum production

    capacity.

    A new comprehensive air pollution data service is being created by a

    European consortium.

    It will marry up information from satellites with ground-based

    readings. Headed by the European Environment Agency and the

    European Space Agency, the system will utilise the new European

    Union GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security)

    satellite system.

    Cross-border delivery may be restricted to car transporters

    Research intodrowsy driversSwedish and Israeli researchers

    working within the European Eureka

    research network are developing a

    steering wheel sensor able to detect

    whether a driver is becoming

    dangerously fatigued or drowsy.

    Existing systems have tended to

    focus on signs of tiredness in eyes,

    but this 1.76 million project system

    will analyse steering wheel handling.

    Eastern Europe bottlenecks

    Procurement confusion

    Banks bio-diesel cash boost

    Satellite pollution project

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    8 28.02.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk

    This weeks vehicle market news and informationEdited by Julian Kirk

    TUESDAY

    Down to Kettering to have a

    drive in the new Mercedes-Benz

    C-Class Estate, which is 55mm

    longer than the saloon and due

    in showrooms next week. Since

    the current C-Class Estate waslaunched in 2001 it has ranged

    in sales volumes from 2,700 per

    annum to its highest in 2003 of

    4,815. Mercedes Benz expects

    similar figures for this all-new

    model.

    The current C-Class is heavily

    weighted towards the automatic,

    which accounts for 93% of sales.

    But Mercedes-Benz is expecting

    manual sales to rise as Hill Start

    Assist is now standard on all

    manual cars.

    The tailgate is power operated

    on all models, which is a nice

    touch and very useful. Theestate costs 1,200 more than

    the saloon, but hangs on to

    around 700 of this after three

    years and 60,000 miles. The one

    to have, like the saloon, will be

    the Sport version.

    WEDNESDAY

    Drove 490 miles from

    Huddersfield to Hasselt, on

    the Belgium/Holland border,

    in a Ford S-MAX 2.0 TDCi

    Zetec. What a pleasure it was

    to drive that distance in such

    a short time. There was not a

    squeak or rattle from

    anywhere in the car, it was

    extremely comfortable and it

    achieved 43.1mpg, which is

    a good result considering

    most of the journey was on

    motorways. The interior fit

    and finish is particularly

    good, with quality to a high

    standard.

    The S-MAX has been onthe market since June 2006,

    but this was the first

    opportunity to drive one

    since the original press

    launch, and it was every bit

    as good as I remembered.

    It is a full seven-seater,

    but there is limited space in

    the luggage compartment

    when the third row of seats

    is being used. But with seats

    folded down, the boot is

    huge. One annoying feature

    is reflection in the wind-

    screen from the top of the

    dashboard, especially when

    driving into the sun.

    The S-MAX is to get

    improvements from March 3

    production the LX is being

    replaced with the Edge, all

    models will get Bluetooth as

    standard, the Titanium will

    get a solar reflecting wind-

    screen, ambient interior

    lighting and chrome door

    handles and lower grille.

    THURSDAY

    Drove the S-MAX the short

    distance from Hasselt to Fords

    proving ground at Lomell to

    have a look at the all-new Kuga.

    This is Fords first serious

    attempt at the 4x4 crossover

    SUV market, and it sees its main

    competition as the Toyota RAV4,

    Honda CR-V and Volkswagens

    new Tiguan.

    The Kuga will be launched

    with a very simple line-up one

    engine, a 2.0 TDCi, and two trimlevels, Zetec and Titanium. Ford

    has been brave with the design,

    both externally and inter nally,

    and by starting with a clean

    sheet of paper it has managed to

    create a stunning-looking 4x4

    that should appeal to non-Ford

    drivers.

    The cars we saw were pre-

    production, but as close to the

    finished product as you can get.

    The quality appeared to be very

    high and probably the best Ford

    has produced to date.

    The Kuga goes on sale in

    June with prices from 20,495.

    THINKING CAP

    Hardworking Martin Ward scours the globe for the weeks insider fleet intelligence

    Martin Ward isCAPs manufacturerrelationships manager

    enewMercedes-Benz C-ClassEstate, due outnextweek

    GMs blue light fleetpxp p12

    Ford S-MAXTDCi impressed

    BY PHILL TROMANS

    Chevrolet is hoping a facelifted

    version of the Aveo hatchback

    will continue to boost its rapidly

    expanding European sales.

    The American marque has

    been instrumental in record sales

    for General Motors Europe last

    year. GME has seen its influence

    rise by 22% over the last five years

    and its market share has grown

    by 9.5% to its highest point since

    1999.

    Chevrolet has sold 440,000

    vehicles in Europe since 2002.

    Sales growth has been rapid, with

    33.6% growth from 2006 to 2007

    across the whole of Europe and

    10% in western Europe.

    It is now the third largest

    carmaker in the world and plans

    to keep the momentum movingthrough dealer network expan-

    sion and a growing product

    range.

    Despite the success across

    Europe, the UK does not feature

    in the top five countries buying

    Chevrolets. But there are never-theless hopes that the new Aveo

    which is Chevrolets biggest

    European seller will appeal to

    fleets. The new five-door version

    of the car goes on sale in May,

    with a three-door incarnation due

    to be unveiled at the GenevaMotor Show. A quarter of all sales

    of the Aveo in the UK are expected

    to be to fleet customers, most of

    which will be under the Motability

    banner.

    Chevrolet does quite well with

    Motability, but there will also be a

    daily rental element, a spokes-

    man for the company said.

    However, a lack of diesel engine

    could be responsible for relatively

    low sales in the UK compared

    with the rest of Europe. A UK

    spokesman said no diesel version

    was planned until the all-new next

    generation of Aveo.

    In this generation of car, there

    is no point in developing a diesel

    engine, said the spokesman.

    In the next generation, in

    three or four years time, there

    will be a whole new generation of

    engines and that will include a

    diesel.

    Chevrolet pins saleshopes on Aveo facelift

    Renault has announced details of

    its new range-topping Laguna

    models which feature high output

    engines and four-wheel steering.

    The GT models, which make

    their debut at next months

    Geneva Motor Show before

    going on sale in April, feature

    sports styling including 18-inch

    alloy wheels and a new front-end

    treatment to set them apart from

    less powerful Lagunas.

