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Further to the DfT’s recent announcement regarding the imparity of falling traffic numbers with the reduction in road deaths at 0.7% and 0.5% respectively, the ABD made their feelings plain.

"This effective increase in road deaths per mile travelled is an abysmal indictment of the failed government medicine of the last decade or more. Despite massive improvements in car safety features which must have saved lives, the government plods on with the tired old policy of focus on speed limit enforcement as almost its sole road safety strategy whilst completely ignoring all other factors which cause the vast majority of crashes. The medicine isn’t working, the answer is not more of the same medicine!" said ABD Chairman Brian Gregory.

The ABD recently called on Justice Minister Ken Clarke to prove that minor speed limit infringements do indeed cause casualties before moving to almost double speeding fines from £60 to £100.

"The vast majority of speeding fines are for low level infringements by sober, otherwise legal drivers. Despite previous challenges from the ABD, the government seem totally unable to provide any evidence that such drivers are causing or even involved in more than a handful of accidents. Tellingly, neither can the campaigning organisations calling for more enforcement. Of course, a number of casualties do involve drivers travelling above speed limits (around 5-6%), however nobody in government seems to know, or of even more concern, be at all interested in finding out how many of these ‘speeding’ drivers are sober, licenced drivers travelling within a few MPH of the limit and how many are also drunk, drugged, unlicensed, in stolen cars or travelling at reckless speeds well above the limit. For all we know most ‘above speed limit’ casualties could fall into the latter category," added Mr Gregory.

Mr Gregory concluded that until the relevant information is collated to answer just how many people are killed or seriously injured by sober drivers travelling above but within 20% of a speed limit then the government should desist hounding such drivers.

“There is no excuse as estimated speed, alcohol, licence details etc., are recorded after each and every fatal or serious accident. All it would take is a few days work for a data input clerk to collate them, but perhaps the truth is too inconvenient?”

Do you agree? Do you believe that too much emphasis is placed on speeding and fines and not enough on the bigger picture or that any breaking of the law should be punished and enforced? We would love to hear your views.

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Road safety charity IAM reacted to provisional DfT figures that stated 1,690 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured in the period of July – September 2011, which averages 18 motorcyclists were killed or seriously injured every day during that period, an increase of two per cent compared to the same period in 2010, whilst the figures stated for casualties among car users have reduced by seven per cent.

“The increase in motorcycling casualties is worrying especially while casualties among car drivers continue to fall. The government needs to ensure that education campaigns targeting motorcycling continue and funding is made available for local initiatives. The police and councils must continue to work together to improve high risk routes, encourage post test training and target bad riding behaviour through innovative enforcement techniques,” said IAM director of policy and research, Neil Greig.

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Jaama has revised and updated its Fleet Management Essentials seminars for 2012, which offers full-time professional fleet decision-makers as well as administrators and managers who have the responsibility but not necessarily the experience of running a fleet of vehicles the opportunity to learn about the very latest legislation and best practice strategies in key operational areas.

The seminars have proved so popular that 800 people have so far attended. This year will see that figure rise yet again as issues including grey fleet management, car salary sacrifice, employee driver licence checking and carbon footprint cutting strategies, will be addressed as well as other issues such as:

• The costs associated with running a vehicle fleet and how to effectively control and reduce them – including employer and employee taxation – in the challenging economic climate;
• Key performance indicators to measure to ensure optimum fleet efficiency and effectiveness;
• Mechanisms to choose and manage fleet suppliers;
• The pros and cons around the array of vehicle acquisition routes;
• Employers’ duty of care responsibilities towards their at-work drivers and key legislation, including the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 and how it impacts business;
• The Driver CPC legislation and why it is important for businesses.

“Our entire seminar programme has proved very popular in the almost eight years we have been running it, with those employees who combine fleet responsibility with another role in their organisation, those who have financial or HR responsibility for the fleet and those who are new to vehicle management.

“The whole area of fleet management can be daunting, especially in the current climate of stringent cost control, environmental impact reduction and ensuring comprehensive duty of care for employees. In addition, we recognise and appreciate that operators of smaller or employee-owned fleets do not always have the luxury of a full time dedicated fleet manager and often the responsibility for the fleet can be across departments,” said Jaama managing director Jason Francis.

