NFDA TRUCK AND VAN UPDATE AUGUST 2017 We represent, you benefit Dear Colleague, With speculation and uncertainty about the state of UK s economy, it is encouraging to see light commercial vehicle registrations grow in July. The new van market grew by 1.1 in July with 24,766 registrations and is now down by just - 3.1 year to date after a phenomenal year in 2016. The new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduces new stricter requirements for keeping and using personal data. Preparing for compliance will take significant time and resources and it is imperative that organisations have a strategy for compliance in place. Following two very successful workshops on GDPR, a third workshop presented by NFDA s solicitors, TLT, will take place on Friday 15 September at Warwick. Please contact louise.woods@rmif.co.uk now if you would like to attend as there is limited availability. The NFDA is your trade association. If you need any assistance, guidance or clarifications, please pick up the phone and contact us on the member helpline 01788 538303 Steve Latham Head of NFDA Truck & Van Division Mob: 07515 975 157 Email: stephen.latham@rmif.co.uk
IN THIS ISSUE: VAN MARKET REMAINS ON COURSE FOR A STABLE YEAR GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS (GDPR) WORKSHOP INVITATION EUROPE SALES OF TRUCKS AT 16t GVW & ABOVE BY MARKET MAY 2017 DVSA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY RECALLS JUNE/JULY 2017 LEGAL UPDATE - MILS - CHANGES TO MATERNITY LEAVE, START AND END DATES NEW LOOK AND REVISED ENGINES FOR TRANSIT CUSTOM MERCEDES-BENZ REVEALS PRODUCTION X-CLASS DVSA DEVELOPING A NEW MOT REMINDER SERVICE FOR CLASS 4 & 7 VEHICLES VAN MARKET REMAINS ON COURSE FOR A STABLE YEAR With speculation and uncertainty about the state of UK s economy, it is encouraging to see light commercial vehicle registrations grow in July. The new van market grew by 1.1 in July with 24,766 registrations and is now down by just -3.1 year to date after a phenomenal year in 2016. In July, the mid-size vans 2.0-2.5 tonnes performed extremely well with a growth of 41.4, which equals to 4,837 new vans on the road against last July s 3,421 units. These vehicles tend to be used in the service sector which is very much driven by domestic consumer demand. Sales of pickups, which have repeatedly increased up to this month, slipped back by -9.5, but year to date are still 14.8 higher than last year. Over the last few months there has been concern surrounding the biggest segment of the market composed of vans between 2.5-3.5 tonnes. This sector saw a moderate decline of -2.5 also in July. Many of these vehicles are bought by corporate companies and used for internet deliveries. Large fleet buyers might be holding back to see how the economy reacts as Brexit negotiations develop. Ford continues to dominate the market with a 32.17 market share which is impressive especially considering that the second highest registrations are Volkswagen s, with a share of 11.32year-to-date. Overall, we expect the market to remain stable throughout the remainder of the year but continue to perform slightly below 2016 levels, which was a record breaking year for light commercial vehicles registrations. GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS (GDPR) WORKSHOP INVITATION Did you know that significant changes to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) come into force in May 2018? This will have a major impact on your business if you are not prepared for the changes. Following a very successful workshop held recently to outline the changes to GDPR and the requirements on dealers to comply with the rules, we are holding a further workshop as follows: Date: Friday 15 September 2017 Venue: Time: Hilton Hotel, Stratford Road, Warwick CV34 6RE 9.30 am refreshments, 10.00 am workshop commences, 3.30 pm close (A buffet lunch will be provided) NFDA s retained solicitors, TLT, will cover the following topics in relation to the changes to GDPR: Top tips on achieving GDPR compliance.