    Available with a 205bhp turbo-

    charged 2.0-litre petrol engine or

    a 180bhp 2.0 dCi turbodiesel,

    both models come with Renaults

    active drive chassis which uses

    the rear wheels to steer either

    in line with the fronts for higher

    speed stability or turning in the

    opposite direction to aid slow-

    speed manoeuvrability.

    Prices will be announcedcloser to launch.

    Laguna GTsset for launch

    [email protected]

    A quarter of Aveo sales are expected to be to fleet customers

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    s blue light fleetpxp p12

    www.fleetnews.co.uk 28.02.08 9

    Citron C5 launch p10-11 Volkswagen Caddy Maxi p12 Mercedes-Benz SLK p13 Long-term update p14-15

    Splashing outSuzuki has revealed pricing

    for its new Splash city car

    which goes on sale next

    week. The 1.2-litre GLS

    model will cost 8,999 while

    the GLS+ version, which

    adds 15-inch alloys, front

    foglamps and privacy glass,

    is priced at 9,499. Power

    comes from an 86bhp

    1.2-litre petrol engine,

    although a 1.3-litre 75bhp

    diesel is available at 10,499.

    Engine optionsSaabs new 1.9-litre TTiD

    twin-turbo diesel engine

    can now be ordered in

    Vector Sport trim on the

    9-3 with prices starting at

    25,315. It was previ-

    ously available only on

    the Aero models.

    Kuga pricing

    Ford has announced detailsof its new Kuga SUV model.

    On sale from June, it will be

    available with one engine

    choice the familiar 2.0-litre

    TDCi turbodiesel and two

    trim levels. Prices range

    from 20,495 to 22,495.

    Yaris upgradeToyota has upgraded its

    Yaris SR models, adding

    a combined satellite

    navigation and stereo

    system as standard. The

    unit, which can be

    detached and used as aportable device, offers a

    touch-screen, Bluetooth

    telephony and a USB

    connection. Prices start

    at 10,995.

    Macho machine

    This macho-looking

    machine is the hot version

    of Fiats 500. Power for the

    Abarth 500 comes from a

    1.4-litre turbocharged petrol

    engine delivering 135bhp.

    IN BRIEF

    Mercedes-Benz has a new

    method of going green in the

    works. After its emissions-

    reducing Bluetec diesel technol-ogy, its next big idea revolves

    around hybrids.

    This S400 Hybrid features a

    275bhp petrol V6 mated to an

    electric motor that will boost

    power to 295bhp. It has CO2

    emissions of 190g/km, but

    improves on the current

    equivalent, the S350, which

    does just 28mpg and emits

    242g/km of carbon. Two diesel

    hybrids are also being developed

    the S300 Bluetec in 2010,

    boasting 52.3mpg and 142g/

    km, and the S400 Bluetec, with

    261bhp, 48.7mpg and CO2

    emissions of 154g/km.

    Powered by...Mercedes-Benz turns to hybrids

    Spyshot

    Peugeot is adding to its 308 lineup with the announcement of two

    new models the SW estate and a

    GT hot hatchback.

    The performance 308 GT THP

    175 will be the first to arrive in

    April, powered by a turbocharged

    1.6-litre petrol engine which also

    finds a home in the smaller 207

    GT model.

    This engine produces 175bhp,

    which gives the GT a 0-62mph

    time of 8.3 seconds and a top

    speed of 140mph.

    Claimed combined fuel

    economy is 37.1mpg and CO2

    emissions are 180g/km.

    The other new arrival is the 308

    SW estate which goes on sale inJune.

    Billed as a more practical

    member of the 308 range, the SW

    offers up to 2,149 litres of load

    space with the seats folded down,

    and 674 litres when they are in

    place.

    There is also a panoramic glass

    roof and the option of two extra

    seats which can be folded down

    into the boot space.

    308 range adds performance and practicality

    New cars registered between

    March and August will retain

    300 more over three years

    than those bought at any other

    time of the year.

    Research by EurotaxGlasss

    of more than 100,000 trade

    values shows that the owner of

    a three-year-old car registered

    during that period would be

    offered 300 more in part-

    exchange than someone

    trading-in a similar car

    registered between September

    and February.

    Adrian Rushmore, managing

    editor at EurotaxGlasss, said:Used car buyers remain

    willing to pay more for the

    most up-to-date registration

    plate available within their

    budget, but dealers consis-

    tently report a price premium

    for the March to August plate

    (ie 02, 03, 04, etc) series

    because people find it much

    easier to identify the age of the

    car.In the typical year, sales

    during the period September

    to February usually account

    for around 45% of total annual

    registrations, so these weaker

    residual values are affecting a

    very significant number of

    used cars.

    Buyers show plate prejudiceA dramatic new concept car

    featuring suicide rear

    doors is pointing the way to

    future Vauxhall people

    carriers.

    Due to be unveiled at next

    months Geneva Motor

    Show, the Meriva Concept

    uses rear-hinged doors,

    dubbed FlexDoors, to make

    access to the rear seats

    easier.

    Although just a concept,

    expect the door system to

    make it into production on

    the next Meriva mini-MPV

    model due next year. And

    dont bet against the next

    Zafira gaining FlexDoors,

    either.

    Unlike other cars with

    these type of doors, the rear

    ones can be opened

    independently of the fronts,

    and Vauxhall has also

    developed an electronic lock

    system so children cannot

    open the doors.

    Vauxhall hints at future

    Adrian Rushmore

    Peugeot has added the GT THP 175 (left) and SW to its 308 range

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    Break open the champagneCitron borrows German thinking as the impressive new C5 prepares to win back its fleet share

    NEW LAUNCH: CITRON C5

    BY STEVE MOODY

    According to Andr Citron in

    some recent adverts from the

    manufacturer Different is every-

    thing.

    Well, not any more it seems,

    because the firm that has revelled

    in its legacy of French inventive-

    ness and eccentric individuality

    has decided that German is

    everything with its new C5.

    Citrons new upper-medium

    model is being touted in its

    marketing as a new German

    saloon, replete with German

    quality, made in France. Inferior-

    ity complex? Looks that way.