Seminars start with registration at 9.30am and conclude with an open question and answer session from 4.30pm and delegates will each receive: a sample fleet policy template, a sample driver handbook and handbook template, seminar documentation, a copy of the Health and Safety Executive’s ‘Driving at Work: Managing Work-Related Road Safety’ publication, guidelines produced by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents in relation to a number of key issues including safe journeys, mobile phone use, safer speeds, vehicle technology and drink and drug policies, driver assessment and training guidelines and a copy of ‘Managing Your Company Cars – Expert Opinion’.
For more information on the seminars, which will run during April, or to book a place please visit www.jaama.co.uk or contact Collette Dooley, Seminar Coordinator at Jaama on 0844 8484 333.

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And finally…

IAM’s chief examiner and Britain’s top advanced driver, Peter Rodger, is this week offering motoring tips on what to do following an accident. Rodger says: “The reality is nobody wants to think about having a car accident. It’s important to be prepared in case you are involved in one. Knowing what you must do and taking simple precautions can make things easier afterwards.”

Hi top tips are:

• If you have the option, stop where it is safe;
• Turn the engine off and put your hazard lights on (if appropriate);
• Keep yourself safe and check others are too;
• If you need the emergency services, call 999;
• Stay calm. You must swap some details with the other driver(s). Unless that isn’t possible due to injury or because they drive off. If you don’t, you must report the accident to the police within 24 hours;
• Give your name, address, and registration number and the name and address of the owner of the vehicle. You should get these details from the other driver(s);
• If someone is injured, ensure you exchange insurance details;
• Report the incident to your insurance company as soon as you can;
• Get any witness contact details and take photos of the scene and vehicle damage;
• Note carefully how many people are in the other vehicle.

Don’t forget to check out IAM’s website, www.drivingadvice.org.uk, for traffic updates, weather forecasts and tips on how to drive safely in winter.

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And that’s it for another seven days. With the recent arctic weather set to hang around for a little while longer please do plan in advance for your journeys and make sure you have emergency warm clothing etc. packed and ready in your vehicle should you need it. Until next week drive safely and don’t forget to clean your thermos thoroughly!

The money, which comes in addition to the £560m Local Sustainable Transport Fund announced at the start of 2011, will be used to promote cycling by improving cycle routes, cutting the UK’s CO2 output while hopefully strengthening the economy.

The Cycle Rail Working Group will receive £7m to improve integration between cycle and rail at stations while the remaining £8m will go to enhancing cycle paths.

The announcement will come as good news to fleets pushing drivers towards cycling as a cleaner and cheaper alternative form of transport.

Tackle climate change

Local Transport Minister Norman Baker said this extra funding highlights the Government’s proactive attitude to delivering sustainable transport.

“If we are serious about reducing carbon, then we need to get more people walking and cycling, but we must do it in a way that boosts the economy,” he commented.

“I want this fund to support projects that create growth and tackle climate change by cutting our carbon emissions.

“I look forward to seeing the projects put forward by Sustrans and the Cycle Rail Working Group and working with them to deliver transport that is greener, healthier and improves quality of life in our communities.”

The two groups’ successful projects will be announced next month.

Street works permit schemes allow councils to coordinate works, and dictate time limits or the amount of road space to be left available to road users. Utility companies that breach the permit’s terms or commence work without a permit can be hit with a £5,000 fine.

As it stands, councils require approval from the Department for Transport for the permits, however that could no longer be the case following the launch of a new consultation announced by Transport Secretary Norman Baker.

Mr Baker hoped that the move would reduce disruption and frustration for the travelling public as more councils developed permit schemes.

“Councils should be spending their time improving the lives of their local residents not being bogged down by unnecessary bureaucracy,” explained Mr Baker.

“That is why I am proposing that local councils should be able to put in place permit schemes to improve the co-ordination of works on their roads without needing to get approval from central government.”

The consultation runs until 13th April. You can get involved by clicking this here link – dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-02/.

