BVRLA News August/September 2018

August/September 2018

The bimonthly newsletter of the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association

MIB votes to mutualise terrorism insurance risk The BVRLA has welcomed the announcement from the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) that from the 1 January 2019, they will handle and pay the claims from victims involved in a terrorist event where a vehicle is used to kill or injure, removing the risk from individual insurers.

More than 75% of motor insurers voted in agreement of the change, following a 28-day ballot which closed on 19 July. As a result, the relevant element within MIB’s Articles of Association has changed to bring claims arising from the use of a vehicle as part of an act of terrorism within the scope of the claims paid by the Bureau.

BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney said: “Without this change, individual insurers would undoubtedly have started to remove themselves from our market, compromising the vehicle rental sector’s ability to continue to provide affordable insurance products

to consumers, and in the worst case, could have resulted in some rental operators going out of business.”

The BVRLA has been lobbying on this issue since 2017, after a spate of terrorist attacks involving rental vehicles. The association was backed by Neil Coyle, MP for Bermondsey & Old Southwark, where the London Bridge terror attack took place in June 2017.

Mr Coyle raised the issue in Parliament and explained to ministers the problem that businesses have in securing adequate insurance.

He sought the government’s commitment to consider the issue and introduce changes to better protect the business community, including vehicle rental companies.

The need to mutualise terrorism risk was one of five priorities outlined in the BVRLA report published in March that also called for:

› A compulsory new national accreditation scheme for vehicle rental companies › A set of new security measures that are developed in collaboration between law enforcement, policymakers and the vehicle rental sector › Proportionate and realistic policy measures that do not play into terrorists’ hands by causing undue disruption to businesses and individuals › Government to increase efforts to remove online content that is used to inspire and guide extremists on carrying out vehicle attacks The BVRLA will now work with the MIB as part of a working group and will represent the vehicle rental sector’s interests to ensure that it can continue to provide affordable insurance. u

YOUR ASSOCIATION In the media spotlight…

Gerry’s note: Deal or no deal…

Welcome to the BVRLA family A louder voice of influence Expanding our team 2018 Fleet Technology Congress

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SECURITY & INSIGHT RESEARCH Rental/leasing worth £49bn Latest Leasing Broker Research

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LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT Funders encourage e-Learning e-Learning for rental firms List of L&D opportunities

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SECURITY Scammers push bogus deals

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REGULATION & COMPLIANCE Ask Adam

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AIR QUALITY & EMISSIONS MPs back BVRLA Plug-in Pledge Government promotes Pledge

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YOUR ASSOCIATION

In the spotlight‌ During the first six weeks of Q3, the BVRLA was mentioned in 290 news articles, up from 145 during the same period last year.

215 articles appeared online and 75 in print.

Stories focused on Rental tips, the Oxford Economics report, Fleet Technology Congress, Plug-in-Pledge, SME awareness of Clean Air Zones, HGV CAZ Ministerial meeting and Van VED reform.

There was a good level of coverage in regional and national press, who published our rental tips, Plug-in-Pledge and stories relating to Clean Air Zones. There was also a high level of trade media coverage both online and in print. u

THE BVRLA TEAM Chief Executive: Gerry Keaney Secretary to the Chief Executive: Kate McLaren Management Accountant: Bharti Ladwa Accounts Assistant: Melanie Richardson Director of Communications & External Relations: Toby Poston Public Affairs Manager: Rachael Hewish Research & Insight Manager: Phil Garthside Media Relations & Communications Manager: Andrea Davies Marketing & Communications Executive: Tamsin Stuczynska Director of Member Services: Nora Leggett Events Manager: Fran Hampson Member Services Executive: Laura Birdsey Director of Policy & Membership: Jay Parmar Membership Manager: Greg Theaker Senior Compliance Officer: Adam Holt Compliance Officer: Hayleigh Clayton Compliance & Membership Co-ordinator: Diane Alexander CRM Data Manager: Robert Burford Senior Policy Advisors: Patrick Cusworth Jinmi Macaulay Government Affairs Manager: Paul Thompson Legal & Policy Executive: Amanpreet Kalu Operations Manager: Amanda Brandon Conciliation Service Manager: Sallie Catchpole Conciliation Service Officers: Stephen Dix Sarah Philp Laura Pite Mairead Sullivan

Gerry’s note: Deal or no deal, we will remain resilient The deadline for the UK to agree an exit deal with the EU is looming ever closer. We are now only weeks away from the October deadline and the momentum for scenario planning appears to have ramped-up across Whitehall ‘just-in-case’ we face a no-deal outcome.