    Its no surprise that Citron

    should cast envious eyes at its

    neighbours. In the fleet market,

    Citrons influence has waned in

    direct contrast to the rise of the

    German premium brands.

    And to be honest, it was all

    Citrons fault. Once it was selling

    40,000 Xantias a year to fleets, but

    then came the wilderness years

    and the first C5 its uninspiring

    appeal matched only by its

    tendency to unreliability, espe-

    cially of the electrical sort, which

    saw sales drop into the low

    thousands.

    So talking endlessly about how

    much better this new one is, and

    how it has been built with all the

    attention and exactitude of the

    keenest Klaus is a brave move

    that goes one of two ways: the C5

    backs up that claim and every-

    body raises a glass of champagne,

    or the industry sniggers at

    another French manufacturer

    claiming to have built a precision

    instrument, when in fact weve

    ended up with a kazoo.

    First impressions, though,

    suggest it is going to go the first

    way, because this new C5 is a very

    lovely car indeed.

    Starting on the outside, the C5

    looks the part, taking some of the

    bold design of the C6 such as the

    concave rear window and wide

    double chevron-peaked nose

    alongside some solid-looking

    flanks while the boot area hasclearly been nicked from Audi. It

    works really well though: French

    dressing garnishing German

    starch.

    Inside, the C5 is just as good

    with very high quality materials

    indeed. Some of the soft plastics

    are so yielding you can almost

    leave a thumbprint while the flam-

    boyant sweeps of the door handles

    show real thought.

    The improvement in quality,

    even over the much-improved last

    Picasso, is marked. Apparently

    this is down to a new approach in

    the development process. Previ-

    ously the designers would design,

    then hand the plans over in their

    entirety to the engineers. Now the

    designers work with the engi-

    neers, meshing together to solve

    production issues. Seems logical,

    and it seems to have worked.

    The engines are what you

    would expect from a PSA group

    car, with the diesels to the fore:

    1.6 HDi 110, 2.0 HDi 138, 2.2 HDi

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    www.fleetnews.co.uk 28.02.08 11

    The focus on all things Allemagne is

    laudable in other areas. Its good to

    see that Citron hasnt given the C5 a

    brittle ride while trying to make it

    sporty, but has stuck to its guns on

    how a Citron should drive. Driving

    for business is a stressful businessand this C5 might well be the perfect

    antidote.

    We started off in the 1.6 HDi 110

    with Hydractive suspension. It is not

    especially fast, but it is quiet and

    there is more than adequate

    performance for the type of laid-back

    drive this car lulls you into. The

    Hydractive suspension floats you

    across all manner of road surfaces.

    My only complaint is the controls.

    The centred steering wheel boss is

    littered with little symbols and

    switches, while the centre console has

    that PSA system that requires

    binoculars to identify the buttons.

    Then we moved on to a 2.0 HDi

    with metal suspension. Suddenly I

    noticed there was a road under the

    rubber, and it felt a little more lively

    through bends.

    BEHIND THE WHEEL173 and 208bhp 2.7 HDi diesel, all

    with particulate filters. On the

    petrol front, theres the requisite

    lame duck 3.0 V6 as well as 1.8

    and 2.0 versions, both of which

    have high-ish emissions.

    They wont see much action:

    fleet is going to take up the largest

    share of sales, with up to 70%

    heading to the company car park,of which most will be diesel.

    Quite what that number will be

    exactly is shrouded in secrecy.

    For some unfathomable reason,

    Citron prefers not to talk about

    volume.

    This has to be a mistake: the

    firm has had a legacy of cash-

    backs undermining residuals and

    dodgy build quality. It now has a

    top drawer product. Its the time

    to be open and frank about every-

    thing and start building some

    trust. At a guess, 10,000 units a

    year seems a reasonable volume.

    With the range starting at

    15,600 and rising to around

    24,000, the residual values

    quoted at the launch were surpris-

    ingly high the 36% predicted by

    CAP after three years and 60,000

    miles would be a superb achieve-

    ment seeing as the old car ended

    in the mid-20s.

    So what is going to make the

    C5 achieve these heady heights?

    Well, as mentioned before the

    cabin is well-built and trimmed, is

    spacious front and back, and it

    comes with all the gadgets

    expected of a Citron such as

    Lane Departure Warning System,

    the fixed centre steering wheel

    and the latest generation Hydr-

    VERDICTThe C5 looks really good and it

    drives nicely, seems very well

    put together and is very

    comfortable, too. Despite all the

    waffle about the German

    influence, the C5 feels like a

    French car should without being

    built like French cars have been.

    In my book, that makes for a

    winning combination. Citron is

    well and truly back in fleet.

    FACT FILE

    Model: 1.8 2.0 3.0 V6 1.6 HDi 2.0 HDi 2.2 HDi 2.7 HDi V6

    Max power (bhp/rpm): 127/6,000 143/6,000 215/6,000 110/4,000 138/4,000 173/4,000 208/4,000

    Max torque (lb-ft/rpm): 125/3,750 148/4,000 214/3,750 177/1,750 236/2,000 273/1,500 325/1,900

    Max speed (mph): 124 130 133 119 127 136 139

    0-62mph (secs): 11.0 9.7 11.7 9.2 12.2 10.6 9.2

    Fuel consumption (mpg): 35.8 33.6 26.9 50.4 47.1 43.5 33.6

    CO2 emissions (g/km): 188 198 248 149 157 172 223

    On sale: April (saloon), June (Tourer)

    Prices (OTR): 15,600-24,000

    active III + suspension which has

    setting for sport and normal.

    On this version, though, there

    is a metal sprung suspension

    version available for those that

    prefer their cars on more tradi-

    tional seating.

    But can you really be 100% confident?

    Actually yes, you can. We can help you assess and understand your risks and develop an

    ongoing action plan that targets high risk areas and delivers immediate impact. Fleet Sense,our complete road safety solution, will give you confidence and help manage driver risk.

    At its launch, Brake, the Road Safety Charity, named us Fleet Service Provider of the Year.