The proposals for the charge were announced this morning by Roads Minister Mike Penning as part of aims to address industry concerns and criticisms about unfair running costs faced by UK haulage firms. Most EU states charge lorries for using their roads which means that British vehicles have to pay to drive in Europe, while foreign lorries can drive for free in the UK.

“This scheme is good news for UK transport operators and should be welcomed also by motorists, many of whom have complained that foreign hauliers pay nothing for using our roads,” said RHA Head of Communications, Kate Gibbs.

“The RHA has been working with government officials to get the best scheme possible under EU rules and we believe this is what the new proposals represent. We are urging ministers to press forward with this project as a priority, both in terms of Parliamentary time and commercial dealings, so that the original deadline of spring 2014 start-up can be met.”

Mike Penning said: "We want to ensure that UK hauliers get a fairer deal and help maintain the competitiveness of our logistics industry.

"Each year there are around 1.5 million trips to the UK by foreign registered lorries – but none of them pays to use our roads, leaving UK businesses and taxpayers to foot the bill.The proposals I have set out today will ensure that all hauliers who use our roads are contributing to their cost, regardless of where they are from.”

The proposed scheme will levy a time-based charge of around £10 a day for lorries of 12 tonnes or over using any road in the UK. The precise level of charges will depend on exchange rate and inflation at the time of implementation – likely to be 2015, the DfT says.

By law, the scheme cannot discriminate between UK-registered vehicles and vehicles from elsewhere in the EU so this charge will apply to all lorries but, for the vast majority of UK hauliers, this will not mean an increase in costs because the Government proposes to compensate them for the charge.

The most likely compensation measure will be a reduction in Vehicle Excise Duty for UK-registered vehicles.

For 94 per cent of UK-registered HGVs over 12 tonnes, hauliers would not pay any more than now. Four per cent would pay no more than £50 a year more and a further 2 per cent would pay slightly over £50, but the maximum extra cost would be £79. Even these small increases could be avoided by most vehicles if they were re-plated to carry a slightly reduced weight.

Under the plans, UK hauliers would pay an annual (or six month) charge for each HGV at the same time and in the same transaction as they pay its Vehicle Excise Duty. Foreign hauliers could pay daily, weekly, monthly or annual charges.

New figures from Association of Chief Police Officer report that over 7,100 drivers were arrested during December after failing breathalyser tests; an increase of 16% on the same period in 2010.

Ellen Booth, Senior Campaigns Officer for Brake, said: “As a charity that supports families devastated by road death and injury, we see the appalling suffering that results from drink and drug driving.

“Brake commends the police for their continuing hard work protecting the public from those who flout drink and drug driving laws, but we need to see action by government to stamp out these needless tragedies.”

Ms Booth also called for roadside drug testing devices and a new offence of driving after taking illegal drugs.

“We also need greater priority given to roads policing by government, to ensure drivers are made clear that they can’t and won’t get away with taking these abhorrent and selfish risks,” she added.

“Our message to drivers is clear – no amount of alcohol or illegal drugs is safe to drive on – not a drop, not a drag.”

Young concern

Drink drivers were responsible for one in seven road deaths in 2010, according to data from the Department for Transport.

Concern has been raised over the number of young drivers ignoring the drink/drug drive message.

Of the 7,124 motorists that tested positive for drug use, or refused or failed a test last month, 2,074 of them were under the age of 25.

Research from DfT in 2010 also found that drivers under 25 are the most likely age group to be impaired by alcohol after crashing with more drink drive crashes per licence holder or per mile travelled than any other age group.

This means that van buyers can now pick up of a new plug-in van for 20% less – up to the value of £8,000. The discount is similar to the scheme already in place until 2015 which hacks 25% or up to £5,000 from the price tag of a plug-in car.

It is hoped that the incentive will spark added interest in previously unaffordable vehicles like Renault’s Kangoo Van Maxi Z.E. [pictured] unlocking lower running costs for consumers and fleets.

Announcing the extension, Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “Electric vehicles are the arrowhead for a low carbon revolution in motoring and as more models come to market we’ll begin to see sales gather pace.

