Motor Transport 12 August 2019 by Motor Transport

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

12.8.19

NEWS INSIDE Pallet-Track MD on TPA sale p4 C+E added to apprenticeship p6 No-deal funding inadequate p8

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Publication pushed back to year end after working group asks HSE to include additional detail

Pallet weight guide set back The long-awaited HSE guidance on the handling of tail-lift delivery pallet weights is facing further delay and will not be published until the end of the year, MT has learned. The guidance was due to be signed off last month in a meeting between the HSE and the industry working group, which includes the Association of Pallet Networks (APN) and the RHA. However, the deadline was pushed back to the end of the year after the working group asked the HSE to include additional advice on training, implementation of the guidance and its benefits in terms of driver retention. Paul Sanders, APN chief executive, said: “We had a productive meeting where we asked for further development of the guidance. It now has to go back to the HSE and I am optimistic it will be ready to be published by the end of the year.” Tom Coates, MD of HW Coates and owner of Hazchem, condemned the guidance delay. HW Coates-owned Rase Distribution, a Palletways member,

Image: Shutterstock

By Carol Millett

has refused to deliver pallets above 750kg to residential addresses since the start of the year on the grounds that anything heavier contravenes health and safety regulations. Coates said: “The delay to the publication of the tail-lift guidance is no great surprise but no less shameful for that. The process has been captured by the pallet networks, who are interested in volume and seemingly careless of the risks. “The law on health and safety is clear. No network can wish away

its obligation to do a proper risk assessment, nor expect an ‘industry-wide solution’ to rescue it from having to act – it is past time for us all to take action.” Richard Smith, RHA operations director and a working group member, defended the delay: “I understand operators’ frustration but we want to ensure the guidelines are transparent and very supportive to operators.” The pallet weight guidance was prompted by the increasing number of bulk deliveries to residential addresses following the

rise of online shopping. MT first reported that stakeholders were working on producing it close to five years ago. However Adrian Bradley, MD of Fortec, which introduced a 750kg limit on tail-lift deliveries in 2015, told MT recently that he had no regrets about the decision. “From our perspective, you know we didn’t do the depth of analysis that the HSE has done, but we used the common factor that if you reduce a weight you reduce a risk. That is still our view and still our members’ view,” said Bradley, who added that customers had adapted and increased the volume of pallets shipped as a consequence of the limit. The guidance was given added momentum by the death in 2016 of driver Petru Pop who was crushed to death under a 1.4 tonne pallet of tiles while making a tail-lift delivery to a residential address in Hemel Hempstead on behalf of Reason Transport – a Palletways member at the time.

HSE draft guidance urges risk assessment According to sources, the draft guidance stops short of recommending an optimum pallet weight for tail-lift deliveries. However, it highlights HSE tests that showed recommended safety limits for starting and stopping a load were breached by 50% when attempting to move pallets in excess of 750kg manually. The guidance adds that this figure increases

“considerably” in real-world conditions and suggests the need for a dynamic risk assessment when transporting pallets weighing 500kg or more. Despite this, the guidance stresses pallet weight is only one element and highlights other key factors such as communication throughout the chain, use of the right equipment and knowledge of site conditions.

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08/08/2019 09:32:57

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Hargreaves turns loss-making The collapse of British Steel and Wolf Minerals left Hargreaves Services £16.1m out of pocket for the year to 31 May. Publishing its full-year accounts, Hargreaves Services attributed the cessation of trading at Wolf Minerals last October and the liquidation of British Steel in May to it reporting a loss, although the company described its underlying performance as “satisfactory”. The loss came after Hargreaves Services recorded an £8.1m exceptional charge regarding Wolf Minerals, although it added that is retains a small presence at the Hemerdon mine, where it is carrying out minor maintenance and asset safeguarding. While the future of British Steel is still to be determined, Hargreaves Services made a £4.5m provision against trade debt and work in progress balances that are unlikely to be recovered. A further £3.5m has been allocated for redundancy and other associated employment costs and equipment write downs, the company added. The distribution and services business, which includes the transport and logistics elements of the Hargreaves Services group, saw turnover increase 4.7% to £293.8m (2018: £280.7m) despite this. Underlying operating profit was £12.1m (£12.9m) but, with exceptional items included, distribution and services made an operating loss of £8.1m (profit £2m) in the period.

NITE LIFE: Fly By Nite has combined Volvo Trucks’ Dynafleet telematics system with TruTac’s tachograph analysis software TruAnalysis to keep abreast of driver compliance data. The events haulage specialist engaged Volvo Truck & Bus Centre East Anglia to install Dynafleet on all non-Volvo trucks in its 170-strong fleet – all new Volvos have the system factory-fitted. Dynafleet will continue to be installed on non-Volvo vehicles purchased or taken on long-term hire. Fly By Nite transport manager Richard Brown said: “We now get real-time, accurate compliance data from anywhere in the world. This saves time and expense and keeps us ahead of the game regarding compliance control.”

Matthew Kibble hands over reins after management restructure

Attwell named Kibble MD By Carol Millett

A management restructure at Matthew Kibble Transport has seen operations director Mark Attwell promoted to MD, with former incumbent Matthew Kibble now chairman. The management team has also been boosted with the addition of Chris Flynn, who has joined as group operations director. Flynn’s former posts include Sprint Deliver depot manager and MD of logistics firm CFT Services.