    So, if youre not 100% confident youve got Duty of Care covered, visit the confidence machine

    at www.ltsba.co.uk/confidence and see how the experts can give you a boost.

    For further information, get in touch

    www.lloydstsbautolease.co.uk

    0800 085 4128

    If youre 100% confident youvegot Duty of Care covered......dont call us

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    BY MAURICE GLOVER

    A new compact van range is

    expected to drive Volkswagen to

    another year of record sales.

    But a passenger-carrying

    version of the Caddy Maxi also

    promises to allow the firms van

    division to take a dramatic fresh

    turn in Britain, believes director

    Robert Hazelwood.

    Being 47mm longer than the

    Caddy provides the Maxi with a

    longer load deck, a 4.2 square

    metre volume and 800kg payload

    potential.

    Five hundred examples of theLife, a luxury version of the Maxi

    with seven seats and generous

    luggage capacity, will reach Van

    Centre showrooms this year as

    the division attempts to boost the

    sales it achieves with the Trans-

    porter range in the burgeoning

    taxi and hotel shuttle sector.

    Mr Hazelwood said: The stan-

    dard Caddy helped us break the

    30,000 sales barrier last year and

    were confident the Maxi range

    will add another 2,000 units

    during 2008. But were really

    excited by the Life version its a

    natural business-to-business

    vehicle and I think it will also

    prove an attractive proposition to

    certain fleet users.

    The Maxi Life has twin sliding

    side doors for easy access to the

    centre and rear seats.

    In seven-up form, it has a

    380-litre boot under the rear

    parcel shelf but with the back

    bench seat removed, luggage

    capacity reaches 1,350 litres.

    With two occupants on board, a

    massive load volume of 3,700

    litres is available.

    Volkswagen Groups familiar

    1.9-litre TDI engine in 105bhp

    form is used in two of the three

    models on offer with a manual

    five-speed gearbox or a six-ratio

    DSG automatic transmission.

    A 2.0-litre turbodiesel with a

    manual six-speed gearbox drives

    the top version.

    A single trim level provides

    anti-lock braking with engine

    braking control, electronic brake-

    force distribution, traction control

    and driver, front passenger and

    side airbags.

    NEW LAUNCH:VOLKSWAGEN CADDY MAXI LIFE

    12 28.02.08 www.fleetnews.co.uk

    VERDICT

    Size matters in this sector, and

    theres no doubt the Maxi Life

    is a practical proposition. But

    the rearmost seat takes up a

    lot of space when its not

    needed and is difficult to

    remove.

    Breathing new Life into sectorVolkswagen hopes passenger-carrying Caddy Maxi will appeal to the hotel shuttle industry

    Despite its bulk, the Life feels much

    like a large saloon from behind the

    wheel. It cruises in an easy, relaxed

    manner and seems suited to long-

    distance work.

    Performance is spirited from the

    1.9-litre TDI unit and is better still

    with the 2.0-litre, which is highly-

    geared to cruise in a particularly

    subdued manner. The bigger engine

    comes at a premium but matches

    the economy of the 1.9-litre despite

    being nimbler and considerably

    faster.

    BEHINDTHE WHEEL

    FACT FILEModel: 1.9 TDI 1.9 TDI auto 2.0 TDIMax power (bhp/rpm): 105/4,000 105/4,000 140/4,000Max torque (lb-ft/rpm): 250/1,900 250/1,900 320/4,000Max speed (mph): 102 103 1160-62mph (secs): 14.3 13.5 11.1Fuel consumption (mpg): 44.8 40.4 44.1CO2 emissions (g/km): 166 185 169Prices (OTR): 15,99517,995On sale: Now

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    BY MAURICE GLOVER

    A rejuvenated version of the

    Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster is

    to be pitched as ideal transport

    for high-flying professional busi-

    ness drivers.

    Extra performance coupled

    with more dynamic looks, greater

    fuel efficiency and leading safety

    and security features should help

    the facelifted two-seater win wider

    appeal in the user-chooser sector,

    believes Mercedes-Benz UK

    managing director Dermot Kelly.

    Due on sale in April, the revised

    range will spearhead the German

    firms drive for an increased share

    of the company car market.

    Our performance in the corpo-

    rate sector may appear to be

    modest compared with our

    premium sector rivals, but our

    policy has never been to force

    sales and we never will. Despite

    that, our volume of 21,500 last

    year was more than 4% up on what

    we achieved in 2006.

    Im expecting a similar level of

    growth this year as we put a total

    of eight new and revised model

    ranges in the showrooms and

    were off to a great start with thelatest SLK.

    Mr Kelly added: Back in 1996,

    this car introduced the folding

    metal roof and the concept has

    since inspired lots of imitators in

    the sectors below and above. Now

    were offering it with greatly

    improved driving dynamics, plus

    the styling edge to match its new

    personality Im confident it will

    attract a lot more buyers to the

    brand.

    At the media launch of the

    range in Monaco, Mr Kelly told

    Fleet News: The SLK was unique

    at launch and has alwayscommanded a strong share of the

    roadster market.

    It has maintained its strength

    and is still the one to beat.

    Restyled four years ago, the

    cars front end has been revised

    with a grille featuring a bolder

    three-pointed star emblem and

    more pronounced V-theme

    styling.

    At the rear, a new bumper

    arrangement includes two shaped

    exhaust pipes.

    According to Mercedes-Benz,

    the folding roof remains the best

    in the market, taking only 22

    seconds to open or close at theflick of a switch.

    Airscarf, a patented heating

    system delivering a warm flow of

    air through vents in the seat head-

    rests to make top-down travel

    viable during cold weather, is also

    unsurpassed in the sector but it

    remains a 350 option.

    Interior upgrades include a new

    instrument cluster, Bluetooth

    hands-free technology, fresh trim

    materials, a three-spoke steering

    wheel with multi-function buttons,

    enhanced telematics and full iPod

    and MP3 connectivity.

    But the biggest changes lie

    under the bonnet with a revisedengine line up that delivers

    greater power with up to 10%

    improved operating economy

    across the range along with

    substantially reduced exhaust

    emissions.