“Car buyers have had a year to take advantage of our grant and now it’s time for van buyers to get their chance to go electric.”

Radical

A survey from University of Buckingham late in 2010 found that fleet running costs were the most important factor influencing fleet management decisions.

Mr Baker now expects the extended grant to generate added interest from the fleet market: “This is great news for businesses given the lower running costs of these vehicles – fleet buyers tell us that this is one of the most important factor influencing their decision on what to buy.

“It is radical initiatives like these which will allow us to create a transport system that both cuts carbon and is an engine for economic growth.”

Business Minister Mark Prisk believes that supporting ultra-low carbon technology in vans was good business sense.

He added: “An upfront purchase grant, when combined with lower running costs and tax benefits, can make switching to an ultra-low carbon van an attractive choice for businesses.

“The technology also fits well with a large portion of the van market that rely on short urban trips to and from base.”

Strong signal

SMMT Chief Executive Paul Everitt said that the extended scheme sends “a strong signal to the global automotive industry about the UK’s determination to be a leading market for ultra-low carbon vehicles”.

He added: “We will reap significant industrial and environmental benefits from establishing an early and flourishing ultra-low carbon vehicle market, attracting high value investment in R&D, innovation and automotive manufacturing.”

BVRLA Chief Executive John Lewis reckons the grant will play a big part in attracting fleets to electric vans: “It is great that the Government has listened to the feedback from business fleets, who have spent the last year telling the government that the van market was crying out for this sort of low-carbon incentive.

“Electric vans are very expensive, but the combination of this grant, much lower running costs and some significant tax benefits will enable many fleets to take the plug-in van plunge.

“As well as identifying which vehicles will qualify for the grant, we hope that the government will learn the lessons from its introduction of the plug-in car grant by moving much more swiftly to clarify how the grant will be treated for VAT purposes.”

Each van qualifying for the Grant must emit less than 75g/km CO2, be capable of at least 60 miles between charges (10 miles in electric mode for hybrid vans), exceed 50mph and secure a European Vehicle Type Approval.

Five of the ten vans eligible for the grant are currently available with the remainder set to be launched later this year.

Van buyers can take advantage of the Plug-In Van Grant right now.

Rather than investigators painstakingly surveying the scene of a car crash, police officers will be able to quickly make a 3D image of the whole crash site and allow traffic to keep flowing. Investigators can view the digital image on a computer at a later time.

The Department for Transport will issue 27 police forces with up to 37 of the cameras, costing £2.7million which will be covered by DfT, the police and the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) contributions.

Roads Minister Mike Penning was positive that the cameras would be cost-effective: “There is nothing more frustrating than being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on end.

“But even worse than that is the shocking £1 billion cost of those lost hours for our economy. That is why we are determined to improve the clear-up of accidents so we can get our motorways re-opened as quickly as possible.”

Clear-up closures

2010 saw 18,000 motorway closures lasting more than 20,000 hours but drivers could benefit from reduced incident clear-up times of 39 minutes on average, reckoned Mr Penning.

He added: “I would like to thank police forces for seizing this opportunity to purchase laser scanners and contributing funds towards the purchase.

“This clearly demonstrates how forces are committed to helping to keep traffic moving, in support of economic growth, as well as continuing to deliver their vital role in ensuring the safety and security of all road users. I would also like to thank the National Policing Improvement Agency for providing a contribution to the funding.”

Thames Valley/Hampshire’s police force will receive five 3D scanners, more than any other force, with officers in West Midlands and Staffordshire receiving three.

The imminent arrival of the 3D scanners was welcomed by the Association of British Drivers (ABD).

A statement from the group read: “For far too long, delays of six, eight, ten or more hours have become commonplace following death or serious injury, trapping thousands of drivers.

“This causes missed appointments, wasted fuel, higher emissions and, worse still, triggers further accidents as large numbers of drivers divert onto unsuitable local roads.

“The investigation of road accidents should be done in the same way as air traffic accidents, with less focus on establishing blame and more on analysing the underlying causes of accidents.”

