Motor Transport 24 May 2021

Sharp ■ Informed ■ Challenging

24.5.21

YOUR TOTAL transport SOLUTION Firm returns to profit after an ‘ingrained major loss-making period’

Tuffnells reports 16% revenue rise after MBO

B O O K YO U R TA B L E TO D AY W W W. M TAWA R D S .CO . U K

By Carol Millett

NEWS INSIDE Green light for growth PMT Walsall site approved

p3

Pandemic fallout

Transport SMEs on the brink p4

Vox pop

Your say on driver shortage p6

OPERATORS INSIDE Abbey Logistics ............................................p22 Absolutely ...................................................p18 Denby Transport ............................................ p3 DPD UK ......................................................... p3 Fortec ..........................................................p10 Hazchem Network ........................................p10 John Lewis...................................................p14 Palletline .....................................................p10 Palletways...................................................p10 Pall-Ex.........................................................p10 PMT Haulage................................................. p3 Race Distribution..........................................p10 TPN .............................................................p10 Walker Logistics ........................................... p4 Yodel............................................................. p4

Sheffield-based Tuffnells Parcels Express saw a 16% revenue boost in the first eight months following its management buyout, according to its latest financial results.

The management team bought the company for £15m in May 2020, just six years after Smiths News Group had acquired it for £100m in 2014.

The buyout was prompted by years of poor performance under group stewardship. The management team have since pledged to return the company, which employs over 2,450 staff, to its place as the UK’s number one carrier of mixed freight and items of irregular dimension and weight.

Reporting its latest results for the 16 months to 31 December 2020, the company revealed that following the sale on 2 May 2020, revenue rose to £114.3m in the first eight months, compared with £98.2m for the previous

eight months to 31 April 2020.

In the last eight months under the ownership of Smiths News Group, four depots were closed and the customer base rationalised due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic “which led to a reduction in volume capacity, service deterioration and reduced revenue”.

The review said that the 16% revenue rise coupled with “strong, but sensible, cost controls” yielded a gross margin of 21.6% for the period May to December 2020, compared with 11.3% for September 2019 to April 2020.

STAR PERFORMERS: Herts-based Forward Trucking Services has ordered 21 Mercedes-Benz Actros 2546 variants, all achieving Direct Vision Standard’s (DVS) four stars. The fleet replacements were supplied by S&B Commercials and are significantly more fuel-efficient than its other trucks. In addition, a demonstrator Actros supplied to the firm was found to consume half as much AdBlue, meaning it expects to save £100,000 in costs for additive. Pete Samuel, Forward Trucking Services MD, said: “A lot of our work takes us into London, so the fact the Actros came out of the box with a four-star DVS rating weighed massively in its favour.”

The final six months of 2020 saw an operating profit of £1.05m and the overall pre-tax profit for the 16 months to 31 December 2020 was £6m, compared with a pre-tax loss of £29.3m in the 12 months to August 2019, the review added.

The board said it expects continued volume and revenue growth as a result of service improvements, adding: “Profits are expected to follow the same pattern, but aided further by improved productivity and sustained cost management.”

Commented executive chairman and chief executive Michael Holt: “Within eight months under new ownership, we successfully returned Tuffnells back to profit.

In the months since, we have continued to see significant and sustainable improvement, demonstrating a remarkable and rapid turnaround for the business.”

SOURCE FINANCE MAINTAIN RECYCLE ...VANS RENTAL + SALE

visit or call: hireco.co.uk 0330 124 5651

News Extra: tail-lift guidance p8 Viewpoint: pallet networks p12 Legal: Clean Air Zones p14 Interview: Absolutely’s Stuart Godman p18

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Lorry park for 40 vehicles gives Midlands haulier room for expansion

A haulage firm in the Midlands has been given the green light to build on disused land in Walsall and park up to 40 HGVs. PMT Haulage had to wait almost five months for a decision by the council on its application to convert nearly 1.4 acres of wasteland in Darlaston into a secure haulage yard. The plans include employing an extra eight staff – two security guards and six HGV drivers.

The site, which is close to the M6 and A4038, will be used 24 hours a day, with between 10 and 40 lorries or trailers parked on it at its maximum.

The application stated: “All lorries and trailers will be reversed

Photo: Shutterstock

PMT yard approval is green light for growth

into the bay so as to ensure easy and visible exit from the parking bay and from the site.”

A decision had been delayed after Walsall Council demanded a noise survey was carried out, despite its agents saying the

proposal would have no impact on neighbouring tenants and businesses.

But it has now signed off the application, opening the door for PMT’s business expansion.

However, the council has attached conditions to the application, including that all HGVs must not use standard audible reversing alarms; that vehicle horns are not used between 11pm and 7am; and that no refrigerated trailers are used on-site at any time.

PMT Haulage currently holds a standard national O-licence in the West Midlands traffic area authorising six lorries and six trailers out of a base in Tipton in Sandwell.

Resident power triumphs in warehouse hours battle A planning appeal by developers wanting to overhaul vehicle movements at a controversial warehouse in Milton Keynes so that lorries could operate 24/7 has been dismissed.

Jersey-based GUPI 6 wanted to vary restrictions at the site in Blakelands, so that HGVs could enter or exit the site outside of the current restricted hours of 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 4pm at weekends.

But the Planning Inspectorate ruled out the changes, saying in its decision: “The proposed amendment to the operating hours would result

in an adverse effect upon the living conditions of the occupiers of neighbouring properties.”

The 59ft-high warehouse, which covers 220,900sq ft, has been the source of much local anger, with local residents branding it a “huge, enormous monstrosity” when planning permission was granted in 2018.

The site has stood empty since it was completed.

Campaign group the Blakelands Residents Association said the decision was “a huge result”.

Kerr completes rise to be named DPD UK boss DPD UK has confirmed the appointment of Elaine Kerr (pictured) as chief executive from 1 June 2021.

She will report to chief operating officer DPDgroup Europe, Yves Delmas, and replaces Dwain McDonald, who left the role on 29 March 2021 after an “internal investigation”.

Kerr has worked for DPD for over 28 years, joining as a sales executive based in the North West before taking on the roles of customer relationship manager and head of CRM. She was promoted to director of CRM in 2008.

In 2020, she was appointed executive director, sales, CRM and customer services.

Delmas commented: “Elaine has had a tremendous career with DPD and has been instrumental in growing our customer portfolio to include some of the most prestigious brands and securing our continued growth, both domestically and internationally.

“Elaine will now continue this success story in the role of CEO, building on the strengths of the senior management team to lead the business to a new chapter, and I wish her every success in her new role.”

Hauliers jump on board to try Denby Eco Link road train Twenty-four hauliers are being given the chance to test drive the Denby Eco Link B-Double truck tomorrow (25 May) at the RHA’s latest Ride and Drive day.

The invitation-only event, which will be held at Newark Showground, aims to not only demonstrate the 25.25m 60-tonne road train to interested hauliers, but also show government ministers that there is sufficient industry interest to warrant a trial on Britain’s roads.

Denby Transport chairman Dick Denby has been lobbying the government for over 20 years.

Hopes were raised in February this year that the DfT would issue a Section 44 permit to enable the vehicle to take to the road as a demonstrator ahead of a wider trial.

This followed a survey, requested by DfT as 3 MotorTransport

evidence of industry appetite, which revealed that 80% of participating hauliers wanted to adopt the vehicle.

Denby said last week that DfT officials had informed him his Section 44 licence application is currently with ministers.

RHA key account manager Martin Dean, who is organising the test drive, said it had so far garnered strong support from the haulage industry, with 30 delegates already signed up from 24 major operators.

He added: “We hope this demonstration helps pave the way to the granting of a Section 44 licence and a meaningful trial of the vehicle on Britain’s roads. This technology can play an important part in helping the government reach its net zero targets.”

