GreenFleet

www.greenfleet.net ISSUE 31

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COMMENT

Dear Reader WITH FUEL PRICES STILL ON THE UP I’M SURE YOU ARE KEEN TO FIND OUT ABOUT HOW TO KEEP COSTS DOWN, AND AT THE SAME TIME REDUCING YOUR CO2 EMISSIONS. GOOD THING THEN THAT YOU ARE HOLDING A COPY OF GREENFLEET® IN YOUR HAND AS WE HAVE BOTH MALCOM NOYLE (P.4) AND THE ENERGY SAVING TRUST (P.5) DISCUSSING EXACTLY THIS. On the note of CO2, on page 10 the Director General of the European Automobile Manufactirers’ Association stresses the need for an integrated approach to cut carbon emissions from cars; and on p.17 BVRLA Director General John Lewis wonders why manufacturers don’t publish emission data for new vans.

The first ever European GreenFleet® Awards was a great success (read about this glamorous gala night on p.36) and it is now time to look towards September’s GreenFleet® Awards held at Twickenham, where pioneers of environmental fleet management will be recognised for the ninth time. More information about the event and how to enter can be found on page 21.

Before that though, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Capital Arrive ‘N’ Drive and the Capital Fuel Challenge at Horse Guards Parade on 31 July. If you would like to enter and compete against former F1 World Champion Damon Hill please turn to page 6 to find out more.

Enjoy the issue, and the sunshine.

Sofie Lidefjard, Editor

if you have any comments please email

editor@psp-media.co.uk INTERNATIONAL GREENFLEET® ISSUE 31 / www.greenfleet.net

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CONTENTS

INTERNATIONAL GREENFLEET® MAGAZINE 06

ISSUE 31

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36

04 NEWS

27 VEHICLE TRACKING

06 CAPITAL ARRIVE ‘N’ DRIVE

The need to combat waste and inefficiency is high on the agenda for transport managers, and there are advanced technology tools that can help with that

Sponsored by TfL, this year’s event will take place at Horse Guards Parade on Thursday 31 July

10 EMISSIONS Ivan Hodac, Secretary General of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, stresses the need for an integrated approach to cut carbon emissions from cars Angela Eagle MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury discusses the technological and scientific challenge to find ways of reducing carbon emissions You can find emissions data for all new cars sold in the UK, but not for vans. BVRLA Director General John Lewis wonders why

31 FINANCE Andrew Davies, Director of the Environmental Transport Association, tries to get his head around the many taxes applying to vehicles Dr Peter Speers of Cenex takes a look at the Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme

36 EUROPEAN GREENFLEET® AWARDS Find out who the winners were at the inagural European GreenFleet® Awards

37 DIRECTORY

21 GREENFLEET® AWARDS Tickenham Stadium will play host to the ninth annual GreenFleet® Awards on 25 September

http://www.greenfleet.net International GreenFleet® Magazine is published by Public Sector Publishing Limited.

226 High Road, Loughton Essex IG10 1ET. Telephone +44 (0) 20 8532 0055 Editor Sofie Lidefjard Production Editor Karl O’Sullivan Production Design Jacqueline Grist Production Assistant Kelly Plunkett Publisher Martin Freedman Advertisement Sales Harrison Bunce, Group Publisher Barry Doyle Commisioning Editor Sandra Heavenstone Reproduction & Print Argent Media

MEMBER OF THE PERIODICAL PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

Printed on 100% recycled paper

© 2008 Public Sector Publishing Ltd. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.

INTERNATIONAL GREENFLEET® ISSUE 31 / www.greenfleet.net

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GREENFLEET NEWS

MALCOLM NOYLE

Do you believe in climate change?

IT IS NOW SUMMER AND I READ YESTERDAY THAT OIL PRICES HAD SLUMPED! GOOD NEWS...THEY HAD DROPPED BY JUST OVER $4 BARREL TO OVER $131, NOT SUCH A SLUMP IN REAL TERMS. DIESEL FUEL AT MY LOCAL PUMP IS NOW £1.30 PER LITRE, IN JANUARY IT WAS ONLY £1.10 AND WE ARE STILL PROMISED MORE INCREASES ON THE WAY. Despite this many fleet managers fail to embrace the change in fleet management that is needed to meet the fuel cost changes and to meet the environmental challenges facing us. So, I ask each of you...

• Do you believe in climate change?

• Do you feel fuel prices are to increase?

It probably doesn’t matter what you think the answers are, the fact is that governments do believe in climate change, most scientists are on side as well; fuel prices are at record highs and are unlikely to drop significantly; fiscal and legislative changes to fleet all have environmental issue at their core.

So knowing this - are fleet managers and company directors flooding the market with requests for ways to reduce the CO2 of their fleets and to reduce fuel bills? The answer, sadly, is no.

To give you an example – I did a presentation in the last couple of weeks on a hybrid system for Ford Transit; it’s reported to reduce CO2 by over 16 per cent, to improve MPG by over 16 per cent and is very robust. The presentation clearly demonstrated that after installing the equipment, due to their short period of ownership, generated whole life cost savings in excess of £330. For this particular fleet a saving of over £90,000 every three years.

Not only did the equipment save money but it was reducing the carbon for each Transit by 7.37 during the same period of time. When this technology is applied to a van kept for five years, doing 30,000 miles per annum at more realistic 24mpg the whole life savings after fitting the equipment is nearly £2,000 per van. However, this fleet manager turned around and said that the return on investment does not make it worth fitting this carbon reducing system, this company does not recognise the benefits of operating low carbon vehicles!

This is an unacceptable position to hold if you are running a large and major fleet into today’s changing fleet climate. We must reduce the amounts of fossil fuel we use, not only is it getting expensive but will is a reducing resource.

So I shall close my rant by addressing all managers of companies and fleet – when you are faced with technology that does reduce carbon, that does save money after its costs are taken into account, then do the right thing and implement this technology, stop sitting on the fence and accept that the fleet industry is changing and climate issues are part of this change.

Malcolm Noyle Malcolm.noyle@noyle-fleet-solutions.co.uk Noyle Fleet Solutions www.noyle-fleet-solutions.co.uk 01773 608591

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INTERNATIONAL GREENFLEET® ISSUE 31 / www.greenfleet.net

Black cabs go green ew plans will put hydrogen taxis on streets of London in time for the 2012 Olympics. A collaboration led by hydrogen fuel cell developer, Intelligent Energy, and including Lotus Engineering Ltd, LTI (London Taxis International) Ltd and TRW Conekt, will see a fleet of classic London cabs fitted out with zero emissions hydrogen fuel cell power systems. The programme is part of the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board recent allocation of funding of £23 million for 16 innovative low carbon vehicle development programmes.

The taxis will be powered by fuel cells and batteries configured into an electric hybrid, so the vehicles will be able to operate for a full day without refuelling.

They will be capable of achieving speeds of up to 75 mph, with the fuel cell powertrain providing better acceleration than standard taxis. The vehicles will top up their hydrogen tanks at central depots in a refuelling process will take only a few minutes.

The fuel cell system will be able to function at temperatures as low as -20°C,

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and will fit in the space allotted to the engine in the current LTI TX4 taxi design.

Chief executive officer at Intelligent Energy, Henri Winand, said: “Our technical teams have already successfully integrated fuel cell power systems into motorbikes, delivery vehicles and even aircraft, where we recently provided the power system for the world’s first manned fuel cell powered flight. The taxi project will provide further evidence of our ability to put commercially available hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the market in the coming years.”

Production of Honda FCX Clarity begins After 19 years of development, the first ever production FCX Clarity came off the line in Japan last month. This advanced hydrogen fuel cell car from Honda was presented to three of the first US customers at the world’s first dedicated fuel cell vehicle factory, the Honda Automobile Model Centre.

Lease sales are scheduled to begin in the US this month and in Japan this autumn. The combined sales for the two countries are estimated to 70 cars per year. Customers will follow a three-year lease term at a price of $600 per month (approx £290), including maintenance and collision insurance.

GREENFLEET NEWS

NEWS IN BRIEF

New electric car manufacturer to invest and create jobs Newly formed Liberty Electric Cars Ltd is investing £30 million in the re-engineering of large luxury cars and 4x4s into emissionfree, high performance electric vehicles. The company will design and manufacture a unique electric drive-train platform to power a wide range of large vehicles, which will also have the flexibility to incorporate emerging technologies. Annual vehicle production, which will include the world’s first zero emission electrically powered Range Rover, will be in tens of thousands and will create around 250 new technology and manufacturing jobs.

Barry Shrier, Liberty founder and CEO says: “The Liberty Electric Range Rover takes electric vehicle technology into a new sector, to large luxury cars that people aspire to drive, particularly in cities and urban environments where environmental controls are becoming increasingly tighter.

The Liberty Electric Range Rover will drive cleanly and quietly around roads and cities, free of tax, congestion and parking charges, making less environmental impact than even the smallest, most fuel efficient car, yet still offering the comfort and security of a luxury 4x4.”

Comment by Nigel Underdown, Head of Transport Advice

Energy Saving Trust he Petrol Retailers’ Association reports that the average unleaded petrol price is 117p per litre, up from 97p a year ago.

The price of diesel has risen even more to over 128p per litre. In this climate, business car costs are rising fast and no one is predicting future reductions, so the real challenge is how to control and manage operating costs. Specifying greener vehicles is high on many fleet managers’ agenda but it’s extraordinary how often fuel use is not measured and not managed.

With fuel often representing 30 per cent of the operating costs it’s time for change. The good news is that there are existing policies and practices that can be put in place to help reduce costs – with the added bonus of cutting carbon emissions, and also improving duty of care and health and safety.

Changing the way we drive is fundamental to keeping costs down. Ensuring drivers implement smarter driving practices, avoiding harsh braking and acceleration, avoiding excessive speed, checking tyre pressures will guarantee better mpg and reduced emissions regardless of the vehicle.

Organisations should also look at how mileage can be reduced by using public transport or introducing policies to support meetings via telephone and videoconferencing. Where journeys are necessary, route planning and telematics will ensure shorter journeys that don’t waste fuel.

The Energy Saving Trust (EST) has helped hundreds of business introduce these above practices into their fleet operations – and many have reported impressive fuel savings.

Prince Charles converts his Aston Martin to a green machine

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Following an EST Green Fleet Review, James McNaughton Group, a Kent based paper supplier, reduced mileage by 107,000 miles.

Implementing driver training, installing video conference facilities, capturing data to allow ongoing analysis of fuel usage and ensuring company car drivers choose vehicles capable of at least 37 mpg contributed to the overall annual fuel savings of £86,000.

At North Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust, Transport Services Manager Jug Johal is in the process of reducing annual mileage claims of £750,000 by £350,000 over three years by implementing his Green Fleet Review recommendations. Shuttle buses have been introduced to transport staff between hospitals, public transport is used when travelling to conferences and events and smaller, greener pool cars have been introduced. So rising fuel prices present an obvious challenge, but they also present an opportunity to review policy, introduce more efficient practices and reduce environmental impacts. There couldn’t be a better time to start operating a greener fleet.

If you have a question for the EST, please e-mail it to editor@psp-media.co.uk.