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Road charity Brake, together with Direct Line, released damning research this past week that showed that three in ten people are willing to risk driving after drinking alcohol and a massive fifty three per cent are happy to drive the morning after a heavy night of drinking, even though they may still have enough alcohol in their bloodstream to put them over the limit.

Whilst the survey does show a lower number of young drivers, down by fifteen per cent on 2007 figures, admitting to drinking and driving it still remains the most likeliest age group to test positive for alcohol after a crash.

Brake are calling for drivers to remain safe this Christmas by totally abstaining and offer the following advice:

• Never drink and drive – not a drop: Also ensure you do not need to drive early the next morning if having more than one or two drinks;
• Plan ahead to get home safely: Never get into a car with a driver who has been drinking even a small amount;
• Speak up: If you see a friend or loved one about to drink and drive tell them the horrific consequences aren’t worth it.

“Christmas is a time for family and friends to get together and celebrate. But for some of the families Brake supports, it’s a sad time when they remember loved ones who have been killed in crashes caused by drink-drivers – in many cases young, inexperienced drivers who didn’t think through the consequences. Their deaths were preventable, and we all – young and old – have a responsibility to do what we can to prevent further drink drive deaths and injuries. We can do that by pledging to never drink a drop of alcohol before getting behind the wheel, never get in a car with a driver who has been drinking, and to speak up about drink driving to friends and family this Christmas. Making this commitment could save your life, or the lives of loved ones,” said Julie Townsend, Brake campaigns director.

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The Department for Transport have revealed that of the £27 million collected in motoring taxes in 2010 only £9.45 million was spent on local and national roads, a mere third of the funds amassed.

“This is highway robbery. Using so little of the taxes motorists pay on road upkeep is plainly unfair. Motorists are also paying the price as Britain’s potholed and increasingly dangerous roads take their toll, damaging tyres, wheels, steering and suspension. Cuts are clearly going to have an impact on transport investment, but as more roads become more potholed and dangerous, spending on infrastructure now will save money in the long-term,” stated IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig in response.

We want to hear you views on the DfT’s revelations. Is spending more than a third of revenue entirely on roads realistic? Or do you agree with IAM and feel this falls woefully short of the mark?

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Staying with IAM. Whilst many of us are feeling the thaw, driving in snow and ice is something more than a few people will still have to contend with this coming week.

IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger offers his top tips and advice stating:

“Avoid travelling unless completely necessary, and don’t ignore police warnings or advice to not travel on specific routes. Can you work remotely, or change your schedule?”

• Make sure your windows are clear and that you have all-round visibility before you set off. Also take the time to clear snow off the roof of your car;
• When driving in snow, get your speed right – not too fast that you risk losing control, but not so slow that you risk losing momentum when you need it;
• Start gently from stationary, avoiding high revs. Stay in a higher gear for better control, and if it is slippery, in a manual car move off in a higher gear, rather than just using first;
• If you get yourself into a skid the main thing to remember is to take your foot off the pedals and steer;
• Only use the brake if you cannot steer out of trouble. Double or even triple your normal stopping distance from the vehicle in front so you are not relying on your brakes to be able to stop. It simply may not happen!;
• It’s better to think ahead as you drive to keep moving, even if it is at walking pace;
• Plan your journey around busier roads as they are more likely to have been gritted;
• Avoid using short cuts on minor roads – they are less likely to be cleared or treated with salt, especially country lanes and housing areas;
• Bends are a particular problem in slippery conditions – slow down before you get to the bend, so that by the time you turn the steering wheel you have already lost enough speed;
• On a downhill slope get your speed low before you start the descent, and do not let it build up – it is much easier to keep it low than to try and slow down once things get slippery.

If the worst does happen keep track of where you are. If you do have to call for assistance, you need to be able to tell the breakdown or emergency services your location, so they can find you. Also, if you must leave your vehicle to telephone for assistance, find a safe place to stand away from the traffic flow. If you have just lost control the next driver could well do the same in the same place. And remember that on motorways and dual carriageways it is always better to leave your vehicle and stand a short distance behind and to the safe side of it. Don’t stand in front of it if at all possible.
For more advice on driving in the snow don’t forget to visit the IAM’s website at www.drivingadvice.org.uk.