Kibble has handed over the reins of the Nelson, Lancashire-based group to Attwell, whose brief is to continue to expand the group both organically and through acquisition. In the past five years the company has quadrupled turnover and purchased two logistics firms – Kentbased Shakespeare Transport in 2015 and Coventrybased Fullforce Logistics last year. Collectively, the group has O-licences authorising up to 99 HGVs and more than 125 trailers. Announcing the management restructure, Kibble said: “After 20 years at the helm I have made operations director Mark Attwell MD of the Matthew Kibble group of companies. Mark has done a fantastic job assisting me to quadruple turnover in the past five years. “We strengthen the team with Chris Flynn becoming group operations director to assist Mark in expanding the company. I become chairman and look forward to the next five years. “I have expanded the company from one vehicle and it’s time to hand it over to a team that will take it to the next level.”

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Increased firepower at rival networks led directors to sell controlling stake to TPA Capital

Arrival of major new players catalyst for Pallet-Track deal By Chris Druce

The sale of a controlling stake in Pallet-Track to TPA Capital in March was heavily influenced by the arrival of a new wave of deeppocketed owners within the sector, its MD has revealed. Speaking exclusively to MT, Nigel Parkes said that although there was an element of de-risking in his decision to sell some of his shareholding in the network to TPA Capital, “the catalyst was seeing an industry becoming more corporate”. Ahead of the sale Parkes held 51% of the business but this now stands at a quarter. Commercial director Carl Jones, who held 24% of Pallet-Track shares ahead of the sale, has also reduced his holding. However, Pallet-Track’s approximately 90 members have seen their equal share of the network – collectively 25% – maintained. “When we started the industry was independent, putting aside Palletways’ 3i backing. You gained or lost market share, developed your business etc. Each business had to operate on its own merits

ON TRACK: Pallet-Track has built up its management team to drive the business forward. From left: Mark Waite, Mark Bailey, Gail Maltby, Julian Maturi, Nigel Parkes, Lisa Burrows, Carl Jones and Mark Pulford

and fund its own development. “So I was always very comfortable that as Pallet-Track we were on a level playing field in regards to ownership structure and finance. Whatever schemes that [rivals] came up with the central business had to self-finance itself and couldn’t go crazy,” said Parkes. However with EmergeVest buying Palletforce, the sale of Palletways to South African giant

Imperial Logistics and Eddie Stobart Logistics’ purchase of The Pallet Network, Parkes realised the game had changed. “When you introduce people at that level there are suddenly avenues open to you that would not have been before,” said Parkes. “I think there was an element of vulnerability… the industry as we know has a number of challenges to face over the next few years and

Wren Kitchens to open sixth depot Kitchen retailer and Motor Transport Awards winner Wren Kitchens is on the hunt for drivers and warehouse staff as it prepares to open a 4-acre depot on the outskirts of Manchester. It joins the five others in Howden, Barton, Bristol, Stansted and Larkhall. This latest investment is part of wider growth plans, which will see Wren open another three depots across the UK this year as part of plans to drive business growth and reduce fuel costs and the fleet’s emissions. The new hub will see 18 vehicles running from it each day and create approximately 40 jobs, including HGV drivers, porters, yardmen and supervisors. Wren Kitchens won the Operational Excellence Award at the Motor Transport Awards 2019 and operates more than 180 lorries. 4 MotorTransport

I felt we were in an environment where we needed to start using those levers.” Parkes embarked on talks with suitors towards the end of last year via introductions made by Clearwater International, but admits to not being overwhelmed initially, especially as he was adamant that an essential ingredient in Pallet-Track’s success was the members’ shareholding and that wasn’t up for negotiation. Under no pressure to sell, and with the business debt free, Parkes was introduced to TPA Capital and its owners Greg Allen and Ravi Aujia late last year. They immediately clicked due to their hands-off investment approach and appreciation of the network’s culture. “I decided that if there was no movement with TPA there wouldn’t be with anyone else,” said Parkes, who remains committed to the business he went live with in 2004. The backing will enable the next milestone – a likely move from its Wolverhampton hub that has been home since 2008 to a new-build – within the next few years.

NEWS IN BRIEF

FLEET FOOTED: DHL Supply Chain has revealed details of a £90m fleet expansion. The operator expects 90% of the 1,000 new trucks ordered – a mixture of leased units from Volvo, Scania and DAF, as well as a quantity of ‘specialist units’ – to be in service by the end of the year. DHL Supply Chain said the vehicles would expand its capability, rather than replace existing models, taking its UK fleet to approximately 6,500 on completion. The order includes tractor units, as well as specialised rigids and multi-temperature-controlled vehicles. Ian Clough, MD, network logistics and transport, UK and Ireland, DHL Supply Chain, said: “Not only are we investing in our infrastructure to support our growth, but to signal our confidence in the contract logistics market in the UK.”

