BVRLA News, June 2010 by BVRLA

BVRLA News

www.bvrla.co.uk June 2010

The newsletter of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association

‘Axe tax discs to save £90m a year,’ says Lewis The BVRLA has advised Chancellor George Osborne that he can make instant progress in cutting government waste by abolishing the tax disc and allowing the purchase of multi-year Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). The suggestions came in a submission ahead of the Emergency Budget Report on 22 June. More than 34 million tax discs are produced each year and the BVRLA estimates that abolishing them could save the government over £90m a year in administration costs. With the use of automatic number plate recognition cameras and continuous registration laws there is no longer a need for tax discs to be displayed on windscreens. “Not having to display a tax disc would reduce the burden on fleet owners, who would no longer have to distribute them to drivers or retrieve them when they were seeking to obtain a refund,” said BVRLA chief executive John Lewis. The BVRLA believes that introducing the ability to purchase multi-year VED would

The BVRLA has won the Editor’s Award in the 2010 Fleet World Honours – presented to motor manufacturers, service companies and individuals who have achieved “the highest possible level of excellence” in their sector. Steve Moody, Fleet World editor and chair of the judging panel, said: “The last couple of years have seen unprecedented strain put upon the fleet market, from a wide range of dangers… and fighting the industry’s corner in the corridors of power and finance has been the BVRLA, negotiating on scrappage, talking to the lenders and government, hosting RV [residual value] summits and so on – and in doing so keeping the fleet industry’s wheels moving.” Pictured (from left): Nigel Davies, sales and marketing director of award sponsor Auto Windscreens, BVRLA chief executive John Lewis, and Steve Moody.

save the industry between £2m and £5m in administration costs each year, as well as improving cash flow to the Exchequer. “Having previously shared our proposals with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, we know that it is equally keen to see this measure pursued,” Lewis added. The BVRLA also outlined a number of simple changes the government could make to the company car tax regime in light of its “simpler and more efficient” agenda. In particular, it calls for a removal of the 3% diesel supplement in benefit-in-kind tax for company cars and fuel. “Removing this historically out-of-date, pollution-related penalty would accelerate further corporate adoption of these vehicles and help to push company car CO2 emissions even lower,” said Lewis. “We accept that, in the current economic climate, there may be a need to make compensatory adjustments to the benefitin-kind base lines in order to neutralise the tax take.” n

bvrla.co.uk

In this issue Leasing companies keep ‘end user’ status European Commission guidelines clarify position of leasing companies page 2 ‘Chargebacks’ are the top card concern Leaseurope addresses payment card schemes page 2 DfT offers HGV drivers more carrot, less stick Department for Transport switches focus from vehicles to drivers, with education its watchword page 3 TfL proposes host of congestion charge changes Transport for London is consulting on the future of the capital’s congestion charge scheme page 3 Company cars, costs and carbon A PwC survey reveals the key issues for fleet managers page 5 Hertz man becomes BVRLA’s vice chair Neil Cunningham is the association’s new vice chairman page 6

— Promoting responsible road transport since 1967 —

Comment Leasing companies keep essential ‘end user’ status From July 2010, BVRLA News will move to a new digital format, delivering some immediate improvements. The new electronic BVRLA News will cut the time it takes for us to ‘go to press’, meaning we can deliver the latest information and analysis more quickly. Reduced production costs also means we can provide a wider range of content. In future we hope to embed video and audio material and provide more opportunity for readers to respond and share views with each other. If you receive a PDF version of BVRLA News each month, you don’t have to do anything. If you only receive a print copy you can register to receive your digital copy on our homepage at www.bvrla.co.uk. Editor Toby Poston, toby@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545700 Production Manager Steven Prizeman, steven@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545710 Advertising Nora Leggett, nora@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545713 © Copyright BVRLA 2010 BVRLA News articles may be used copyright free by members provided that an acknowledgement is given.