24.5.21

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19,000 transport firms facing collapse as giants ‘eat up’ all the growth

Pandemic leaves SMEs struggling There has been a jump of almost a quarter in the number of transport and logistics SMEs experiencing significant financial distress, compared with the end of last year, according to new analysis.

RealBusinessRescue.co.uk, set up by Begbies Traynor to advise business leaders in financial distress, also said the number of start-up transport firms struggling financially had increased by 60% during the last quarter, due to the pandemic.

It said there were now 19,000 SMEs battling against insolvency – a rise of 24%.

‘Significant distress’ is defined as businesses with CCJs of less

Photo: Shutterstock

By Chris Tindall

than £5,000 filed against them, or which appear to have sustained a marked deterioration in key financial ratios and indicators.

One feature has been larger logistics companies ‘eating up’ the acceleration of business in the sector, said Shaun Barton, national online business director at RealBusinessRescue.co.uk.

He added that companies had also created their own delivery

departments to avoid outsourcing work at a greater cost.

“The latest Q1 results demonstrate that for many SME and startup businesses, the financial challenge of the pandemic will continue throughout 2021,” Barton said.

“With a 15% increase in the number of smaller-sized companies reported to be in significant financial distress during Q1 of 2021 compared with the end of 2020, this continues the trend we have seen since the health and economic crisis first struck more than a year ago.”

He added: “The sector needs to stand firm in the hope that the unlocking roadmap begins to have a positive impact.”

Yodel to provide 30 driver apprenticeships Parcel carrier Yodel has said it will take on 30 new truck driver apprentices and give them a starting salary that is “considerably more” than the industry average.

They will train for a category C+E licence at one of Yodel’s three

national sorting centres in Hatfield in Hertfordshire, Willenhall in the West Midlands and Shaw in Oldham.

The firm, which handles over 160 million parcels a year, said: “Apprentices will initially earn considerably more than the industry average for entry-level LGV1 apprentices, with this increasing as they achieve various milestones to eventually reach a higher-thanaverage annual salary upon completion of their licence in less than a year.”

Nathan Price (pictured) had been working for Yodel as a sorter/

loader for nine years, but decided he wanted a career change and applied to the apprenticeship programme. “I have always wanted to drive large vehicles,” he said.

“I can’t fault the training, and the entire team are very friendly, supportive and professional.”

■ Europa Worldwide Group is on the hunt for a second batch of graduates and school-leavers.

Under the company’s Rapid Career Development programme, candidates will be given the chance to join the Europa Road sales team and become a trainee road account manager.

Walker Logistics gets go-ahead for Berkshire warehouse West Berkshire Council has granted outline planning permission on behalf of Walker Logistics for a 125,000sq ft warehouse on greenfield land just south of Membury Service Station, between junctions 14 and 15 of the M4.

Development company Pegasus secured approval for the new building and ancillary office floorspace, as well as an aircraft museum building and associated 24.5.21

access, car parking and landscaping, on land known as ‘South of Tower Works, Ramsbury Road, Lambourn Woodlands’.

The site will form an extension to the existing Membury Business Park and is adjacent to the disused Membury Airfield.

In a report to the Western Area Planning Committee, the council’s economic development team said: “The impact of the proposal would

have significant economic benefits to West Berkshire. The plans as described would lead to a number of new jobs, both during and after construction.

“From an economic development point of view, I would be supportive of this application as it allows a significant local employer to not only remain in West Berkshire, but to expand and consolidate its future success.”

Dawson steps back from Dawsongroup Peter Dawson (pictured), group chairman of Dawsongroup, is to step back from the business.

Now 82, Dawson has been running the company for 60 years, but said the time was right for the baton of ownership to be passed to the third generation of the family.

A ‘family council’ has been established consisting of Peter and his three children – Rouven, Freya and Charles – to maintain their close involvement in the business.

Peter will remain as group chairman but will focus on guiding the council, helping it develop its relationship with the main board, which runs Dawsongroup on the family’s behalf.

Freya will retain her existing roles as group property director and main board member, while Charles will remain international development director.

“Dawsongroup has an extremely bright and exciting future ahead, and I see this transition as an integral part of the company’s natural evolution,” Peter Dawson said.

In a note of thanks to staff, he added: “Your efforts and dedication over the years have not gone unnoticed, and we have continued to succeed and grow despite an everchanging social and economic climate – none more so than during the pandemic – and I remain extremely proud of that success and grateful to you all for your help in achieving it.”

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VOX POP How serious is the driver shortage for you?

Peter Louden, COO, ArrowXL We have seen localised shortages, particularly in areas with high employment. This is in part due to IR35, but also because many Eastern European drivers are returning home. The issue has mainly been within Class 1 drivers and this has had an inflationary impact. For Class 3 there is the issue of grandfather rights, which is resulting in an ageing population of drivers.

We have continued to employ drivers directly as this helps consistent service levels and productivity. The upside is less reliance on agency staff and the additional costs. However, when we need agency support our business may be deemed ‘less valuable’ and our requirements not prioritised over other more prolific users.

Dan Myers, MD, UK and Ireland, XPO There's a shortage, but is the situation transitional or structural? It’s difficult to be sure due to the reopening of the economy driving demand, with fewer drivers passing the driving test due to Covid-19 restrictions and European drivers returning to Europe following Brexit.

LETTERS

The impact of the driver situation has affected our partners more noticeably than ourselves and we are working with them to help manage volumes and leverage more of our own resources.

Moreton Cullimore, MD, Cullimore Group We are now feeling the bite more – there are far fewer people applying than in February and they don’t have the necessary experience. We therefore have to do more training and be more patient. But we also see so many drivers who haven’t got the necessary CPC. Sally Austin, CPO, Wincanton Wincanton has 200 apprenticeship places to fill this financial year, and recent recruitment activity attracted 1,900 applicants. The desire to work as an HGV driver is there; especially, but not exclusively, among younger people who have previously been accused of being uninterested. We have piloted a fast-track ‘Drivers of the Future’ scheme at sites for customers IKEA and B&Q, condensing the HGV training into one programme.

Send your letters to the editor at steve.hobson@roadtransport .com

Our recognised standard has raised bar on safety I read with interest your article relating to Authorised Testing Facilities (ATFs), the availability of examiners and the backlog of tests as a result of the pandemic.

It would seem that the DVSA and the authorities have confidence in the maintenance of vehicles and trailers by providers, whether contracted or own-account, by giving dispensation on test dates.

The same is true with operator licensing. It would be interesting to have data as to whether the condition of vehicles has suffered as a result of deferring annual tests, although I suspect this data will not be available.

Many operators, maintenance providers, own-account workshops and indeed some manufacturers have taken on board the licensing initiative offered by the IRTE [Institute of Road Transport Engineers] as a means of raising the bar on maintenance and safety by introducing a nationally recognised standard.

The IRTEC scheme tests technicians to a standard at a number of levels – one of which has been accepted by the DVSA for its vehicle examiners. This has been adopted by many operators as the standard their workshops and maintenance suppliers should achieve.

6 MotorTransport

The standard is therefore the same, whether set by the DVSA or an operator.

The shortage of examiners is overcome by the simple fact that the industry has qualified vehicle inspectors at all locations where there is an ATF – and at many other premises where the IRTEC scheme has been introduced.

Other levels of IRTEC are repair and maintenance technician, advanced technician and master technician, all contributing to better standards.

To complement this, the IRTE also has a Workshop Accreditation Scheme, with workshops meeting a set standard that is audited every three years to ensure compliance. One criteria is that the workshop has IRTEC-trained technicians.

If the workshops meet the IRTEC licensing requirement and have an accredited workshop, there is little reason for annual testing to be carried out at those premises.

The standard is there to be used, so why not use it? Policing the vehicles by the DVSA remains and can only enhance the reputation of the company that adopts a recognised standard.