As part of cutting his carbon footprint, Prince Charles has converted his 38-year-old Aston Martin DB6 - a 21st birthday present from the Queen - to run on 100 per cent bioethanol fuel distilled from surplus British wine. The car - which is kept at Highgrove and clocks up just 300 miles a year - averages ten miles a gallon, the equivalent of 4.5 bottles of wine for every mile. At £1.10 a litre, the bioethanol is only slightly cheaper than conventional petrol, but is estimated to produce 85 per cent less carbon dioxide.

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CAPITAL ARRIVE’N’DRIVE & FUEL CHALLENGE PREVIEW

Around the capital in an efficient way Fancy competing against former F1 World Champion Damon Hill? Then come along to the Capital Arrive ‘N’ Drive & Fuel Challenge and drive a minimum of 24 miles in under five hours, using as little amount of fuel as possible ponsored by Transport for London, the Capital Arrive 'N"Drive & Fuel Challenge will once again provide a display of the latest innovations to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the capital. This year, the event will take place at Horse Guards Parade on Thursday 31 July.

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CAPITAL FUEL CHALLENGE The Capital Fuel Challenge will be set off at 9.30am by Deputy Mayor Richard Barnes and assigns a freight task to each vehicle entered in order to measure fuel efficiency. Divided into public and private sectors, emphasis will fall on which fuels are the most environmentally friendly, and offer the greatest economy.

Taking part in the Capital Fuel Challenge will be former F1 World Champion Damon Hill, who said: "I'm delighted to be involved with the GreenFleet Capital Fuel Challenge, and I'm looking forward to seeing all of the cutting edge green technology on show."

Private Sector Fleets, Local Authorities and Central Government departments will all be taking part in this drive, which will be a minimum of 24 miles through the streets of London. Participants will have to plan the most efficient route to four checkpoints spread throughout the capital.

Visitors to the event will be able to watch the fleet’s progress on the big screen, thanks to innovative route tracking technology from official tracking partner Trakm8, a leading supplier of mobile asset management and vehicle tracking. Citroen will supply a C3 with stop-start for use by LBC News as the Official Media Car for the Fuel Challenge.

The most efficient fleets make it through to the GreenFleet® Awards finals at Twickenham on 25 September, where they will take part in the 'G-Factor'. Each organisation will present the reasons why they should win the prestigious TfL Capital Fleet of the Year Awards to an expert panel. The panel will then score each presentation, and the audience will get a chance to vote for which entry they think should win.

Also taking place will be the Capital EcoDriver category, sponsored by environmentally friendly vehicle rental company GreenMotion, who will be supplying four identical vehicles. These will be driven by professional drivers with varying degrees of skill, and will highlight the importance of driving style and its effects on fuel economy and emissions.

INTERNATIONAL GREENFLEET® ISSUE 31 / www.greenfleet.net

I The use of SatNav technology and defensive driving techniques are encouraged I All vehicles must have a driver and a co-driver.

I Drivers and co-drivers must attend a driver briefing from the Institute of Advanced Motorists.

I The checkpoints must be done in order 1-4.

I At each of the four checkpoints, the co-driver must enter the building and pick up an item. Any entrant returning without all four pickups will have failed the challenge. The four checkpoints are Islington Town Hall, LBC Radio, London Borough of Richmond-uponThames, and Guildhall Yard.

I After the challenge, the vehicles will be transported to Millbrook Proving Ground for testing.

ON DISPLAY The vehicles on display at Horse Guards Parade on 31 July are suited to city driving and emit low levels of CO2, such as Axiam Mega’s electric MultiTruck and Mega City, and a range of low-emission vehicles from Toyota, including the Prius Hybrid.

Vectrix, the world’s first zero emission high performance electric maxi-scooter, will take part in the challenge and have vehicles on display. Another welcome return to the Capital Arrive ‘N’ Drive event comes in the form of Modec, the most advanced purposebuilt zero emission commercial vehicle in the marketplace today.

Other exhibitors include EcoCity Vehicles, for vehicles that don’t cost the earth; passenger car and courier company Greater

COMPANIES AT THE CAPITAL ARRIVE’N’DRIVE

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THE CAPITAL FUEL CHALLENGE RULES

London Hire; Lift Safe, providers of solutions to almost every electric vehicle, from tow tractors to electric multi passenger vehicles; and zero local emissions car TH!NK city.

Public information campaign DIY Planet will be on hand to provide advice on how to reduce carbon emissions by making six simple changes to your lifestyle; and representatives from the London Hydrogen Partnership are eager to discuss their work towards a cleaner and more environmentally friendly hydrogen environment.

If you would like to enter your fleet in the Capital Fuel Challenge, please visit www.greenfleet.net/capital or call Colin Boyton on 020 8532 5704.

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Created by Transport for London (TfL) especially for London’s large employers, Corporate will help your organisation deal with these transport challenges and improve its effi ciency and productivity in one of the most competitive world cities.

Through Corporate, TfL will help your staff choose wider travel options and look to develop other transport or access opportunities for your business.

By signing up to Corporate, TfL will help you set up a workplace travel plan – a business management tool tailored to your organisation’s strategic objectives which will save you time and money.

We will support you every step of the way to achieve this. Alongside dedicated support for your organisation, we will provide you with funding to implement key initiatives to help launch your travel plan. In total, the Corporate support package is worth at least £20,000 to your organisation to help implement a workplace travel plan. www.anewwaytowork.org.uk

EMISSIONS

WRITTEN BY IVAN HODAC, Secretary General of the European Automobile Manufacturers’s Association

REWARDING ECO-INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES European automobile manufacturers stress need for integrated approach to cut carbon emissions from cars sing limited resources responsibly and protecting our environment: these are probably the greatest assignments of society today. In both respects, European automobile manufacturers have an important role to play and they are embracing this challenge.

Vehicle makers are technology leaders, driving innovation towards cleaner, ‘greener’ transport.

Every year, lower-emission new cars, vans and trucks come onto market, demonstrating this commitment. There are areas, however, where sharing efforts is necessary as technology alone does not have all the answers. What about growth in transport demand, for example, or the emissions from congestion and inefficient infrastructure? How best to trigger consumer involvement and drive the market towards cleaner vehicles?

The automobile industry invests heavily in new technologies and strategies to address these complex questions. All over the world, the automobile brings improved quality of life; the task is to sustain its benefits while reducing its environmental impact. The vehicle manufacturers produce for today’s and tomorrow’s world and are determined to play their part.

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TOUGH LEGISLATION The European automobile manufacturers are facing tough legislation from the EU and are

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engaged in an intensive dialogue with legislators to achieve the best possible outcome for society in terms of economic growth and the protection of the environment.

The manufacturers fully support the EU objective of further reducing average car emissions to 120g CO2 per kilometre by 2012. Crucial for the future of the industry, however, is how this target is achieved.

Controlling climate change is a complex and global challenge and needs concerted efforts embracing all areas of society. Placing the burden mainly on the car industry, as the European Commission has proposed, is the most expensive strategy. It could lead to pressure on manufacturers with, as yet, unclear economic consequences.

INTEGRATED APPROACH The appropriate solution to reduce CO2 emissions from cars and to safeguard jobs and investments in Europe is an integrated approach, combining further improvements in vehicle technology, an increased use of alternative fuels, improved infrastructure and traffic management, a more economic driving style and harmonised CO2-related taxation across the EU. This requires a partnership involving the automotive industry, the fuel industry, policy makers at all EU

government levels and consumers.

A vehicle-related target of 130g CO2 per kilometre by 2012, as proposed by the Commission, is not feasible, as the exact legal requirements will not be known before 2009 at the earliest. The parameters of the legislation will determine the technical implementation of the rules and prescribe the ‘type approval’ requirements, or the rules with which a car has to comply before it can be sold on the EU markets. Here, important investment decisions are pending.

The car industry needs a phase-in period until 2015 to be able to match its manufacturing and development cycles to the new rules. Both car development and production cycles are very long. To illustrate this: 60 per cent of the cars that will be for sale in 2012 are already in production today.

Changing these products significantly would be very difficult.

R&D INVESTMENT That does not mean that in the meantime nothing is happening. The industry invests €20 billion (4 per cent of turnover) per year in research and development, a large chunk of which goes to improved fuel-efficiency and other technologies that enhance the environmental performance of cars. Over the last decade, ACEA members implemented more than 50 new, CO2-cutting technologies into their vehicles. And many more are on the brink of market introduction, or in the longer-term development phase.

The European car manufacturers are world leaders in many fields of expertise, based on a long tradition of innovation and fulfilling consumer demand. The industry continuously strives to remain at the top. That is precisely why the European manufacturers form one of the most stable pillars of the EU economy, providing employment to two million people and supporting the jobs of ten million other workers in the EU. The EU can help further encourage

EMISSIONS

innovation by introducing more flexibility into the upcoming legislation. Mistakenly, many important technologies are ignored in the current legislative proposal on reducing CO2 emissions from cars. They have been excluded because they are neither part of the ‘test cycle’ for new cars, nor of the so-called ‘complementary measures’ (gear-shift indicators, fuel-efficient air-conditioning, tyrepressure monitoring, low-rolling resistance tyres) as identified by the European Commission. This is a missed opportunity.

Reducing CO2 emissions from cars is a complex challenge and involves improvements of the whole vehicle, not just the engine. And in addition to car technology, also the driver, the choice of fuel and the quality of infrastructure are decisive to arrive at the best possible fuel-economy and hence lowest CO2 emissions of a car.

ECO-INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES The European automotive industry has identified multiple categories for ecoinnovative car technologies: systems & components, running resistance, well-towheel efficiency, smart navigation and driver information. All categories contain numerous technology applications, from adaptive cruise-control and super efficient LED lights to robotised gearboxes and the storage and re-use of heat.

Some of these examples are readily available today; others are still in the development phase. Some are very simple, many very complex and new. Some offer modest, others substantial CO2 reduction potential. All technologies can and should be credibly measured and monitored.

A system that embraces eco-innovative technologies that are measured outside the test cycle – by accounting credits for individual cars – would allow car manufacturers to reduce new car CO2 emissions in a more efficient way, leading to lower costs for the industry and the

consumer. A technology-open legislative framework encourages further innovations and enhances the industry’s competitive strength, to the benefit of EU growth, society and the environment.

ABOUT ACEA

PENALTY SCHEME Last but not least, the car industry insists on the need for a fair and realistic system with objectives it can meet in an appropriate timeframe. The suggested penalties are of an unprecedented high level. The industry is not looking to buy its way out. If at all, payments should be reasonable and defined in relation to the market price of carbon applied widely to other sectors.

In the proposed legislation there is no link between the penalties facing the car industry and the price of carbon paid by other industries through the European emissions trading scheme. The proposed penalties price a tonne of carbon produced by cars at up to €475, where the ETS market price will evolve towards about €33 per tonne, according to Commission estimates coming from currently less than €5. The comparison is based on the average 200,000 kilometres that a car drives over its lifetime. Therefore, 1 gramme of CO2 emitted above the legal target would correspond to 200 kg of excess emissions, or 0.2 tonne of CO2. If the car industry would be fined €95 per gramme-above-target, this would equal paying €475 (5 times €95) for each tonne of CO2. This is far more than any other sector.