■ There is to be no mandatory registration and testing scheme for trailers after a review found human error is a far more common reason for serious incidents. The DfT found that trailer defects are not a major cause of injury incidents and, from the data collated, there were just 20 collisions in 2017 that resulted in injury or death where a vehicle defect in a trailer was a contributory factor. The findings are revealed in ‘Trailer safety statutory report: moving Britain ahead’. ■ Grant Shapps has replaced Chris Grayling as secretary of state for transport. He replaces Grayling after a difficult period that saw the public accounts committee accuse the DfT of failing road transport over Brexit. 12.8.19

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08/08/2019 09:37:01 25-03-19 14:50

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IFATE route panel set to approve inclusion of the additional category by the autumn

C+E licence to be added to LGV Driver apprenticeship

The Large Goods Vehicle (LGV) Driver Apprenticeship should include category C+E by the autumn, MT has learned. The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE), the body which approves apprenticeships, is set to approve the inclusion of the C+E licence on 4 September. Earlier this year the FTA said the absence of C+E made the apprenticeship “not fit for purpose”, since it failed to address the HGV driver shortage. Skills for Logistics MD David Coombes, an IFATE member, told MT: “The industry trailblazer group will submit an application on 7 August for the inclusion of a C+E licence and the route panel, which I head, will meet on 4 September to sign off the application. "So anyone starting the apprenticeship from mid-Septembershould be able to train for a C+E licence.”

Image: Shutterstock

By Carol Millett

The trailblazer group has also asked for IFATE to boost funding for the apprenticeship from £5,000 to £7,000 to cover the additional training costs. Coombes said he was “confident” this would also be approved by the IFATE. The amendment to the apprenticeship also opens the door for a new LGV driver apprenticeship targeting delivery drivers, Coombes added. “This leads the way for an urban

LGV category C apprenticeship, as there are a lot of urban delivery companies that do not require their drivers to have a C+E licence. “So while the LGV C+E apprenticeship will help tackle the HGV driver shortage, now there is a real need to look at creating a new urban LGV apprenticeship with a category C licence," he said. In a statement the IFATE said: "The amended LGV standard to include C&E licence is due to be

submitted to the IFATE in August, assuming the assessment plan is completed by the end of August then both can be submitted to the route panel for review in early September. That means there is the potential for the revised apprenticeship to be offered in the autumn.” Robin Brown, chairman of SP Training, whose clients include Asda, Clipper Logistics and Bibby Distribution, said: “It is widely accepted that the industry needs greater flexibility to extend funding to drivers of articulated trucks in a bid to ease the driver shortage and increase the uptake of apprenticeships. “We’ve seen first hand how employers have been handicapped by the current situation and welcome plans to include the C+E licence within the Apprenticeship standards. The financial burden of training for a C+E licence is currently a barrier for new drivers entering the industry.”

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Dachser is moving towards an emission-free last mile in London, writes Gabor Nagy

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Dachser has been developing sustainable and innovative delivery in metropolitan areas since 2016, and in 2017 launched a zeroemission last-mile pilot in Stuttgart. This offered last-mile deliveries by electrically assisted cargo bikes from a micro hub and later added the all-electric 7.5-tonne Fuso eCanter and 18-tonne eActros to the fleet. It also informed our approach in the UK. Dachser UK investigated new ways to improve its efficiency and sustainability in London and to replace large vehicles in the city with smaller, lighter alternatives. The target was to achieve emissionfree deliveries in the Congestion Charge Zone, and to reduce the number of vans and lorries in line with the mayor’s strategy. As part of this undertaking, Dachser UK joined the LoCITY programme in late 2017. It has proved to be a great platform to connect with different stakeholders all working towards the same goal. One of these was Zedify, which runs cargo bikes offering last mile deliveries. Zedify's microhub concept and their equipment were familiar to Dachser so we were keen to collaborate. Zedify’s recently opened microhub in a Hoxton rail arch offered the perfect location. Dachser drops off cartons and small pallets at the hub in the morning and they are normally delivered within an hour or two. The bike’s cargo unit can accommodate freight up to 200kg and 1.3 cu m. This is our first milestone towards an emission-free last mile in London. ■ Gabor Nagy is project manager, network operations at German 3PL Dachser 12.8.19

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08/08/2019 09:38:29

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FTA describes funding package as a ‘damp squib’ that falls well short

£2.1bn not enough to cover no-deal expense

By Carol Millett

A £2.1bn funding package for nodeal Brexit preparations is not enough to cover the costs the haulage industry will incur, the FTA has warned. T he funding package, announced by chancellor Sajid Javid last week, includes £1.1bn already committed to plans for 31 October and £1bn in reserve. The move came as Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that a no-deal Brexit would deliver an “instantaneous shock” to the economy, resulting in a falling pound, rising inflation and slowing GDP. Javid said the £2.1bn funding injection will ensure the UK is ready to leave the European Union “deal or no deal”. Measures include £344m for border and customs operations,

including extra funding for Operation Brock and 500 border staff, and £108m to support businesses. Another £434m is to be dedicated to ensuring vital medicines are available, while £138m will fund a public information campaign. FTA deputy chief executive James Hookham described the funding package as a “damp squib”. He said: “The government’s no-deal funding for business falls well short of what will be required to ensure that all those organisations that trade with the EU will be able to continue operating smoothly and efficiently in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.” Pointing out that funds allocated

to business are just 5% of the total amount, equating to only £745 per business , he warned: “This is far less than will be needed for each business to understand and implement the procedures, staff and systems required for routine no-deal trading. The allowances announced may enable the government to say they have helped business, but the reality once again leaves logistics operators carrying the burden of adapting to and adopting new operating procedures at the last minute and potentially carrying the can for a lack of government planning. “Industry needs the appropriate boost, rather than the damp squib promised today,” he said.