John Eastman Chair IRTE PSC

Bob Terris, chairman, Meachers To ease the shortage, our people can progress to driver status after training as warehouse employees. We upgrade drivers from rigid to artics if suitable. We also have a recruitment bonus system for staff to introduce prospective employees, and have increased our pay. Even with all these measures, we are still being affected.

If the shortage continues, the capacity of the industry will be limited and demand will continue to increase. This will allow operators to increase prices and margin, and it will no longer be a buyers’ market.

Dan Cook, ops director, Europa Agency labour is where we see the most acute difficulties. The ‘value’ of the work seems to have reduced as a result of supply and demand. Drivers can pick and choose jobs.

We are seeking to employ more of our own drivers to create a ‘pool of spares’. This will be hugely challenging and expensive, but we believe the most reliable way to protect service. There is no question IR35 and the reduction in the flexibility for EU workers has had a significant detrimental effect.

Panattoni to open M1 Corridor site Developer Panattoni has bought a 31-acre site at junction 28 of the M1 in response to “strong demand” for warehousing in the area.

The site will house two new-build warehouses, due to be completed by the end of 2022.

Dubbed Panattoni Park J28 Central M1, this is the latest addition to the developer’s portfolio and follows its pledge to develop 3 million sq ft of speculative builds in the UK this year.

The new site will accommodate two warehouses – a 345,000 sq ft and a 230,000 sq ft unit – which are set to be completed in the final quarter of 2022.

Unit One will total 343,185 sq ft, while Unit Two will have 231,068 sq ft of warehouse space.

Both will include office and hub spaces.

Work is expected to start at the site in Q1 2022, which the developer says will create over 900 jobs. ● NFU Mutual is investing £100m with Clowes Developments to fund the delivery of six new Grade A logistics warehouses at Castlewood Business Park near junction 28 of the M1, Centrix Park, near Corby, and East Midlands Distribution Centre (EMDC) at Castle Donnington.

24.5.21

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Photo: Shutterstock

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Long-awaited industry guidelines on pallet deliveries using tail-lifts have received a mixed reaction from hauliers, some of whom are disappointed that they do not include a weight limit on pallets destined for home addresses.

The ‘Tail Lift and Pallet Truck Guidance Document’ has been published by the RHA after extensive consultations with the Association of Pallet Networks (APN), operators and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), which has endorsed the publication.

RHA chief executive Richard Burnett said: “This guidance offers operators who move palletised goods essential advice to keep their staff and others as safe as possible.

“I cannot thank our partners in the working group and HSE technicians enough for helping us pull this document together that should make our working environments safer.”

Long road

The guidelines have been under construction by an industry working group led by the RHA since 2015 and a draft was sent to the HSE for approval over a year ago.

In 2016, Reason Transport driver Petru Pop was crushed to death by a 1.4-tonne pallet of tiles he was attempting to deliver to a home address using a tail-lift.

The now-defunct Reason was fined £5,000 for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act in October 2020, partly by failing to ensure a proper risk assessment was carried out and a lack of training for the driver.

8 MotorTransport

Weighty issue still haunting industry The guidance on pallet tail-lift deliveries leaves critical safety decisions to drivers and operators. Steve Hobson and Carol Millett report In the five years since then there has been a fierce debate over whether the HSE should impose a national limit of 750kg on pallets for tail-lift delivery. The final version of the guidelines recommends only that drivers carry out a ‘dynamic’ risk assessment of each delivery, and has been condemned by some operators as overly influenced by the pallet networks who do not want restrictions imposed on their booming home delivery market.

Paul Allera, formerly head of fleet at Fowler Welch, was appointed technical director of the RHA in 2018 part of the way through the process. He said that any limit on pallet weights was impractical and that it should be down to the operator and driver to assess if a delivery was unsafe.

“It would be unfair for anybody, the RHA or the HSE, to put a weight limit on a pallet,” he said.

“It is not for us to deem the capabilities of individuals working for

someone else. The responsibility is on the operators to do their own assessments of their individuals and make sure they have the right equipment to do the job.

“We are providing guidance on the minimum requirements for operators. Weight is only one contributory factor in a delivery.

A 5ft pallet may only weigh 100kg, but it could still be a factor in something happening.”

Legal footing

While the HSE has not adopted the guidance as an official publication, it is understood that operators found not to be following it will face prosecution under Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

HSE head of the Transport and Public Services Unit Harvey Wild said: “We have agreed to provide an endorsement of the guidance that recognises the value of the advice it provides to vehicle operators and others in the haulage industry.”

The APN welcomed the guidance, saying it “sets out industry best practice and aims to make the operation of tail-lifts and the movement of pallets safer”. It added it “will also remind employers of their responsibilities in terms of health and safety during tail-lift or mechanically assisted deliveries” and “remind freight customers of their responsibility to properly package and manifest consignments”.

“Pallet network members are the primary users of tail-lifts and pallet trucks, for business and residential deliveries,” said APN chairman Paul Sanders. “For us this has always been about keeping drivers and members of the public safe from serious injury or worse.

“Often, drivers have to deliver in less than ideal circumstances.

They must know how to assess and mitigate those risks, and must be empowered to refuse when it is not safe to use a tail-lift or a pump truck.” ➜ 10 24.5.21

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The Hazchem Network also welcomed the guidance document and has already implemented changes to ensure compliance.

“In particular, we’ve re-affirmed our commitment to being a B2B network,” said MD Rob Symes.

“Our members don’t like residential deliveries – they’re uneconomic and potentially unsafe. The Hazchem Network won’t accept pallets for residential addresses – and we won’t expect our members to deliver them.”

Photo: Shutterstock

Rase Distribution, which was acquired by HW Coates in 2018, quit Palletways in January 2020 after refusing to accept pallets for home delivery over 750kg and chairman Geoff Hill has been a staunch advocate of an industry-wide ban on heavy pallets.

“The guidance is issued solely by the RHA but clearly intended for all hauliers, not just members,” he said. “I am therefore confused why it was not an HSE publication which would have added authoritative strength. The guidelines are descriptive, well written and very informative with a pallet network bias. In my opinion, some practical input from drivers may have been a useful contribution from an actual workplace point of view.

“The outcome is however a recognised guidance document designed specifically for improving driver safety in the workplace. It gives clear instructions on managing the process, emphasising the importance of the operator to complete risk assessments, and ensuring drivers are appropriately trained.

“I understand it is not feasible to fix a maximum pallet weight.

However, the guidelines are explicit

Shutterstock

Taking a stand

in detailing how the forces required to move heavy pallets increase risk, and an ‘industry standard’ maximum weight will eventually have to be agreed by the networks, if commercially possible.

“I hope that all hauliers embrace the guidelines willingly. It is up to the operators to have the conviction to support drivers’ decisions out on the road when delivery instructions are over-ridden for safety reasons.”

According to Allera, agreeing a maximum weight limit would be difficult, if not impossible, because every delivery was different, but under the guidance the driver is now able to decide if a delivery is safe.

“If a driver does a dynamic risk assessment and he or she feels they cannot conduct that delivery, they have to be believed by their bosses,”

he said. “It wouldn’t work for a lot of operators to have a pallet weight limit. Everyone’s capabilities are different and what suits someone might not suit someone else. The RHA cannot tell operators they cannot deliver pallets above a certain weight.

“This goes back to when it all started with manual handling regulations in 1992. With the right level of training for an individual, the right assessments and the right equipment, everyone can do what they need to do.

“The responsibility doesn’t start with the driver, it starts with the management and directors of firms to ensure their employees have the right equipment.

“This is a starting point for everybody and the document will help us to eliminate the risk of injury.

Some people won’t stop there and will go above and beyond it.”