Penalties for the car industry would also be significantly higher than any cartel fine paid in EU competition cases, which concern illegal competition law infringements with huge damages for consumers.

CONSTRUCTIVE SUSTAINABILITY All manufacturers’ efforts are focused on further reducing carbon from cars. The upcoming regulatory framework should help

in a constructive and sustainable way.

Investments in eco technologies should be recognised and rewarded; the industry needs sufficient preparation time ahead of new legislation, and penalties should be fair.

Finally, consumer demand should be shaped towards a preference for fuel-efficient technology to encourage swift market takeup of available solutions, and fleet renewal in general. No target can be met without the help of the market.

The EU objective of achieving average car emissions of 120 grammes CO2/km by 2012 is possible if the appropriate measures are put in place and all parties are involved: car industry, fuel industry, policy makers - to adjust infrastructure and introduce CO2related taxation - and car users. That is the challenge Europe faces.

N O I T P I R C S B U S E FRE

is magazine th of e dl id m e th in rm fo e Just complete th INTERNATIONAL GREENFLEET® ISSUE 31 / www.greenfleet.net

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EMISSIONS

WRITTEN BY Angela Eagle MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury

Committing to lower CO2 emissions To avoid the worst effects of climate change, we need not just to slow down that increase, but also to stop it and to turn it around

he world's emissions need to be cut to 50 per cent of 1990 levels by 2050. The longer it takes for emissions to start reducing, the harder it will be. It's a challenge unlike any other that we've faced. It's a technological and scientific challenge, to find more ways of reducing emissions. It's a financial challenge because the UN estimates that over $200 billion of additional investment and financial flows will be needed by 2030 to return greenhouse gas emissions to their current levels. Although that's a lot less than the costs of inaction it is still a great deal of money.

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UN FRAMEWORK The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will need to reach agreement on a future framework for dealing with climate change, to replace the current Kyoto agreements.

I know how difficult Kyoto was to negotiate - I was working as a Minister at the Environment Department at the time. The new framework will, if

anything, be even more difficult because clearly it has to include, if at all possible, all countries.

We have made enormous progress over the last 20 years in tackling the production of CFCs and other substances that deplete the ozone layer. So on a smaller scale we already have a successful example of combined global action that eliminated a particular threat to the ozone.

So how should we go about achieving these difficult aims? Of course, what we have to do is reduce carbon emissions - and dramatically. I'm proud that in the UK we've made clear our determination to do that by committing to a Climate Change Bill.

This means we'll be the first country in the world to put long-term targets into legislation, and we'll set out binding carbon budgets that we'll need to meet to achieve these targets.

The question now is how to reduce carbon emissions in the most efficient way, and how to do it without damaging either development or economic growth.

GROWING GREEN We can both be green and grow. While the costs of inaction could be between 5-20 per cent of global GDP, action could cost just one per cent. That depends, however, on emissions being reduced where the costs are lowest. And the key to that will be giving carbon a price, so that individuals and businesses factor the real cost of the damage their carbon emissions cause into their decisions. This is the

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EMISSIONS

market mechanism that needs to go alongside the goodwill, the political agreements and the social determination.

TRADING SCHEME There are a number of ways we can do it. Tax has a part to play by influencing behaviour and incentivising low carbon technologies, and as the main way of tackling emissions from surface transport. But we can't do this without carbon emissions trading.

That's why the UK strongly supports the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, the main method of pricing carbon in our economy. It covers around 50 per cent of our emissions, mainly from electricity generation and industry.

It's true that there have been difficulties with the scheme, which remind us just how challenging it is to set up new markets such as this. But we have learnt a lot from the first phase and the signs are positive for Phase Two of the scheme. In the future, we'll want to see the scheme strengthened, with limits that tighten over time to create scarcity; we'll want to see it expanded, to cover more sectors and gases; and we'll want to see it linked up with schemes in other countries.

WORKING GLOBALLY The challenge of climate change is international - and the responses therefore must be international too. So carbon emissions need a global price, not just a price in the UK, or indeed Europe.

That means we'll need a global carbon market that is deeper, more liquid, and open - and to achieve that we would eventually need a global trading scheme.

Clearly, the longer separate systems develop in isolation from each other, and in a fragmented way, the more the cost of

part - but they won't be able to bear the full costs of that action alone, and they shouldn't have to given that we are already industrialised and caused the problem.

Creating a global carbon market will, of course, be a real challenge - and we have to recognise the scale of that ambition. The experience of Phase One of the Emissions Trading Scheme here in Europe has shown us that it isn't easy. If we're to do it, then there's a huge role for the private sector to play.

CARBON MARKETS GROUP To help us to use the knowledge and the skills of the private sector, we are setting up a carbon markets experts group that will act as a sounding board for the Treasury, and that will discuss ways of enhancing and developing the global carbon market.

The group will also be advising us on the opportunities that the global carbon trading market, which is already worth $30 billion, can create, and on ensuring clearly that London can maintain its position as the world's leading financial centre for emissions trading.

The most important opportunity, however, isn't to make money out of emissions trading. It's to reduce carbon emissions in the most efficient way in all our economies, and to avoid the damage that climate change therefore could do.

Carbon trading and a global carbon market is something we have to think about urgently. The Kyoto framework expires in 2012, and if we are to have a new system in place in time we will need it to be finalised by the end of 2009.

I know there is a long way to go in those negotiations and we are not going to achieve an agreement it unless there is real international effort, and co-operation. The scale of the challenge is huge. It's an

Creating a global carbon market will, of course, be a real challenge - and we have to recognise the scale of that ambition. The experience of Phase One of the Emissions Trading Scheme here in Europe has shown us that it isn't easy. If we're to do it, then there's a huge role for the private sector to play

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moving to that global scheme will rise. So we need to think about how we're going to create that global scheme now.

Linking the European trading scheme with others would be an important step, and here in the UK we are working with California and other American states to try to ensure that trading systems are compatible as they develop.

The Clean Development Mechanism also has an important part to play in linking the EU ETS to developing countries, and helping to reduce emissions there. That's crucial, because we can't reduce carbon emissions without the developing world playing their

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environmental, technological, political and social and unlike anything that we have ever faced - but one that our economies, and people's lives, depend on us meeting.

We're taking climate change seriously in the UK Treasury. Climate change could be an economic disaster - but it also presents opportunities, and we must focus on ways in which we can respond without damaging growth. All of that makes it hugely important to finance ministries - and economics ministries that also have huge expertise in the market-based solutions that we need to find.

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WRITTEN BY John Lewis, Director General, BVRLA

EMISSIONS

Van makers stay quiet over emissions figures f you walk into a showroom, or click on an online brochure for a particular car, you can easily find out how clean it is, with a carbon dioxide emissions figure given in grammes per kilometre (g/km).

Manufacturers are legally bound to display it and you will find many of them eagerly touting the environmental credentials of their models. You can find the emissions data for all new cars sold in the UK, published online at the Vehicle Certification Agency website, www.vca.gov.uk.

But don’t bother looking for any official list of CO2 data for vans, because there isn’t any.

Since 1 January 2008, vehicle manufacturers have been required to register the CO2 emissions for all new vans (based on engine emissions). Although the data is published in Germany and some other EU countries, it is not published in the UK. While fleet buyers are able to get emissions data for some models, in many cases manufacturers will not publish a figure. There is no satisfactory reason for this increasingly important sector of the road transport industry to ignore its customers’ needs.

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ROAD TRANSPORT CO2 Recent changes in the legislation governing drivers’ hours and speed restrictions for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes, combined with the growth of Internet shopping, has led to a major increase in the use of large vans.

According to the DfT, vans are now the fastest growing source of road transport CO2 emissions, accounting for around 15 per cent.

As a major source of emissions, the transport sector has a major role to play in helping the UK meet its ambitious carbon reduction targets. One way in which it can do this is by buying cleaner vehicles.

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) represents companies that rent and lease cars and commercial vehicles in the UK. Its members rent or lease around 320,000 vans in the UK and have been looking at ways to help their customers procure the most appropriate environmentally friendly vehicles.

At the same time, the DfT has a Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement programme that wants to get cleaner vans onto the market and provide information

about them to public sector fleet managers.

Fleet managers everywhere are being asked to make a contribution to reducing their employer’s carbon footprint. Their decisions have a major impact on the UK environment, but they are being ignored by van manufacturers.

For months the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has said that the matter was being discussed at a manufacturing level, and that there was general agreement that figures should be offered. After months of campaigning from the BVRLA, it has finally agreed to publish the data.

But don’t get too excited. The SMMT says it is in the process of working with the DfT on an agenda for the release of the figures, which won’t appear until mid-Autumn at the earliest. Whilst the agreement to publish the data is welcome, the continued delay is bitterly disappointing.

‘MISLEADING’ EMISSION DATA When explaining its reticence in publishing van emissions data, the SMMT has previously raised concerns about the way in which CO2 is measured for vans. It claims that the figures are not accurate enough when you take into account the huge variety of body configurations (tipper, Lutron, panel van, etc), vehicle weights, payloads, etc that can be used with the same van engine. For example,

one van maker has over 500 derivatives of one model range. Van manufacturers do not want to test each model derivative to determine its emissions.

The SMMT says that publishing emission figures based solely on engine tests would mislead buyers, and could even result in them buying a vehicle that is underpowered/ undersized for its intended operation, which would possibly result in it being overworked, thus increasing its emissions unnecessarily.

The European Commission is currently reviewing the way van emissions are measured, but unfortunately this could take years.

In the meantime, the SMMT has suggested that operators should work out their van CO2 emissions by measuring the fuel consumption of their vehicle. Unfortunately, in order to measure van emissions the SMMT way, a customer has to buy a van, meaning that their choice of vehicle will already have been made!

While it struggles with a way of releasing all the required emissions data for UK vans, the SMMT says that manufacturers will be able to provide some data to potential customers.

In the meantime, the BVRLA is taking steps to fill the knowledge vacuum. Together with consultants Clifford Thames, we hope to publish detailed van CO2 emission data on our website (www.bvrla.co.uk) within the next few weeks.

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Safe and fuel efficient driving There isn’t a day when we don’t hear about the rising cost of fuel, the rising cost of owning a vehicle that and how this impacts on our increasingly rapid changing climate ecently we have heard about the impending changes to the vehicle duty system that applies charges on emissions retrospectively to vehicles bought from 2001 onwards. And what about the business impacts of the Corporate Manslaughter Act, which came into force in April this year?

Although all of this is no great surprise for any business, it isn’t welcome news. But there are ways that a business can mitigate these impacts. Driver training is featuring high on the business agenda; not only can it help keep staff motivated but it can also have a positive impact on safety, the cost of fuel and the CO2 emissions of the fleet.

SAFED (Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving) for Vans is a DfT funded driver development programme originally launched as a pilot in 2006. It is designed as a single day course aimed at improving the safe and fuel-efficient driving techniques of LCV drivers. The pilot programme of 2006 trained 7,500 drivers and the results were impressive showing that using advanced driving techniques could make significant financial and environmental gains.

The pilot showed that on average 16 per cent savings in MPG could be saved, which equates to nearly £500 per driver per year and potentially over 9,000 tonnes of CO2. All this can be achieved without increasing journey times.

