‘Ministers do not understand how fuel prices are set’ – PRA
The Petrol Retailers Association is feeling aggrieved at what it considers as unjust and inaccurate criticism of its members from those in Government. Gordon Balmer, executive director of the PRA, explained his members’ feelings thus: “The briefings provided by Government spokespeople to the media indicate that Ministers do not understand how fuel prices are set. We have contacted the Secretary of State for BEIS on multiple occasions offering to meet and explain fuel pricing. However, we are yet to receive a response.
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UK 5p fuel duty cut passed on in full, but Exchequer gets 2p extra since Spring Statement
Commenting on recent rises in the price of fuel, Gordon Balmer, executive director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said: “Despite all fuel retailers passing on the 5p cut in fuel duty after the Spring Statement, wholesale fuel prices have continued to rise. This has resulted in a tightening of margins for petrol retailers, while the Exchequer has benefitted from substantially higher VAT receipts. For every 10p that the price rises, the Chancellor claims back an extra 2p in VAT.
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ZC Rubber excluded from EU tyre tariff annulment since first ruling didn’t apply
The Zhongce Rubber Group (ZC Rubber) was excluded from the list of applicable companies in the European Courts of Justice’s 4 May 2022 ruling annulling import tariffs against truck tyres produced in China. Reading the small print of the ruling reveals why. The initial ruling didn’t completely apply to ZC Rubber and so action against it couldn’t be annulled. In other words, the latest anti-dumping annulment is inadmissible for ZC Rubber, because nothing was applied in the first place.
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Chinese truck tyre tariffs annulled
Anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs imposed against Chinese-produced truck tyres in 2018 must be annulled, according to a judgement published by the European Court of Justice on 4 May 2022. Tyres & Accessories understands that the verdict can be appealed between now and July, but unless that appeal is successful, the annulment of anti-dumping tariffs against Chinese-produced truck tyres will result in increased imports and sales of those products.
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Reduction in plug-in grant to adversely affect EV uptake – NFDA
The Government has announced a number of changes to the Plug-in Car Grant (PICG), the Plug-in Van Grant (PIVG) and the Plug in Motorcycle Grant (PIMG) rates and eligibility criteria. The new terms apply from 07:00 on Wednesday 15 December 2021. The Government has temporarily suspended the grant portal as we transition to the new rates.
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Biennial MOT testing ‘not the correct solution’ – NFDA NI
NFDA Northern Ireland has responded to Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure’s consultation on proposals to carry out MOT tests every two years. Sue Robinson, NFDA NI chief executive said that moving to biennial testing “is not the correct solution to the issues currently facing the NI Testing Scheme.” She said that the solution to current capacity issues should not come “at the expense of road safety.” The proposals were put forward earlier this year with the region’s MOT testing capacity struggling to keep pace with demand.
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ETRMA calls for EC to publish legislative proposal on in-vehicle data access
The European Tyre & Rubber Manufacturers’ Association (ETRMA) recently participated in the European Commission (EC) “access to in-vehicle data” workshop. Thanking the EC for the chance to contribute to such a strategic topic for the automotive industry, the ETRMA called on the EC to publish “an ambitious legislative proposal on access to in-vehicle data” in the first quarter of 2022.
Continue Reading TPMS valves becoming mandatory for more vehicles
The 74th session of the UNECE WP 29 GRBP Working Party on Noise and Tyres will take place in September, and ahead of this meeting the Association of European Wheel Manufacturers (EUWA) highlights an impending change to regulations covering tyre pressure monitoring systems. This change will see the mandatory fitment of TPMS valves extended to further classes of vehicles.
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DVLA and HCVA to open dialogue over registration disputes
DVLA chiefs have agreed to talk to classic and historic vehicle sector leaders in a bid to solve long-running problems over vehicle registrations. Agency Chief Executive Julie Lennard told MPs she would be ‘very happy’ to explore closer engagement with the industry in order to resolve disputes and improve relations.
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Petrol, diesel HGV ban ‘completely unrealistic’ – PRA
Following the Government’s decision to ban new diesel or petrol heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) sold after 2040 as part of a plan to decarbonise the transport sector, the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA) has described the announcement as “optimistic but completely unrealistic.”
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Volta Trucks calls for greater ambition in UK Government plan
Full-electric commercial vehicle manufacturer and services provider Volta Trucks, has issued a guarded welcome to the publication of the UK Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan, but has called for a greater level of ambition to tackle the climate and air quality emergency faced by the environment.
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Tyre industry, government partner on van tyre management best practice guide
The tyre industry and UK government have produced a best practice guide for van operators and drivers. The guide, available on the British Tyre Manufacturers Association website, has been produced to help improve roadworthiness and reduce the risk of tyre-related incident. It is in part a response to the latest data from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which shows defective tyres remain consistently the primary reason for roadside prohibitions. They account for between 15 and 22 per cent of these potentially instantaneous bans of the vehicle’s use. Other categories of prohibitions, such as Lamps and Reflectors account on average no more than 7 per cent or 8 per cent, with the majority averaging 4 per cent.
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New guidance published to prevent use of vehicles as weapons
New guidance has been published designed to prevent commercial vehicles, including vans, lorries, buses, coaches and even cranes, from being used as weapons in acts of terrorism. The standard, which has been published by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and sponsored by the Department for Transport, sets out a raft of security measures to prevent criminals and terrorists from accessing commercial vehicles.
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Self-driving cars will mean changes in the law, says legal expert
Following the recent news that self-driving vehicles could be made legal on UK roads next year, Paul Loughlin, a solicitor specialising in motoring law at Stephensons, spells out some of the implications of what this could mean for drivers.
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Do you know when to turn your headlights on?
Uswitch, the comparison website, recently commissioned a survey among UK motorists to test their knowledge of the rules concerning when headlights should be switched on. Says Joel Kempson, Personal Finance Writer and car insurance expert at Uswitch; “With the days getting longer, and restrictions easing, we’ll soon be hopping back into our cars for the first time in months. And although they say driving is like riding a bike – you never forget – there are some things that do slip our minds.”
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