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Fleet Support Group (FSG) have announced their acquisition by Automotive Resources International (ARI), an American group of family companies. There will be no change in FSG’s management structure or staff positions as a result of the acquisition for the Chippenham based company.

FSG Chairman and founder Geoffrey Bray hailed this as the start of an “exciting new era for the company, its staff and its customers."

"Both FSG and ARI are privately-owned family business and have a similar ethos of partnering with customers and driving efficiency through pro-active management and a zero-tolerance approach to unauthorised expenditures. Both organisations partner with their customers to create solutions that enables a fleet to perform at peak efficiency. Both organisations already offer turnkey solutions for public and private sector fleets. Added value for our customers will be achieved through synergies from joining the ARI family,” he added.

"This significant acquisition is another vital step as we continue to expand the scope of our services and our geographical reach. Everyone at ARI is extremely excited about FSG joining our family of companies and about the opportunities that lie ahead of us in the European market,” stated ARI President Carl Ortell.

Lord MacLaurin, who will continue as a non-executive director of FSG and is former CEO and Chairman of supermarket giant Tesco, and former Chairman of Vodafone, said: “The association of FSG and ARI is very exciting for both parties. ARI will have a toehold in the UK which will provide a stepping off point for Europe, while FSG will be able to leverage its prestigious customer portfolio on to the international stage.”

FSG, which was acquired for an undisclosed sum is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary next year.

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And finally…

Christmas is coming early thanks to Leasedrive, who, to celebrate the launch of their new website is offering one day free car or van rental to new customers.

Sales and marketing director, Paul Fleming, at Leasedrive said: "Our website has been completely revamped with a totally new look and feel. What is more, as fleet management experts, we invite visitors to our website to challenge us, under a new "Challenge the experts" section, by letting us know what issues they currently face. Our experts will then respond with the most suitable solution via e-mail or telephone.

Vehicles included in the offer are Ford Mondeos, Vauxhall Insignias and Ford Transit Connects and the new website can be found at www.leasedrive.com.

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If you have any views on the featured stories this week we’d like to hear from you so don’t be shy and use the comments box below. Whether you are driving a car, van, truck or sleigh, remember to keep safe and drive carefully and so until next time all of us here at Fleet Directory wish you all a Very Merry Christmas.

The projects have been thoroughly assessed to verify that they will provide value for money upon completion, and come on top of the 20 schemes – worth £574m – announced during last month’s Autumn Statement, amounting to an overall investment of £1.4bn.

Greening [pictured] stressed that transport infrastructure was central to growth and the cash invested will strengthen local economies, improve local transport links across the country.

“We are investing in schemes that will provide better access to jobs and services, reduce congestion and enable more goods to move more easily around our country,” she said.

“This will be £1.4bn invested in local communities to build the transport system we need to get the economy back on track.”

The schemes will address the Croxley Rail Link in Watford, road relief maintenance in Leeds, widening of Chester Road in Birmingham, the new Sunderland Strategic Corridor bridge over the River Wear, amongst others. Click here for more info on the projects.

“Almost all journeys begin and end on local authority networks, which provide the crucial links that allow people and businesses to prosper,” concluded Greening.

Bus operators will work with councils in a bid to boost passenger numbers, provide better information to passengers, and improve bus stations as part of the £50m Better Bus Areas programme. Bids for a slice of this cash will be accepted from local authorities throughout February 2012.

Another £10m will go towards supporting the development of Community Transport, funding 76 local authorities with an identical amount being spent fitting London buses with technology to reduce NOx emissions by an anticipated 400 tonnes.

The overall investment reaches the £90m mark with the announcement of £20m to help bus operators and local authorities buy low carbon buses as part of the Green Bus Fund.

World leader

Transport Minister Norman Baker believes the money will create stronger links to work, shops and schools and in turn support growth in England’s economy.

“This huge injection of £50 million for our new Better Bus Areas will encourage partnership working between good local authorities and good bus companies, which will benefit bus passengers,” he commented.