Drivers are trained in pairs, and the day begins with a two hour introductory session followed by a one hour driver assessment. The drivers are then de-briefed and

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given a demonstration to show the benefits of any advanced driving techniques. Each driver is given a vehicle and road craft instruction, which also covers parking and manoeuvring before a final assessment drive.

Each driver is assessed against 18 elements of safe and fuel-efficient driving and two major indicators of fuel economy and gear changes. Drivers are also required to sit a knowledge quiz based on the Highway Code.

Two businesses that have benefited from SAFED for Vans are Rentokil Initial UK and Cottsway Housing in Oxfordshire. Rentokil had 280 LCVs with a combined annual mileage of 7million. With SAFED training they were able to see potential savings that equated to annual MPG improvements of 13 per cent per driver, a total annual fuel saving of 212,000 litres and a huge reduction on CO2 emissions of 560 tonnes.

At the other end of the scale, Cottsway had 28 LCVs doing a total annual mileage of 280,000. After undertaking SAFED Cottsway were able to see potential annual savings in MPG of a massive 27 per cent and total annual fuel saving of over 12,000 litres. Their CO2 savings were calculated at 32 tonnes.

Essentially, safer driving means fewer injuries and fatalities; less accident damage to vehicles; less unproductive downtime for vehicle repair and the potential to reduce your insurance premiums. Fuel efficiency will benefit through lower costs, improved profit margins, reduced emissions and improved environmental performance.

Both companies saw benefits relating to improved environmental performance and increased fuel economy. What they also saw was that SAFED techniques reduced vehicle wear and tear, reduced accident levels and driver fatigue, and improved driver

skill and professionalism.

Colin Blake, fleet manager at Rentokil Initial UK said: “With environmental, and health and safety performance being top of the company agenda, the SAFED for Vans scheme was seen as one way that our drivers could assist us reach targets in these areas. In combination with our fuel monitoring system we anticipate long term fuel and accident savings”.

Where operators actively monitor and manage fuel use by vehicles, a fleet’s fuel consumption can be significantly reduced with an equivalent cost saving. The use of safe and fuel-efficient driving as part of a fuel management programme will make a major contribution to this fuel saving.

Other benefits that can be experienced include a positive response from drivers in relation to stress, the ease with which training techniques can be adopted and continued, a reduction in driver fatigue and greater control on approach to hazards.

Driving becomes less mentally demanding.

The driver’s ability to operate the vehicle safely and the vehicle’s general condition and roadworthiness are of paramount importance. Improvements in the safety aspects of fleet operation will bring benefits through lower threats of prosecution, lower costs and lower emission levels.

Part funded places are still available on a first come first served basis for drivers, trainers and in-house assessors.

FOR MORE INFORMATION About SAFED for Vans, visit www.safed.org.uk or call the helpline on 0870 190 8440

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Can you afford to go green?

According to a recent Jelf Group sponsored survey, 45 per cent of employers consider environmental issues when developing their fleet policy1. It is perhaps surprising then, that the same survey discovered that less than a fifth of employers had established their fleet’s carbon footprint ising tax, increasing regulations and petrol hikes could all be significant factors in pushing environmental concerns to the bottom of the to do list. To add to the problem, even if you can afford to evaluate your fleet inline with green concerns, which way do you turn when questions have already been raised about the green credentials of biofuel and certain hybrid vehicles?

At a time when businesses are even more focused on controlling costs can fleet managers justify the time and expense of converting their fleet into something more environmentally considerate?

Stephen May, business development manager of SureFleet, comments: “The rising lifetime cost of a vehicle, spiralling fuel prices and the recent credit crunch will place pressure on bottom line profits and demand imaginative cost control measures from fleet managers. However, when reviewing where and how to reduce costs, other influences such as the environment and health and safety considerations need to be seriously considered, and in the long-term can have a positive impact on the company’s image, recruitment process and importantly its bottom line. The budget sent out a clear message to fleet managers that the environment is no longer a secondary consideration and to ignore it will bring increased costs.”

Stephen’s five top tips for reducing costs and helping the environment include:

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could offer real opportunities to reducing costs. Developing a coherent strategy that is understood and followed by all drivers is important. SureFleet can help you to achieve savings in the long term; a clear fleet policy, encompassing vehicle selection and fuel purchasing strategies is essential.

2 Low emission vehicles Encourage drivers in your fleet to select low emission vehicles. As well as the environmental benefits and inevitable fuel efficiency, they attract favourable Road Fund License rates. The government is likely to continue to encourage the switch to low emission vehicles, and the tax difference between these and the ‘gas guzzlers’ will inevitably increase over the coming years.

3 Journey planning and managing driver behavior Telematic systems allow businesses to plan the most efficient routes and assist in measuring a fleet’s productivity. SureFleet supplies these systems as part of its insurance policies annual contract.

Encouraging responsible driving can also generate fuel efficiency, reduce vehicle depreciation, control service and maintenance expenditure and increase safety – all of which have a direct impact on costs.

Direct.gov research states that driving at 70mph could use up to 30 per cent more fuel than at 50mph.

1 Control the use of fuel Fuel is one of the largest costs to fleet managers today. With record breaking prices looking likely to continue, obtaining a clear understanding of your fuel purchasing habits, and making a distinction between necessary and avoidable journeys, is vital to managing costs as well as making a step towards going green.

Identifying alternative fuel purchase strategies, such as bulk buying fuel at a discount or switching to alternative fuels,

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4 Set and review emission caps Set emission caps for your fleet. Remember that manufacturers regularly review and reduce the limits so you also need to be doing the same for your fleet with a view to continually reducing the allowed levels. This again focuses the business on which journeys are absolutely necessary and encourages better journey planning for a more fuel efficient route.

5 Review your fleet’s objectives When was your fleet last reviewed?

Operating 60 cars will in our experience require a budget of circa £500,000. To control and manage the costs of running such a fleet, SureFleet recommends that a formal policy is developed, and that this is reviewed annually. Do you need a fleet that large? What is the purpose of the fleet? Is there an opportunity to encourage car sharing? Use of public transport? Pool cars?

Or teleconferencing?

Can you afford not to go green?

Stephen continues, “Instead of deciding whether you can afford to go green, the question should really be can you afford not to go green? Going green can incur costs but should have a positive impact on customer care, customer perception and corporate social responsibility. SureFleet is a fleet management solution that can assist in establishing a vehicle criteria policy that considers the environment for company and employee-owned vehicles, and provides advice on economic ways to acquire and finance such vehicles.”

SureFleet is a modular one-stop-shop for fleet management encompassing: • Vehicle acquisition and finance • Servicing, maintenance, repair and tyres (SMRT) • Fleet management health check • Breakdown recovery, windscreen replacement and accident management • Specialist Legal Support • Fleet insurance and risk management Employee Benefits Fleet Research 2008

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For more information visit www.surefleetonline.com or contact Stephen on 07841 050774 25 INTERNATIONAL GREENFLEET® ISSUE 31 / www.greenfleet.net

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Hosted by

25 September 08 Twickenham Rugby Stadium, London The annual awards returns once more... the industry始s only event that recognises best practice in environmental transport policy. Over 20 awards will be presented, including Car, Van and LGV Manufacturer of the Year, Public and Private Sector Fleets and Fleet Managers of the Year, Industry Innovation, Lifetime Achievement and many more

To enter for an award or for details on how your organisation can sponsor or exhibit at the event please visit our website www.greenfleet.net or contact Colin Boyton / Jo Lyons on 020 8532 0055

www.greenfleet.net/awards

GREENFLEET® AWARDS PREVIEW

ENTER THE 2008 GREENFLEET® AWARDS Now in its ninth year, the GreenFleet® Awards 2008 will take place at Twickenham on Thursday 25 September and will once again recognise the pioneers of environmental fleet management he climax of this year’s GreenFleet® series of events will see public and private sector organisations rewarded for their efforts in environmental fleet management and green motoring at a spectacular awards evening.

The GreenFleet® Awards 2008 is expected to be the biggest yet and will be held in the Twickenham Experience in the brand new South Stand at Twickenham Stadium on 25 September.

The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames was chosen to host the event because to the significant steps the local authority has made in improving sustainability in the capital, with its green travel plans and the widely reported vehicle banding for parking permits.

Cllr Martin Elengorn, cabinet member for the Environment on Richmond Council said: “We are delighted to be hosting the GreenFleet® Awards. Our council has put the environment and doing everything we can to combat global warming at the very top of our agenda. Indeed we are currently looking at innovative ways that we can make our own fleet greener which include considering plans to run all of our vehicles on bio-diesel derived from used cooking oil – a move that would result in very significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.

“We are really looking forward to welcoming everyone to our borough and the new facilities at Twickenham stadium.”

In partnership with the Mayor of London’s DIY Planet Repairs programme, the GreenFleet® seminar programme will continue its traditional theme of providing

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GREENFLEET® AWARDS PREVIEW

THE 2008 GREENFLEET® AWARDS WILL PRESENT: Alternative Fuel Supplier of the Year Breakdown/Recovery Company of the Year Car Manufacturer of the Year Dealership of the Year Driver Training Company of the Year Electric Vehicle of the Year Fleet Manager of the Year (Private Sector) Fleet Manager of the Year (Public Sector) Green Marketing Campaign of the Year

practical advice and useful information that will enable local authorities and businesses to make simple and effective changes to fleet management and transport and travel plans.

In the afternoon, the public and private sector top three placed entrants from the Capital Fuel Challenge held in July (see p.6), will each provide a five minute presentation as to why they think their efforts should win them the TFL Public/Private Sector Capital Fleet of the Year award. An independent panel will judge these, with a decision reached on the overall winners on the day when the audience will get a chance to cast their votes electronically using devices supplied by O2.

Judged by representatives from the Institute of Car Fleet Management, the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and GreenFleet® magazine, the awards are fast becoming a key date in the transport industry calendar.

Hotly contested awards include the GreenFleet® Car Manufacturer of the Year, which examines the efforts made by manufacturers to cut CO2 and other pollutants from their range. In 2007 this went to Citroen, whose entire range can now run on up to 30 per cent biodiesel, unmodified.

If you would like to enter the 2008 GreenFleet® Awards, please go to www.greenfleet.net where you will find the online entry form.

Green Motoring Journalist of the Year HGV Manufacturer of the Year Industry Innovation Award IT Innovation Award IT/Communications Product of the Year LCV Manufacturer of the Year Leasing Company of the Year Rental Company of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award Private Sector Fleet of the Year Private Sector Innovation Award Public Sector Fleet of the Year Public Sector Innovation Award TfL Private Sector Fleet Award TfL Public Sector Fleet Award

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THE LOW CARBON VEHICLE PARTNERSHIP

The future of road transport The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership conference on 23 July at the London Motor Show, will take place at a time when low carbon and more fuel efficient road transport has never been higher up the political and economic agenda; both nationally and internationally achieving this would depend heavily on a prices and developing countries at a recent n oil price in excess of $130 a barrel wide-scale electrification of the road international summit. In the face of growing has resulted in rapid increases in the transport fleet and also on a massive opposition to its biofuels policy from NGOs cost of petrol and diesel at the decarbonisation of electricity production. and others, the Government commissioned pumps and this has produced a sharp drop in At the more local level, London under the Gallagher Review into the indirect effects fuel consumption. Fuel security and economy Mayor Ken Livingstone has taken a global of biofuel production which is due to is now a far more urgent political – and lead in policies to decarbonise and improve published shortly (the report is expected to personal – priority driven by the twin threats the fuel economy of vehicles operating in the be available before this article is published). of oil scarcity and climate change.