    Significantly, the 2.0-litre 200

    Kompressor model the lead-in

    car that accounts for 58% of SLK

    registrations in the UK boasts

    the greatest gains. With an extra

    21bhp and greater torque, it

    provides improved acceleration, a

    higher top speed and 4.2mpg

    better economy.

    Output of the top 55 AMG V8

    and mid-range 280 versions

    remain unchanged but both have

    improved economy and emissions

    while a new sport engine allows

    the 350 V6 to offer an extra 33bhp

    with 30.7mpg average economy

    and cleaner emissions.

    Mr Kelly said: We see the SLK

    as a product that has considerable

    potential as part of the incentive

    packages offered by some busi-

    nesses. It is also appeals to high-

    ranking professionals.

    This is an iconic product that

    doesnt have direct rivals but is

    now decidedly more competitive

    against products like the Audi TTRoadster, BMW Z4 and the

    Porsche Boxster and represents a

    significant step in our moves for

    steady growth.

    Business users like it because

    of safety features such as adaptive

    airbags and the high level of secu-

    rity provided by its roof system.

    With the new dynamic styling,

    we think the car certainly has

    more of an edge. It comes from a

    premium brand with premium

    prices, but weve made significant

    investments in the last three years

    to move from 23 to two in customer

    satisfaction surveys and are now

    delivering premium service along

    with the residual values that

    promise a profitable proposition

    for our customers.

    SLK aims at perk driversTe revised roadster offers greener engines and improved performance to target corporate buyers

    www.fleetnews.co.uk 28.02.08 13

    NEW LAUNCH: MERCEDES-BENZ SLK

    VERDICTWomen own six out of every 10

    SLKs in Britain, but with extra

    power and SL styling cues, the

    latest car is likely to be more

    appealing to men, too.

    A lot has happened on the roadster

    scene since the original SLK broke

    cover 12 years ago and Mercedes-

    Benz has had to respond to

    increasing competition.

    Theres nothing radically different

    about the facelifted model, but a

    series of small changes reinforce the

    premium feel from behind the

    wheel.

    Pride of place in the line-up goes

    to the 55 AMG, which makes a

    glorious noise and has enough

    muscle to make blistering

    performance feel almost casual

    although with 305bhp under its

    more rakish bonnet, the 350 isnt

    that far behind it.

    But for most SLK customers,

    tweaks to the 200 Kompressor

    version are more significant and are

    set to underpin much of the growth

    Mercedes-Benz wants.

    After detailed attention to the

    pistons, supercharger and engine

    management system, the four-

    cylinder car has the agility to go

    with its more macho stance. Clever

    new direct-steer gadgetry thatprovides slicker response over twisty

    routes as well as making parking

    manoeuvres easier is a 220 option,

    which is a pity but even without

    it, the lead-in model still feels

    appreciably better. And a longer top

    gear ratio improves cruising

    refinement into the bargain.

    BEHINDTHE WHEEL

    Model: 200K 280 350 55 AMG

    Max power (bhp/rpm): 184/5,500 231/6,100 305/6,500 360/5,750

    Max torque (lb-ft/rpm): 184/2,800 221/2,500 265/4,900 376/4,900

    Max speed (mph): 146 155* 155* 155*

    0-62mph (secs): 7.6 6.3 5.4 4.9

    Fuel consumption (mpg): 36.7 30.4 30.7 23.0

    CO2 emissions (g/km): 182 220 219 288On sale: April

    Prices (OTR): 29,705 51,875 *Electronically limited

    FACT FILE

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    Spin doctor gives all clearPremium feel, solid body and sporty chassis make Mondeo a pleasure for driver and passengers

    BY DANIEL ATTWOOD

    Time behind the Mondeos wheel

    has been limited recently.

    One of the reasons was that the

    cars traction control system was

    being checked by the local Ford

    dealer. The master technician

    found the safety system in order.

    The explanation I have since

    been given, although not by Ford,

    is that the ESP settings on the

    Mondeo allow a degree of front

    wheel spin more than some

    drivers would expect. My experi-

    ence of the system when corner-

    ing on slippery roads says Ford

    has got it wrong and has set the

    system to permit too much spin

    and eventual understeer.

    Other drivers will disagree,

    arguing that the greater degree of

    freedom that Fords system

    permits for the driver to correct

    his own mistakes is a plus.

    Regardless of individual driver

    preferences, the ESP settings do

    not detract from the fact that the

    car already benefits from excel-

    lent inherent stability. Ford has

    got this aspect right. Indeed, it

    often requires deliberate provoca-

    tion to force the car into under-

    steer situations, which is

    something most drivers would

    not be practising in what is, after

    all, a family estate.

    Economy has not improved,

    despite driving with the dual-zone

    automatic climate system deacti-

    vated, which should have knocked

    the mpg up. Taking rural, urban

    and motorway driving together,

    the Mondeo still only returns

    36.6mpg, which is far below the

    47.9mpg claimed by Ford.

    Another reason the Ford has

    sat in the drive was to allow time

    in a rival car the new Mazda6

    which was driven for a few days to

    compare it to the Mondeo. While

    it was a saloon, so practicality was

    not in the equation, the Mazda was a sportier, more responsive

    car. The 2.0-litre diesel engine

    was punchier and the chassis

    more agile. Surprisingly, the trac-

    tion control on the Mazda cut in

    far quicker than the Mondeos.

    But the family was still happy to

    see the far more comfortable and

    premium-feeling Mondeo back in

    the drive. The Mazda might be

    more fun to drive, but its packag-

    ing, especially the interior plas-

    tics, means it falls short of the

    standard set by the Ford.

    The overall sensation when

    travelling in the Ford is that it is a

    quality car. The use of premium

    interior materials, the excellent

    seats, the solidity of the body and

    the sporty set-up of the chassis all

    add up to a car that is a pleasure to

    drive and be driven in.

    Of course, the masses of

    optional extras fitted into this

    range-topping Titanium X model

    help, but even the base model

    offers that premium feel.

