The Freight Transport Association is calling on the chancellor to slash fuel duty by at least 5%, as well as scrap the planned inflation-linked fuel duty increase planned for August.

James Hookham, FTA MD of Policy and Communications, says ‘George Osbourne gave Industry and lifeline in the last Budget, but with the economy still in the doldrums and a new round of duty rises looming, we are asking the chancellor to extend this logic. It is clear that the economy still needs it’.

The FTA’s pre-budget submission is also calling for road fuel gases to be fixed relative to diesel rates for at least 5 years to provide confidence for truck operators and investors to commit to use of lower emission vehicles.

Last year, FTA lobbying, in collaboration with the Fair Fuel UK campaign, secured a cut in fuel duty of 1ppl and deferred two planned increases, which the organisation says saved businesses around £500m. However, despite this, FTA data reveals that the price of diesel increased by 7ppl, adding £3,284 to the annual operating cost of a 44-tonner.

Iveco dominated the 33rd Dakar with a first, second and sixth place in the overall truck ranking. Dakar is the world’s most important rally, where most of the European and Asian Truck OEMs participated.

The Petronas De Rooy Iveco team won the rally with the Dutchman Gerard De Rooy, driving an Iveco Powerstar, a vehicle produced and sold by Iveco in Australia.

The Iveco Powerstar, equipped with an FPT Industrial C13 engine, has more than 900 horsepower, and Magneti Marelli parts. Behind De Rooy, the other pilots of the team, Stacey and Biasion drove two Iveco Trakker Evolution 2s, also equipped with the same engine. The three vehicles, while adapted to the extreme conditions of the rally, were standard trucks optimised for best-in-class energy efficiency.

Iveco CEO, Alfredo Altavilla, commented: “The Iveco participation in the Dakar 2012 aimed to confirm once more the excellent reliability of the Iveco trucks and of the FPT Industrial engines. Winning the rally and ranking 3 trucks in the first 6 positions is an outstanding success which shows the efficiency, strength and safety of the Iveco Trakker and Powerstar, already considered by customers as the ideal solution for everyday use and for tougher challenges. My special thanks to the drivers and all the other team members for their commitment and dedication.”

For Iveco, the Dakar 2012 was a great opportunity to confirm the reliability of its trucks: each vehicle was put on trial in extreme conditions crossing three countries of South America. The race, which started on January 1, 2012 in Mar del Plata, crossed Argentina, Chile and Peru, covering 14 stages, for a total of 8,500 kilometres, around 4,200 of which were against the clock. Congratulations to the team!

Brocklehurst Transport has taken delivery of three new Ivecos featuring Euro-5 beating FPT Industrial engines, each certified to meet the stringent Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle (EEV) standard. Iveco is currently the only UK truck manufacturer to offer EEV engines as standard. Introduced in 2009, these engines are available across its entire medium / heavy truck range*.

Supplied by Iveco dealer Northern Commercials, the order includes a 7.5 and an 18 tonne Eurocargo rigid, plus a 44 tonne Stralis Active Space Super³ tractor unit. They replace older trucks in the fleet and will ensure that the majority of the company’s vehicles can continue to enter London’s Low Emission Zone without penalty after new emissions standards come into force on 3 January 2012.

Dave Webster, Managing Director of Dewsbury-based Brocklehurst Transport, says: “Every truck we send into London will meet the emissions requirement – we don’t intend on having to pay a single penalty fee.

“The availability of the Ivecos with EEV-compliant engines as standard is an added benefit. Their cleaner emissions will help to protect our fleet against future legislation changes for as long as possible,” he adds.

All three trucks have been supplied on six year Iveco Elements R&M agreements which will see servicing, maintenance and repairs carried out at Northern Commercials’ dealership in Brighouse – located just seven miles from Brocklehurst Transport’s purpose-built 66,000 ft2 storage and distribution base.

Commenting on the levels of dealer support, Webster adds: “We’ve had a 20 year relationship with Northern Commercials during which time they have proved to be a first class dealer. The service and back-up is second-to-none.”