A practical workshop covering areas of compliance. An interactive feedback and information sharing session. A discussion on how we can ensure a common approach with manufacturers and suppliers. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis as space is limited. The first place is free of charge and any additional places will be charged at 59 including VAT and subject to availability. If you would like to attend please contact Louise Woods louise.woods@rmif.co.uk EUROPE SALES OF TRUCKS AT 16t GVW & ABOVE BY MARKET MAY 2017 Country May 2017 Share May 2016 Share Change 5-Mths 2017 Share 5-Mths 2016 Share Change Germany 5,962 27.5 5,104 27.1 16.8 28,162 27.2 27,875 28.1 1.0 France 3,740 17.3 3,253 17.3 15.0 18,084 17.5 17,260 17.4 4.8 UK 3,425 15.8 2,793 14.8 22.6 14,576 14.1 13,951 14.1 4.5 Italy 1,552 7.2 1,480 7.9 4.9 8,263 8.0 6,442 6.5 28.3 Spain 1,479 6.8 1,486 7.9-0.5 7,511 7.3 7,837 7.9-4.2 Netherlands 1,205 5.6 973 5.2 23.8 6,464 6.2 6,840 6.9-5.5 Belgium 825 3.8 612 3.3 34.8 4,089 4.0 3,693 3.7 10.7 Austria 704 3.2 645 3.4 9.1 3,633 3.5 3,333 3.4 9.0 Sweden 605 2.8 491 2.6 23.2 2,520 2.4 2,357 2.4 6.9 Norway 478 2.2 432 2.3 10.6 1,962 1.9 1,815 1.8 8.1 Denmark 424 2.0 367 1.9 15.5 1,923 1.9 1,873 1.9 2.7 Switzerland 374 1.7 303 1.6 23.4 1,688 1.6 1,408 1.4 19.9 Portugal 305 1.4 295 1.6 3.4 1,488 1.4 1,495 1.5-0.5 Finland 263 1.2 255 1.4 3.1 1,283 1.2 1,106 1.1 16.0 Eire 158 0.7 217 1.2-27.2 1,145 1.1 1,238 1.2-7.5 Luxembourg 135 0.6 82 0.4 64.6 555 0.5 537 0.5 3.4 Greece 10 0.0 19-0.1-47.4 85 0.1 114 0.1-25.4 Iceland 27 0.1 17 0.1 58.8 83 0.1 74 0.1 12.2 TOTAL 21,671 100.0 18,824 100.0 15.1 103,514 100.0 99,248 100.0 4.3 DVSA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY RECALLS JUNE/JULY 2017 These are the commercial vehicles recalled by manufacturers for a safety reason during June/July 2017. DVSA reference number Make and model Issue R/2017/119 Mercedes-Benz Bus: Citaro Passenger anti-trap mechanism may fail when pneumatic doors are depowered R/2017/129 Mercedes-Benz: Actros & Atego Vehicle safety system may incorrectly diagnose an imminent crash R/2017/130 Mercedes-Benz: Actros & Atego Steering wheel may come loose
R/2017/142 R/2017/153 Isuzu: Artic Truck Land Rover: Discovery Sport (Petrol & Diesel) & Range Rover Evoque (diesel) R/2017/184 Peugeot: Traveller & Expert 4 R/2017/185 Citroen: Spacetourer & Dispatch IV Steering rack/ steering column connector may detach Locking ring may be incorrectly assembled Air conditioning compressor support mountings may not be to specification Air conditioning compressor support mountings may not be to specification LEGAL UPDATE - MILS - CHANGES TO MATERNITY LEAVE, START AND END DATES We have two pregnant employees. One of them has asked to bring forward the start date of her maternity leave, and the other has said that after the birth, she may want to bring forward her return to work date. What notice should the employees give us? After an employee has given notice of her intention to take statutory maternity leave, if she wants to bring forward the start date, then she has to provide 28 days notice of the new date. If this is not reasonably practicable then it will be down to the company s discretion whether to permit the change or not. Please note however that if an employee is on sickness absence during the four week period prior to the start of her maternity leave and that sickness is pregnancy related, it means that her statutory maternity leave automatically starts early at the fourth week period. Turning to the other employee, once an employee has given notice of their statutory maternity leave request, it is good practice to write to the employee and set out the dates so that everyone knows what the return to work date will be. Ordinarily the fall-back position is an employee takes the full 52 weeks leave unless they specify an earlier date. Regardless of whether they are taking the full 52 weeks leave or just 39 weeks leave (which is the statutory maternity pay period), once on maternity leave, if an employee wants to return earlier they must give 8 weeks written notice. If they fail to do so, then legally you can delay their start date by the 8 week period unless you are happy to exercise your discretion and let them return to work earlier. Source Motor Industry Legal Services (MILS Solicitors) NEW LOOK AND REVISED ENGINES FOR TRANSIT CUSTOM
Britain s best-selling medium sized van has had a makeover, with an updated exterior, new interior, advanced driver assistance systems and a low emission engine variant. The Ford Transit Custom gets a new nose in line with the styling of the new Fiesta hatchback, while its new cabin features harder wearing materials, 25-litres of stowage space in the dashboard, two-litre bottle holders and Ford s Sync 3 connectivity system including wi-fi. Ford has also added a new Econetic variant to the range, powered by a Dagenham-built 2.0-litre Ecoblue engine. The new model produces 104bhp and 148g/km of CO 2 emissions, and comes with auto stop-start, low rolling resistance tyres and a 62mph speed limiter. It offers a combined fuel economy figure of 49.6mpg, a 6 improvement over the most efficient version of the current model. The range includes a number of advanced driver assistance features, and