Hauliers can’t go their own way Df T proposals looking at how to prevent disruption at the Channel ports and the Channel Tunnel warn that in the event of a nodeal Brexit hauliers will face a £300 fine if they try to avoid queues by using alternative routes to those that are designated under Operation Brock, and those without the proper paperwork will be turned back. The Df T raises concerns that substantial numbers of trucks headed for the crossings could attempt to avoid queues by using local roads. It also proposes that Highways England traffic officers be given additional powers to check hauliers’ paperwork to establish whether the truck’s destination is domestic or international. Rod McKenzie, RHA MD of policy and public affairs, said: “We have been told fines will only happen if operators disobey the rules. We need clarity on what those rules are. Operators need to be told urgently what is required from them.”

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08/08/2019 10:40:54

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Experts conclude that battery electric power is not the future for long-haul road transport

Heading towards hydrogen By Steve Hobson

Battery electric power is unlikely to be suitable for long-haul road transport for the foreseeable future and – despite its many challenges – hydrogen seems to offer the best hope of decarbonising heavy trucks. This was the consensus at the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) annual conference sponsored by Shell in London last month. Kevin Anderson, professor of energy and climate change at the University of Manchester’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research gave delegates a damning introduction to the UK’s poor performance on achieving its Paris Agreement targets on reducing carbon emissions, with transport doing especially badly.

Paris Agreement

The 2015 Paris Agreement set legally binding targets for CO2 emissions to keep the rise in global temperatures “well below 2C” but as far back as 1990, when the 10 MotorTransport

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change produced its first report, governments have known what actions have been needed to arrest potentially catastrophic global warming. “Since 1990 we have known all we need to know but our generation has actively chosen to fail,” said Anderson. “It has been a litany of technocratic fraud. We have not cut emissions in 28 years and there is no sign we are going to succeed on climate change.” Despite the UK overall cutting emissions by 10% since 1990, at current rates of emissions we will emit all of our budgeted carbon in the next nine years, and need to cut total emissions by 80% by 2030 if we are to stay within our Paris limits. That means we will need “fully decarbonised energy” by 2035 or 2040, Anderson warned. Within transport, aviation is a particular problem but road transport too has to do more and even with a shift to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) a cut in road miles

travelled of 40% to 60% will be required. In response Baroness Brown of Cambridge, a member of the Committee on Climate Change, admitted that UK transport had not made any progress in cutting emissions since 1990 other than in the last recession, and said: “In the last few years emissions have been rising again. “HGV kms travelled have gone down but for vans it is rising very fast,” she added. “HGV emissions have seen a big increase despite the drop in distance travelled because vehicles are bigger and more fully loaded.” The government requires that by 2035 all new cars and vans must be zero emissions and Brown asked: “What are we going to do about decarbonising HGVs? We need trials of zero emissions HGVs urgently because we need to know by the mid-2020s. It will need incentives such as fuel tax and the infrastructure will need government support.”

The baroness argued that hydrogen was the best prospect for low carbon HGVs. “We need to start now and the government needs to create a market,” she said. “We think there is a role for electrification but we will need hydrogen. If we can’t do it with BEVs, do it with hydrogen and if we can’t do with hydrogen, do it with synthetic fuels.” Despite the challenges, Brown said that compared with buildings, decarbonising road transport was “the easy bit” that government “should be enthusiastic to deliver on”.

Disruption

Professor Neville Jackson, chief technology and innovation officer at Ricardo, agreed that hydrogen and chemical fuels would be required for HGVs and warned that preventing climate change “will involve significant disruption”. He pointed out that BEVs are not zero emissions due to the 11 tonnes of carbon embedded in the manufacture of their batteries 12.8.19

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and said that if hydrogen was to be useful we had to “work on the inefficiency of converting primary energy into hydrogen”. He added that Ricardo was building a lot of prototype hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and that they were all “very expensive to buy”. “It may get down to twice the cost of a conventional vehicle,” he predicted. Jackson agreed that low carbon drop-in replacement fuels would be needed to displace diesel in the short term until hydrogen was viable.

Dismissive

Amanda Lyne, chairman of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, was predictably dismissive of BEVs for heavy transport. “To deliver 100% decarbonisation, electrification can’t do that and we need to stop pretending it can for long distance heavy-duty transport,” she said. “Electrification requires radical behaviour change while hydrogen doesn’t need that. In 20 years, hydrogen will be in the pipes and we need to start spending money on it now. We will be able to produce hydrogen at less than the price of diesel in 20 years from renewable energy.”