BVRLA River Lodge, Badminton Court Amersham Buckinghamshire HP7 0DD T 01494 434747 F 01494 434499 E info@bvrla.co.uk W bvrla.co.uk Honorary Life President Freddie Aldous Chairman Kevin McNally Vice Chairman Neil Cunningham Honorary Treasurer Brian Back Chief Executive John Lewis

The BVRLA has welcomed new European Commission guidelines which will ensure that vehicle leasing companies ‘end user’ status remains protected after the current Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation, as it relates to sale and distribution, expires in 2013. The guidelines make it clear that leasing companies should be treated as the economic owners and end users of vehicles by motor manufacturers and their distribution chains. End user status protects leasing companies’ freedom of choice when sourcing vehicles and means that for leasing agreements they do not have to provide a customer mandate when ordering them. This enables leasing firms to keep their customers’ details confidential. The new guidelines will come into effect when the current motor trades’ block exemption from EU competition law expires on 1 June 2013. The exemption puts vehicle manufacturers outside key aspects of EU competition law by allowing them to operate either a

selective or exclusive distribution through franchised dealer networks. At the same time, it seeks to safeguard the rights of customers concerning the purchase, maintenance and repair of vehicles. The vital aftersales market is also addressed by the new guidelines, which will help preserve owners’ freedom of choice in getting their vehicles repaired, whether it is with a franchised dealer, brand specialist or independent garage. This aspect of the guidelines took effect on 1 June 2010, at the same time as the Commission’s new block exemption regulations for the aftersales market. “These guidelines will secure the leasing industry’s long-term status as end-users,” said BVRLA chief executive John Lewis. “They acknowledge the vital part leasing companies play in ensuring a competitive marketplace and will enable them to continue to deliver a wide choice of vehicles that match their customers’ needs. “This result is the culmination of more than three years of hard campaigning work, researching the market and lobbying European Commission officials and MEPs.” n

‘Chargebacks’ are top card concern Leaseurope’s payment card working group met last month at the BVRLA’s offices in Amersham to discuss how rental companies can ensure that payment card schemes operate effectively.

disputes the sum deducted from their card and some or all of the money might have to be repaid. Merchant acquirers agreed to work with rental companies to provide guidance on how to deal with chargeback disputes.

In addition to Leaseurope, the European umbrella body for vehicle rental and leasing trade associations, the meeting was attended by rental companies and their merchant acquirers (paymentprocessing firms), who agreed to pass on rental and leasing firms’ concerns to Visa and MasterCard.

The group also intends to review Visa’s guidelines for processing charges, which it does not believe reflect the realities of the modern rental process.

Of particular interest was the development of industry-specific guidance for dealing with ‘chargebacks’. A chargeback occurs when a cardholder

BVRLA members who wish to contribute to the group’s work should contact legal services executive Amanda Brandon. n Contact Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545701 BVRLA News | June 2010

DfT offers HGV drivers more carrot, less stick The Department for Transport (DfT) has shared its draft strategy for making heavy goods vehicles safer with the BVRLA and other key stakeholders.

On a less positive note, VOSA has announced its intention of closing heavy goods vehicle test lanes at 10 of its stations this year. The stations affected are Canterbury, Chelmsford, Darlington, Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Poole, Purfleet, Southampton and Stoke.

The DfT says that 53% of road accidents involving heavy goods vehicles feature driver error or injudicious action, whereas vehicle defects are a factor in just 2% of accidents (2008 figures). It is therefore planning to reduce its emphasis on checking for vehicle defects and overloading and pay more attention to tachograph fraud and drivers’ hours.

The planned closures are surprising given that to date only Scania, TruckEast and Wincanton have signed up to be authorised testing facilities and conduct annual tests on their own premises – with just two stations open between them so far. Commercial vehicle members of the BVRLA who use these stations and are concerned that they will be adversely affected by the closures should contact legal services executive Amanda Brandon, detailing the potential impact. This information will help the BVRLA in its lobbying against the closures. n

The department has tasked the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and the Highways Agency with reviewing the location of vehicle checksites and the feasibility of checking vehicles at ports. A new approach to compliance is being considered that would boost the role of training, information and education and target persistent offenders for penalties and prosecution. VOSA is also looking to develop its Operator Licence Business System to provide operators with the tools they need to manage compliance.

