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The Coalition Goverment’s Transport Pledges in full

May 21, 2010 By

The Government believes that a modern transport infrastructure is essential for a dynamic and entrepreneurial economy, as well as to improve well-being and quality of life.

Essex countryside

Essex countryside

We need to make the transport sector greener and more sustainable, with tougher emission standards and support for new transport technologies.

• We will mandate a national recharging network for electric- and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

• We will grant longer rail franchises in order to give operators the incentive to invest in the improvements passengers want – like better services, better stations, longer trains and better rolling stock.

• We will reform the way decisions are made on which transport projects to prioritise, so that the benefits of low-carbon proposals (including light rail schemes) are fully recognised.

• We will make Network Rail more accountable to its customers.

• We will establish a high-speed rail network as part of our programme of measures to fulfil our joint ambitions for creating a low-carbon economy. Our vision is of a truly national high-speed rail network for the whole of Britain. Given financial constraints, we will have to achieve this in phases.

• We support Crossrail and further electrification of the rail network.

• We will turn the rail regulator into a powerful passenger champion.

• We will support sustainable travel initiatives, including the promotion of cycling and walking, and will encourage joint working between bus operators and local authorities.

• We are committed to fair pricing for rail travel.

• We will work towards the introduction of a new system of HGV road user charging to ensure a fairer arrangement for UK hauliers.

• We will stop central government funding for new fixed speed cameras and switch to more effective ways of making our roads safer, including authorising ‘drugalyser’ technology.

• We will tackle rogue private sector wheel-clampers.

What do you think? A fair deal for all?

Sarah

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Let’s talk transport!

May 17, 2010 By

Seriously, let’s sit down and talk about transport, not delivering your cargo or freight safely, you know I do that already.

What about driving? some fuel saving tips?    

Smoother driving and how to save petrol or diesel (part one) are just two of my recent blogs over at Kent Business Buzz, a new blog focusing in business bloggers in Kent.

Sarah spoke about the Difference in Delivery and tries to justify her watching of the Beeb’s costume dramas. It’s better than her essential driving tips for women!

I also have wrote about the fab women that drive for us, we are lucky to employ some great drivers and also in that blog I write about how transport has changed in the last 20 years.

Transport will continue to change, better safer driving as well as drivers from all kinds of backgrounds, with the love of the road in common.

Also I will be doing some more talks at networking meetings about safer driving, fuel saving driving and what you can do to keep your loved ones safer on the road. I will post up when they are happening, you are welcome to drop by, listen and share your tales of the road.

Kevin

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So you have looked at the Election manifestos #ge2010

April 14, 2010 By

You have read through what the two main parties have to say and decided on who you are voting for yet?

Undecided?

I can help you decide, and I will explain how you can come to your decision.

As my wife Sarah said in her blog post here:

We humble white van men and woman are cursed for our perceived driving violations and have a whole raft of urban myths about us, but the long and the short of it is, the cuppa you are sipping as you read this was delivered by us, everything you have bought in the shops, everything that you sit on in the house, what you walk upon – was delivered by a truck or a van somewhere in the chain.

Sarah Arrow, The difference is in the delivery, Mar 2010

Traffic jam in Baltimore, Maryland
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Road transport is a vital part of our economy, even if rail freight worked more effectively/efficiently vans would still be involved in the delivery chain.

The price of fuel is set to go up further pushing up the cost of your goods even more. If you asked your local canvasser about the transport policy for their party they would probably start talking about reducing emissions and encouraging more electric vehicles… transport which affects all of us, isn’t high on the agenda.

On the BBC website explaining the difference in manifestos, this is what they say
On transport, both support high-speed rail – albeit in different formats – but the Conservatives have set themselves against airport expansion.

20 words, something that affects your household budget in a huge way – the price of food, the price of fuel is consigned to just 20 words.

We need help, our industry is essential yet shoved to the back burner but hauled out to pay for the deficit in the books – increased fuel duty etc, then shunted to the back burner again.

RoadTransport.com have collated some information on what the industry needs, by Industry experts – those that work in it.
Roadtransport.com also supports the first pan-industry manifesto. It is backed by the Road Haulage Association, Freight Transport Association, BVRLA, SMMT, URTU, Brewery Logistics Group, Transport Association and Skills for Logistics.

The road transport industry manifesto calls on the next government:

* To recognise road transport as an essential industry that must receive its fair share of funding for training and skills development
* To maintain spending on Britain’s road network and, where private finance is used, ensure tolls are fair for HGVs
* To prepare a national lorry road user pricing scheme which includes a fuel duty rebate for essential users
* To issue planning guidance to local authorities encouraging more night-time deliveries
* To take swift action to implement the national parking strategy and expand secure parking facilities for HGVs
* To increase funding for VOSA to enable it continue its crackdown on unsafe vehicles, both foreign and domestic

Link to source: Road Transport

Make transport part of how you decide to vote – it directly affects everything yet gets no recognition and no mention unless you think 20 words is enough!