JURY STILL OUT ON HYDROGEN FUTURE The conference was chaired by Andy Eastlake, MD of the LowCVP (right), and after the event MT asked what he thought about a hydrogenbased future for heavy trucks “The jury is still out on HGVs, but certainly hydrogen seems to potentially make more sense there than in other places,” he said. “I would say though that it is not a near-term reality. We do have some more hydrogen fuel cell buses coming into play this year but they have the benefit of only needing relatively small fuel cells (20kW or 30kW), so they are not ready for big truck applications.” The other issue with hydrogen is the high cost of the fuel cells and the tanks to carry it on the vehicle. Tanks must be very high pressure or able to hold the fuel as a liquid cooled to -252C (compared with -162C for natural gas). “Fuel cells are still expensive, while the tanks are both expensive and difficult to certify at the moment,” said Eastlake. “In cars we are seeing up to 700bar tanks, but in bus (and I would expect truck) 350bar is normal. I did some work with liquid hydrogen years ago but I don’t see anyone working with liquid at the moment. There are lots of downsides to it so in my view we won’t be using liquid other than maybe at storage stations.” The other downside of hydrogen is both the cost and energy required to produce it. “Hydrogen is still costly but the price is coming down and it can be had for around £6 or £7 per kg. Again the bus sector is paving the way on this with projects in Liverpool, Birmingham, Aberdeen and London,” Eastlake said. “Right now there is no fuel duty applied to hydrogen (the same as electricity). Hydrogen carbon intensity is very dependent on the source. Hydrogen made from natural gas is overall worse on carbon than diesel, but making it from water and renewable electricity can be very green, so there’s a huge range of possible climate impact.”

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MotorTransport 11

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Three months before applications start trade bodies say cab vision just one aspect of road safety

DVS is not most effective solution

By Chris Druce

The RHA and FTA have both reiterated their opposition to TfLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Direct Vision Standard (DVS), arguing there are more effective ways to reduce vulnerable road user casualties in the capital. The statements came as TfL marked three months to go until hauliers are able to apply for safety permits, a core requirement of the scheme. The DVS uses a star system to rate HGVs over 12 tonnes from zero (lowest) to five (highest), based on how much a driver can see directly through their cab windows. Zero-rated vehicles will need to be fitted with what TfL described as a Safe System, typically including a camera monitoring system, an audible left-turn vehicle manoeuvring warning and sensors before October 2020. The Safe System will not change a vehicleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DVS star rating but it will bring the safety standard of the vehicle up, allowing a safety

permit to be granted. All HGVs over 12 tonnes can apply for a free Safety Permit to operate in London from 28 October. Operators are expected to contact their manufacturers to check the star rating of their HGVs. Christina Calderato, head of transport strategy and planning at TfL, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our DVS and its associated HGV Safety Permit is vital for saving lives on Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streets

and achieving Vision Zero. We thank the freight industry for its input and support throughout the stages of development. We are just three months away from the first permits being issued and encourage all operators to check the star rating of their vehicle.â&#x20AC;? Natalie Chapman, head of urban policy at the FTA, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The logistics sector is committed to improving road safety and takes its

responsibility to do so very seriously; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the FTA is calling for the mayor of London to realise that other strategies would deliver a far greater outcome. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Technological development, along with internationally agreed design standards and retiming deliveries to quieter periods, would provide a more robust and longterm safety solution than DVS alone; visibility from the cab should be viewed as just one aspect of holistic approach to road safety.â&#x20AC;? Duncan Buchanan, RHA policy director for England and Wales, said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We all want safer roads but lorries operate nationally and internationally so should be regulated on that basis. Haulage needs coherent, consistent regulation, not a patchwork of locally devised standards and permit systems.â&#x20AC;? This comes after TfL published 2018 casualty statistics showing that the number of people killed on Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roads had fallen to the lowest level on record.

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12 MotorTransport

12.8.19

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08/08/2019 10:12:03

Viewpoint

motortransport.co.uk

Industry needs incentives A Steve Hobson Editor Motor Transport

fter almost 30 years of forcing truck manufacturers to reduce emissions of local pollutants such as NOx and particulates that affect local air quality, the EU has finally woken up to the much bigger crisis facing the planet: global warming. Quite why it took so long when we have known since 1990 that carbon emissions are causing potentially catastrophic climate change is anyone’s guess. No one is saying that improving local air quality is a bad thing – far from it – and clean Euro-6 diesel trucks and maybe battery electric vans will be the answer to this problem. While this will come at a cost, it is doable. But decarbonising heavy trucks within the timescales required by the EU looks far less achievable. The targets are a 15% cut in carbon emissions by 2025 and 30% by 2030 for all new trucks over 16 tonnes. These are big cuts in a much shorter timescale than that taken to achieve Euro-6 and none of the major

truck builders have a publicly stated plan to hit the targets. The recent LowCVP annual conference agreed that battery electric vehicles will have a very limited role to play in decarbonising heavy transport, and fuel cells powered by hydrogen are the best bet. While hydrogen is becoming more popular for buses, it is still a long way from reality for trucks because of the cost and lack of availability of both fuel cells and hydrogen. In the next six or even 11 years, the most realistic means of cutting carbon emissions from trucks is to use bio-diesel or bio-gas produced from renewable sources. But these are not accounted for in the VECTO software that will determine if truck makers hit their targets. Nor do bio-fuels have any duty discount over fossil fuels. This is a crazy situation that needs to change if truck manufacturers and operators are to be incentivised to deliver real cuts in carbon emissions until hydrogen becomes viable.