Photo: Shutterstock

Disappointing

10 MotorTransport

Pall-Ex Group has already introduced dynamic risk assessments at the delivery point by the driver for both Pall-Ex and Fortec. It also requires all depots to use electric pump trucks on deliveries above 750kg, “subject to the requirements of each risk assessment carried out”.

“There is progress in the new guidelines, but it has taken five years to simply pass more responsibility to the operators!” was Pall-Ex group CEO Kevin Buchanan’s assessment.

Palletline was the first network to bring in a 750kg tail-lift restriction and it will continue to enforce this, supported it said “by our dynamic risk-assessment processes and our lift-assist service for pallets up to 1,000kg”.

Group MD Graham Leitch said: “Our network members embraced the restriction in 2015 and it has undoubtedly kept our people and the wider public safer over the past five years.

“Although we welcome any additional ‘good practice’ guidance, I am disappointed that despite the long wait, the resulting documentation does not go far enough to regulate the use of tail-lifts.

“This was an opportunity to modernise our sector and equip businesses with robust legislation that would enable them to diversify into the growing B2C market, safely. Instead, the responsibility to innovate has been passed to individual businesses.

“At a time when industry-wide volumes are at an all-time high, our people’s safety remains our number one priority.”

The Pallet Network (TPN), part of Eddie Stobart, said that while the guidance represented a “measure of progress”, and it paid tribute to the hard work done by industry members, it added the guidance “could have gone further”.

TPN MD Mark Kendall said: “The guidance now enables us all to have informed conversations with our customers. It offers an opportunity to review operator responsibility, as well as the role of the consignor in ensuring appropriate pallet deliveries.

“We also welcome that it gives drivers a voice, and recognises their role in determining their own safety. TPN encourages and endorses the use of the most appropriate manual handling equipment. We will now take time to fully digest the guidance, and discuss it with our network partners.” n 24.5.21

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Pallet weights are HSE’s fault T he RHA and APN are to be congratulated for finally getting a set of guidelines on the delivery of pallets by tail-lifts over the line, five years after driver Petru Pop tragically lost his life when he was crushed by a 1.4-tonne pallet he was Steve Hobson attempting to deliver to a home address.

Editor But it is shameless dereliction of duty by Motor the statutory regulator of workplace safety, Transport the HSE, that the industry has been placed in this position.

The RHA says it is not its job to set weight limits on pallets that hauliers deliver. And it is quite right – that is the HSE’s job. Putting the responsibility on the driver to assess the risks of a delivery is great in principle – but in Pop’s case that was wholly unrealistic. Here was a driver keen to prove himself and get the job done, a laudable attitude that in other circumstances would have won him a Heroes award. Instead it cost him his life.

It is people like Pop that the HSE is meant to protect. Whatever happened to the precautionary principle that if in doubt

about a hazard, err on the side of caution rather than sit back and hope nothing goes wrong?

Yes weight is only one factor in delivering a pallet with a pump truck and tail-lift, and when the delivery is to a garden centre or DIY store with a flat surface, then yes, pallets over a tonne may be perfectly safe. But kerbside deliveries to a home are rarely such ideal situations. So why not set a weight limit – 500kg, 750kg, or whatever the experts deem safe – specifically for home deliveries?

Let’s face it, some of the pallet networks and their shippers do not want to have to split heavy pallets as it adds cost to what is often a low-value consignment. The hauliers and drivers who have to deliver these tonne-plus pallets hate them, but often feel under pressure to accept the risk.

But commercial considerations should never override safety. So shame on the HSE for failing to protect operators and their drivers with clear official guidelines, rather than leaving it to the industry.

Opening new doors for pallet networks T he new ‘Tail Lift and Pallet Truck Guidance Document’ opens important new doors for the pallet network sector. For the first time, we have guidance which explicitly discusses the roles of the freight owner and the driver in Paul Sanders determining the safety of tail-lift deliveries.

Founder and Pallet network members and other chairman hauliers can now have informed Association conversations with consignors, which of Pallet Networks emphasise the importance of their ensuring, at the point of sale, that the destination is suitable for tail-lift delivery.

The guidance document should be used alongside RHA Conditions of Carriage as part of hauliers’ contractual agreements with customers.

Freight owners should gather the necessary information – including access, clearances, gradients and ground type – from their buyer, and submit this information through network IT systems to the delivery depot. This will greatly reduce the number of delivery issues and improve service reliability.

Operators also need to take this opportunity to formalise the training of drivers in dynamic risk assessment. This is a responsibility for the driver – but it is also an opportunity. Best practice now

12 MotorTransport

acknowledges their role in determining the suitability of a delivery – and if the driver says no, it is incumbent on an operator to listen. Most networks now have the dynamic risk assessment as part of their PDA software.

Ultimately we hope this will empower drivers, making driving jobs more attractive. Drivers are a limited resource, and we must do everything we can to make their jobs professional and appealing, including the best equipment for manual handling, training and minimising the difficulties they face on a daily basis, as well as respecting their professional judgement.

This guidance helps us to spread the responsibility for tail-lift and pallet truck safety right through the supply chain from the consignor to the recipient.

Our sectoral focus now is to ensure this awareness cascades to all those links in the chain – the freight owner, their customers at point of sale, our operators and their teams – to make tail-lift deliveries safer for our drivers and for the public.

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 Tim Wallace 2158 Events and projects editor Hayley Pink 2165 Group production manager Isabel Burton Layout & copy editor Nick Shepherd Senior display sales executive Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Sales director Emma Rowland 07900 691137 Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 MT Awards Katy Matthews 2152 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, First 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 Email:customercare@dvvsubs.com Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £146/year. Europe £176/year.

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If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 24.5.21

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Clean air zones

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Clouds of confusion

Everyone wants to improve air quality, but the plethora of different local authority schemes is a road to confusion.

It’s time the government provided more regulatory certainty, writes Malory Davies

O

perators are facing an increasingly complex and confusing situation when it comes to environmental regimes in the UK’s cities and towns.

In London, vehicles must comply with the Ultra Low Emission Zone, while other cities are developing their own Clean Air Zones. One city, Oxford, is well advanced with plans for a Zero Emission Zone.

The government’s strategy for reaching net zero transport emissions by 2050 was due to be published in its transport decarbonisation plan last year, but so far it has failed to appear. It was expected to appear sometime after the local government elections on May 6.

What the government has done so far is to order 63 local authorities to come up with proposals to deal with illegal levels of air pollution, following three court wins for environmental law charity ClientEarth. In December last year, the pressure for change was stepped up when a London coroner ruled that air pollution in Lewisham caused the death of a nine-year-old girl, Ella Kissi-Debrah.

Justin Laney, general manager – central transport for John Lewis Partnership, says: “We understand that the issues of NOx and particulates are undeniable and it is

right that they are being tackled.” He argues that the best solutions involve employing the right technologies rather than relying on simple bans.

In the air

TAKING ACTION: The RHA’s effort is focused on liaising with local authorities with firm plans for CAZs, says the organisation’s Chris Ashley

Air quality improved during the pandemic lockdowns but the issue has not gone away. Chris Ashley, head of policy – environment and regulation at the RHA, doesn’t see impetus increasing. “We are aware of a lot of chatter, but we focus our attention on those that have firm plans for CAZs. Some local authorities go through the process of investigating them and then end up deciding that they don’t want them.”

And Natalie Chapman, head of policy – south at Logistics UK, says: “While some schemes that were due to be introduced in 2020 and early 2021 were delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, air quality has remained a priority for local authorities and central government, which are consistently looking into what measures need to be taken to meet legal air quality targets.” Currently, the only Clean Air Zone in operation is in Bath, which launched on 15 March 2021.