Let me know what you think, and ask your canvasser about their parties transport policies.

Regards

Kevin

07816 528421

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The courier at the gate…

February 4, 2010 By

I recently read in an online forum about a lady who had had 30 boxes of nappies delivered by a courier service and they had left them at her gate.

taken by Darry2385 on February 14, 2007 in Ith...
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To make matters worse, the gate opened outwards and the boxes were stacked so she couldn’t open the gate, which meant that she had to climb over the gate to get to the nappies, move them, open the gate and then bring them in… needless to say she wasn’t very happy. At the time it was snowing and all this was done in the snow, at low temperature.

Firstly, couriers deliver kerbside to kerbside. Which means they are without obligation to lugg it up your driveway and put it in your hallway. Often the courier companies drivers will do it out of kindness. It’s nice to thank them at this point :-)

Also it should be remembered that should a courier chose to help the customer by delivering right to the front door and through the gate, they are probably not insured. They have been instructed by their company to deliver just to the kerbside, and they know if they slip on the customer’s pathway they could be out of work whilst they recover. They may have to claim against the householder for loss of earnings if it could be proved that it was their fault that the courier slipped on the pathway.

What a nightmare! For companies that want to provide that extra bit of customer service, do they risk the customers wrath or their employees wrath? It is a rock and a hard place scenario. You understand why your postman is not delivering in the snow and the ice, but people rarely cut slack for the couriers that they are expecting.

Think back to your job, are there certain procedures that must be followed in order for you to do it? What do you have to do to prove you work in a safe manner? The chances are you know all about assessing for risks in your business, and you understand why a courier service will also assess the risks, and sometimes they will have no choice but to deliver to the exact guidelines they are issued with.

It’s not being a stupid delivery driver thats failing to understand your needs, it’s a conscientious employee doing their job correctly.

When booking your courier service we feel it’s important to have couriers that think, and understand what is going on and what the risks are. If you do too, then we’d like to hear from you.

Sarah

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Same Day Courier Services – What Are The Benefits?

February 2, 2010 By

A same day courier service allows your business to transport important goods or documents reliably. This can allow your business to convert important prospects and to win successful contracts. Most couriers will also allow you to track your package so you know when the recipient has received it.

It’s important to understand the benefits of using a reliable courier service and how it can increase your businesses reliability and reputation. By understanding why a same day courier is so important you can start to look for a good company with an excellent reputation for reliability.

In this blog posting we’ll look at the 5 main benefits your business will experience from a reliable, same day courier.

1 – Reliability
You want to demonstrate that your business is professional and reliable. Therefore you need to demonstrate this in every area of business that you operate. This includes delivering items to clients and prospects.
If you can impress your clients and prospects with a professional, sleek and timely delivery of goods or documents, you’re likely to retain these clients. It will also increase your businesses reputation through word of mouth. sloppy delivery will have the reverse affect.

2 – Contracts Speed Up
If you can get an important contract signed on the same day, you can begin starting a project much sooner. Using slower, inefficient courier services means delays in starting new contracts which can all affect your businesses cash flow.
With courier tracking in real time you know when your important goods or documents have been received and therefore when to expect a response. Invaluable, when time is money.

3 – Peace of Mind
Being able to rely on a delivery service to get your package to its destination on-time and impress your clients or prospects is a necessity. Once you’ve sent your package you need to be able to focus on running your business, not worrying about if the package will arrive in time.
Peace of mind comes guaranteed with a same day courier and you needn’t worry about goods getting lost or damaged, or if they’ll be delivered on time.
By using a fully insured and legal service you know your goods are in safe hands. Look for a company that employs fully trained staff to ensure safe transport that’s insured, professional and reliable.

4 – Save Time
Why make numerous trips to your local post office or sorting office? It makes sense to focus on running your business. Let the courier pick-up your important goods from your business premises. Save time by letting the experts handle your problem of getting parcels and documents delivered on time

5 – Save Money
Using a courier service isn’t as expensive as you might think. You get great value and if money is an issue you can always choose a non urgent service.
If you need to get an important document signed today, you might have to drive across half the country for a signature. It makes sense to save petrol costs along with wear-and-tear on your car by paying a courier to do the job. You can also avoid any corporate manslaughter issues that you may have if a staff member completed the job.

Sarah
PS if you have any questions, pick up the phone, we are happy to help

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