    FACT FILEPrice: 23,095

    (27,870 as tested)

    Mileage: 3,270

    CO2 emissions (g/km) : 156Company car tax bill (2008)40% tax-payer: 168 per monthInsurance group: 9Combined mpg: 47.9Test mpg: 36.6CAP Monitor RV: 6,975/30%Contract hire rate 504Expenditure to date: NilFigures based on three years/60,000 miles

    LONG-TERMERS: FORD MONDEO 2.0 TDCi TITANIUM X ESTATE

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    BY MARTYN MOORE

    Theres an iPod adapter in our

    long-term C220 CDI Sport and a

    three-hour drive to Brighton

    presented an ideal opportunity to

    try it out. The connector lead is

    in the glovebox and feeds the

    AUX input on the hi-fi. Once

    connected and selected the iPod

    goes into random track playing

    mode and I quite liked the bizarre

    juxtaposition of Haydn and

    Mozart with The Killers and Max

    Powers Hot n Sticky (the

    maximum bass sex mix).

    But Ive also got a BBC Learn

    To Speak French collection on

    my iPod and halfway down the

    M11 I found myself conjugating

    the verb tre: je suis, tu es, il est,

    elle est

    The C-Class is a great car for

    eating up the miles. The satellite

    navigation told me it would take

    three hours from Peterborough

    to The Grand Hotel in Brighton

    and it was dead right. I was

    blessed with a clear run down

    the A1, A14, M11, M25, M23 and

    A23 and arrived feeling fresh.

    My friend Quentin Willson

    once told me that part of his defi-

    nition of a classic car is one that

    makes you feel better after

    driving it than you did before you

    drove it. By Quentins criteria the

    C-Class Sport is a classic. It looks

    handsome, it oozes quality and

    the driving experience is just

    engaging enough any more

    and it would be demanding, any

    less and it would be dull. Would I

    swap it for my beloved 1972

    Jaguar XJ6? Of course I would.

    Twenty-seven hours later I

    had survived theFleet News Busi-

    ness Forums and was telling a

    fellow diner that I was planning

    to drive back to Peterborough

    that night. Guests at The Grand

    have their cars taken away and

    parked by valet and I actually

    heard these words come out of

    my mouth: Yes, Im having the

    Mercedes brought round now,

    actually. The smile on my

    companions face said: Tosser.

    But the Mercedes-Benz

    doesnt always bring out the

    worst in me. Since my three-point

    licence encounter before Christ-

    mas, I drive legally all the time.

    The cruise control is perfect for

    fast, clear runs like the one to

    Brighton and I have seen fuel

    economy rise considerably as a

    result.

    The night-time drive north

    from Brighton was blighted by

    fog, especially around Dartford.

    The switch for the front and rear

    fog lights is part of the main light

    switch. You can have just the

    front lights on or the front and

    rear one, but not the rear fog

    light on its own. And because Im

    awkward, this didnt suit me.

    If thats the level youve got to

    go to find a criticism, there cant

    be a lot wrong with this car.

    Driven to perfection in a classicHandsome and oozing quality, the C220 CDIs fuel economy rises as cruise control takes over

    Price: 28,002(36,762 as tested)

    Mileage: 9,065

    CO2 emissions (g/km) : 160

    Company car tax bill (2008)40% tax-payer: 204 per month

    Insurance group: 14

    Combined mpg: 47.9

    Test mpg: 43.8

    CAP Monitor RV: 11,275/41%

    Contract hire rate: 550

    Expenditure to date: Nil

    Figures based on three years/60,000 miles

    FACT FILE

    MERCEDES-BENZ C220 CDI SPORT

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    ROAD TEST: RENAULT LAGUNA SPORT TOURER 1.5 dCi DYNAMIQUE

    Laguna on road

    to redemptionTis improved new model has made a giant leap forward

    BY STEVE MOODY

    I suppose wed better get the

    quality issue out of the way first.

    In the week I had the Laguna

    Sport Tourer, nothing went

    wrong. No lights flashed warn-ings at me, no pieces of trim came

    loose and the keycard unlocked it

    every time.

    What this means for the future

    of the car is difficult to say, as

    seven days and about 500 miles is

    not exactly a vehicular lifetime,

    but I am not exaggerating when I

    say this is an unusual, and

    welcome, occurrence in my

    history of driving Lagunas and

    Meganes. I reckon Ive had more

    than my fair share of limp-home

    incidents over the years.

    This legacy haunts Renault and

    the Laguna brand, to the pointthat this model will keep paying

    for the misdeeds of the last gener-

    ation. A senior leasing industry

    executive I spoke to the other

    week said he thought the new

    Laguna was much, much better

    than the last one, and seemed

    well screwed together. But for the

    time being, he would be keeping

    a watching brief, with conserva-

    tive residual value and contin-

    gency-laden SMR estimations,

    and not getting too excited. Yet.

    So this time next year, after

    many thousands of miles in many

    thousands of Lagunas, we will

    have our answer. Will Renault

    have made that big leap? As my

    old gran would say, you can only

    speak as you find and the new

    Laguna Sport Tourer impresses

    on a number of counts.

    First off, the 1.5-litre dCi engine

    handles with the assured medioc-

    rity of any saloon or estate in thissector excepting the Ford

    Mondeo and Mazda6. The inte-

    rior feels solid enough, though it

    has not exactly set my heart aflut-

    ter. But my brain is not wired to

    use that keycard, which I kept

    losing in pockets. Also, I found

    the seating position odd. Its a

    really personal thing, and one

    persons armchair is anothers

    torture rack, but the seat squab

    felt as though it was tipping

    forward and I ended up having to

    sit with my limbs stretched out to

    be anywhere near comfortable. As for the estate part of the

    Laguna, you cant fault it. Its

    design works better than the less

    inspiring hatchback and I can

    report that 18 square metres of

    oak flooring can be swallowed

    with disdainful ease in boxes,

    not laid out flat, I should add.

    The rear seats flip down flat

    with a quick and easy flick of two

    levers allowing nearly 1,600 litres

    of boot space. Its not the sector

    leader, being more than 100 litres

    shy of the voluminous Honda

    Accord, but with a perfectly flat

    floor and sides with no intrusions,every last inch can be used.

    Up front, its a decent enough

    car without being brilliant, while

    in the back, company car drivers

    who need usable space should

    certainly give it a look. For fleet

    managers, it seems the Laguna is

    finally on the path to redemption.