The two Eurocargos have both been mounted with Micra curtainside bodies and Zepro tail-lifts, whilst the Stralis will operate with one of two new tri-axle SDC curtainside trailers. The Ivecos are each expected to cover up to 100,000 km a year and will remain on the fleet for the next six years, being used for general haulage operations nationwide.

Brocklehurst Transport has long favoured the Stralis as its heavy truck of choice, becoming one of the first hauliers in the country to take delivery of the original model on its launch in 2002. This latest Stralis 6×2 twin-steer is the 14th of its type currently in the 30-strong fleet and is popular with drivers for its two-man high roof cab – one of the largest on the market.

The Stralis is powered by an FPT Industrial Cursor 10 engine which is capable of producing up to 450 hp between 1,550 and 2,100 rev/min and up to 2,100 Nm of torque between 1,050 and 1,550 rev/min. This powerful engine helps to simplify hill starts with a full load and guarantees flexibility and quiet running.

The 7.5 and 18 tonne Eurocargos are powered by a 3.9 and 5.9 litre tector engines, capable of producing up to 180 and 300 hp respectively.

The EEV level was originally developed as the appropriate standard for a CNG-powered vehicle, and serves as a stepping stone between Euro 5 and Euro 6. Most importantly, it sees the diesel particulates in a vehicle’s emissions cut from 0.03 to 0.02 g/kWh.

Iveco has been recognised by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership with a prestigious award for being the Low Carbon Heavy Duty Vehicle Manufacturer of the Year 2011.

The award, sponsored by the Road Haulage Association, was presented at the Low Carbon Champions Awards, held in November at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) in Westminster, London.

The judges said Iveco was a worthy winner having established a strong portfolio of lower carbon technologies including a wide range of natural gas-powered vehicles, together with dedicated electric and hybrid models across its full range of commercial vehicles.  Judges also praised Iveco for actively supporting the introduction of new technology through innovative promotion, making special reference to the successful launch of its new ECOSTRALIS tractor unit.

Martin Flach, Product Director at Iveco UK, said: “This is a fantastic award to win as it clearly recognises the breadth of Iveco’s low carbon expertise in the commercial vehicle sector as being second to none.

“It reflects the fact that Iveco has been investing heavily in alternative fuels since the mid-1990s and that today we offer more alternative fuel vehicles in the European market from 3.5 tonnes and above than any other manufacturer.”

Iveco have invested in the continual development of the diesel engine, which last January culminated in the launch of the EcoStralis – the cleanest and greenest heavy powered truck on the market. For more details on the EcoStralis click here or contact our Manchester and Brighouse dealerships on the numbers below.

Manchester: 0161 777 4666

Brighouse: 01484 380 111

Fleets could be facing record diesel prices after the steepest and fastest ever rise in wholesale costs over the festive period, according to RMI Petrol.

From Monday December 19 to Thursday January 5 the cost of diesel increased by nearly 4.50ppl and unleaded petrol by as much as 5ppl with 20% VAT to be added.

RMI Petrol fear that average UK prices for diesel, currently close to 141ppl, will soon push past the May 9 peak of 143ppl and hit new record levels – perhaps even breaching 145ppl in the next few weeks.

These increases have been so rapid that fuel retailers have had scant time to react over the holidays and few have made any significant increase yet to their pump prices, says RMI Petrol.

However, from this weekend prices will have to move upwards quickly in order to protect the already wafer thin margins which have caused the independent retailers such financial stress through 2011.

This increase in price is due to several market factors including Repsol, spain’s largest oil company halting production, Petroplus Holdings having to shut down 3 out of 5 plants due to banks freezing 1$billion of the company’s loans; cutting crude oil supplies, and growing tension between Iran and the western world, leading Iran to threaten the blockade of the Straits of Hormuz, through which 30-40% of the world’s oil supply is shipped.

Brian Madderson, chairman of RMI Petrol, said: “This is a very worrying development but not entirely unexpected.

“I wrote to the Chancellor on 2 January highlighting the serious supply issues ahead and enclosing a report ‘the case for reform of fuel taxation’ as it is the Government’s only direct control over rocketing fuel prices which are undermining society and our economic recovery.”