Contact Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545701 HGVs: educating drivers is at the heart of the DfT’s new approach to road safety

Information on DfT policy and guidance can be found on the DfT website. www.dft.gov.uk/pgr

TfL proposes host of congestion charge changes Transport for London (TfL) has started consulting on a number of proposed changes to the capital’s congestion charge scheme. The consultation is being conducted on behalf of the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who is pushing for the changes. The key proposals are:

❱ permanent removal of the western

extension of the congestion charge zone

❱ 100% discount from the charge for all vehicles which emit 100g/km of CO2 or less and meet the Euro 5 standard for air quality

❱ 100% discount from the charge for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

❱ annual £10 charge to register minibuses for a 100% discount from the charge

BVRLA News | June 2010

❱ an automated payment account –

‘Congestion Charging Auto Pay’ – which, for a fee of £10 per vehicle, would allow drivers to register up to five vehicles against a single credit or debit card. Every time the registered vehicle enters the congestion charge zone it would be recorded for monthly debiting against the nominated card

❱ an increase of £2 to the daily charge,

taking it from £8 to £10 (users of the existing fleet scheme and Auto Pay would pay £9).

The BVRLA believes the £10 registration fees for minibuses and Auto Pay are unfair and place an unnecessary administrative burden on users of the scheme. It also described the proposed 25% increase to the daily charge as “daylight robbery”. “TfL is simply abusing its monopolistic position,” said Jay Parmar, the BVRLA’s

head of legal services. “There is no way a privately owned company could deliver such poor service and then ask its clients to pay a 25% increase.” The consultation also proposes deferring the date that the low emission zone will affect larger vans, minibuses and motor caravans from 4 October 2010 to 3 January 2012. From 3 January 2012, vans which fail to meet the Euro 3 emission standard for particulate matter will have to pay a daily charge to travel in Greater London. The BVRLA welcomes members’ comments on TfL’s plans, which should be directed to legal services executive Amanda Brandon. n Contact Amanda Brandon, amanda@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545701

News in brief Car rental firms look forward RISC Online

Stolen vehicle cases reported to the BVRLA’s RISC Online database by members in May have escalated by 72.4% on the same month last year to 29 vehicles. In 13 instances hirers who failed to return their rental vehicles used eastern European documentation. As was reported in May’s edition of BVRLA News, they are believed to be part of a gang that targets car rental firms. The BVRLA believes that members who do not subscribe to RISC are at risk from the same renters. It considers its database the most effective means of sharing renter information legally. A free month-long trial of RISC Online can be arranged by contacting member services executive Steph Czaplinska. Contact Steph Czaplinska, steph@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545702

Vehicle on hire certificates

With summer here, the BVRLA is reminding members to stock up on vehicle on hire certificates. The certificates provide proof that a driver has the owner or operator’s permission to use their vehicle outside the UK. The BVRLA can arrange for single copies of its VE103B certificates to be delivered the next working day, and pads of 50 can be delivered in 7 to 10 working days. Contact Fran Hampson, frances@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545703

City & Guilds Vehicle Rental Operator accreditation

12 October 2010 Administered by the BVRLA, this nationally recognised certificate is awarded to those who demonstrate a good knowledge of vehicle operations and industry practice, and enhances good customer service. Exams are held annually around the country and test candidates’ knowledge of specific areas of vehicle rental operations. Further information can be found in the training section of the BVRLA website. www.bvrla.co.uk

to a substantial summer surge The BVRLA’s car rental members are gearing up for a busy summer season despite the threat of continued disruption from the ash cloud and British Airways strikes. Europcar’s fleet will grow by 35% from its winter low point, driven by a trebling of its leisure business – which should more than offset an expected decline in corporate volumes during the coming school summer holidays. It expects to see a 55% increase in demand for automatics and a 140% surge in demand for people carriers. Airport fleet sizes will see rapid increases, particularly in London and Scotland. “All our branches get busier over the summer, however our Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Ayr and Inverness airport locations get the busiest,” said Margaret Grotlin, operations manager at Arnold Clark. “Our rush kicks off at the start of July and runs all the way through to September. Our fleet increases by

approximately 1,000 vehicles over the summer months and we take on additional staff to cope.” Raymond Goldsmith, managing director of Argyle Garage (Hire), is expecting the usual surge in minibus hire following the Jewish fast day of Tisha B’Av (19-20 July). “After Tisha B’Av we are fully booked on all our minibuses while customers go on their annual holidays,” says Goldsmith. “Demand is so high for this period that some of our regular customers booked their bus when they returned from holiday last year.” The BVRLA has produced a digital Guide to Renting a Car which members are free to download or link to from their website. For details contact member services executive Steph Czaplinska. n Contact Steph Czaplinska, steph@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545702