But, she says: “Clean Air Zones in Birmingham and Portsmouth are both confirmed to be introduced this year, with further locations – including Sheffield, Bristol, Bradford and Greater Manchester – under development.” ➜ 16

CHOOSING THE RIGHT VEHICLE To meet the emission standard for the CAZs, nothing less than Euro-6 vehicles will do. For some operators this could mean replacing the entire fleet or simply not working in CAZs. The John Lewis Partnership has a strategy of converting all its heavy trucks to bio-methane by 2028. At present, some 228 of its 600-strong HGV fleet is using bio-methane and, says Justin Laney, it expects more than half the fleet to be bio-methane by the end of this year.

For lighter vehicles, John Lewis is going down the electric route, and it expects all its delivery vehicles to be electric by 2030.

Laney is also looking to electric power for fridge units, pointing out that they are cleaner and quieter than conventional dieselpowered units. He argues that the move to cleaner and quieter vehicles could be hastened if such vehicles were allowed more flexibility in delivery times for urban deliveries.

In addition, he says: “There is a real role for incentives to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles. For many operators, the business case for electric is hard to make, but if, for example, there is help with charging infrastructure, it will help behaviours to change sooner.”

The RHA has been particularly critical of the fact that legislation 14 MotorTransport

is making older vehicles prematurely redundant causing economic damage to the haulage industry.

Chris Ashley says: “One of our core issues is the lack of retrofit options for HGVs. Retrofit is possible for buses but not for HGVs at the moment. The list of approvals has increased, but it is slow in coming. Not only that, people might say that it is not worthwhile.”

Where retrofit options are available for HGVs they are costly for businesses – around £15,000 to £20,000 per HGV. Logistics UK expects that by the start of 2022, Euro-6 HGVs will account for nearly 70% of the truck parc, hitting 78% by the end of 2022.

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Clean air zones

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WHO IS PLANNING A CAZ? MT monitors local authority plans for Clean Air Zones. CAZs are categorised according to the vehicles in scope. HGVs are included in classes B, C and D. Minimum standard is Euro-6. Vans are included in classes C and D. Minimum standards are Euro-6 diesel and Euro-4 petrol.

These are the councils that either have schemes in place or in planning. n BATH: CAZ now live. HGVs £100 per day; vans £9 per day. n BIRMINGHAM: CAZ launching 1 June 2021. HGVs £50 per day; vans £8 per day. n BRADFORD: CAZ planned for launch 5 January 2022. HGVs £50 per day; vans £9 per day. n BRISTOL: Small city centre CAZ awaiting government approval. Due to launch October 2021. HGVs £100 per day; vans £9. n LIVERPOOL: CAZ plans under

discussion, but charging zone in draft proposals and public consultation expected summer 2021. n LONDON: Low-emission zone applies across the whole of Greater London for HGVs, which now requires Euro-6 vehicles to avoid charges. Older trucks will pay £100 if meeting at least Euro-4 standard, £300 if older. A Class D Ultra Low Emission Zone applies in central London affecting all other vehicles, charging vans £12.50 per day. This will be expanded out to the North and South Circular roads from 25 October. n MANCHESTER, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan: Plans for CAZ include charges for HGVs £60 per day, vans £10.

Consultation on final plans taking place summer 2021, for rollout in spring 2022. n NEWCASTLE, Gateshead and North

Even where CAZs are being considered, introduction is not a foregone conclusion. In September last year, Sheffield City Council said it was reviewing plans for a CAZ because air quality had improved dramatically during the lockdown. “If we can hold onto clean air by introducing other measures without resorting to charging people, we believe this is the best way forward,” a spokesman said.

In October last year, Leeds City Council decided that its planned CAZ was no longer needed. A review found that businesses were switching to cleaner vehicles faster than expected. The council said that more than 90% of buses and 80% of HGVs met the Euro-6 standard.

And in April, Leicester City Council said it was scrapping its plans because its Air Quality Action Plan launched in 2015 had resulted in huge improvements in air quality. “Because of the improvements we have made, government are now unlikely to fund the development of a Clean Air Zone,” a spokesman said.

Tough stance

On the other hand, one council, Oxford, is going further with the introduction of a Zero Emission Zone. “Oxford see themselves as pioneers in developing Zero Emission Zones,” says Ashley. “We support the ambition, but you must align with what is technically possible.”

Chapman adds: “While we support the ambition for zero emissions, Logistics UK believes the focus should instead be placed on enabling the shift towards the use of zero-emission vans by ensuring the correct charging infrastructure is in place and a sufficient supply of electric vehicles is available.

“On HGVs, the pathway is less clear, so Logistics UK is currently working with its members and government 16 MotorTransport

NEW ARRIVAL: Bath’s CAZ went live in March. “The CAZ is just the start of a concerted effort to promote more sustainable travel,” said local councillor Sarah Warren

Tyneside: Working in conjunction with Gateshead and North Tyneside City Council on a series of air quality measures, including an inner-city CAZ in city centre and wider traffic-reduction actions. HGVs £50 per day; vans per day £12.50. Due late 2021 (no date confirmed). n OXFORD: Zero-emission zone small pilot due to start in August 2021, with wider rollout in 2022 expected. n PORTSMOUTH: Small Class B CAZ. HGVs £50 per day. Expected November 2021. n SCOTLAND: Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are to be introduced across Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow between February 2022 and May 2022. Plans to implement LEZs were temporarily paused due to the Covid-19 outbreak, but work has now restarted. Find out more at: lowemissionzones.scot

to determine alternative technologies that will enable HGVs to transition to net-zero.”

Ashley also warns of problems if councils adopt different standards, saying: “We need a common approach and understanding of how to get there. The UK is best placed to do that.”

Andy Eastlake, MD of the Zemo Partnership, which is pushing for zero-emission transport, would also prefer a more centrally-led approach to CAZs, rather than passing all responsibility down to individual cities.

Earlier this year he told MT: “I’m a great believer in that common framework and would much prefer everyone to be following the same vehicle standards rather than Leeds wanting one thing and Birmingham another.”

Both Logistics UK and the RHA are pressing national and local government to recognise the needs of the transport industry. Logistics UK aims to “ensure clear and practical solutions are in place as the UK moves towards the net-zero ambition set for 2050”, says Chapman.

Ashley points out that there has to be a viable market.

In a recent policy paper on the issue, the RHA emphasised the need for regulatory certainty to avoid future stranded assets. n

OXFORD HAS ELECTRIC DREAMS Oxford City Council plans to introduce a Zero Emission Zone pilot scheme in August 2021 covering the busy shopping area around Cornmarket Street, New Inn Hall Street and Queen Street.

If the pilot is judged a success, then the zone will be extended to cover

most of central Oxford. Only 100% zero-emission vehicles will be able to use the zone free of charge. Other vehicles will have to pay to drive in the zone between 7am and 7pm.

The rate for ultra-low-emission vehicles will be £2 per day, while for CAZ compliant (Euro-6) vehicles it will be £4 per day. Other vehicles will pay £10 per day. The charges will double in August 2025.

The current legal limit for NO2 is 40 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3). Oxford wants to reduce NO2 levels in the city to 30 μg/m3 by 2025. At the moment city centre levels range from 26 μg/m3 to 50 μg/m3.

The trial is expected to attract considerable interest and could become a template for other local authorities.

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Interview: Stuart Godman

I

n the era BC (before Covid-19), same-day couriers were the preserve of the rich and famous who just had to have that diamond ring today, or City businesses such as legal or banking where urgent paper documents had to be delivered physically rather than by email. But the lockdown has changed that, according to Stuart Godman, CEO of London courier group Absolutely.

Godman is no stranger to the express delivery world, starting out with TNT in 1988 before moving on to Target Express, where he was sales and marketing director for 10 years before the ill-fated merger with City Link. He became MD of the combined business in 2010, which was turning over £400m and employed 5,000 people, prior to it going bust at Christmas 2014. In 2014, he had already moved on to DX (which used to stand for ‘document exchange’ before changing its moniker to ‘delivered exactly’) and Smith News’ parent Connect Group, before taking the top job at Absolutely in October 2019.