The EcoStralis, by Iveco, combats the rising cost of fuel and ensures maximum productivity whilst minimising operating costs. The EcoStralis, billed as the cleanest and greenest diesel powered heavy truck on the market, offers at least a 4% improvement in fuel economy on long distance operations, reducing the impact on the environment as well as making it a cost effective vehicle. More details about the Iveco EcoStralis can be found here, or you can get in touch with our Manchester and Brighouse dealerships using the details below.

Manchester: 0161 777 4666

Brighouse: 01484 380 111

Two years in, and two Light Van of the Year awards – the highly successful Fiat Doblò Cargo has taken this important What Van? honour for the second consecutive year.

The award-winning commercial vehicle from Fiat Professional, which was launched less than two years ago, in March 2010, impressed the What Van? judging experts with its blend of economy, driveability and styling.

“The Fiat Doblò Cargo has shown its quality again during 2011, and the judges were unanimous in deciding it is again a worthy winner of the What Van? Light Van of the Year award,” says What Van? editor Paul Barker. “An impressive combination of economy, appeal, durability and driving dynamics makes the Doblò Cargo our number one light van.”

The popular load-carrier is a former International Van of the Year and Fleet Van of the Year. Available with a choice of four low emissions, Euro 4 and 5-specification engines, the new Doblò comes in eight different forms – Cargo, Cargo Maxi, Cargo SX, Cargo Maxi SX, Combi, Combi Maxi, Platform Cab and Work Up – offering something for a wide spectrum of van users.

“It’s little wonder that we call the Doblò Cargo award-winning,” says Sebastiano Fedrigo, director, Fiat Professional UK. “It’s been a success story for us right from the beginning and it’s good to see that the expert panels agree. We’re delighted with this award, especially as it’s for the second year in a row.”

At Northern Commercials you can get the Fiat Doblò Cargo 1.3 Multijet Diesel featuring Start&Stop – which stops the engine automatically whenever traffic conditions bring the van to a complete halt, and restarts it when the driver wants to move off again – from just £9,175 + vat. We can also offer low rate finance on this vehicle and many others.

For more information on these amazing offers click here or call Ian on 0113 243 0870.

Following its international launch in September, the New Daily, Iveco’s light commercial vehicle, has achieved European orders totalling 11,000 vehicles – including particularly strong results in the chassis cab segment. This achievement confirms New Daily as Europe’s favourite vehicle amongst transport professionals.

In addition to the critical acclaim it has received from the public and the press alike the New Daily has been awarded another sign of approval. Iveco has been selected by the European jury of Warner Bros as the company achieving “Best Brand Association”, asserting itself amongst other licensees at European level with the use of the Superman logo, the DC Comics superhero icon, in New Daily communications.

The New Daily responds to demands for guaranteed excellent performance as well as a reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. It is a reliable workhorse for meeting the everyday logistical needs of operators in the light goods and passenger transport sectors.

In city centres, inter-urban transportation and demanding off-road applications, the New Daily confirms the accomplishments and values that are written into its DNA: “strong and professional”. Proving itself once again as the ideal solution to those looking for a vehicle that combines technological innovation and sustainable mobility with performance, reliability and strength.

T&K Gallagher Ltd has recently taken delivery of 10 new 61-plate Iveco Daily Vans, which have been kitted out specifically for the repair and maintenance works on the United Utilities/Enterprise Network Alliance contract.

The new arrivals came fully branded in the United Utilities and Enterprise branding ready to go! Robert Loughnane (Network Alliance Manager) said “these vehicles are a big commitment to the contract. The branding and the way the vans look will work towards fully meeting the expectations of both the Alliance and also our customers who the teams are in contact with on a daily basis. The vehicles look professional and the feedback from the teams has already been very positive!”

The new vehicles boast a 3.0litre Euro 4 engine and offer significantly more payload and torque than the previous vehicles. They are also speed limited to 56mph! Inside the vehicles the body has been kitted out with steel racking to store all fittings off the floor to ensure that water hygiene is maintained and there is a separate storage area for fuels. In the rear of the vehicle there is a suspended floor to allow pipework, tools and equipment to be stored. The vehicles offer significantly more space in the back of the vehicle for the storage of signing, lighting and guarding.