Fit safety systems in the factory A Carl Milton Regional supply chain and logistics manager – aggregate and asphalt – north Cemex UK

s an operator it’s frustrating to purchase new trucks and still have to fit additional safety features, now often mandated to work in the city centre construction sector, which are not currently available to be installed or supported by the manufacturer. New trucks have wiring looms cut into, additional cables run down the chassis and into the cab, dash panels removed and facia panels drilled to have additional safety systems installed. Additional cameras, side scan sensors, turn warning, vulnerable road user detection systems and data recording systems have been fitted and supported for maintenance and repairs by thirdparty suppliers for many years. Some manufacturers are now offering basic camera systems, but progress is slow. We need more options for equipment to be fitted at factory build, such as additional plug and play safety systems for cameras and sensors covering blind spots, reversing and recording camera footage around the vehicle, linked into vehicle data,

14 MotorTransport

telematics and black box recording systems – all accessed via a central onboard system for over air data transfer and vehicle tracking. These systems would be more robust when fitted as standard and supported by the dealer networks or third-party agents. These systems are invaluable in protecting vulnerable road users. The recorded film footage and vehicle data provides unique forensic and insurance data, protects drivers in incidents and supports coaching and training. I cannot imagine running trucks without them. New and progressive safety systems are coming on to the market with more advanced automatic emergency braking systems – these warn the driver and also enable the truck to react autonomously to avoid a collision. These are unlikely to be retrofittable, so must be offered at the point of factory build, and not by third-party suppliers.

The newspaper for transport operators

To contact us: Tel: 020 8912 +4 digits or email: name.surname@roadtransport.com Editor Steve Hobson 2161 Head of content Chris Druce 2158 Deputy head of content Hayley Pink 2165 Group production editor Clare Goldie 2174 Deputy production editor Jo Saunders 2173 Key account manager Andrew Smith 07771 885874 Display telesales Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Richard Bennett 07889 823060 Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Head of sales Emma Tyrer 07900 691137 Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 Head of marketing Jane Casling 2133 Head of events/MT Awards Stephen Pobjoy 2135 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, Sixth Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1JB 020 8912 2170 Free copies MT is available free to specified licensed operators under the publisher’s terms of control. For details, email mtsccqueries@roadtransport.com, or call 01772 426705 Subscriptions Tel 0330 333 9544 Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £135/year. Europe £163/year. RoW £163/year. Cheques made payable to Motor Transport. Apply online at mtssubs.com Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper Published by DVV Media International Ltd © 2019 DVV Media International Ltd ISSN 0027-206 X

Got something to say?

If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com

12.8.19

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AD_120819__P15.indd 1 MT Advert - Culina Group.indd 1

08/08/2019 10:10:06 31/07/2019 15:07

Electric transition

motortransport.co.uk

Plugged in? A zero carbon future means electricity must be considered for HGVs. So how will dealers that are currently geared up to handle diesel trucks really fare? Chris Tindall reports

ake no mistake, electric trucks are coming – even if you shouldn’t expect them to replace diesel anytime soon. But while most of the industry discusses topics like range and infrastructure, it’s interesting to consider what’s happening at dealers’ premises, where there has been heavy investment in maintaining traditional yet increasingly sophisticated diesel engines. It’s fair to say that diesel has had a bad press of late. Couple its effects on health with concerns about the impact on the climate and relying on battery-powered trucks to deliver our goods seems like a wonderful solution.

Energising opportunity

Certainly, many are keen to exploit the technology. According to a spokesman at MAN, enquiries have gone “absolutely bonkers”. “The interest is incredibly high. From four years ago, it’s gone from lukewarm to boiling hot,” he states. “It was very noticeable at the Hannover show; last year we were bowled over by the interest. It’s like someone flicked the light on.” Of course, MAN has a horse in the race. It has nine electric vehicles operating with customers in Austria – mostly 26-tonners, along with one 4x2. In the UK, meanwhile, it is investing £20m in its dealer network and all new sites will include electric bays and chargers, as well as remaining equipped for diesel engines. 16 MotorTransport

The move from diesel to electric power plants will mean workshops will have to adopt new skills, technology and tools

MAN dealer PCL Group, for instance, is building a new facility in Waltham Cross that offers electric vehicle service bays, customer plug-in points and an electric vehicle-qualified technician too. The MAN spokesman says that balancing the needs of diesel operators with the growing number of companies that are showing interest in running electric variants is not a headache for dealers, but an opportunity. “We know the first electric vehicles will be in London, which is why we are developing the network in and around the capital,” he says. “What I can see is, if you’re an operator near the M25, you will have some electric vehicles going into London and efficient diesel trucks doing the high mileage; St Albans to Leeds and back in a day, for example. “It comes down to what is suitable for the environment. PCL’s site in Waltham Cross is being built now, but they have to build it for today and tomorrow. Today, there’s one electric bay and in five years’ time, perhaps we will need two or three of those bays to be electric. Certainly, we are planning for today and the future. The electric vehicles revolution is on our radar.” Scania dealer Keltruck says dealers have long been used to transitioning to new technologies and moving to electric power is no different. “As technology changes, there are massive changes in workshop equipment,” says Andrew Bentley, general manager. “Going from Euro-5 to Euro-6, for ➜ 18 12.8.19

AD_120819__P17.indd 1

08/08/2019 10:08:35

Electric transition

motortransport.co.uk

Lovely head here standfirst here

example, meant new tools and higher pressures in the engines. There have been massive changes in the way we work compared with 15 to 20 years ago. “If we have a vehicle on a repair and maintenance [R&M] contract and it’s not a diesel engine but electric, then the difference is the engine and the transmission – but everything else has got to be maintained and compliant with legislation. We will still have the same issues we face day-in, day-out with brakes, propshafts and so on.” Bentley says Keltruck doesn’t make money out of R&M. “We provide a fixed price and we will take the risk and the reward on a fixed R&M,” he explains. “As a dealer, our margin is on parts and labour in the workshop. “There’s been a massive shift over the last 10 years where people send vehicles into the dealer network, because we have geared ourselves up to be completely focused on customer service, the technology has changed and we can offer three years’ R&M,” he continues. “It can be an investment of more than £100,000 for a vehicle, so why not let experts look after it for you? “We have moved from diesel to gas vehicles around the country and one of the things we set up in our dealer development area is that there’s a gastrained technician at every depot in the UK. “New technology comes out from the ➜ 20 18 MotorTransport

12.8.19

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AD_120819__P19.indd 1

08/08/2019 10:06:49

Electric transition

motortransport.co.uk

manufacturer and we have to follow it up. When we launched the next generation Scania, as a network we gave technicians from each location additional training; they are ‘escalation technicians’.