Since then, the world has been turned on its head by the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic lockdowns. So has the cloud of Covid-19 had a silver lining for Absolutely?

“Yes and no,” says Godman. “The world of same-day is vastly different from overnight express parcels. The speed of same-day in London is fantastic, but when we got to the end of March 2020, when London hit that first deep lockdown, it was like trying to operate in a ghost town. It was really quite bizarre. But it recovered and we are blessed to be in this sector compared with many other industries. We are not complaining.”

Godman’s profile on the Absolutely website states: “I am ‘absolutely’ committed to ensuring our customers get the experience they deserve whilst embracing a safe and successful environment for all our colleagues to enjoy.”

A member of the APC parcels courier network, Absolutely describes itself as “THE London courier since 1865” and things have come full circle as the firm’s environmental commitment means its black and pinkclad couriers are now just as likely to be pedalling bicycles or riding electric cargo bikes as driving a van these days.

New opportunities

When offices closed, central London’s B2B same-day market collapsed as people started working from home, but this in itself presented new opportunities.

“Historically the business’s sweet spot was the Square Mile,” says Godman. “It was a large pushbike circuit doing deliveries within half a mile across the central London postcodes. But over the years the business has migrated outside the Square Mile and since the pandemic it has stretched even further and a lot of our work is now into the Home Counties.

“A lot of commuters live in the suburbs, so we have moved a lot of work between the offices in London back out to people’s homes and vice versa. So, the shape of the business has changed dramatically in the last year.”

As a result, the company has expanded its territory to cover Greater London, ie all London postcodes. These cover a huge area of 240 square miles from Hackney in the north (N1) to Croydon in the south (SE25) and from Hanwell in the west (W7) to Greenwich (SE28) in the east.

“That’s our footprint,” he says. “We have considered expanding further geographically, but it’s not on our immediate radar. It’s always an option. If we can grow outside London either organically or through acquisition, that is something we will consider.”

Absolutely began investing in e-cargo bikes as well as electric vans in 2018 ahead of the introduction of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone and now has over 30 electric vehicles, including some able to carry temperature-controlled products.

“The cargo bikes have been a godsend in terms of the 18 MotorTransport

Absolutely fabulous Covid-19 has changed many things in society, including the typical customers and delivery patterns of same-day courier firm Absolutely, as Steve Hobson reports strategy to invest in that part of the business,” says Godman. “They have picked up more of the work that came out of the pushbike circuit and also work from the van circuit. We have seen volumes of work move into different parts of the fleet.

“The van circuit is great for Home Counties and distance work, but the cargo bikes – because we have invested in a larger fleet – cover more London postcodes.”

The wider operating area, coupled with the limited range of the older cargo bikes, has meant an expansion of the depot network from three to four, the fourth dubbed the ‘Eco Hub’ – a 5,000sq ft zero-emissions depot in Holborn. The other three are in Park Royal, which is 24.5.21

motortransport.co.uk

mainly for APC overnight parcels; an international depot at Heathrow; and another site in Holborn close to the Eco Hub. Newer model Fully Charged e-cargo bikes however have larger ranges, enabling them to handle longer rounds.

“There are three options and we have been exploring all three,” says Godman. “One is that you have more operating nodes; the second is that you look at the battery life and recharging, so we send the cargo bikes out with dual batteries so they can swap over and we have invested in more charging points; and the third is newer technology cargo bikes which we have invested in and have far greater battery capacity, so their range is much greater. We tend to go for the 40-mile range option, which is fantastic for the London circuit.”

The latest bikes also have greater carrying capacity and are able to carry eight archive boxes, the standard unit of measure for B2B City couriers.

“The traditional same-day courier carries quite small items and an average cargo bike does 20 to 25 drops a day,” says Godman. “They take it from A to B and then go to another A to B job – it’s not like a milk round, where they go round set delivery points. A typical van on the same-day circuit would do 10 drops so the bikes are twice as effective, which is one of the benefits of having the bikes on the fleet.”

Absolutely’s e-cargo bikes now do 95% of APC overnight collections and 49% of its regular same-day circuit work.

Shifting patterns

The lockdown and closing of most offices in London has led to a shift in Absolutely’s type of work.

“The B2C element has grown dramatically in the last year,” says Godman. “The two sectors we have seen the most growth in have been medical/healthcare and food.

In the period between the second and third lockdowns, in the autumn of 2020, we started to see people return to London and that gave us a nice injection of volume.

“The third lockdown quashed that. I think in the summer, when the vaccine has been deployed, there will be a migration back to London. But it won’t ever look the same as it did before. The pandemic has given everyone a chance to review their working practices. Do employers really need all their colleagues coming into London five days a week? People will return to work in the City, but it might be two or three days a week.”

This shift to working from home or more local offices has led to a change in the type of work Absolutely does.

Its top 10 customers have seen an average year-on-year growth of 36% through the pandemic, notably in the food and drink and healthcare sectors, though fashion has held up well.

“Consumers are changing their behaviour, which is impacting on what was traditionally a same-day movement,” says Godman. “People still want to buy stuff and have it delivered in a two-hour window, which is what we offer to many of our clients.

“There is still the traditional circuit work such as tenders and legal documents that have to be moved around the City for signatures. But because Covid-19 has made more people work from home and embrace e-commerce, that is generating a different type of traffic. We can penetrate a lot of postcodes very quickly in a pretty cost-effective way because we have scale and volume.”

When Godman mentions food, his couriers are not competing with Deliveroo to handle pizza and curry. His same-day clients are usually high-end subscribers to premium weekly or daily upmarket recipe services such as Detox Kitchen, where clients receive boxes of fresh ingredients to make their lobster linguine at home without the inconvenience of going to the shops.

ON YOUR BIKE: Godman says greater last-mile delivery consolidation would benefit recipients, logistics firms and the environment alike

Charging strategy

Although the majority of Absolutely’s 250 couriers are self-employed, all the electric vehicles they use are recharged at the depots overnight.

“We have electric charging points in all our locations,” says Godman. “All company cars are electric too and are charged at our locations. We practice what we preach.”

The company was fortunate in that the electricity supplies at its three original depots could cope with the recharging load, but it has had to reinforce the supply at the new Holborn site to ‘future-proof’ it against growing demand.

As with its electric vans, Absolutely has not yet settled on a single supplier for its charging systems, but Godman says that is something it will be reviewing during this year. He would like to see a standardised EV charging connection so that any vehicle can connect to any charger, rather than each OEM going with a proprietary system.

He also wants to see a lot more public charging points in London. “Okay there are now just over 6,000, but they are geared more for cars than vans,” he says. “The parking bays are not big enough for electric vans. There doesn’t seem to be anybody taking the lead on this.

Whether it will be led by TfL, the private sector or the OEMs is still not clear.” ■

‘CO-OPETITION’: THE ONLY WAY TO CLEAN UP LONDON DELIVERIES While measures such as TfL’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone – which from October will require non-Euro-6 trucks and vans to pay £100 per day inside the North and South Circular roads – are encouraging the adoption of cleaner vehicles, Absolutely’s new Eco Hub is preparing the company for far tougher restrictions. These include greater pedestrianisation of central London streets, or even enforced co-operation between competitors to require consolidation of last-mile deliveries onto zero-emissions vehicles.

“The best way to clean up London is to reduce the number of vehicles and increase the drop density,” says Godman. “That is really only going to work with more ‘co-opetition’ between the players. There are certain European cities where that has happened already.

“One of my dreams for the Eco Hub is that we become a central London consolidation site so we can work with the major players and deliver the final mile where we are best in class. We can do a 60-minute delivery anywhere in central London on carbon-neutral vehicles.”