UK capital. Earlier this year Livingstone The Government has said that it will The European debate on ‘Cars and CO2’ announced the introduction (from October) reappraise its policy in the light of the regulation, for example, is reaching its climax, of congestion charge exemptions for the findings from the Gallagher Review. but there are indications of concessions to lowest emission cars – in VED Bands A and B The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership’s the car makers and particularly the larger – alongside £25 charges for ‘gas guzzlers’; Conference on 23 July will take place against manufacturers mainly based in Germany. vehicles classified in VED Band G. The new the backdrop of the London Motor Show, on There are reports of a Franco-German deal Mayor, Boris Johnson, has said that he plans the Show’s opening ‘VIP’ day. Delegates will that will allow for the gradual phasing in of to scrap the proposed £25 charge. It remains be able to visit the Motor Show after the the 130g/km target, which was set for 2012.

(An earlier plan had called for a target of 120g/km by 2012.) To ‘sweeten the pill’ from Overall, the King Review concluded that road transport an environmental perspective there are louder calls for Europe to set tougher longcould deliver an 80 per cent cut in road transport emissions term regulated targets; 95g/km by 2020 has by 2050, compared with a 2000 baseline, but achieving gained considerable support. this would depend heavily on a wide-scale electrification At national level, the Government is digesting the recommendations of the King of the road transport fleet and also on a massive Review. Professor Julia King’s report, which decarbonisation of electricity production was published in the spring, made 40 recommendations The Low to be seen whether he will pick up conference and also have the opportunity to on how road transport Carbon Vehicle the mantle from his predecessor enjoy a post conference reception within the could be decarbonised Partnership was established and forge ahead with plans for Show’s ‘Greener Driving Pavilion.’ The over the next 25 years. in 2003 to help accelerate the the decarbonisation of London’s Pavilion is a special, environmentally-themed There were a range of shift to low carbon vehicles and car fleet. area; the first time a dedicated area focusing proposals for fuels. It now has over 280 stakeholder members from motor Delegates at the LowCVP on environmental issues has been introduced strengthening demandand energy companies, conference on 23 July will have to the Motor Show. It will exhibit the latest side policy measures, for government, academia, perhaps the first opportunity to carbon reduction technologies for cars as example, to enable environmental NGOs learn what the new Mayor’s well as ways in which individuals can make consumers to make and others environmental policies for transport better transport choices and act to cut their ‘greener’ choices through will look like: Boris Johnson’s newlycarbon ‘footprints’. the extension of initiatives like appointed Director of Transport Policy, Delegates attending the event will also learn the colour-coded fuel economy label, Kulveer Ranger, will be speaking during the the results of two important new research the introduction of colour-coded tax discs morning of the event. studies focusing on different aspects of the and the strengthening of the regulations on Biofuels hit the national headlines with the development of policy in this area. Professor car advertising. King also called for the introduction of the Renewable Transport Fuel Jim Skea will present the results of a UKERC Department for Transport to develop and Obligation in the UK earlier this year. The TPA transport project focusing on identifying reinforce the ‘Act on CO2’ campaign using new marketing approaches and placing RTFO mandates that 2.5 per cent of petrol which policies are most effective at reducing greater focus on the financial benefits to and diesel will be comprised of biofuel carbon emissions from transport. Dr Jillian consumers of ‘greener’ behaviour. content from this year and the current plan is Anable will present the results of research In a further recommendation Professor King to increase this target to 5 per cent by designed to examine why car buyers say that suggested that public bodies should look to 2010/11. Europe has already indicated plans fuel economy is high up their list of purchase follow central government in introducing to increase this figure to 10 per cent later. priorities but have not – in the past, at least – procurement practices designed to ensure a However, competition for land use acted in accordance with that stated priority. reduction in average emissions of the vehicles combined with the rising cost of food bought for official uses. products and doubts about the life-cycle FOR MORE INFORMATION Overall, the King Review concluded that carbon benefits of biofuels has lead to a reroad transport could deliver an 80 per cent evaluation of government policy. The Prime About the LowCVP Conference please visit: www.lowcvp.org.uk or see the cut in road transport emissions by 2050, Minister even raised concerns about the adjacent advertisement. compared with a 2000 baseline, but impacts of growing biofuel use on food

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FLEET MANAGEMENT WILL NEVER BE THE SAME

Have you ever wondered how much vehicle tracking & reporting can save your company?

Fleet Management is proven to save you money • Reduce your carbon footprint • Timesheet verification • Monitor private mileage • On site working hours • Reduce communication costs • Reduce fuel bills • Improve security of asset For more information Contact us now on 01233 650334 or email info@fleettrak.co.uk www.fleettrak.co.uk

Awarded Gold reseller status for outstanding contribution and service

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+ Tracking Navigation + Communication = A better Managed Fleet!

Transpoco and Garmin’s combined system allows for immediate and direct communication between drivers and fleet managers via messaging and instant re-routing through your Garmin Sat Nav. In this dynamic business environment with unforeseen route changes / delivery requirements occurring frequently, using our system provides fleet managers with significant time and cost savings due to its advanced tracking and communication.

Features Include: • Job despatch - Navigate your employees to their next job with a Garmin Sat Nav • Two way messaging - Improve communication • Real time vehicle tracking - Full visibility of where you fleet of vehicles are now • Transpoco suite of management reports – Improve the efficiency of your mobile workforce

Call 0845 489 0144 for more details or visit www.transpoco.co.uk

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Vehicle tracking systems: The greening of technology The sudden increase in fuel prices this year is causing some consternation in the transport industry, but two factors mean that there may be a silver lining

he need to combat waste and inefficiency is now high on the agenda for transport professionals; and there are high technology tools that can really help to make a difference.

Satellite-based vehicle tracking systems that monitor vehicles as they move around the country, are being used as powerful fleet management tools to achieve astounding improvements in operational efficiency.

Quartix Ltd, one of the country’s leading vehicle tracking service providers, says that its customers are routinely achieving cost savings up to £2,000 per vehicle per year and productivity improvements of more than 20 per cent p.a. So how do they do it?

Only a few years ago, managers of transport operations were deprived of real information. Direct knowledge effectively ceased when a vehicle drove out of sight, and resumed, more or less, when it returned.

The where, when and how of the operation was only revealed after the fact, when things went right, (deliveries made on time), or wrong, (accidents or complaints). Things are so different now.

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LIVE-ON-THE-WEB Small but powerful tracking units fitted to the vehicle pick up speed and location data from GPS satellites and transmit the raw data over the mobile telephone network to the service provider who processes the data and presents it as a moving icon on the manager’s computer screen. In the case of the Quartix ‘live-on-the-web’ system, the manager can see the vehicles in operation, simply by logging onto the Internet from any connected PC. The whole fleet can be seen as they move around the country, or one vehicle can be selected and viewed at streetlevel detail. This knowledge combined with mobile communications means that vehicle operations can be controlled and directed, as they occur, from start to finish.

The reach of these systems is impressive too; Quartix’s powerful servers monitor more than 15,000 vehicles simultaneously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for more than 1,600 customers.

The systems also process the real-time data that is collected as the vehicles move and convert it into valuable management information. This includes, amongst other things, vehicle movement logs, mileage data, fuel consumption, journey times, shift duration and time spent at each site. In doing so, so the system provides a complete audit trail for each vehicle. This, in turn, means that the reality of fleet operations can be understood in fine detail and corrected where necessary .

IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE For haulage customers, this means the ability to improve asset management; to improve delivery response times; to improve load placing and back-load planning; to improve the accuracy of time-sheets and demurrage charging; to eliminate ‘crossover’, duplicated and unscheduled journeys; to ensure that vehicles are serviced in a timely manner, reducing wear and tear and prolonging vehicle lifespan and to optimise route planning to allow more direct, or less congested routes to be used.

Van fleet customers are able to improve job planning and allocation. When changes to jobs are required ‘on the fly’, the vehicle closest to a customer can be identified and diverted, avoiding unnecessary mileage and improving the customer service.

Car fleet customers are seeing dramatic improvements in sales and service team productivity. The number of speeding incidents is reduced with a consequent improvement in fleet insurance premiums.

The ability to make best use of vehicles increases overall business capacity without the need to put more vehicles on the road.

There is an even more powerful use for vehicle tracking data. Inefficient vehicle movements are often a symptom of problems elsewhere in an organisation.

Quartix was able to show one of its customers that it’s fleet was running 750,000 miles a year more than necessary because gradual changes in sales incentives had caused a shift in the distribution of customers away from the optimum delivery depots. Savings? £2 million a year.

There are other practical benefits too. The audit trail provided by the system helps to protect against spurious claims of nondelivery and to reduces the cost of demonstrating compliance with Working Time Directive legislation. If live data is fed into other business processes e.g. sales and warehousing, overall company efficiency is improved. Vehicle security is improved, the system helping with the rapid recovery of stolen vans, trucks and trailers. This, in turn, can lead to reductions in annual fleet insurance premiums. There are also real safety benefits when mobile workers, working alone or in hazardous locations, can be remotely supervised.

So, vehicle tracking systems are proving to be a major weapon in the fight against waste and inefficiency. On the one hand, they give transport managers practical tools to control their fleets moment by moment for maximum effectiveness; and on the other hand they have raised management information systems to a new level, enabling profound and far-reaching changes to operational efficiency.

Which is precisely what is needed to turn the tide on waste and inefficiency.

FOR MORE INFORMATION About the Quartix vehicle tracking system go to: www.quartix.net Tel: 0870 013 6663

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Telematics can help reduce your carbon footprint Fleet managers looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint will find that recent advances in telematics technology could make a significant contribution he use of satellite navigation equipment and vehicle tracking devices, especially when combined with direct voiceless messaging to drivers, can bring many benefits, including: • Reduced vehicle mileage, leading to lower fuel bills • Increased vehicle utilisation and productivity, meaning fewer vehicles • Lower mobile costs as voice calls are replaced with text messages • Avoidance of congested roads, cutting emissions from idling engines • Improved driver safety and reduced stress Bristol International Airport, for example, fitted the Link tracking device from TomTom WORK to their fleet of 21 airport buses and fire tenders to identify, amongst other things, excessive periods of engine idling when a vehicle is stationary.

Steve Webb, Motor Transport Manager at the airport, said: “A major area of energy consumption is the diesel used by our vehicles on the ground. As well as the environmental benefits of reducing the amount of fuel we use, there are also significant cost savings – especially important in these days of high fuel costs!

“Leaving the engine of a vehicle the size of an airport fire tender on idle for just one hour each day - which can happen when a tender is on standby during a routine aircraft refueling – can cost up to £3,000 over the course of a year as well as creating unnecessary emissions.”

Now when excessive idling is identified the driver can be contacted and the engine stopped. The result is both fuel savings and lower emissions, contributing to the airport’s objective of being carbon neutral in its operations.

Companies requiring a more comprehensive fleet management capability can take advantage of recent software developments. These link together vehicle tracking devices, satellite navigation systems, and mobile phone technology to create highly-effective integrated systems.