Although policymakers and politicians are busy negotiating and scenario-planning, all whilst navigating choppy uncharted waters, the vehicle leasing and rental industry is carrying on calmly with business as usual, safe in the knowledge that whatever the outcome, we will remain resilient and strong.

The BVRLA’s recent economics report revealed just how strong our industry is, earning an estimated £37.3 billion in turnover through its leasing and rental activities in 2017. The vehicle rental and leasing industry makes a significant direct contribution to UK GDP, contributing around

£49bn per year to the UK economy, supporting over 465,000 jobs and generating £7.6bn in taxation annually. These are impressive figures.

The automotive industry has always been dynamic, innovative and responsive to change, au fait with the art of surviving, and indeed thriving, in the face of fast-paced economic, environmental, political and technological change. This was the case before we joined the EU and it will continue to be the case after we have left, deal or no deal.

The 32-page Oxford Economics report can be downloaded from the BVRLA website and is certainly worth a read. u

Gerry Keaney, BVRLA Chief Executive

British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association River Lodge, Badminton Court, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP7 0DD Tel 01494 434747 Fax 01494 434499 Email info@bvrla.co.uk Web www.bvrla.co.uk © COPYRIGHT BVRLA 2018

BVRLA News articles may be used copyright free by members provided that an acknowledgement is given.

Chairman Matt Dyer Vice-Chair Nina Bell Honorary Treasurer Brian Back | August/September 2018

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YOUR ASSOCIATION

Welcome to the BVRLA family Since the previous edition of BVRLA News was published, the association has welcomed 19 Corporate members, six Leasing broker members, one Rental broker member and four Associate members

Associate members

Corporate members

Acare Leisure Minehead, Somerset Bulbruin St Albans Look After My Car Warwick Class 1 Vehicle Hire Larbert, Scotland www.lookaftermycar.co.uk Dack Sales & Hire Lincoln Dallas Rentals Wednesbury Look After My Car is a membership-only online DCL Vehicle Hire Ivybridge platform offering exclusive offers and discounts on a Deadline Logistics Feltham range of automotive insurance products and related services to your customers. It is the first of its kind, Donnelly Finance & Leasing Belfast providing a one-stop shop with which to enhance Evolution Auto Coventry their overall driving experience.

Firecracker Oldbury Herd Hire Slough Slough Jimpisoft John Beer Motor Repairs Chard, Somerset Portugal Magna Accident Services Lincoln www.jimpisoft.com Performance Car Hire Warrington For over 30 years Jimpisoft Software House has been Premium Vehicle Solutions Iver developing and distributing the ‘Rentway® System’, RCP Vehicle Hire Haddenham a user-friendly software providing the ultimate IT Shaikly Motor Company Colchester solution for your car rental business. The Rentway® Virtuo Technologies Wimbledon has been implemented across 73 countries with over 7,000 users, over 3,000 rental locations.

Leasing broker members

Complete Leasing Swansea Mint Automotives East Riding of Yorkshire BVRLA members buy nearly half Mortgage Quest Pinner Pentland View Leasing Midlothian of all new vehicles sold in the UK, Sensible Cars London supporting around 465,000 jobs and Uber Vans Abercynon

Rental broker member Flexible Car Hire.com 4

Ware

contributing nearly £49bn to the economy each year

Synectics Solutions Newcastle-under-Lyme www.synectics-solutions.com Synectics Solutions is a provider of leading data management solutions that are built to meet clients’ requirements. Synectics has over 25 years’ experience of developing sophisticated data-driven software solutions, which help businesses address, evaluate and mitigate fraud and risk, to stop it impacting their business and customers.

Ridecell San Francisco www.ridecell.com Ridecell offers a platform for carsharing and ridesharing designed to be the technology platform for leading mobility services. The platform is a production-ready solution that allows our customers to launch profitable new mobility services and prepare for the oncoming on-demand mobility revolution.

BVRLA members operate a combined fleet of almost 5 million cars, vans and trucks August/September 2018 |

YOUR ASSOCIATION

A louder voice of influence Increased policy, research and communications capability means BVRLA activities are increasing the industry’s influence when political and regulatory issues are discussed.

This political equity is a long-term benefit that extends beyond the life of any one policy issue.