WATT’S THE PROBLEM? Making dealer points the refuelling stations of the future by ensuring they offer high wattage, fast recharges seems like an obvious plan. But are such dealerships really located in the right places? The answer, according to both dealers and manufacturers, is ‘yes’. But then they expect diesel to stick around for the foreseeable future for long-haul journeys, so range is less of an issue. “We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all solution, but different solutions for different applications and transport needs,” says Volvo’s Mike Corcoran. “Highly energy efficient diesel technologies will continue to be competitive for a long time, until alternative fuels are widely available. This is especially valid for demanding long-haul transportation.” Keltruck’s Andrew Bentley says the ease of availability of electricity means a refuelling station could be set up anywhere, but adds: “We advertise that we’re never more than an hour away from customers so we are well positioned for that.” MAN says it is in discussions with charging companies about the infrastructure they can bring to the industry and has been bolstered by Shell’s announcement that it is offering refuelling for EVs. “We have been waiting for one of the big fuel giants to jump on this as well,” says its spokesman.

Investment

“In the future I can see there being escalation technicians heavily inducted on these new power units. It’s an interesting time to be around.” DAF is undertaking “extensive field trials with electric and hybrid vehicles” according to marketing manager Phil Moon, and among other things, these are designed to give it insight into the investments and adjustments needed in both the manufacturer’s and its dealers’ infrastructure. “It is also worth bearing in mind, when envisioning the introduction of electric vehicles, that DAF sees diesel as the mainstream long-distance solution for operators, and thus for R&M, for some time to come,” says Moon. “Hybrid vehicles will also rely on diesel and diesel-powered trucks are requiring less and less scheduled servicing, with oil drain intervals up to 200,000km. Unscheduled downtime is reducing too. In the UK, it is the regular inspections needed to meet DVSA requirements that form the major part of the work handled by R&M contracts and they will continue regardless of fuel. “While electric vehicles have different drivetrains, working on electric vehicles will require specialist training, knowledge and tools which dealers will be equipped to deliver.” Volvo, meanwhile, says it will offer “holistic solutions” for customers to make the transition to electric painless, based on their individual needs regarding driving cycles, load capacity, uptime, range, and so on. It acknowledges that infrastructure is one of the biggest challenges it faces, however. Mike Corcoran, Volvo Trucks UK and Ireland commercial director, says: “The spare parts consumption of electric trucks varies according to transport application, the region where the truck is in operation and many more factors.

20 MotorTransport

Manufacturers believe operators will run electric trucks alongside alternative fuels and diesels, meaning the ‘green’ transition will happen at a manageable pace for dealers

“As battery technology develops, the availability of charging infrastructure increases and charging cycles improve, we will see fully electric solutions also for longer and heavier transport. However, we will see several alternative fuels used in parallel, such as LNG, CNG and HVO, that can be used in regular diesel engines, depending on customers’ preferences, type of transport, availability of fuel types and different commercial and regulatory factors.” Renault Trucks believes operators’ top concern is how they will charge their vehicles and that they are less worried about how they will be maintained. Andrew Scott, head of product management at Renault Trucks, says: “Renault Trucks sees the future as electric but expects diesel to continue to play a significant part in all industry sectors for some time to come. So it expects the dealer business model to change at a manageable pace. The increased developments in vehicle electronics in recent years have required continued investment in diagnostic equipment and technician training. At the same time, dealers have maintained previous generations of vehicles to the same high standards.” “Electric vehicles represent another technological innovation, but Renault Trucks has been working in the area for 10 years, giving it a unique understanding of the implications of adapting to electric,” he adds. Scott agrees the future dealer business model promises to be different, but says Renault Trucks’ dealers have shown themselves to be entrepreneurial. “They are the experts in providing outstanding service to customers and Renault Trucks’ role is to work in partnership with them, ensuring they have a clear understanding of the new technologies as they are planned and introduced,” he says. “After that, we know the dealers will identify many new ways in which to serve their customers.” ■ 12.8.19

REG ISTE NOW R 6/11/2019 | Alexandra Palace, London Promoting sustainable urban deliveries Freight in the City: celebrating five years of urban logistics best practice Freight in the City Expo is back in London on 6 November bringing you an exciting agenda focused on the key trends in the realm of urban deliveries. Policy-makers, vehicle experts and leading freight operators will share their insight with delegates and generate lively debate to help solve the challenges and share best practice on city logistics. Topics will range from zero-emission zones through to autonomous last-mile deliveries and smarter ways to transport goods, from the smallest parcels to the largest aggregates. A brand-new seminar theatre will this year take delegates right to the heart of the exhibition zone, where there will be ample opportunity to check out the latest clean and safe vehicle technology. There will also be some exciting new urban delivery vehicles making their UK debut at the event, so you can be first in the industry to chat with the manufacturers and explore their potential. We do hope to see you there, so make sure to register today for your free place!