    Ford Mondeo estate

    1.8 TDCi 100 Edge

    Volkswagen Passat

    estate 1.9 TDI S

    All four estates are at the lower end

    of their ranges. In terms of luggage

    capacity, the Mondeo has the largest

    volume with a maximum of 1,733

    litres, followed by the Passat at

    1,641 litres. The Sport Tourer and

    SW are more lifestyle estates with

    lower volume carrying ability.

    407 17,053Passat 17,277Laguna 17,335Mondeo 17,730

    THREE RIVALS TO CONSIDER

    P11D PRICE

    SMRCOSTAll four cars are extremely close in

    terms of service, maintenance and

    repair. The 407s 1.6-litre 110bhp

    engine needs servicing every 12,000

    miles while the Laguna needs a visit

    every 18,000. The fact that SMR

    costs for the Laguna are predicted to

    match the Passat and Mondeo

    bodes well for it.

    EMISSIONS AND TAX RATESRenaults dCi diesel engines are

    always impressively low when it

    comes to emissions and frugal in

    terms of fuel economy, and the

    Laguna continues that legacy.

    However, the tax brackets being

    shaped the way they are from April

    negates its advantage slightly.

    VERDICT

    The new Laguna is a big step up for Renault, and any driver

    looking for a new estate car will have to put a visit to a Renault

    dealer in their schedule because, on all fronts, this car competes

    with the best in the class. But in this test, it is hard to ignore just

    how far ahead the Passat is. It may not have the equipment

    levels of the others, and the engine is a little older and slightlyless refined, but it has the interior space and is cheap to run.

    WINNER:Volkswagen Passat estate 1.9 TDI S

    FUEL COST

    DEPRECIATION COST

    Because of its excellent engine, the

    Laguna has a clear advantage, witha fuel bill nearly 300 less over

    60,000 miles than the next best

    thanks to official combined economy

    of 56.5mpg. Its rivals are closely

    matched with the Passat, with its

    old 1.9 TDI engine, the least frugal.

    Laguna 8.27/4,962

    407 8.75/5,250Mondeo 9.05/5,430Passat 9.20/5,520

    The Passat is a clear leader in terms

    of residual value. Its combination of

    superb image and decent load-

    carrying ability certainly give it an

    edge. The Mondeo fares disappoint-

    ingly, while the Laguna is much

    healthier than the old one. The

    ageing 407 is just holding on too.

    Passat 17.76/10,656Mondeo 20.21/12,126Laguna 20.26/12,156407 20.76/12,456

    WHOLELIFE COSTIn wholelife cost terms, the Laguna

    is very much back in the hunt for

    fleet business with strong

    performances across the board. But

    the Passat is a long way ahead of

    the competition, thanks mainly to its

    residual values. The new Mondeo

    does averagely and no more.

    Passat 30.26/18,156Laguna 31.71/19,026Mondeo 32.47/19,482407 32.97/19,782

    ppm/60k total

    Laguna 3.18/1,908Mondeo 3.21/1,926Passat 3.30/1,980407 3.46/2,076

    www.fleetnews.co.uk 28.02.08 17

    Laguna 133g/km/18%407 148g/km/20%Mondeo 154g/km/21%Passat 154g/km/21%

    Peugeot 407 SW

    1.6 HDi 110 S

    FACT FILEP11D value 17,335CO2 emissions (g/km) 133BIK % of P11D in 2008 18%Graduated VED rate 115Insurance group 7Combined mpg 56.5CAP RV (3yr/60k) 5,600/31%Monthly lease (3yr/60k) 392

    Low running costs Good build quality Practical load bay

    Seating position That infernal keycard Legacy of last Laguna

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    Black box helps firm cutT-Mobiles driver safety campaign leads to fall in insurance claims and reduced expenditure

    The perfectly behaved, inci-

    dent-free driver is the stuff of

    dreams for most fleet manag-

    ers. However, one company

    has been leading the way in

    changing the behaviour of its drivers for

    the better and has started to see significant

    results.

    Global telecommunications provider

    T-Mobile currently has 7,100 employees

    working in the UK. Its domestic fleet of

    more than 800 vehicles is made up of 343

    FLEET SAFETY: REDUCING RISKS

    benefit cars, 259 sales and business use

    cars and 205 operational vehicles.

    All the companys drivers, including its

    engineers, have personal use of their work

    vehicles, adding an extra layer of risk to the

    companys fleet management.

    Various safety initiatives have been

    implemented by T-Mobile since 2004 and

    have seen fleet vehicle collision rates fall

    steadily. However, the firm believed even

    more could be done to reduce accident

    numbers.

    Towards the end of 2006 the company

    set out to further reduce driver risk and

    improve safety, fulfilling its duty-of-care

    responsibilities along the way. T-Mobile

    wanted to implement a new scheme that

    would accurately identify risky drivers and

    then promote a sustainable change in their

    performance.

    For the past 15 months every one of

    T-Mobiles operational drivers has travelled

    with a black box in their vehicle, monitor-

    ing their every gear shift, harsh braking

    actions and hard cornering.

    The devices, provided by risk manage-

    ment specialists Green Road Technologies,

    record all aspects of a cars movement,

    from accelerating and braking to cornering

    and adherence to speed limits. Data is then

    uploaded to each drivers personal profile,

    which can be viewed online or via text.

    When drivers view their journey

    summary they get details of their speeds

    and manoeuvres and are given a safety

    level for each journey. Trips with 0-20 harsh

    manoeuvres are labelled as green for

    safe, 20-50 amber for adequate and 50+

    as red for cause for concern.

    Drivers can also view their overall safety

    level and driving trends over the past weeks

    and months and see whether or not their

    performance is improving.

    The system is live and non-stop, so driver

    performance is assessed, and checked,

    round the clock. It also means that drivers

    can rack up safety stars, awarded when

    they execute manoeuvres competently,

    complete journeys in the green etc, along

    with red branded trips, in their leisure

    time.