“In terms of the Green Bus Fund announcement, the UK is fast establishing itself as a world leader in low carbon bus technology, and I am proud to deliver this vote of confidence in our bus building industry. This is great news for jobs and manufacturing in this country.

“The £20 million being provided is in addition to the £47 million that has already helped put 540 new low carbon buses on our roads and demonstrates how serious we are about reducing carbon emissions from transport.”

Sophie Allain, Public Transport Campaigner for Campaign for Better Transport, welcomed the announcement but expressed concern that rural areas were being neglected.

“We’re glad that minsters have been able to find money to improve bus service,” she said.

“However, this extra money comes in the wake of severe and continuing cuts to services with cuts to council-funded services and changes to funding for concessionary fares, which are hitting rural communities especially hard.

“The new Better Bus Areas fund will focus on urban areas, whilst the additional funding for community transport is not of a sufficient scale to truly transform transport in rural areas. Government should look at what more can be done to get new approaches to providing transport services in rural areas.”

The Road Safety Minister broke the news during the Institute of Advanced Motorists’ annual lunch last night, explaining that the number of death toll of inexperienced motorists could be greatly reduced by subjecting them to Britain’s fastest roads first hand during their driving lessons.

Mr Penning didn’t reveal a date from when the change would become effective however he did say it would be come into force at some point in 2012.

Simon Best, IAM’s Chief Executive, believes it is a worthwhile move: “This change will mean that properly supervised young drivers can learn how to drive on a motorway with somebody beside them. Motorways are, after all, our safest roads.

“As part of the changes to the test, we would also like to see more training for learners on rural roads – our most dangerous roads.”

Not far enough

Julie Townsend, Campaigns Director for road safety charity Brake, also agreed it was a positive measure but still saw room for improvement.

“Young drivers are involved in a huge proportion of crashes that kill and seriously injure because of their inexperience coupled with the tendency of many to take risks,” she said.

“However, simply allowing learners to take instruction on motorways doesn’t go far enough.

“To reduce the devastating crashes and casualties that involve young drivers, we recommend wider reform of our learning to drive system, including a minimum learning period and restrictions for novice drivers, to protect them from the most dangerous situations.

“This approach of ‘graduated driver licensing’ has worked in other countries and there is evidence it would dramatically reduce casualties in the UK too.”

Andrew Howard, Head of Road Safety for the AA, told the Telegraph that Mr Penning’s announcement would “end the ludicrous situation where people can live near a network of motorways and pass their test without ever having been on one.”

Including information such as capacity and levels of use, the report gives an indication of the demand for lorry parking as well as where the most trucker-friendly facilities are located.

Announcing the lorry parking study, Roads Minister Mike Penning said he hopes the information will make improve safety for drivers.

“Making this information available to drivers and operators will make it easier for them to know where facilities are available,” he commented.

“It will also help developers and local councils who want to plug gaps in the market helping to boost growth in the sector.

“I hope that by providing better information we will see more high quality lorry parking facilities in the places where they are most needed. This will improve safety for drivers and reduce disruption for local residents.”

The report points out how each local authority differs in an effort to spark the potential for councils to co-ordinate resources and initiatives in restricting inappropriate parking.

Regional shortfalls

Malcolm Bingham, Head of Road Network Management Policy for the Freight Transport Association, said the report acted as clear evidence that poor lorry facilities gave the opportunity for greater lorry crime, especially in the south east.

“By law and for safety’s sake, drivers have to rest but there is no legal requirement for the provision of places for drivers to take those breaks,” he said.

“This means that drivers are often forced to park in lay-bys or industrial estate, leaving them exposed and vulnerable to criminals and thieves which also affects the local community.”

The FTA praised the study on the whole but bemoaned its failure to identify precise areas where facilities are particularly poor; information which would aid local authorities in resolving the situation.

“Through secure parking provision, we will not only provide decent facilities for drivers but help to deal with the negative aspects that have been associated with lorry parks in the past,” concluded Bingham.

Click here to read the report on DfT’s website.