A louder voice of influence In the first half of 2018, BVRLA directors have spoken at 24 events, taking our industry’s voice to the heart of those who develop policies affecting our members. In addition, the association took part in 21 government consultations and had regular engagement with local and national policymakers as well as meeting with parliamentarians, peers and ministers. u

Expanding our team The BVRLA is forging ahead with its plans to increase the workforce as part of its commitment to strengthen internal capabilities across policy, communications, training, governance and conciliation.

• More proactive, less reactive • National and regional coverage • Improved social media

Events

• Larger and more policy-driven • New audiences – local and national

What’s changed?

Media coverage

Political Equity

The most recent new members of the BVRLA team are Paul Thompson and Amanpreet Kalu, both of whom have joined the policy team, reporting to Director of Policy & Membership Jay Parmar.

• Increased budget • More depth and breadth • More policy-driven

This newly created role will help the association to increase political engagement, have a louder voice of influence and achieve stronger industry representation, supporting delivery of the BVRLA Three-Year Plan.

Research & Insight • Opening more doors

Engagement

Paul recently joined the BVRLA to take up the role of Government Affairs Manager, working with parliamentarians and others across Whitehall to ensure that the voice of the BVRLA and its members is heard amongst key influencers and policymakers.

• Developing ongoing relationships • Aligned with member activity

Paul brings with him a wealth of multi-sector experience, having spent 17 years working in a variety of public affairs, lobbying and business development roles in political, corporate, regulatory and third sector environments.

Taking the policy team to its full complement of staff is the recent addition of law graduate Amanpreet Kalu, who joined the BVRLA in August as Legal & Policy Executive.

Amanpreet replaces Amanda Brandon, who has been promoted to Operations Manager. Prior to joining the BVRLA, Amanpreet spent a year working as a Financial Executive at BMW Financial Services.

Please join us in welcoming both Paul and Amanpreet to the BVRLA family. u

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2018 Fleet Technology Congress 140 delegates from across the vehicle rental and leasing industry joined the BVRLA at the Williams F1 Conference Centre in July to hear from a range of experts on topics including mobility as a service (MaaS), future powertrains, large-scale EV deployment and business process digitisation.

The BVRLA used the annual Congress to unveil its latest Fleet Technology Report providing new insight into the status of the connected vehicle market and the impact it is having on the fleet sector.

You can access the 22-page BVRLA Fleet Technology Report: Connected Vehicles and Data, via the BVRLA website. u

REPORT

Fleet Technology Repo

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Connected Vehicles and Data

NEXT BIG EVENT… BVRLA Industry Outlook Conference The BVRLA will be hosting its annual Industry Outlook Conference on 6 December and a special discounted rate has been released for members booking early.

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Open also to non-members, this one-day conference provides an exclusive forum for the industry’s senior executives to meet, exchange ideas, develop new contacts and participate in leading-edge debate. Through a series of panel sessions and keynote presentations we will explore the major threats and opportunities for our sector in the coming 12 months.

The special discounted early bookers rate of £175 + VAT per person is exclusively for members. This rate applies until 30 September. The rate increases to £250 + VAT on 1 October.

Email events@bvrla.co.uk to find out more or to book a place August/September 2018 |

RESEARCH & INSIGHT

Rental/leasing worth £49bn Leasing Broker Research: In July, the BVRLA published an independent report from Oxford Economics revealing the rental and leasing industry’s contribution to the UK economy.

The report says the vehicle rental and leasing industry contributes around £49 billion per year to the UK economy, supporting over 465,000 jobs and generating £7.6bn in taxation annually.

The £49bn takes account of the operations of the industry itself, the UKmade vehicles and engines it purchases, the activity of UK dealerships and its impact on the used car market.

The industry earned an estimated £37.3bn in turnover through its leasing and rental activities in 2017. Leasing of vehicles provided the most business for the industry, accounting for 85% of its revenue. Cars were the biggest earner, compared to other vehicle types, with customers leasing or renting cars delivering 66% of total revenue.

52,700 people are directly employed by the rental and leasing industry, making it a larger employer than the UK’s mainline rail transport services.

Rental and leasing companies spent an estimated £30bn on buying over 1.8 million vehicles in 2017, which includes £5.4bn spent on 304,000 UK-assembled cars, vans and trucks.

This represents 17% of all vehicles assembled in the UK and means that

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they were responsible for 83% of these vehicles sold domestically.