The rise in e-commerce has worsened the problem of multiple vehicles – often diesel vans – making single deliveries to individual addresses in the same street, and it would be far more efficient to consolidate these onto a single electric vehicle.

24.5.21

“One of the downsides of Covid-19 is repeat deliveries all day,” Godman states. “If people could have one delivery a day rather than six or seven separate items it would be better for the end recipient too. I’m a big fan of co-opetition – there is enough out there for everybody to have a great business, but sometimes working together is a better solution.”

MotorTransport 19

MT Awards 2020 winner profile Clean Fleet Van of the Year

Lean and clean The MAXUS EV80 might not provide much in the way of panache, but it’s a refreshingly simple, low-cost 3.5-tonne electric van that still has loads to offer

only other 3.5-tonne panel van competitor, the Renault Master ZE. With a price of around £60,000, which dropped to nearer £50,000 with the government grants of the time, it was an expensive option, but still the most affordable on the market – something which the firm traded heavily on.

Like its 2.5-litre diesel sibling, the EV80 doesn’t have a range of powertrains, trims or options to choose from.

Power comes from a 123hp electric motor paired to a 56kWh lithium-ion battery providing a claimed range of 119 miles on the old NEDC testing cycle and a real-world range of around 70 miles with a decent payload on board.

Payload potential

S

ince electric vans came onto the market in the early part of the last decade, there really have only been two players in the field.

Renault and Nissan have for much of the time had the market to themselves, and while a host of smaller companies offering their own bespoke solution to the electric van revolution have come and gone, it has so far only been the traditional van manufacturers who’ve managed to keep a foothold in the market.

MAXUS is most certainly a conventional van manufacturer in the sense that its parent company SAIC MAXUS is one of China’s largest car makers. It was, until mid-2020, also the proud owner of the LDV name, having relaunched the nameplate in the UK in 2016 with a large diesel engine panel van promptly followed by a zero-emission version, later rebranded to become the MAXUS V80 and MAXUS EV80 respectively.

Firm favourite

The LDV EV80, as it was known at launch, quickly became a favourite of fleets looking to get in on the electric revolution on the cheap as it significantly undercut the 20 MotorTransport

With the heavy batteries and electric motor, payloads are affected quite significantly compared with the diesel variants, coming in at up to 950kg compared with more than 1,400kg for the best-performing diesel. This is still an impressive capacity for an electric van, however, and with the cargo area unaffected by the conversion to batteries – which are located under the floor – the 10.4cu m and 11.6cu m capacities of the long-wheelbase van with standard height roof and high roof respectively make the EV80 a practical and usable option.

Charging can be carried out via a regular three-pin plug and a charge rate of up to 30kW is supported, which is enough to charge the battery from zero to full capacity in 1.5 hours. However, a charge over a domestic supply will take in excess of seven hours.

Numerically, the EV80 presents a convincing case for a fleet looking to make tentative steps into an electric light commercial fleet, but fleets will also want to consider the appeal of the vehicle to its drivers.

Opening the door to the V80, your initial observations will probably focus on the vinyl covered seats and the rather plasticy aroma. The dash and steering column are uninvitingly bland, and they both feel crude, fragile and almost unpleasant to touch when compared with others on the market.

But the EV80 underlines the value proposition by giving you a 10in infotainment touchscreen that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, helping to elevate the cab’s comfort and usability levels to an acceptable standard. Drivers won’t feel particularly hard done by, therefore.

Then there is the most obvious benefit for choosing 24.5.21

cowling covering them, produces a display that is at times hard to see.

This may all sound rather negative, but there are, as stated, some highlights to this apparently well-made Chinese-built van, including a certain amount of joy to be had from its very simplicity. The baggy vinyl seats and drab grey interior may not appeal, but this is a cheap practical van that fills a gap in the market. It’s not going to appeal to every fleet buyer, but with electric vehicle technology moving so quickly and the prices of new entrants like the Mercedes-Benz eSprinter being eye-wateringly high, the MAXUS EV80 has much going for it.

Fleet appeal

CLEANING UP: (Left to right) Steve Hobson, MT editor; Bill Laidlaw, UK sales manager, Saic Maxus (LDV); and Andy Salter, MD of DVV Media International

the electric LDV over the diesel variant – the noise.

The 2.5-litre diesel engine is quite a harsh unit, and while its 136hp is sufficient for a big van, it doesn’t feel particularly refined or strong when fully laden. The electric motor, by contrast, is a powerful alternative and despite having less horsepower, the single drive of an electric motor makes it feel faster with instantaneous torque from the moment you press the accelerator. The lack of noise from it is most welcome, though, and while the EV80 could still do with some additional sound deadening to dull the noise of the road and tyres, it is a much more enjoyable vehicle to spend a full day in than its diesel stablemate.

Cabin pros and cons

In terms of cabin practicalities, the centrally mounted instrument binnacle does take some getting used to – after all it’s not a Mini Cooper – but there is plenty of useful storage around the cab. The tray immediately in front of the steering wheel is perhaps not the most useful storage location, but there are decent-sized door bins and two pull-out trays in the centre console.

The cabin is also spacious and offers a good field of view, thanks to large windows, narrow A-pillars and wide-angle heated door mirrors. Rear parking sensors are included as standard, which is a big plus for fleets looking to limit repair costs from accidental reversing bumps. A rear camera can also be specified for additional peace of mind.

Being based so heavily on the V80, which is itself a decade-old design, the EV80 does feel a bit old-fashioned from the driving seat, not least because you have to adopt a fairly awkward driving position as the steering column is fixed and the seat provides limited amounts of travel.

Conversely, the driving dynamics are a pleasant surprise with a degree of precision to steering inputs, which makes you feel genuinely connected to the road and engaged with the vehicle.

Although better than the diesel, the EV80 is not a hugely comfortable van to be in for extended periods, and living with it can prove frustrating, as despite redesigning the interior, the instrument clusters remain in the centre of the dash, which, coupled with the 24.5.21

While both it and the V80 have already been replaced by the MAXUS E Deliver 9 and the diesel MAXUS Deliver 9, the EV80 has secured its position as a genuinely appealing clean fleet van for a number of operators and the revised E Deliver 9 will probably be just as tempting to fleets in-the-know. ■

WHAT MAXUS SAYS “The Motor Transport Awards have been a benchmark for excellence in our industry for almost 35 years. So naturally we were honoured to have our flagship electric van, the EV80, announced as the 2020 Clean Fleet Van of the Year, especially at such a pivotal time in our brand’s history,” said Mark Barrett, general manager of Harris MAXUS. “In 2016, LDV launched in the UK and introduced the market to our first zero-emissions van, the EV80. Last year, amid the pandemic, LDV became MAXUS, and with our rebrand we launched the all-new e DELIVER 3 and its big brother, the e DELIVER 9.

“Creating carbon-neutral vehicles is not just a moral imperative for us, but an opportunity to help shape our future. When it comes to sustainability, MAXUS is proud to lead the way in reducing our impact on the planet while delivering great products for our customers. The Clean Fleet Van of the Year award is an acknowledgement of our progress and an encouragement for us to do more.

“Last year brought its ups and downs, but having the EV80 recognised as a market leader by our industry peers was certainly a highlight. These awards are more than a vanity contest – they back up core brand values, build trust in the EV market as a whole, and encourage fleet buyers and van drivers to make the switch to zero-emissions driving.

“The Clean Fleet Van of the Year award recognises every aspect of EV development, from engine power and range right down to the technology and dashboard aesthetics, acting as a vital marker for a market that is facing a growing array of choice when it comes to buying an eLCV. “To win a Motor Transport Award is a testament to the hard work of the MAXUS team, providing a morale boost to those working in R&D, production, MAXUS dealerships, aftersales, the HQ, and everyone in between.”