6 November 2019 | Alexandra Palace, London Register for your free place today freightinthecity.com Event Partner

Seminar Sponsor

LNG AD_120819__P21.indd 1

08/08/2019 09:59:22

Golf Day 2019

motortransport.co.uk

Birdies and bogeys Congratulations to all the participants in this year’s Commercial Motor Golf Day, which produced some of the best scores we’ve seen yet, as well as raising a significant sum for a worthy cause Eighty-four players competed in the third Commercial Motor Golf Day, which was organised by MT’s sister title and took place at the sun-drenched Lambourne Golf Club in Burnham, Buckinghamshire last month. In addition to the golf, the players enjoyed a lunch and dinner, a free bar, golf-related gifts (including Hireco balls) and a comedian. A charity raffle and auction raised more than £1,500 for Brain Tumour Research. Bradley Larimore of PMB Pallet Express was the star of the day, almost setting a new club record and helping to give the Pall-Ex team a well-deserved victory.

LEADER BOARD 1. Pall-Ex 2. Thompsons Tippers 3. Ernest Cooper

139 points 129 points 124 points

LONGEST DRIVE Dave Young, Pall-Ex

260 yards

NEAREST TO THE PIN Matt Kerrisa, SDC

5ft away

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS Asset Alliance Cartwright Ernest Cooper Fortec Hireco MAN Financial Services/MAN Truck & Bus Pall-Ex SDC Spillard Safety Systems

22 MotorTransport

12.8.19

THE DAWN OF MAN Flexible and competitive funding solutions to bring the day you drive MAN a step closer. As the recommended financial provider for MAN commercial vehicles, nobody is better equipped to structure financing, leasing & insurances specifically tailored to your needs. From a single truck, van or bus, to groups of vehicles or a complex fleet, our expertise, personal service and flexible approach can help you drive the best possible solution for your business. Discuss funding solutions with us: 0370 900 7060 | www.financialservices.man.eu/uk

* MAN Financial Services is a trading name of Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited. Volkswagen Financial Services (UK) Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under registration number 311988 for credit and hire regulated activities and insurance mediation.

AD_120819__P23.indd 1

08/08/2019 10:26:22

MT Awards 2019 winner profile Technical Excellence Award

Tunnel vision Building a double-deck trailer for Culina Group that could squeeze through the Dublin Tunnel with two levels of roll cages on board required some award-winning vision from Cartwright

ne day last summer, Lionel Curtis, technical director at Cartwright, took a phone call from one of his best customers, Culina Group. “Lionel,” said Mark Matkin, group fleet manager at Culina. “Can I get two six foots inside a 4.65m trailer?” Curtis replied: “Yeah, I’m sure you can.” “Right, build me one,” said Matkin. “It was a game changer,” says Curtis of the conversation. “It was a huge thing.” The challenge Culina Group was facing was clear. Its customers in the Republic of Ireland (RoI) wanted it to replicate its UK operation by running refrigerated doubledecks, delivering the same cost savings in the Republic as in the UK. But this was impossible. Back in 2006 the Dublin Tunnel had opened, which

24 MotorTransport

takes traffic from the Port of Dublin and on to the M50, avoiding the city. But the tunnel was built to accommodate the maximum height allowed on RoI roads of 4,650mm – well below the 4,880mm average height of a double-deck in the UK. In saying Cartwright could solve this problem, Curtis had promised one of its largest customers to build a 4,650mm double-deck trailer capable of loading Culina’s 1,830mm high cages on both decks, with the same lifting upper deck accepting the same loads in the same loading patterns as in the UK. And it had to be done. With a height of 4,650mm, and two levels of at least 1,830mm for the cages, there was only 990mm left for ground clearance, floor, roof and internal deck – just 10mm more than the 980mm rear loading height of many trailers of this type. Cartwright set about shaving 200mm off the height without compromising structural integrity or practicality. “We looked at transferring technology from the construction industry into the transport industry using some ultra-thin insulation panels,” says Curtis. “These actually give you a better insulation value than if you used the thick stuff we always used. For the deck of that trailer, we used aircraft floor and structural technology and applied that to the trailer.” The super-slim vacuum insulated panels (VIPs) on the roof were 70mm thinner than conventional roof panels, while still providing adequate stiffness and maximum insulation. The aircraft flooring design to which Curtis alludes is of a laminated honeycomb structure. And that was just the beginning. “It was technically very interesting for the three design engineers who worked on this project because it wasn’t – and I’ll be very careful when I say this – just another trailer,” says Curtis. “Trailers are all interesting one way or another, but when you’ve got design engineers who are used to working with finite element analysis, they are interested in researching different materials from different industries that we can use.” For those of you who are not engineers, finite element analysis uses computer modelling to test the structural integrity of a range of designs. “The insulation we used in the roof is almost like a piece of paper,” he says of the VIPs. “There was a little bit of development work. You certainly haven’t got the development programmes in this industry that mainstream automotive people have. If you get six months you are doing really well.” Wheel pans were put on the underside of the floor, 12.8.19