Small savings LEDriving® lights enable work to continue around the clock

Small savings

The Chancellor’s Spring Statement resulted in a 5p cut in Fuel Duty, to 52.95p per litre, but did little else to help van operating businesses in these challenging times. Nexus Vehicle Rental welcomed the reduction but was disappointed to see little support for those moving to an electric future. “ Mitigate rising costs through more effective management

“With fuel costs at a record high, we welcome the announcement of a cut to fuel duty by 5p a litre, only the second time this has happened in the last 20 years,” said CEO David Brennan.

“Whilst this may offer some relief to individuals and businesses operating their fleets, it is estimated to only be around £3.30 per tank. It is clear that the government continues to sign-post us towards a green future with the announcement of relief on energy saving measures, with 0% VAT on all energy saving materials, however it was disappointing to not hear of any further support offered to the electric vehicle industry.

“As we move ever-closer to the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel vehicles, there is still more that needs to be done to support EV manufacturers, to ensure they are more affordable for businesses.”

Matthew Walters, head of consultancy services and customer value at LeasePlan agreed, saying: “As welcome as this duty cut is, it is likely to offer only limited relief to squeezed budgets. The average cost of a litre of petrol has risen by more than 5p over the past week, if that trend continues, the Chancellor’s discount could effectively be wiped out within days.

“Of course, what it most helpful for the future is strong, consistent, longterm incentives for electric motoring, so that more people can afford to switch to EVs and avoid high prices at the pump.”

While high fuel prices are squeezing van operators, they are hammering those running heavy trucks. The Road Haulage Association (RHA) said the cut relates to around a £2,000 a year saving on a typical HGV and called for additional help for hauliers as costs continue to rise.

“Cutting fuel duty is a common sense move and will be a boost for the economy, but more could have been done,” said Rod McKenzie, RHA executive director.

“The chancellor missed an opportunity to announce a rebate to relieve more pressure on businesses. We’ll continue to press the government hard for this measure as firms grapple with huge operating cost hikes.”

“I think the underlying message here is a small ’p’ political one,” said FleetCheck managing director Peter Golding.

“Following the pandemic, when the government stepped in and took a high degree of responsibility for keeping the economy on a sure footing, we’re now returning to a more traditional situation, when interventions will be much more limited. Businesses and their fleets are going to have to mitigate rising costs through more effective management, rather than looking for more dramatic forms of external help.”

LEDriving® lights enable work to continue around the clock

A specialist range of LED driving and working lights has been launched to help industrial vehicles to operate safely 24/7, with total visibility at all hours of the day and night thanks to their intense levels of illumination.

Manufacturing, construction and distribution are all playing a vital role in helping to keep the country moving forwards and with growing demand on industries, it is important that work can continue through the night in a safe and clear environment.

Launched by automotive OE lighting specialist, OSRAM, the LEDriving® driving and working lights range offers a variety of performances, shapes and beam patterns, with various illumination profiles including spot, wide and combo.

There are four series to choose from: Multifunctional, Functional, Slim and Value, with three LEDriving® working lights available within the Multifunctional series, which have been specially designed for off-road applications.

All the products in the range come with a five-year OSRAM guarantee, providing customers with complete reassurance.

For more information on OSRAM’s range of LEDriving® lights, visit: www.osram.co.uk/ledriving-lights

2 to Try & Keep

VanUser has teamed up with Ring Automotive to send out two LED light kits to one fleet manager to test and keep. Then will publish their review in our June issue. Simply fill out the form on our website with your contact details:

www.vanuser.co.uk/2022/03/31/ ledriving-lights/

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