Leaseurope sets the agenda on consumer protection measures Leaseurope has outlined a series of key action points, agreed with its members, to help demonstrate rental companies’ commitment to improving the car rental experience for consumers. The move was prompted by a European Union summit meeting on consumer protection held in Brussels earlier this year – even though the meeting concluded that car rental did not need further external regulation. The industry has decided that action is required. The action points from Leaseurope, the European umbrella body for vehicle rental and leasing trade associations, include:

❱ European Car Rental Conciliation

Service – this service will be accessible to the consumer who has rented a car abroad, was dissatisfied,

and has exhausted the rental company’s complaints procedure. It will be administered by the BVRLA and should provide an alternative to court action. The service is being piloted by Avis, Hertz, Sixt and Europcar from 1 July this year.

❱ Terms of rental – a standard

multilingual document for customers, summarising key contractual terms and the vehicle hirer’s responsibilities.

❱ European consumer guide – a

multilingual guide to renting vehicles will be made available to the European Consumer Centres (a European advice, information and support network for consumers). n

Further information about Leaseurope’s work can be found on its website. www.leaseurope.org BVRLA News | June 2010

Cars, costs and carbon Costs and CO2 are the key issues for fleet managers, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC’s) Company Car UK survey. The authors spoke to 167 companies with revenues ranging from £1m to over £39bn. The businesses surveyed included Barclays, J Sainsbury, Aon, P&O, National Grid, Dairy Crest and Centrica. The job of managing fleet costs is split between the human resources (HR), finance and fleet departments. According to the survey, in smaller companies (those with turnover of less than £100m), the finance and HR departments are most likely to have responsibility for managing costs. In larger organisations this task is more often handled by fleet managers and external fleet management service providers. In the survey, conducted earlier this year, 50% of companies used the lease price to define car cost. But this doesn’t take account of all the costs associated with running a company car. The report’s authors said that the percentage of companies using lease cost and wholelife cost had remained static following a big rise in the number of companies using whole-life costs in 2009.

Managing emissions The introduction of an emissions-based company car tax regime means it is now an economic as well as environmental priority for firms to have a carbonreduction policy – 40% of respondents have a green transport plan. And yet the majority of companies specify mileage as the main criteria for business-needs qualification for a company car, which can undermine environmental objectives.

Last year’s survey showed median average fleet emissions of 157g/km – it is now slightly lower at 156g/km. Thirty-seven per cent of companies now place a CO2 emissions limit on the choice of car, compared to 35% in 2009.

In recent years, the PwC survey has seen a fall in the percentage of companies offering only a cash allowance option for cars – from 10% in 2006 to 4% in 2010. However, most firms will still offer the choice of car or cash.

Of the companies surveyed, 7% offered incentives to employees choosing lowemission cars, including preferential parking.

For further information on PwC’s Company Car UK survey, contact Gary Hull. n Contact Gary Hull, gary.j.hull@uk.pwc.com 0161 245 2067

Managing fleet costs (% of companies) 1 Reallocate leaver’s car

Of the companies surveyed this year, 24% said they would be extending lease periods as a way of reducing fleet costs; 38% said they would allocate existing cars to new joiners, depending on their job level.

BVRLA News | June 2010

Cash allowances continue to be a standard benefit in most companies, but the report’s authors suggest that grey fleet concerns and the growing popularity of low-emission company cars as an employee benefit could see these allowances becoming less widespread.

Firms are trying to balance these concerns: 32% want to reduce mileages and 80% want to cut CO2 emissions.

Replacement strategy plays a key role in managing fleet costs and the research indicated that the most commonly used cycle is three or four years. It also showed that the number of three-year contracts had fallen since 2009 while the number of five-year terms had increased.

The 2010 survey also saw an overall rise in the number of companies placing restrictions on the type of cars available, with sports cars, convertibles and petrol turbos being the most restricted. Onethird of companies restricted choice to diesel only, while 65% encouraged diesel-engine vehicles.

Managing risk Among the companies responding to the survey, 95% had work-related road safety guidelines in place, covering issues such as drink and drugs, use of mobile phones, eyesight checks and the reporting of accidents. Driving licence checks were performed by 90%, with 63% doing so annually. One-third performed spotchecks on vehicles and 47% operated a driver training programme.