    Since the implementation of the scheme

    T-Mobiles drivers have been monitored in

    groups, based around their normal regional

    BY EMMA COOPER

    For more information and details of our 3 Day Test Drive Programme call 0870 010 0651*

    Official Government Environmental Data. Fuel consumption figures mpg (litres/100km) and CO2 emissions (g/km). BLS Saloon - Urban 34.9 (8.1), Extra Urbanmetallic paint at extra cost (500). Prices are correct at time of going to print and are subject to change without notice. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offers may be varied or withdrawn at any time. *3 Day Test Drive vehiclesBank Holidays. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes.

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    river risksteam structures, and are able to see the

    overall results for their group. Driver

    profiles remain anonymous, both fromteam-mates and managers.

    This means that drivers with a frequent

    red score do not face any harsh rebukes

    from colleagues or bosses. The decision to

    drive more sensibly is down to the

    individual.

    Frank Arthur, human resources supply

    manager at T-Mobile, said the monitoring

    was initially met with resistance from

    drivers. However, this was overcome once

    drivers learned they would not be punished

    for bad driving and managers raised the

    prospect of rewards for good driving.

    We grouped drivers into teams and

    talked about possible rewards and driver

    thoughts on the project. We have now

    begun to see positive competition within

    and between teams.

    There are no punitive measures taken

    against drivers. Instead we have a system

    of reward and recognition that works, he

    says.

    Avoiding punishment for bad driving,

    employees are encouraged to improve

    their performance behind the wheel with

    tempting incentives. Drivers are rewarded

    with shopping vouchers worth between

    10 and 100 when they accumulate a

    certain quota of safety stars. There is no

    limit to the number of vouchers anemployee can accrue.

    The vouchers have been a real incen-

    tive and drivers have really engaged in the

    safer driving scheme, says Mr Arthur.

    Along with rolling incentives, T-Mobile

    has tried to cement good driving habits in

    the minds of its drivers by running speed

    awareness events and driver training work-

    shops. Just six weeks after monitoring

    began in September 2006 dangerous driver

    behaviour had been reduced by 50%.

    Since the scheme started T-Mobiles

    insurance claims have dropped by 18%,

    which equates to a 23% reduction in costs.

    Comparing the fuel consumption between

    red and green drivers the company has

    seen a further 7% drop in expenses.

    The system has made a real difference

    to our costs, says Mr Arthur.

    Were not telling people what they

    should be doing. Instead were respecting

    our drivers and providing them with a tool

    to help them decide to change their driving

    habits.

    The behavioural changes weve seen

    are all the result of opening up the process

    to the drivers and getting them involved.

    JUST SIX WEEKS AFTERMONITORING BEGAN,

    DANGEROUS DRIVERBEHAVIOUR HAD BEEN

    REDUCED BY 50%

    CADILLAC. THE STUFF OF LEGEND.

    Driven by kings, presidents and rock stars.

    57.6 (4.9), Combined 46.3 (6.1) CO2 164g/km BLS Wagon - Urban 34 (8.3), Extra Urban 55.4 (5.1), Combined 44.8 (6.3) CO 2 167g/km. Models illustrated includere subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. Please refer to the 3 Day Test Drive voucher for details. Programme is for 25+ fleets and is available for Mainland UK only. Phone lines are open from 8.00am-6.00pm Monday-Friday excluding

    (And a spec thats legendary too.)To celebrate the introduction of the Cadillac BLS

    Wagon, were offering it for the same price as the

    Saloon. For just 21,495, both are fully loaded,

    including Satellite Navigation, full leather interior,

    climate control, integrated Bluetooth, heated seats,

    alloy wheels and Bose

    stereo. Who says fame costs?

    BLS Elegance Wagon or Saloon. 1.9 Diesel. 150 PS.

    Both 21,495 OTR

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    MARK SINCLAIRHead of AlphabetRising fuel

    prices, the

    effects of

    scaled CO2

    taxation and

    growing aware-

    ness of a

    potential

    severe squeeze

    on energy costs in the next few

    years all these are feeding

    through into fleets and drivers

    actions. More than half the cars

    registered by Alphabet in 2007

    were in the under-150g/km CO2

    bracket, with a 350% leap in cars

    with emissions below 120g/km.

    I also expect to see growing

    interest in green travel plans in

    2008, with tele-conferencing,

    working from home and car

    sharing as key areas. This will

    help to reduce emissions but

    the primary business objective of

    the move will be to benefit the

    bottom line by cutting mileage

    costs.

    PETER TATLOCKManaging director,MasterleaseThe environ-

    ment is an

    area of mixed

    messages

    and the

    industry is

    currently

    waiting in

    limbo on

    potential changes to Approved

    Mileage Allowance Payments,

    capital allowances and

    benefit-in-kind tax, which we

    hope will be clarified in thisyears Budget.

    These factors could make

    company cars much more

    appealing to businesses that

    have decided to

    take the

    cash route. At the moment

    there are many potential

    environmental and taxation

    changes being bandied

    around that fleet

    managers need clarification

    on before making important

    fleet decisions.

    PHIL MAIRSHead of operations,RAC ServicesDrivers using a

    hand-held

    mobile phone

    is one of the

    things that

    were too used

    to seeing you

    probably saw

    at least one

    person talking away while you

    were on your way in to work this

    morning. What about your

    drivers are they doing it too?

    Our motoring compliance unit

    has identified that half of the

    drivers with a conviction for

    using a hand-held mobile phone

    also had more than three points

    on their licence. Licence

    checking is a very effective way

    of helping to enforce your

    company car policy regarding the

    use of a mobile phone while

    driving, particularly with the

    recent increase in points on

    company car driver licences for

    this reason.

    In one case, we were asked to

    confirm a time and date of the

    offence which we obtained from

    the court. The employer cross-

    referenced their records and as

    the driver was driving a company

    vehicle on company time, the

    drivers employment was

    terminated.

    JULIE JENNERChairman, ACFOFuel cost is a

    major issue at

    the moment.

    People are

    asking how to

    keep track of

    the costs.

    There are

    some people

    out there who werent truly

    aware of the real cost to them

    and because of the price hike

    its a big thing to try and

    control it and figure out the

    best way forward.

    People are also trying to

    anticipate what will come out

    in the Budget.

    Will we finally get an

    answer on the state of play

    regarding potential changes to

    Approved Mileage Allowance

    Payments (AMAP