The vehicle rental and leasing industry makes an important economic contribution right across the UK, with the largest regional GDP contributions being in the South East and the North West, both contributing £6.7bn, followed by London at £5.5bn and the Midlands at £5.3bn.

The industry’s biggest employment impact came in the West Midlands, where it supported 55,100 jobs, and the North West, where it supported 53,800. By purchasing so many UK-made vehicles and engines, the rental and leasing sector supports an estimated 78,000 jobs at major manufacturing plants in Ellesmere Port, Sunderland, Oxford, Swindon, Bridgend and Dagenham, as well as the extended supply chain. u Read the 32-page report, The economic impact of the motor vehicle leasing and rental industry, in full on the BVRLA website.

contracts up 5% as sector continues to grow

The latest Leasing Broker Research published by the BVRLA for Jan to June 2018 shows that the total number of vehicles on contract is up 5% from the end of 2017, at 302,413, a net increase of 15,187.

This growth rate is slowing: the total number of new contracts in this period is 45,855, compared to 50,140 during the same period last year.

For cars, growth is driven largely by Personal Contract Hire (PCH), with 61% of new contracts in the first half of 2018 being PCH. Five years ago, in 2013, 26% of all car contracts were PCH, now that proportion has risen to 55% of all car contracts.

The BVRLA carries out leasing broker research twice a year, providing the industry with an understanding of the size, scope and scale of the leasing broker sector.

The data includes market trends and activity within the broker community. u Members can access the full half-yearly Leasing Broker Report on the BVRLA website.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

› Personal Contract Hire (PCH) is beginning to dominate the sector, with 55% of cars on fleet. › Business contract hire represents 40% of cars on fleet. › 61% of new contracts in the first half of 2018 were PCH and 35% were business contract hire.

› Market share by product type is stable in the van sector. › Business contract hire has increased over the last five years, from 62% in 2013 to 69% so far this year. › Finance lease has 32% share and the recent decline appears to have stabilised.

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LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Funders encourage leasing brokers to access e-Learning Almost 700 e-learning licences have been issued to leasing brokers across the BVRLA’s membership since the system’s launch in October 2017, but many members have yet to subscribe.

Funded by ALD, Alphabet, Hitachi, Lex Autolease, Ogilvie, Leaseplan and Arval, the BVRLA e-Learning Platform is available to members at an annual cost of £49.95 + VAT per learner per package.

Three packages have been designed exclusively for leasing brokers: the essentials, essentials plus and managers & compliance packages (see box).

essentials PACKAGE • Anti-Bribery • Anti-Money Laundering • Complaints Handling • CONC – Consumer Credit Sourcebook • Data Protection (GDPR) • Fraud Avoidance • Personal Conflicts of Interest • Safeguarding the Vulnerable • Treating Customers Fairly • Whistleblowing Find out about the essentials plus PACKAGE and the managers & compliance PACKAGE on the BVRLA website.

The platform provides access to modules that can be completed in as little as 25-45 minutes on a variety of devices, including PC, Mac, tablet and smartphone, providing learners with the flexibility to learn whenever and wherever best suits them.

Upon successful completion of each module, learners can download a certificate of achievement as evidence of their accreditation and management reports track learners’ progress in real time. u Email training@bvrla.co.uk to find out more or to subscribe.

Platform to include a wider offering that will now meet the needs of our rental and commercial vehicle members…

BVRLA Director of Member Services Nora Leggett said: “We are delighted to be expanding our e-Learning

“Finding time away from the office to attend training courses can be particularly difficult for staff in daily rental and

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TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT 8 November, Oxford RESIDUAL VALUE AND REMARKETING 15 November, Donington Park

CONFERENCE

INDUSTRY OUTLOOK CONFERENCE 6 December, Leicester

WEBINARS (free to members)

KEY FCA FINDINGS ON COMMISSIONS AND REMUNERATIONS 11 September, 11.00-12.00 FCA MOTOR FINANCE REVIEW 13 December, 14.00

TRAINING COURSES

PROFESSIONAL FLEET CONSULTANT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 20, MODULE 1 26-27 September, Amersham INTRODUCTION TO THE DAILY RENTAL INDUSTRY 2-3 October, Birmingham

e-Learning Platform for rental firms The BVRLA has expanded its e-learning offering to include a bespoke package for rental and commercial vehicle members.