41%

Key issues for fleets (% of companies)

2 Other (emissions, whole-life costs, etc) 33% 3 Maintain current policy

27%

1 Manage costs

84%

4 Extend lease period

24%

2 Manage CO2 emissions

57%

5 Reduce choice of car

21%

3 Manage risk

49%

6 Provide cheaper car

15%

4 Ensure fleet is fit for purpose

44%

7 Cut value of cash allowances

11%

5 Attract/retain staff

23%

Method of acquisition split by revenues (% companies) Outright purchase

Finance lease

Contract hire

Contract purchase

ECOS

Salary sacrifice

Mixed

Under £100m

£100m – £500m

£500m – £2,000m

Over £2,000m

(Since 2009 there has been an increase in the use of contract hire across all companies)

Data survey shows car value rise continuing Figures from the latest BVRLA survey of predicted residual values show that expectations for future car prices are almost £900 higher for diesels than they were last June and well over £800 higher for petrol models. Taking data supplied by members for vehicles coming back in three years’ time having covered 60,000 miles, the industry mean value (IMV) for cars is now £8,252.55 for diesels and £7,602.88 for petrol cars. Seasonal factors have put small convertibles at the head of the BVRLA’s list of top-performing sectors this month, achieving a residual value increase of £1,334.65 – 17.36% up on April, toppling the supermini sector from the top slot. Also noteworthy are the continuingly robust prices of 4x4s, with large, medium and small models all featuring among May’s 10 best-performing residual values.

Residual value car trends (three years/60,000 miles) Diesel vs Petrol

£8,252.55

200 £8, 000 £8, 00 £7,8

£7,602.88

00 £7,6 00

£7,4

£7,2

00 £7,0 8 00 £6, 6 00 £6,

e0 Jun

0 July

n Diesel

Aug

n Petrol

0 Sep

0 Oct

Nov

–––— Linear (diesel)

Light commercial vehicle future values also increased in the last 12 months, with diesel IMVs currently at £5,657.09 and petrol models at £2,760.65. For information about how BVRLA members can access more detailed

Dec

Jan

10 r1 Feb Ma

il Apr

y 10 Ma

–––— Linear (petrol)

figures from the Data Survey, or details of how to contribute to it, contact member services executive Steph Czaplinska. n Contact Steph Czaplinska, steph@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545702

Hertz man becomes BVRLA’s vice chair Neil Cunningham has taken over as the new vice chairman of the BVRLA.

in the UK, where it now manages around 10,000 vehicles. The new vice chairman for the Leasing Broker Committee is Martin Brown. Brown is the managing director of Fleet Alliance and has led the business since its inception in 2002.

Currently general manager at Hertz UK, Cunningham is now in line to succeed the association’s current chairman, LeasePlan’s Kevin McNally, when he completes his two-year term in May 2011. An economics graduate from the University of York, Cunningham has a huge amount of experience in the vehicle rental industry, across the UK and in Europe. He joined Hertz as fleet director in 1996 before being promoted to his current position in 1998. Cunningham was responsible for the company’s entry into the car-sharing market in 2008 with the launch of Connect by Hertz in London, Paris and New York. “Having worked in the vehicle rental industry for more than 25 years, I have seen what a vital role the BVRLA plays in helping to maintain standards and provide a fairer regulatory environment,” said Cunningham. “I hope I can contribute to

Cunningham: over 25 years’ experience

these efforts and continue the excellent work achieved by my predecessors.” The BVRLA has also appointed four new vice chairs to its member committees. Elliot Lennick becomes vice chairman of the BVRLA Commercial Vehicle Committee. Lennick is chief executive officer of MAN Financial Services, where he is responsible for Northern, Eastern and Western Europe. In 2000 he established MAN Financial Services

Simon Oliphant becomes vice chairman of the Leasing and Fleet Management Committee. Oliphant is chief executive of Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions and also sits on the board of Hitachi Capital (UK) Plc. He began his career at Hitachi Capital in 1988, joining the board of Fleetlease UK following its acquisition by Hitachi in 1991. Fleetlease was renamed using the Hitachi brand in 2003. The new vice chair of the Rental Committee is Alison Chadwick. Chadwick is director of regional operations for Thrifty Car and Van Rental and has experience of working for both large multinationals and smaller independent rental companies during her 20 years in the industry. n BVRLA News | June 2010