is the first commercial vehicle to offer an Intelligent Speed Limiter, which enables automatic adjustment of maximum speed to remain within legal limits, using a traffic sign recognition system to detect speed limit signs. The new model also offers Ford s Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert, which warns drivers reversing out of a parking space of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind them, ideal for vans that often have restricted rearward visibility. The line-up also includes Ford s six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission, unveiled at this year s CV Show, and a unique-to-segment rear air suspension system that delivers a supple and level ride across a wide range of conditions. Customers can also specify a new Upfitter Interface Module, which allows aftermarket conversions and accessories to access data from the vehicle s telematics systems, so that they can be operated and controlled more efficiently using real-time vehicle data. Hans Schep, General Manager of Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe, said, Transit Custom has been a runaway success since it was introduced, and this new version raises the game once more. We have listened carefully to our customers and delivered a one-tonne van that is even more stylish, even more productive and packed with smart features. Ford is yet to confirm when orders can be placed but first deliveries are scheduled for early 2018. Source The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) MERCEDES-BENZ REVEALS PRODUCTION X-CLASS
Mercedes-Benz has pulled the wraps off its first ever pick-up truck, which goes on sale in the UK early next year. The new X-Class will be offered in three trim levels, with two different power outputs from its 2.3-litre fourcylinder Euro 6 diesel engine 161bhp (X220d) and 188bhp (X250d). Both come with a six-speed manual gearbox, while a seven-speed automatic option is available with the more powerful engine. A larger V6 diesel will join the X-Class range in 2018 with 255bhp, which will make it the most powerful production pick-up in the UK. Initially, the truck will be offered with selectable 4MATIC four-wheel-drive, while a permanent four-wheel-drive option is in development and, according to Mercedes-Benz, will be added to the range by mid-2018. The three trim levels are Pure, which gets 17-inch steel wheels, LED lights for the load area, power-adjustable mirrors and air-conditioning, Progressive, which adds a leather-bound steering wheel, alloy wheels, bodycoloured bumpers, automatic wipers, load-bed storage rails and a compass in the rear-view mirror, and Power, which gets a keyless ignition, leather, 18-inch alloys and LED headlights, plus an advanced connectivity package known as me connect, which links owners to their vehicles via smartphone at all times, and can call up useful information such as the location of the truck or the fuel level. All models come with a list of passive and active safety equipment. These include Active Brake Assist, Lane Keeping Assist and Traffic Sign Assist, among others. A 360 degree camera system will be offered as an option. The overall payload of the X-Class is around 1,100kg (depending on trim level) and it is capable of carrying a standard Euro pallet, while it also benefits from a 3.5t towing capacity. Source The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) DVSA DEVELOPING A NEW MOT REMINDER SERVICE FOR CLASS 4 & 7 VEHICLES The DVSA is developing an MOT reminder service to ensure that vehicle owners get their vehicle tested on time. Why is the DVSA developing this service? At any one time, up to 28 of cars & vans will be overdue an MOT. Research shows that the vast majority of these are not down to people deliberately not getting an MOT but rather, they just need to be reminded to get it done on time.
The DVSA want to make sure these vehicles are given an MOT on time so that dangerous faults are found and drivers can get them fixed. How it works Drivers will be able to sign up to get an email one month before the MOT is due. They will get another email if they still have not had the vehicle tested 2 weeks before the MOT is due. All they will need to sign up with their vehicle s registration number and an email address. The DVSA is still hard at work developing the service, so in the version they have built so far, you will not initially be able to get reminders for a vehicle that: is less than 3 years old does not have a current MOT needs more than one MOT a year, such as taxis needs an annual test instead of an MOT, such as lorries, buses and coaches However, they working through this list to make sure that as many people as possible will be able to use the service. The DVSA thinks that there is a great deal of potential to offer reminders in ways that meet the needs of the millions of drivers in Great Britain. For example, as well as offering email reminders, they will also look at other methods, such as text messages. When will the DVSA launch the service? There is a lot more user research and testing to do before they formally launch the service. When it is ready to launch, they will run a consumer campaign so that drivers know about the service, and will make it easily available on the GOV.Uk site.