TomTom WORK – the business-to-business division of TomTom, the world’s largest portable navigation solutions provider – calls this ‘connected navigation’. At the hub of the system is their WEBFLEET fleet management software.

Through WEBFLEET the control room staff know the precise location of vehicles at all times enabling them to choose the nearest one to a location at which a task needs to be performed. This cuts out wasted mileage because the TomTom GO selects the shortest route and directs the driver there by safe voice instructions and easy-to-read 3D maps.

SGN (Scotia Gas Networks) is the second largest UK gas distribution company

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supplying 5.7 million homes and businesses. It has 1500 mobile engineers providing 24/7 coverage across a large area of southern England that includes some of the most densely populated and heavily trafficked parts of the UK. Knowing the precise location of engineers and getting them between jobs as efficiently as possible, is a major challenge to Scotia Gas. It has adopted a connected navigation solution from TomTom WORK based on each vehicle being fitted with their Link 300 vehicle tracking device and a GO satellite navigation device.

The GO unit determines the best route to a location and guides the driver there. The system is constantly updated to include potential hold-ups resulting from roadworks and traffic congestion. Its use will also contribute to safer driving by removing the need to consult paper maps or written instructions.

The LINK 300 box feeds information between the vehicle and the control room through WEBFLEET. This enables the control room to allocate jobs to an available engineer who is nearest to the location of the task.

This, along with the precise navigation information provided by the GO unit, will reduce wasted mileage as well as improving customer response times.

The system, which is being progressively rolled out over 18 months, will bring major benefits to the company and its customers by: • eliminating unnecessary travel leading to reduced fuel usage and a lower environmental impact; • improving call-out response times, particularly in emergencies;

responding more effectively to customer calls and it will improve the safety of our engineers when driving between jobs.

“An important feature is the ability to add onto the system information that is unique to us. We are now working closely with TomTom to customise the system to include such things as the precise location of key elements of plant that we may need to access quickly, perhaps in the dark, and sometimes by engineers who may not be familiar with the area in which they have to operate.”

Other organisations using TomTom WORK’s

The GO unit determines the best route to a location “ and guides the driver there. The system is constantly updated to include potential hold-ups resulting from roadworks and traffic congestion. Its use will also contribute to safer driving by removing the need to consult paper maps or written instructions • bringing added flexibility to the management of SGN’s large field engineering team; and • protecting assets and aiding recovery should a vehicle be stolen.

Malcolm Russell, Director of Operations at SGN, said: “We selected the TomTom WORK solution because of its ease of use and implementation in a fleet of our size. It will be of great help to our control room staff in

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connected navigation systems to good effect include taxi and courier companies, local councils, building maintenance firms, and businesses that employ large field sales forces. All report measurable benefits in cutting out waste, saving fuel, reducing emissions and improving safety.

Visit www.tomtomwork.com

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How to cope with rising fleet costs uel is fast challenging vehicle depreciation as the single biggest fleet cost, so it makes sense for public and private organisations to put in place strategies to keep budgets in check. In the last 12 months fuel prices have rocketed by over 20 per cent and with forecourt prices predicted to increase as global demand exceeds supply, organisations need to proactively focus on cost control and going ‘green’ to keep fuel bills under control.

While the ‘greenest’ mile is the one that is never driven, there are significant measures that decision-makers can take to reduce their operating budgets - and specifically their fuel bills. Recent research by the Energy Saving Trust among 600 English based private and public sector organisations running 20+ vehicles revealed that large organisations with large fleets are in the vanguard of environmental transport sustainability.

Simultaneously, the research highlights that smaller companies are in the ‘green’ fleet slow lane with many needing help and information to focus on implementing emission-reducing vehicle strategies.

Within these companies 46 per cent of directors hold responsibility for company car policy, so implementing green practices and policies should be a priority for any board member looking to reduce costs.

However, despite the savings available, the research reveals that although the majority of organisations regard environmental sustainability as a top priority, 50 per cent of organisations do not have a formal environmental fleet policy in place. And, remarkably, even those that do frequently fail to ensure it embraces vehicle use.

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THE GREEN ROUTE TO FINANCIAL SAVINGS Inevitably the lower a car’s CO2 figure the better its fuel consumption. Not only will this result in fuel savings, but with company car tax, Vehicle Excise Duty, benefit in kind and writing down allowances all linked to emissions, there are financial savings for companies and drivers.

EST has calculated that if all organisations in the UK collectively switched to ‘greener’ fleet management, they could save almost £3 billion a year through reduced tax and fuel bills. Typically, a company running 100 vehicles can expect to save £90,000 by implementing a range of best practice recommendations emanating from an EST Green Fleet Review.

With the economy slowing, such financial savings cannot be ignored so a wholesale review of company car choice lists is one of

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Sasu Mitra, Development Leader, Laing O’Rourke

the most important actions that bosses can take in ‘going green’.

While engineering advances are reducing vehicle emissions, encouraging drivers to adopt ‘green’ driving habits - known as smarter-driving - and focusing on smooth acceleration and braking by anticipating the road ahead will reduce fuel use as well as putting fleets on the right side of health and safety-related at-work driving legislation.

With fuel accounting for up to 30 per cent of motoring costs - and rising – smarterdriving makes commercial sense, and organisations can realistically expect to cut fuel bills by at least 10 per cent.

LAING O’ROURKE - MAKING CHANGES AND SAVING MONEY Fuel bills at Laing O’Rourke, the UK’s largest private construction company, top £12 million per annum. Working with the EST it is looking to cut those by up to 10 per cent through improved mileage and fuel data gathering, encouraging the uptake of low emission vehicles and the use of travel alternatives to the car.

With a 4,500-strong fleet travelling more than 74 million miles a year the environmental benefits are potentially huge and development leader Sasu Mitra said: “The EST helped provide a policy-setting focus which has ensured that senior management now has a high level of awareness of the long-term benefits of running a green fleet and the potential for reaping those rewards.”

FILLING THE INFORMATION GAPS Typically, where transport is a core part of a business’s infrastructure and one of its biggest overheads, fleet management is viewed as a key focus for financial savings. However, smaller fleets and those where transport is

10 TIPS for safer, greener, stress free driving 1.

Check your revs - change up before 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).

2.

Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.

3.

Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.

4.

Drive away immediately when starting from cold - idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.

5.

Remove roof rack when not in use – they increase drag significantly.

6.

Avoid short journeys - a cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective.

7.

Stick to speed limits and make your fuel go further – driving at 85mph rather than 70mph uses 25 per cent more fuel.

8.

Plan your journeys - to avoid congestion, roadworks and getting lost.

9.

Check your tyre pressure regularly – underinflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3 per cent.

10. If you’re stuck in a jam, switch off – cutting the engine will save fuel and stop emissions.

not core have a more laissez faire attitude to efficient and effective fleet management.

That attitude could be because policy decision-makers say they frequently find themselves in a cul-de-sac when searching for information to help them introduce low emission vehicles and trim fuel bills.

To overcome perceived knowledge gaps, the EST provides a free one-stop shop to help organisations, irrespective of fleet size, to implement environmentally-friendly vehicle strategies.

Organisations with 50+ vehicles under 3.5 tonnes can benefit from a free Laing O’Rourke-style Green Fleet Review.

Undertaken by EST fleet consultants, it provides organisations with an action plan to cut their transport carbon footprint and simultaneously save money.

For sub-50 vehicle fleets, free telephone advice is available and organisations can register to receive our monthly email newsletter to keep themselves at the cutting edge on ‘greener’ fleet management topics.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Please contact the Transport Advice Hotline on 0845 602 1425 or go to: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/fleet

WRITTEN BY Andrew Davis, Director of the Environmental Transport Association

FINANCE

Staying ahead of the taxing game t isn’t as if taxation wasn’t complicated enough already. Take capital writing down allowance. You had to know your stuff last year but now there is another dimension – if your car emits more than 160 g/kg you get a lower writing down allowance than less polluting cars. Then there are extra CO2 rules for leasing and renting.

Not stopping there, why not make vehicle excise duty more complicated? Add bands for different size engines then change that to having bands for CO2 emissions. That’s too easy, so have different rates for different age vehicles and then have different rates again for the first year from other years.

Then there are benefits in kind – yet another matrix of taxes with more changes coming. And don’t get me started on grants for LPG conversion – here today, gone tomorrow – or grants for public service operators or farmers’ fuel.

Well okay, these taxes have had an effect – and in the right direction. Fleets have definitely reduced CO2 emissions more than private sales. But has this been good for the country?

These taxes deal with the purchase of a car, but that is only one part of transport’s impact. The others are: how well that car is driven (and serviced); how good the choice of using the car is (should we go by rail?); and, how many drivers there are.

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OTHER SOURCES OF CARBON There is a much bigger picture than transport. Road vehicles produce around 25 per cent of Britain’s CO2 but pay over 90 per cent of “carbon” taxes. The Stern report for the national government, The Economics of Climate Change, stated that if we paid £50 for each ton of CO2 equivalent produced we should be able to reduce our emissions to a sustainable level. He has since revised this sun upward to around £80. However, motorists already pay over £143 a ton.

We need to make life simpler and we need to reduce our impact on the environment in the most cost effective way.

That means whatever else we do in this country we need to introduce a carbon tax.

Okay, carbon tax should be considered the last policy tool we use and not the first.

Other policy tools, such as education, persuasion, regulation, cap and trade, and targets, can provide reductions but a carbon tax, which only increases if we are not meeting our target of an 80 per cent reduction by 2050, tells industry and the public at large that the government means business.

The beauty of the carbon tax is that it would encourage reductions in the easiest areas first – so transport, as the hardest area to be dealt with, would be dealt with last.

be hypothecated – in other words allocated to specific spending like public transport, insulating roofs, renewal technology research etc but although I see the reason for doing so – to ensure public support – I think carbon tax should just go straight to the national Treasury.

It is up to the political parties to decide whether other taxes should be lowered as a consequence. For my part, I think other taxes should be lowered as carbon tax kicks in. The first taxes to be lowered would be those that are currently regarded as applying to climate change gases such as aircraft tax and fuel duty but later on other taxes could be reduced.

DRIVING DOWN COSTS

TAX RATES How should the rate be set? In my view the best way of setting the rate is to form a Carbon Tax Commission charged with a single brief to set a rate that will enable us to reach our target on time. This would be rather like the way that the Bank of England sets the interest rate.

This rate would be set five years in advance.

When the ETA first suggested a carbon tax nearly two decades ago we felt a £1 tax would be the initial rate. We wanted the tax to be introduced very gently. So that people got used to it before it began to bite. However, sadly, today we would recommend a figure not lower than £10 a ton of CO2. Even so I dare say the commission would have to increase the rate significantly in the fifth year and beyond.

As taxes go, the logistics of collecting the tax would be easy. Most of the tax would be levied on the fossil fuel producers at the point the fuel arrives on the surface if produced in this country or on the importers at the coast when the fuel arrives. I say most because there are a number of other contributors to climate change gases and the Carbon Tax Commission would have to evaluate the need to tax other sources – even cattle produce climate change gases – and the method by which the tax should be collected.