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MT Awards 2020 winner profile Team of the Year

Sweet sensation Total collaboration between Abbey Logistics and customer British Sugar has delivered a raft of efficiencies when it comes to cost, safety and service

W

hen Abbey Logistics tendered for a major bulk haulage contract with British Sugar in 2016, its visionary approach to teamwork helped sweeten the deal.

Through close collaboration, the two businesses have developed a fully integrated alliance. This joined-up approach has led to dramatic improvements in customer service, safety, cost, and management information, with team members in a wide variety of roles working together.

Stewart Dickson, head of logistics at British Sugar, says of the early stages of the partnership: “When we first started working with Abbey, it was selected because of its experience in food powders and food ingredients.

So it’s been a learning curve for British Sugar and our suppliers to allow ourselves this openness to really work together and understand the direction we’re all trying to move in, establish our common goals, and then fight that fight together. Our awards entry demonstrates a significant cultural change, of which we are continuing to see the benefits of today.”

Indeed, Dickson likens the evolution of the team’s development to the Gartner model of the five stages of logistics maturity.

“A lot of organisations are still stuck in those very early phases of logistics and supply chain maturity, where you’re just talking about rates, or you’re talking about the size of the fleet capability you’ve got,” he says.

“A combination of the right people within British Sugar and the right people at Abbey, alongside an openness and willingness in the group to talk more widely, allowed

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us to move up those stages and start looking at network optimisation and understanding how we reduce costs without it just being about pressing for rates.

“We have become significantly more mature in our approach to logistics. And this was the first stage of that.”

In it together

Abbey and British Sugar knew they had to form a ‘One Team’ mentality and that through successfully integrating tasks, efficiencies could be delivered downstream and remove any duplication of work.

British Sugar’s customers order product in different ways with some collecting their own and others taking deliveries. This means advance planning, visibility of orders and complete transparency is needed to ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Sales forecasts, production output and stock levels are reviewed daily, ensuring that British Sugar maintains effective production and Abbey has the fleet capacity to respond. To help both parties, a set of five KPIs was established, which are monitored each month, and help to maintain and improve the performance of more than 300 bulk sugar loads per week.

These are to: reduce cost per tonne; reduce waste mileage; improve vehicle utilisation; reduce loss time and personal injuries; and improve DOT performance.

Since the formation of the new team, a 13% reduction in cost per tonne has achieved savings of nearly £3m.

A similar knock-on effect has been realised on the cost per mile, which is now 27% lower than before the Abbey and British Sugar team was formed.

Previously, a significant number of customers required their deliveries between 8am and 9am. This required more fleet and drivers in the mornings, leaving them under-utilised in afternoons and at nights.

Data was produced by Abbey to customers that shows service would improve from smoothing the delivery profile by accepting deliveries at different times.

Customers accepted they were not getting the best service due to their delivery requests and successfully trialled alternative times.

Since the operation began, the team have now saved more than 90,000 road miles, which equates to savings of around £180,000 based on 2018/19 costings. More than 355 tonnes of CO2 have also been saved.

Additional incentives to maximise fleet utilisation have included the rollout of Microlise telematics on all vehicles, with individual driver training based on the real-time data from the system.

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Abbey also provided British Sugar with details on low-volume orders to enable the management of customer behaviour and an increase in order size, which ultimately cuts deliveries and road miles. In addition, outbases have reduced from eight to one. Trucks now all return to base ready for loading the next delivery, which has had a dramatic impact on waste miles and utilisation.

Matthew Parsons, general manager, British Sugar contract at Abbey Logistics, says: “We analysed the efficiency of the fleet and explored where there were gains to be had.

“Also we looked at what our optimal fleet size was.

Historically, there’s always been this drive to be resourced at a level where we can cover 100% of deliveries all the time, and this can generate quite a lot of wasted miles.

So for the past two-and-a-half years in particular, we’ve focused on refining the size of the fleet to get it to what is now a more optimal level where we’re able to drive the efficiency and the productivity.”

BIG BENEFITS: Abbey and British Sugar have focused on fleet utilisation, smoothing out delivery times throughout the day and improving on-time performance as a result

Safety first

The health and safety teams from Abbey and British Sugar have a close working relationship.

The two firms established a bulk site assessment review process whereby lead drivers assess sites and feedback reports. Abbey’s SHEQ team then categorises these sites [red, amber, green status] for risk and works with British Sugar to mitigate risks at customer premises.

SHEQ matters are always given top priority at daily site briefings and the wider contract review meetings, where a joined-up approach is taken by the Abbey and British Sugar SHEQ representatives.

“We engaged with the drivers to take them through what actually is a ‘near miss’, what are the kinds of things

WINNING WAYS Matthew Parsons: “I was so proud of the team when the announcement came through that we had won the award. It is a wonderful recognition to everybody in the team for all the hard work they put in. It’s not just one or two people, it’s the whole team because they all work so well together – they deal with challenges and they overcome them.”

Stewart Dickson: “When we won the award, I felt an incredible pride in the work everybody has done because it’s a validation from the industry. But at the same time, we’re seeing the real results internally. Abbey helped us change the culture within British Sugar and our understanding and approach.”

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you should be looking out for in terms of unsafe acts, unsafe behaviours, or unsafe conditions,” says Parsons.

“We are able to review at weekly meetings with British Sugar whether we need support from the production or the customer services team to engage with the end-customer to resolve safety concerns.

“This is allowing us to resolve issues quickly and provide some positive feedback to our drivers, which again, is then influencing them and motivating them to continue to follow the process. So they’re not seeing their concerns just drift away and disappear.”

As a result of the engagement with drivers, the team is seeing not only an increase in safety observations recorded, up by 25% across the business, but also an improvement in the quality of reports.

The Airsweb risk management system is used for recording hazards and incidents on the contract, to mitigate risk and take a structured approach to managing risk assessments. The technology empowers drivers, site staff and office staff to record data and obtain critical information wherever they are working, on phones, hand-held devices or PCs. The system has had a dramatic impact in reducing personal injuries by 80% and has also had a positive effect on staff morale, as they now know that when they report something, there is a clear workflow and audit trail and they know it will be actioned and they will be kept informed throughout the process.

On time

Abbey and British Sugar’s logistics team manage more than 300 bulk deliveries per week.

On this contract, late is considered anything that is plus or minus 30 minutes outside the delivery time.

Through a combination of reducing the age profile of the fleet, combined with British Sugar managing customer behaviour around delivery times and payload, and closer collaboration between the teams on planning, ordering and stock levels, delivery on time has consistently improved year on year.

In 2018/19, the year the awards submission is based upon, the team achieved 98.8% contractual DOT, versus 97.5% the previous year – and consistently above target.

On the road

Abbey’s ongoing vehicle replacement programme has positively impacted customer service. Supporting this and controlling costs was the introduction in 2019 of vehicle maintenance software Emdecs. This provides full visibility of maintenance requirements in real-time, providing control and visibility for both British Sugar and Abbey. Reducing the age of vehicles and the refurbishment of tankers has also greatly impacted the reduction in maintenance spend, reduced CO2 emissions and improved MPG. Abbey’s fleet engineers worked with lead drivers on the British Sugar contract to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each vehicle model in the fleet. Based on this feedback, and their understanding of British Sugar’s requirements, they turned to the drawing board.

Volvo built the trucks to an exact specification. They benefit from the latest safety features and employ technology to improve efficiency and enhance the driver experience. These include an improved mid-lift axle to provide greater load capacity. In addition, all trucks feature a new-generation fifth wheel coupling with both audible and visual warnings to the driver in and out of the cab when coupling and uncoupling, removing the risk of dropped trailers.

Deliveries were made safer through ground-level hydraulic pipe coupling, which means drivers never have to work at height when coupling and uncoupling.

To protect vulnerable road users, all trucks have four-way camera recording systems and a new audible left-turn indicator. n MotorTransport 23

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