Lots of items in the news this week! Have a look through and click on the subjects you would like to see more information on:
From 1st January this year, all new UK registered number plates will have a green block on the left side with the GB marker in.
Previous licence plate designs are still valid, so there is no need to exchange.
UK drivers who hold photocard licences will not need an international driving permit to drive in any of the 27 EU member states, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland or Liechtenstein. UK drivers won’t need to display a GB sticker in most EU countries if their number plate has GB or GB with a Union Flag on it.
The new driving licence design is also now being printed for new and updated licences. The EU flag has been replaced in the top left corner, however the licence remains very similar to the previous one.
Statistics on road freight transported by Great Britain and UK registered Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) in the United Kingdom and internationally from July 2019 to June 2020.
Domestic road freight activity by Great Britain registered HGVs operating in the UK decreased in the 12-month period ending June 2020 compared to the 12-month period ending June 2019.
The amount of goods:
· lifted decreased by 8% to 1.3 billion tonnes
· moved decreased by 10% to 140 billion tonne kilometres
International road freight activity by UK-registered HGVs transporting freight internationally decreased in the 12-month period ending June 2020 compared to the 12-month period ending June 2019.
The amount of goods:
· lifted decreased by 23% to 7.0 million tonnes
· moved decreased by 26% to 4.2 billion tonne kilometres
To support a ‘green’ restart of local travel and help ease the reduction in public transport, the Department for Transport (DfT) is fast-tracking and expanding trials of rental e-scooters. An interesting topic that no doubt we will see appearing in the news frequently over the next few years.
£93 million for road upgrades as Transport Secretary pledges to build back better across the country
Vital road upgrades have been announced in North Yorkshire, Hampshire and the Midlands.
Up to £56 million is set aside for a dramatic overhaul of the Kex Gill section of the A59 in North Yorkshire.
The West Midlands will benefit from a £24 million investment to reduce congestion at Birchley Island, situated at the intersection of the M5, A4123 and A4034.
Hampshire is in line for £13 million worth of crucial upgrades to the Redbridge Causeway bridges over the River Test, which carry roughly 60,000 vehicles a day.
The total cost of the 3 schemes is expected to reach £107 million, with local councils providing the remainder of the funding following the Department for Transport’s £93 million investment – pending the completion of all legal processes.
An interesting article from the government looking at the latest figures for casualties on UK roads, split by years and also by road users. Sign up to our newsletter for future links like these.
Another interesting article looking at how compliant various roads users are regarding vehicle speed, also looking at times of day. Sign up to our newsletter for future links like these.
The current ADR qualification extensions will not be extended beyond 28 February 2021. However, employers can if necessary, continue providing classroom-based dangerous goods (ADR) training to their own employees using their own trainers on their own site.
Employers should not use third-party trainers at their own site or arrange for their employees to be trained at a third-party site. Third-party trainers are encouraged to deliver ADR training to drivers via remote delivery.
Classroom based examinations can continue, both by employers who provide their own training and third-party trainers, providing the rooms are covid-secure.
At the Department for Transport’s haulier advice sites, drivers and crew of HGVs, LGVs, coaches and vans can:
· take a COVID-19 test, which they need to travel to some countries - see list below for sites where testing is available
· find out about the rules and documents needed to move goods between the UK and EU by getting a border readiness check
· get help using the Check an HGV / Apply for a Kent Access Permit (KAP) service
Drivers need a negative test result before travelling to France, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Beaconsfield - 6am to 9.30pm
Burtonwood (Merseyside) - 6am to 9.30pm
Cannock Roadking - No testing
Carlisle Stobart Truck Stop - 4am to 9.30pm
Charnock Richard Services northbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Cherwell Valley - 6am to 9.30pm
Clacket Lane eastbound - 24 hours
Cullompton - 6am to 9.30pm
Doncaster North - 6am to 9.30pm
Donington Park - 6am to 9.30pm
Ferrybridge Services - 6am to 9.30pm
Fleet southbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Formula Services (Ellesmere Port) - No testing
Hartshead Moor (Huddersfield) - 6am to 9.30pm
Heywood Distribution Truck Stop - 6am to 9.30pm
Holyhead Truck Stop - No testing
Hopwood Park - 4am to 9.30pm
Junction 38 Services - 6am to 9.30pm
Leicester Forest East northbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Lockerbie Truck Stop - No testing
Markham Moor - No testing
Membury eastbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Orwell Crossing Truck Stop - 4am to 9.30pm
Peterborough - 4am to 9.30pm (Busy – you may experience delays)
Pont Abraham - No testing
Reading Eastbound - 24 hours
Rothwell Truck Stop - 6am to 9.30pm (Busy – you may experience delays)
Rownhams northbound - 24 hours
Rugby Stobart Truck Stop - 24 hours (Busy - you may experience delays)
Sandbach northbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Sandbach southbound - 6am to 9.30pm
South Mimms - 24 hours
Stafford northbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Strensham northbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Strensham southbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Sutton Scotney northbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Sutton Scotney southbound - 6am to 9.30pm
Tamworth Services - 6am to 9.30pm
The Stockyard Truckstop Rotherham - 6am to 9.30pm, Monday to Friday (7am to 11am and 4pm to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday)
Thurrock Services - 24 hours (Busy - you may experience delays)
Truckhaven (Carnforth) - 6am to 9.30pm
Watford Gap northbound - No testing
Watford Gap southbound - 6am to 9.30pm (Busy – you may experience delays)
Wetherby Services - 6am to 9.30pm
Woodall northbound - 6am to 9.30pm
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