News in brief

Committee meetings 2010 Committee of Management

19 Aug

18 Nov

Chairman’s Committee

21 July

28 Oct

Commercial Vehicle Committee

7 Sept

30 Nov

29 June

21 Sept

7 Dec

22 June

19 Oct

6 July

5 Oct

20 July

23 Nov

Risk Management & Security Committee

16 Sept

9 Dec

SMR Forum Committee

14 July

25 Nov

Leasing & Fleet Management Committee Leasing Broker Committee

Rental Committee RVR Forum Committee

Training programme 2010 Service, Maintenance and Repair (SMR) Forum

Thatcham

30 June

Residual Value and Remarketing (RVR) Forum

Stratford-upon-Avon

Certificate in Fleet Consultancy

Amersham

14-15 Sept

Amersham

16-17 Nov

7 July

(module one)

Certificate in Fleet Consultancy (module two)

For further information about all BVRLA courses, contact Nora Leggett: nora@bvrla.co.uk, 01494 545713

New associate member VGroup International VGroup International is a specialist supplier of motoring essentials to the fleet leasing industry – products that improve residual values and improve economy whilst dealing with fleet manager health and safety and travelabroad issues.

Contact Vicky Arnold varnold@vgroupinternational.com 07803 928678 www.vgroupinternational.com

careers

Branch Manager (Southampton) Your main purpose will be to resolve customer enquiries by establishing their requirements, utilising your skills, and maximising sales, while providing a positive experience. A good telephone manner is essential, with strong communication skills. You will need to be computer literate, accurate and able to work to deadlines, ensuring that all deliveries to customers are on time. You will also be responsible for qualifying all customers hiring vehicles, completing rental agreements and handling cash. You will need to be motivated, calm and consistent, with the ability to work in a fast-paced and changeable environment and have an eye for detail. You will need to retain a multitude of product and process knowledge. Successful candidates will be highly motivated, experienced managers who understand the needs of customers and know that business success depends on providing clean, reliable vehicles backed up with dependable service. Responsible for all aspects of branch results and performance, the role requires a hands-on leadership style and willingness to lead by example. We offer full training and a salary of £22,500-£27,500 pa, subject to experience, working 45 hours a week on a rota basis. Additional benefits include access to company pension scheme. If interested, please send your CV and a completed application form to: The Personnel Department, U-Drive Limited, Enterprise Way, Aviation Park West, Bournemouth International Airport, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 6NW.

Application forms can be downloaded from the U-Drive website (www.u-drive.co.uk) or requested from Alison Hayes on 01202 651911.

BVRLA News | June 2010

BVRLA News is the ideal medium through which to reach the BVRLA’s specialist membership of car, van and truck rental and leasing businesses, their associates, insurers and suppliers. Find out just how easy it is to get your message in front of the expert audience you want to reach – and how to place advertisements on the BVRLA website and in our Weekly Update emails. Contact head of member services Nora Leggett 01494 545713 or email nora@bvrla.co.uk

Service, Maintenance and Repair Forum 30 June, Thatcham

The next BVRLA Service, Maintenance and Repair (SMR) Forum will be hosted by The Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre at Thatcham. Everyone in the industry is talking about electric vehicles, so the BVRLA has invited George Paterson, engineering sales manager of Axeon Power, to give an expert commentary on developments in vehicle battery technology. There will also be an opportunity to take part in an open debate, so members should come along prepared to ask questions. Whiplash injury and the future of car seat design are major considerations for vehicle manufacturers. Technical services advisors will want to keep abreast of this subject and the latest developments in ‘secondary safety features’ like crash avoidance sensors and autonomous emergency braking. Thatcham’s crash and safety manager, Martin Avery, will share his knowledge. Also on the agenda are telematics and a visit to Thatcham’s crash facility and repair workshop. Contact Steph Czaplinska, steph@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545702

Residual Value and Remarketing Forum 7 July, Stratford-upon-Avon

This Residual Value and Remarketing (RVR) forum will feature expert speakers from data providers, auction houses and remarketing specialists, addressing trading conditions in the used vehicle market and sharing their views on future residual values. Denis Keenan of KeeResources will share insights on alternative data sets for residual value setting. There will also be a debate on electric vehicles, with contributions from Martin Ward of CAP and Catherine Hutt from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) Contact member services executive Steph Czaplinska to reserve your place. Contact Steph Czaplinska, steph@bvrla.co.uk 01494 545702 7

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