The Government’s “stop-go” approach to road maintenance has been criticised by an influential group of MPs.
Margaret Hodge, chairman of the House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts, said surveys showed that public satisfaction with the condition of the nation’s road network was at a record low.
The greatest problems are in London and the South East, according to the Department for Transport.
Almost half (44.1%) of fleets only check their tyres once a quarter and almost a third (29.4%) of fleet managers do not know how often their drivers are checking their tyres, according to research by WheelRight.
The UK-based tyre pressure monitoring solution provider conducted a poll of more than 100 fleet managers which revealed “some concerning statistics” around tyre pressure monitoring.
Speedy had three key requirements of a new fleet management software system and after surveying the marketplace found that Jaama’s multi award-winning Key2 technology was unique in being able to deliver against all fronts.
Jaama’s new Key2 Advanced Risk Profiles module has been recognised in the 2014 BusinessCar Fleet Technology Awards – known as the ‘Techies’ – to be the best risk management software available in the fleet industry.
Martin Evans, managing director at Jaama, the UK’s industry-leading fleet software provider said: “We have always worked on the premise that our products must have the capability to stay ahead of the industry’s continually evolving fleet management requirements.”
Jaama has once again raised the bar with its latest evolution of Key2 that includes the Advanced Risk Profiles module tool which has won the much coveted “Risk Management Award” in this year’s ‘Techies’.
Legislative compliance relating to the safe management of vehicles, plant equipment and other assets was uppermost in the minds of bosses at The Owen Pugh Group when they purchased Jaama’s Key2 Vehicle Management system.
Also critical was the technological flexibility of Key2, which enables the cutting-edge online system to be used as a comprehensive asset register across all mobile and fixed assets that require safety inspections and regular maintenance.
The Owen Pugh Group is a privately-owned group of companies involved in construction and related activities across the North East of England. Headquartered in Dudley, Northumberland, the business has 10 operating companies that are all subsidiaries of Owen Pugh Holdings Ltd.
Group-wide, the business operates a fleet of 90 company cars, mostly user-chooser although there are some job-specific 4x4s; 140 light and heavy commercial vehicles; and 80 items of heavy plant as well as a similar number of ancillary items such as welfare cabins.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has launched its own crackdown on drivers who use a hand-held mobile phone when on the road.
The Government has said it is considering doubling to six points on a driving record the penalty for using a hand-held mobile phone having increased the fine to £100.
Now the DVLA will from mid-September issue letters to all Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) or Public Service Vehicle (PSV) drivers who get penalty points put on their driver record for the offence.
The letter will inform the driver of the risks involved if they continue to use hand-held devices whilst driving.
Fleet confidence is mirroring wider economic performance, according to research from the Corporate Vehicle Observatory (CVO) Barometer.
The UK is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and the survey of more than 4,500 fleet decision makers across 15 countries shows that more UK businesses expect to see fleet growth than their European counterparts.
London Mayor Boris Johnson has renewed calls for scrapping the most polluting diesel cars and giving drivers a cash incentive to switch to cleaner vehicles.
During evidence to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee, Mr Johnson supported proposals for the Government to help motorists by offering between a £1,000 and £2,000 grant per vehicle for the most polluting diesels which are more than 12 months old.
The Mayor called it a brilliant opportunity, which would also accelerate the uptake of cleaner Euro6 emission compliant diesel models, to support the British car industry and promote the early uptake of ultra low emission vehicles.
Fleet operators will need to ensure that their vehicle management software system has multi currency capability in the event of an independent Scotland and it being unable to continue to use the pound, according to Jaama.
The leading fleet and asset management software company’s multi award winning Key2 Vehicle Management technology is multi-currency, but the organisation says that many other systems on the market do not have that built in functionality.
The Scottish National Party says an independent Scotland would retain the pound, while Westminster has refused to countenance a currency union. Similarly, Bank of England governor Mark Carney has said that currency union would be “incompatible with sovereignty”.