Some people say that the carbon tax should

At the moment producing electricity from coal costs around 3p a kilowatt per hour (3p/kW/h). This is cheaper than burning natural gas or oil and that is why most power stations still use coal to generate electricity. Renewables cannot produce electricity this cheaply as electricity from wind turbines costs 4p/kW/h and the latest solar technology also costs 4p/kW/h.

Once the Carbon Tax Commission sets its rate for a carbon tax, however, the cost of producing electricity from coal-fired power stations would cost more than renewables. From that moment on almost all new power stations in this country would be wind or solar based.

The nature of the national grid would change from the current hub and spokes system to a peer-to-peer network system. This would radically reduce the cost of power supply. This in turn would enable cars to run on electricity (currently if all cars ran on electricity the national grid could not cope).

This could allow cities, should they have a wish to do so, to ban all vehicles that were not zero emission from all or part of their cities.

So get rid of VED, get rid of Fuel Duty, get rid of WDA, add VAT on all transport and make life simpler. Introduce a carbon tax and businesses will be able to focus once again on the bottom line and know that CO2 has already been taken care of.

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

TOYOTA GREEN MONTH AND FUEL CELL HYBRID DEVELOPMENTS

June is Green Month at Toyota. In a tradition going back 35 years, Toyota has scheduled June as an opportunity to engage its staff in activities that promote awareness of environmental issues and practical measures to help the planet. his year Toyota GB has implemented a wide range of activities and initiatives built round its Three Rs concept: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Although it is an internal project, it directly supports Toyota’s global environmental leadership within the motor industry. It also shows how its commitment goes beyond headlinemaking stories to measures that may be much smaller, but which combined has the potential to make a significant difference.

For example, at Toyota GB’s head office a target has been set to achieve 95 per cent waste recycling, supported by a new collection and disposal system. All staff have received reusable water bottles, USB sticks to help reduce the amount of paper used and a guide on how to cut their carbon footprint, both in the office and at home. At the same time, their opinions are being canvassed on other ways of reducing waste, saving energy and recycling. Investment in new software has reduced the number of computer servers used by 90 per cent and lighting in the building has been reprogrammed to an ‘off’ default setting.

Launched during Green Month, but designed to continue and develop in the months and years ahead, these activities contribute to Toyota’s Global Vision 2020,

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through which it is investing to address the challenges of global warming and climate change and create a harmony between its business and the environment.

Globally Toyota is investing $1 million an hour in new technologies that can reduce the impact of vehicles on the environment, including new plug-in hybrid vehicle technology and more advanced fuel cell vehicles. As a result of this Toyota has developed a new fuel cell hybrid vehicle that travels more than double the distance of its predecessor model, increasing the maximum cruising range from 205 miles to 515 miles.

Limited cruising ranges of previous fuel cell systems presented obstacles to widespread fuel cell vehicle use but the ‘Toyota FCHVadv’ (fuel cell hybrid vehicle-advanced) improves the cruising range with its newly designed high-performance Toyota FC Stack Fuel efficiency was improved by 25 per cent through improving fuel cell unit performance, enhancing the regenerative brake system and reducing energy consumed by the auxiliary system. Further changes include incorporating degradation control for the electrode catalyst and improving fuel cell durability.

Furthermore, equipping the vehicle with Toyota-developed high-pressure hydrogen tanks makes it possible to travel approximately 515 miles (10- 15 test cycle, Toyota calculations) on a single fuelling performance that more than doubles that of the Toyota FCHV-adv’s predecessor, the Toyota FCHV. The Toyota FCHV-adv also deals with the low-temperature start issues typically associated with fuel cell vehicles.

The building block of the Toyota FC Stack is the Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), where engineers focused on the basic

problem of internally produced water interfering with electrical generation within the MEA at low temperatures.

Research was carried out to understand the behaviour and amount of water generated in the fuel cell, allowing engineers to optimise the MEA design to improve low-temperature start-up.

As a result, the Toyota FCHV-adv can start and operate in cold regions at temperatures as low as –30 degrees Celsius, meaning the vehicle can be used in a wider variety of conditions and climates.

While steadily conducting research and development to resolve issues such as how to improve the durability and reduce costs of the Toyota FC Stack, Toyota is working with government, energy companies and other concerned parties to actively bring about widespread fuel cell vehicle use.

The Toyota FCHV-adv acquired vehicle-type certification from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MLIT) on June 3.

These are tangible examples of how the company is moving closer to achieving its declared goal of the ultimate eco-car, a machine that has no negative impact on the environment throughout its lifecycle.

Miguel Fonseca, Managing Director Toyota GB, said: “Addressing climate change and our impact on it is a top priority for Toyota, not just in terms of reducing CO2 emissions from the vehicles we make, but also minimising emissions from across the whole manufacturing and retail process.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION About Toyota’s worldwide environmental activities go to a dedicated section of the global corporate web site at www. toyota.co.jp/en/environment/index.html.

FINANCE

Accelerating low carbon vehicle delivery Dr Peter Speers of Cenex takes a look at how a new government procurement initiative can help fleets minimise carbon emissions he DfT has appointed Cenex, the UK’s Centre of Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technologies, as its delivery partner for the newly launched Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme. Worth an initial £20 million, the programme was announced in the May 2007 Energy White Paper as part of a wider package of measures for supporting the development of lower-carbon technologies in the transport sector. A second phase of funding, worth a further £30million, has been earmarked for the project if the first phase of procurements is successful.

The programme’s aim is to accelerate the introduction of lower carbon vehicle technologies into the UK market. It provides funding to cover the incremental cost of the low carbon solutions over those currently offered by the market, in order to demonstrate and validate the new technologies in real world conditions. During the first phase of operation, Cenex, as delivery partner, will be working with lead procurers from the public sector to generate demand for a range of low carbon vehicles, including a low carbon van, an all-electric van, a low carbon minibus and a plug-in hybrid passenger car.

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FIRST PHASE In this first phase participation is limited to a number of key public sector organisations with large vehicle fleets that have demonstrated a strong commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of their fleet.

The partners identified for this initial period include the Environment Agency, HM Revenue & Customs, the Metropolitan Police, the Royal Mail, Transport for London and the Government Car & Despatch Agency.

The first procurement for a low carbon van, with the performance specification due to be published at the beginning of July, offers a clear opportunity to assess the effectiveness of the programme’s approach. The low carbon technologies that have found their way into passenger cars have not yet been deployed successfully in this vehicle segment. Introduction of a low carbon model into the UK van fleet has the potential to achieve substantial carbon reductions over time and the public sector, which has a number of significant van fleets, can play a valuable role in this process.

The involvement of the public sector in the first phase of the programme is part of a

sight, seen as more complex than procuring vehicles through existing routes. wider effort by the government to foster culture change in public sector procurement towards sustainability and the possibility of impacting the market. According to Procuring the Future, the 2006 Sustainable Procurement Task Force report, the UK government’s annual procurement budget is over £150 billion. A key message of the report was that the government must encourage innovation through ‘smarter engagement’ with the technology providers and by providing clear signals to the market.

LOWERING COSTS The programme represents an alternative approach to grants and aims to drive down costs for low carbon technologies toward the levels necessary for low carbon vehicles to compete with conventional alternatives without the aid of subsidies. The approach is based on innovation-orientated procurement, in which the future needs of the customer are first identified, and then presented to potential suppliers to encourage them to bring forward new and novel solutions. A process of selfselection then ensures that only innovators that already have solutions that can meet the unmet need elect to try to meet the challenge.

Suppliers responding to this form of customer-led innovation-orientated procurement are required to competitively tender, but against an aggregated demand that helps to overcome the risks of development. A key lesson learned by Cenex in its early efforts in this area is that potential purchasers are attracted to the principal of innovation-orientated procurement in that its end outcome is a vehicle that meets customer requirements. However, expert guidance and advice is crucial in keeping consortia together during a process that can be, at least at first

OTHER INITIATIVES The Programme forms part of a number of recently introduced initiatives that are beginning to transform the UK low carbon vehicle landscape. The Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technology Knowledge Transfer Network, supported by the Technology Strategy Board, is currently revising the Foresight Vehicle Technology Roadmap to provide technology and research directions for future vehicles.

Announced in early May and due for launch in autumn 2008, this £70 million programme is led by the Technology Strategy Board with support from the DfT, Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC) and Advantage West Midlands (AWM). The LCVIDP will coordinate activities from University research to future potential procurement opportunities, speeding up the time it takes to get low carbon vehicle technologies into the market place.

In conclusion, the potential offered by the ca. £150 billion UK public procurement budget to stimulate innovation has long been discussed.

The Low Carbon Vehicle Procurement Programme, along with a number of other government initiatives announced recently marks the first stage in turning this vision to reality.

Dr Peter Speers of Cenex is Director of the Low Carbon and Fuel Cell Technology Knowledge Transfer Network FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on Cenex, see www.cenex.co.uk Low Carbon Vehicles Integrated Delivery Programme IDP http://nds.coi.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?

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ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE HYUNDAI i30

i10 1.1-litre engine produces just 119g/km of CO2

Congestion charge exempt from 27th October 2008

i30 blue joins the ‘green’ line-up

Saving money and the environment with Hyundai decade ago, a car offering air conditioning, electric windows, 14inch wheels, six-speaker stereo and four airbags would have been seen as impressive if it cost £13,000. And now Hyundai is able to bring buyers all this in a car costing half this amount. Better still, the new Hyundai i10 is gentle on the environment and the wallet.

The new i10 city car is priced from just £6,745 – and even the entry-level Classic has air conditioning, four airbags, front electric windows, electric power steering, central locking and a CD player with MP3 compatibility.

All i10s are powered by a 1.1-litre, 65bhp petrol engine which is capable of 56.5mpg on the combined cycle, and produces just 119g/km of CO2 for the Classic and Comfort models. This means it qualifies for a road fund licence (tax disc) charge of just £35 per year and the new 10 percent benefit-in-kind company car tax level. That means company car drivers will be paying less than £12 a month to the

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Inland Revenue for having the car.

Even better news for drivers who live or travel into the London Congestion Charge zone, the i10 Classic and Comfort models are entitled to a 100 percent discount from 27th October 2008 following the Mayor’s announcement on the 12th February 2008.

1.6-litre CRDi turbodiesel engine. To prove that it’s not just the headline CO2 figure that matters to Hyundai, the ‘green’ i30 also features a diesel particulate filter to remove ‘soot’ from the exhaust gases.

Unlike some rivals, the i30’s advanced design means there has been no need to

“

Unlike some rivals, the i30’s advanced design means there has been no need to resort to measures such as skinny tyres, expensive stop-start systems, long gearing or lowered suspension to achieve the low CO2 figure. This ensures that the i30’s roadholding, drivability, ride and equipment levels are unaffected This could save drivers entering the capital daily a massive £2,080 each year.

It’s not just the i10 being green either. From Summer 2009 the i30 blue will be available in a new ‘green’ variant. The new i30 blue uses a 90PS version of the current model’s advanced 115PS

”

resort to measures such as skinny tyres, expensive stop-start systems, long gearing or lowered suspension to achieve the low CO2 figure. This ensures that the i30’s roadholding, drivability, ride and equipment levels are unaffected.