FORUMS

LEASING BROKER 24 October, Eastleigh

commercial vehicle operations so this bespoke e-learning package will mean that they no longer miss out on development opportunities.” u Find out more about the new e-Learning package on the BVRLA website.

August/September 2018 |

SELLING, REGULATION & COMPLIANCE FOR LEASING BROKERS 4 October, Amersham SELLING CONTRACT HIRE 10-11 October, Amersham BVRLA FAIR WEAR & TEAR TRAINING 17 October, Sutton Coldfield PROFESSIONAL FLEET CONSULTANT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME 20, MODULE 2 17-18 October, Amersham For more information email training@bvrla.co.uk

SECURITY

REGULATION & COMPLIANCE

Scammers use social media to offer bogus leasing deals The BVRLA has been made aware of a spate of fraudulent activity, where scammers are advertising bogus vehicle leasing deals on social media and are extracting money from unsuspecting customers.

scamming money from people who can least afford to lose it. It’s deplorable. Their adverts can appear very convincing, with some even posing as BVRLA members and citing membership numbers of legitimate members.

Using social media advertising, including Instagram, the scammers are posing as BVRLA members to lure in customers with advertising headlines targeting those with poor credit ratings.

“We want to get the message out there that all legitimate leasing brokers adhere to Financial Conduct Authority rules and will carry out credit and affordability checks. Those who don’t will not be legitimate traders and could be out to scam you.”

The BVRLA is urging the public to exercise vigilance and think twice before responding to any adverts that promote vehicle leasing deals that require ‘No credit checks’, promote ‘No deposit’ and ask people to ‘Direct Message’ via text to get the deal.

BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney said: “These criminals are purposely targeting the vulnerable,

The BVRLA has reported this emerging threat to the authorities and will continue to explore ways of increasing awareness to protect customers and BVRLA members. u You can read the press release issued on 4 September on the BVRLA website.

The BVRLA is encouraging members to spread the word to help protect customers by sharing the following messaging: • Unscrupulous fraudsters are scamming people with poor credit ratings, promoting bogus vehicle leasing deals offering ‘No credit checks’ and ‘No Deposit’.

• If you see a vehicle leasing advert that requires ‘No credit check’, BEWARE, it’s a scam.

• All legitimate BVRLA leasing broker members adhere to FCA rules and will carry out credit

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and affordability checks. Those who don’t, will not be legitimate traders and could be out to scam you.

• Customers who want to check whether a leasing broker is a genuine BVRLA member are advised to contact the BVRLA directly.

• If you come across this scam, report it to Action Fraud quoting the reference: NRC 1808 0249 5417

Ask Adam Send your questions on BVRLA inspections to Senior Compliance Officer Adam Holt at adam@bvrla.co.uk.

Q: How often do I need to calibrate my pressure gauges and torque wrenches?

A: We recommend recording this every six months at least. You may want to think about how often your onsite tools are used and organise appropriately.

Most importantly, every calibration check must be recorded as evidence. This is what the inspector will expect to see during your audit.

Q: My head office holds certain records, like complaints registers and training logs, will I be marked down for this?

A: We understand that some branches may keep certain documents at a central head office. This is perfectly acceptable. In this instance, the inspector would expect the staff member to be able to confidently explain the process they go through to log certain activities, such as a customer complaint or staff training. If possible, it is best practice to request these items from your head office when you are made aware that an audit is to take place.

Q: For regulated business, when am I required to provide an Information Notice to customers?

A: The Information Notice must be provided to the customer during the sales process. This ensures they are aware of any applicable fees before they enter into a contract. It is imperative that you have the customer sign a copy to evidence they have acknowledged the Information Notice. If you don’t charge any fees, then an information notice is not required but you should mention in your initial disclosure to the customer that there are no fees associated with your service.

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AIR QUALITY & EMISSIONS

“The coming decades are expected to be transformative for our motor industry, our national infrastructure and the way we travel… We want to work in partnership with industry and businesses to make these shared ambitions a reality, so we welcome the commitment made by BVRLA today.”

Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP signs the BVRLA’s Plug-in Pledge

Parliamentarians support BVRLA Plug-in Pledge 30 MPs and peers joined over 100 BVRLA members and guests at a Parliamentary Summer Reception in the House of Commons to launch the BVRLA ‘Plug-in Pledge’.

Hosted by Amersham constituency MP Cheryl Gillan and joined by guest speakers from Alphabet, the Royal Mail and Zipcar, the event also included a speech from Neil Parish MP, Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee.

BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney also addressed reception guests, unveiling the latest research 10

Transport Minister Jesse Norman

findings outlining the economic contribution of the vehicle rental and leasing sectors. (Read more about this on Page 7.)

Whilst at the reception, MPs and peers added their names in support of the Pledge and took the opportunity to voice their appreciation for the leading role BVRLA members are taking in the drive to improve air quality. Since the event, more MPs have pledged their support.

You can view a three-minute video from the event on YouTube. It includes interviews with MPs and

Top & Right: the BVRLA Parliamentary Reception; Above: BVRLA Chief Executive Gerry Keaney addresses guests

JULY 2018

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members sharing their opinions on the Pledge and the crucial role the industry can play to help improve air quality. u Photographs from the event can be viewed on the BVRLA Flickr channel

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Our Plug-in Pledge

Our Policy Asks

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leasing sector will By 2025, the UK rental and ase of new plug-in increase its annual purch 300,000 per year. The vehicles from 17,000 to l plug-in hybrid and industry’s share of annua rise from 36% to 60%. pure EV registrations will ers’ total plug-in fleet memb As a result, BVRLA d, from 50,000 vehicles will rise during this perio today to 720,000 in 2025.

August/September 2018 |

bvrla.co.uk

We call on the governmen t to support fleets in their drive to improve air quality throu gh the rapid take-up of plug-i n electric vehicles.

Bring forward plug-in comp incentives now and not in 2

Provide a five-year comm itm plug-in vehicle incentives

Offer more infrastructu re su businesses looking to deplo y plug-in fleets

AIR QUALITY & EMISSIONS

The list of MPs and peers supporting the BVRLA Plug-in Pledge continues to grow:

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Sir David Amess (Con) Adrian Bailey (Lab) Sir Peter Bottomley (Con) Lord Bradshaw (Lib Dem) Sir Graham Brady (Con) Richard Burden (Lab) Conor Burns (Con) Ruth Cadbury (Lab) Colin Clark (Con) Alberto Costa (Con) Neil Coyle (Lab) Mary Creagh (Lab) David TC Davies (Con) Emma Dent Coad (Lab) David Drew (Lab) Nigel Evans (Con) Baroness Falkner (Lib Dem) Rt Hon Dame Cheryl Gillan (Con) Roger Godsiff (Lab) Lilian Greenwood (Lab, Chair of the Transport Select Committee) Nia Griffith (Lab) John Grogan (Lab) Rt Hon John Hayes FRSA (Con) Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green) Ben Lake (PC) Jack Lopresti (Con) Dr Matthew Offord (Con) Neil Parish (Con) Baroness Randerson (Lib Dem) Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Lab) Jim Shannon (DUP) Virendra Sharma (Lab) Baroness Sheehan (Lib Dem) Viscount Simon (Lab) Iain Stewart (Con) Lord Stone of Blackheath (Lab) Stephen Timms (Lab) Matt Western (Con)

Government promotes Plug-in Pledge in Industrial Strategy Bulletin The BVRLA has featured an article about the ‘Plug-in Pledge’ in a news bulletin published by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), marking the first time that the association has been invited to write for a government-owned news channel.

The bulletin, which is sent out to 5,000 subscribers, including businesses, institutions and local authorities, promotes the activities of government, business, academia and society, showing what activities are taking place in support of the UK Industrial Strategy.

The UK Industrial Strategy launched in November 2017 with the aim of setting out a long-term plan to boost the productivity and earning power of people throughout the UK. At the heart of the Strategy are four Grand Challenges: Artificial Intelligence and Data, Ageing Society, Clean Growth, and Future of Mobility.

The BVRLA is taking a proactive approach to engaging with the government departments leading

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on the Clean Growth and Future of Mobility strands to make them aware of the important role that our sector can play in helping them to deliver their ambitions.

BVRLA Communications Manager Andrea Davies said: “We are developing good working relationships with government communicators across all key policy-leading departments and this work is really starting to pay off. We are gaining better access to influencers as well as channels of influence.

This is the first time that the BVRLA has been invited to write an article for a government-owned communication platform and we are looking forward to doing more.

“Although not a lobbying platform, access to governmentowned communications channels helps to raise the profile of the BVRLA and strengthen our voice amongst policymakers and parliamentarians, positioning us as a body to be listened to.” u You can subscribe to the Industrial Strategy Bulletin at public.govdelivery.com 11