Robin Walker (T&K Gallagher Ltd Operations Manager) said “we are really pleased with these vehicles – they have been fully specified by ourselves and they provide our teams with the vehicle they need to do their jobs properly. The extra space will mean that they can be loaded up to do their jobs more efficiently and we hope to see an improvement in production as a result”.

The vehicles offer additional safety features as well, including safety steps, fixed beacons and additional illumination at the rear of the vehicle for use on site in hours of darkness. These additional features are added as a commitment to compliance in our business. Tom Gallagher (T&K Gallagher Ltd Managing Director) said “as a business we are completely focused on offering our clients a first class professional service and the arrival of these new vehicles means that our teams are even better equipped to do their jobs. We are very proud that we are able to represent our clients in vehicles that look the part and enable us to offer a more effective and efficient service”.

The Iveco Daily owes its success to sales in excess of two million units, with the new generation launched during September 2011. Since the latest evolution of Daily and ECODAILY was unveiled in 2009 over 100,000 units have been purchased in just two years.

In its latest form, New Daily retains its core qualities of strength, reliability, efficiency and versatility, whilst adding new high efficiency engines which offer more power, combined with refinements both economically and ecologically.

Key New Features:
• New Euro 5 FPT Industrial engines.
• The most powerful Diesel engine in its segment,
the Euro 5, 3 litre Twin Turbo, 205 HP
• Operating costs and fuel economy at the top of the class.
• New 6 speed transmissions.
• Start & Stop and GSI (Gear shift indicator).
• New safety systems.
• New design.

Taking pride of place in the range will be FPT Industrial’s new 3.0 litre Euro 5 diesel engine, which will introduce a class leading power output of 205 hp and a massive 470 Nm of torque. Key to providing high power and torque with low emissions and fuel consumption is the adoption of twin turbochargers – one compact turbo to provide rapid throttle response from a very low engine speed and a larger unit to deliver the engine’s maximum performance.

For New Daily models falling into the heavy duty category and all natural gas versions, the EEV (Enhanced Environmentally friendly Vehicle) certification remains, ensuring these models meet the most stringent European exhaust emission standard available.

For lighter models, the FPT Industrial 2.3 litre engine benefits from an increase in engine torque to 320 Nm and a new Multijet II multi-event fuel injection system that optimises the combustion process, bringing noteworthy benefits in terms of lower engine noise, fuel consumption and tail-pipe emissions.

All diesel engines will continue to use an enhanced EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system with improved control to ensure accurate recirculated gas distribution among the engine cylinders and a DPF (diesel particulate filter) as standard. The exhaust system architecture and the EGR logic have been optimised with particular attention to urban duty cycles.

Safety enhancements on New Daily include daytime running lights and a new fog light cornering feature to ensure that drivers can see and be seen in even the worst driving conditions possible.

Standard equipment will include the new ESP 9 safety system with active sensors and comprises ABS (anti-lock brakes), EBD (electronic brake force distribution), ASR (traction control), MSR (engine speed management to control engine over-run braking), ESP (stability control), HBA (hydraulic brake assist) to ensure emergency braking is as effective as possible, Hill Holder, LAC (load adaptive braking control), TSM (trailer sway mitigation), HRB (hydraulic rear wheel brake boost), HFC (hydraulic brake fade compensation), RMI (roll movement intervention) and ROM (roll over mitigation).

New Daily will retain full coverage from 3.5 to 7.0 tonnes gross vehicle weight. This allows for a competitive payload of up to 4.7 tonnes and, for van models, a loading volume of up to 17.2m3. It also retains its full range of engines, including natural gas and electric drive configurations.

On-board comfort improvements have been made to the vehicle including the addition of an adjustable steering column and an increased adjustment range for the driver and passenger seats.

For a brochure or more details call:
Manchester: 0161 777 4666
Brighouse: 01484 380 111