It also means that the new model remains affordable too, with prices starting below £13,000 despite an enviable equipment list that includes ESP, air conditioning and alloy wheels as standard on all versions. As with all new Hyundai models, the i30 is also covered by a five year, unlimited mileage warranty.

EUROPEAN GREENFLEET AWARDS REVIEW

GreenFleet® takes Europe by storm European LGV Manufacturer of the Year VOLVO TRUCKS Over the years, Volvo Trucks has achieved a number of pioneering breakthroughs, and is leading the way in bringing cleaner technology to market. Its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its trucks are made up of several initiatives, including a hybrid concept that can accelerate under electric power alone.

Not content with recognising efforts to reduce the environmental impact of motoring in the UK, GreenFleet® has launched its Awards in Europe he inaugural European Greenfleet® Awards, which took place at the HUSA President Park Hotel in Brussels on 5 June, recognised private and public sector organisations that have made efforts to reduce the environmental impact of motoring across Europe.

Held in the heart of Brussels during European Green Week, and sponsored by Toyota, the awards ceremony was presented

by Malcolm Harbour, MEP - UK West Midlands Region and Ms Alenka Burja from the Ministry of the Environment & Spatial Planning, Slovenia.

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WINNERS European Car Manufacturer of the Year TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE Toyota's approach to emissions is to explore a broad variety of solutions. The iconic Toyota Prius is now sold in 40 countries, and has taken top spot in the influential JD Power 'What Car?' customer satisfaction survey.

AIXAM MEGA

European LCV Manufacturer of the Year

Particularly suited for use in the city, Aixam's Multitruck provides a cost effective and environmentally friendly solution in many diverse applications, and for many businesses.

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European Private Sector Fleet of the Year DEUTSCHE POST GROUP, GERMANY Deutsche Post has adopted a corporate green logistics programme aiming at reducing CO2 emissions by 30 per cent by 2020. This includes trials with hybrid vehicles, and with advanced regenerative fuels such as biomassto-liquid (BtL) or biogas.

European Fleet Manager of the Year - Private Sector ZOE POWERS, GREATER LONDON HIRE Zoe Powers of Greater London Hire advocates a multi-stranded approach to environmental management. A thorough assessment of emissions has enabled the company to reduce them by a staggering 22 per cent.

European Fleet Manager of the Year – Public Sector CHRIS RUTHERFORD - LONDON BOROUGH ISLINGTON The local authority has the first 'stop start technology' buses on order from Mercedes and has used a proportion of its climate change fund to implement the retro-fitting of these systems, as well hybrid technology, into its van fleet.

European Private Sector Innovation ARGE MR PFLANZENÖL OÖ, AUSTRIA ARGE MR Pflanzenöl OÖ is a collective of seven oil mills and some 1,800 regional farmers that produce rapeseed crops with which to manufacture biodiesel. Every mill is run as a business concern, giving the population an opportunity to produce a crop that can be grown on areas that would otherwise remain fallow.

European Leasing/Rental Company of the Year ELEKTRACAR, SPAIN To alleviate the problems of noise, pollution and driver aggression that the Balearic island of Formentera suffers during the summer months, the winner has demonstrated that it is possible to move around the island with clean, quiet vehicles which bring a calming effect to traffic.

European Public Sector Fleet of the Year LONDON BOROUGH OF ISLINGTON - UK The council's entire diesel fleet has been running on UK sourced bio-diesel for nearly two years, and it is currently piloting a scheme using pure plant oils straight from the source on four buses and two refuse vehicles. Its expanding electric fleet of scooters and cars is powered by renewable energy using photovoltaic cells and wind turbines. Award winning cycle schemes and bus lanes to improve public transport have been implemented.

Amsterdam's inner city has narrow, trafficladen canals and streets, which can make deliveries difficult. CityCargo has developed a concept for zero emission cargo distribution using the existing tram infrastructure to replace inefficient trucks by trams and electrically operated vehicles.

European Public Sector Innovation CITY OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN The City of Stockholm initiated the Clean Vehicles project, with the objective of reaching a market breakthrough for cleaner vehicles. This encouraged involvement from the whole chain - fuel providers, vehicle manufacturers and endusers. After ten years, the project has yielded impressive results.

CITYCARGO, NETHERLANDS Industry Innovation Award

Outstanding Achievement Award GILLES MICHEL, CITROËN Gilles Michel has been Executive Vice President of Automobiles Citroën for PSA Peugeot Citroën since February 2007 and also serves as its Chief Executive Officer of Automobiles Citroën. In 2004, as Executive Vice President, Platforms, Technical Affairs and Purchasing, he was responsible for overseeing the introduction of stop and start technology.

NEXT YEAR The 2009 European GreenFleet® Awards will be held on 25 June. Entry will be open from October.

DIRECTORY CONNECTED NAVIGATION/ VEHICLE TRACKING

FINANCE

FUELCARDS

Lythwood Finance Limited TomTom WORK Address: 20th Floor, Euston Tower, 286 Euston Road,London, NW1 3AS Tel: +44 (0)207 255 9774 E-mail: sales.uk@tomtom.co.uk Web: www.tomtomwork.com TomTom WORK specialises in vehicle tracking and fleet management solutions for the management and control of vehicle fleets of all sizes. The TomTom WORK solutions range from basic vehicle tracking through to full connected navigation - comprising of vehicle tracking, 2-way communication, job despatch, mapping and reporting on WEBFLEET, and award winning navigation.

DRIVER TRAINING

Defensive Driver Training Limited Address: Tudor House, 2 Worcester Street, Stourbridge, West Midlands, DY8 1AN Tel: 01384 442233 Fax: 01384 440010 E-mail: sales@ddtgroup.com Web: www.ddtgroup.com Established in 1989 we are one of the country’s leading driver training companies delivering defensive, advanced driving courses for drivers of all vehicle classes throughout the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe. Bespoke driver training and risk assessment courses are available for local authorities as well as SAFED courses fro LGV drivers which are approved for driver CPC. ENCLOSURES

Address: Hereford Road, Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury, SY3 0DD Tel: 01743 874809 Fax: 01743 874198 E-mail: neil@lythwood.co.uk Web: www.fleetspecials.com Welcome to Fleet Specials - Fleet specials offers the best deals on leased cars and vans for business and personal contracts throughout the UK. We currently offer contract hire, leasing, finance, 3 -12 month hire.

We welcome new start and established businesses.

• Contract Hire • 12 month re-leases • Short Term / Pre-contract leases • Vehicle rental • Vehicle sales and sourcing FLEET FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT

Lloyds TSB Autolease

Rix BioDiesel Limited Address: Witham House, 45 Spyvee Street, Hull HU8 7JR Tel: 01482 838383 Fax: 01482 338591 E-mail: fuelcards@rix.co.uk Web: www.gogreencard.co.uk Rix are BioDiesel fuelcard specialists. The GoGreen card provides businesses with the ability to substantially reduce their carbon footprint, a surefire contract winner in an increasingly carbon conscious world. Competitive fixed weekly pricing, flexible terms and unrivalled service are just some of the benefits that you can enjoy with a GoGreen card. Apply today!

TELEMATICS, FLEET MANAGEMENT

Fleet Trak Ltd

Address: Blake House, Hatchford Way, Birmingham, B26 3RZ Tel: 0800 085 4128 Fax: 0121 700 6030 E-mail: marketingrequests@ lloydstsbautolease.co.uk Web: www.ltsba.co.uk/bestpractice

Address: 20 Romney Point, Repton Park, Ashford, Kent, TN23 3GD Tel: 01233 650334 Fax: 01233 650334 E-mail: sean@fleet-trak.co.uk Web: www.fleet-trak.co.uk

As one of the largest and most experienced fleet management specialists, we’re able to share a great deal of environmental best practice with you. Our "Guide to running greener fleet" is a flexible online tool that puts useful best practice guidance and practical support in one place.

Fleet Trak are authorised resellers and installers for the true world leaders in GPS technology; TomTom Work. Top UK Reseller Q4 2007. With over 10 years experience in fleet management and tracking systems, we offer the most reliable, user friendly products on the market with customer service second to none.

FLEET MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS

ICEE Managed Services Ltd Address: Unit 20 Arnside Road Waterlooville, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO7 7UP Tel: +44(0) 2392 230604 Fax: +44(0) 2392 230605 E-mail: sales@icee.co.uk Web: www.icee.co.uk Icee has developed a dynamic range of innovative equipment enclosures, which offer flexible and economical solutions, housing sensitive equipment, to a diverse range of industries. We have experience in constructing secure, vandal proof and long life housings for the telecoms, highways and rail industry, ensuring our products continually meet the high specifications required by industry today.

Toomey Opticar Limited Address: Opticar House, 724 Capability Green, Luton, LU1 3LU Tel: 01582 518181 E-mail: info@opticar.co.uk Web: www.opticar.co.uk Opticar provides an innovative driver management solution that identifies and manages for each driver the least cost vehicle funding option, based on individual business mileage profiles. The system delivers maximum tax efficiency which releases significant cost savings, without compromising the value of the car benefit. Opticar provides a full fleet management service, including a comprehensive Duty of Care package.

Commercial Vehicle Show Address: 14 London Road, Rainham, Kent, ME8 6YX Tel: 01634 261262 Fax: 01634 360514 E-mail: sales@cvshow.com Web: www.cvshow.com The Commercial Vehicle Show is the largest transport and logistics exhibition in the UK. Occurring annually in April at the NEC Birmingham, it attracts over 27,000 B2B visitors having specifying and purchasing authority in the process of acquiring and operating industrial and retail distribution premises and transport fleets.

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DIRECTORY VEHICLE TRACKING SYSTEMS

Address: Chapel Offices, Park Street, Newtown, Powys, SY16 1EE Tel: 0870 0136663 Fax: 01686 628774 E-mail: enquiries@quartix.net Web: www.quartix.net Quartix is one of the UK’s leading vehicle tracking systems providers. More than 1700 companies use the Quartix system to improve business efficiency, reduce fuel costs and enhance their profitability.

The system is entirely internet based, easy to use and extremely reliable.

WORKSHOP EQUIPMENT

Rozone Ltd Address: Queen Street, Darlaston, Wednesbury, West Midlands, WS10 8JB Tel: 0121 526 8181 Fax: 0121 526 8182 E-mail: beth@rozone.co.uk Web: www.rozone.co.uk Rozone provides low environmental impact cleaning and fleet maintenance solutions that offer the advantages of cost control, efficiency and health and safety whilst safeguarding the environment. Products range from self recycling partswashers and solvent free brakewashers to spill containment and the world leading Midtronics Battery Management Systems.

To advertise in this directory please contact Martin Freedman on 020 8532 5723 www.greenfleet.net

Quartix Ltd

ADVERTISERS INDEX Citroën UK

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23

Energy Saving Trust

12

Quartix

22

Fleet Trak

26

Rix Petroleum

14

Fleetmatics

26

SAFED

18

Hyundai Motor UK

34

TomTom work

28

Jelf Group

19

Toyota (GB)

32

Lloyds TSB Autolease

IFC

Transport for London

Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership 25

38

Modul-System International

Volvo Trucks

8

16

速

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Transport Business magazine is published by Public Sector Publishing, 226 High Road, Loughton Essex IG10 1ET. Phone 020 8532 0055 Fax 020 8532 0066