Latest Fuel News

Several new motoring offences have come into force this week which have toughened laws governing business drivers and increase the chances of a ban.

The new measures, introduced under the Road Safety Act, include the raising of penalty points – from three to six – for those failing to provide information about the identity of a driver caught speeding.

This follows numerous incidents where motorists have claimed others were driving in order to avoid points on their licences.

There are fears that this and other new measures (see below) could result in employees being banned from driving after two offences.

Some fleet management software includes a direct link to the DVLA database so licences can be checked automatically.

New offences

Penalty points for failing to allow a drink-drive sample to be subjected to a laboratory test stay on licence for 11 years instead of four.

Maximum fine for careless or inconsiderate driving doubled to £5,000

Maximum fine for not ensuring that children are wearing seatbelts in the back of vehicles raised from £200 to £500.

A minimum six-month ban for anyone using a vehicle in a dangerous condition for the second time in four years.

Maximum fine for failing to stop if requested by police increased from £1,000 to £5,000.
Source: Road Safety Act

The Government should delay the fuel duty increase scheduled for October 1, or risk putting additional financial strain on motorists and petrol retailers alike, according to Ray Holloway, Director of the RMI Petrol Retailers Association (PRA).

The upcoming two-pence-per-litre increase was announced in March as part of the Budget, but deferred until the Autumn. Duty has already increased twice in the past ten months, with increases that coincided with the Pre-Budget Report in December 2006, and with the Budget in March 2007. With both oil prices and interest rates having risen steadily through the year, the scheduled increase should be deferred indefinitely, stresses Holloway: “A third tax increase in ten months will squeeze the tiny margins that petrol retailers work under further still. We already have less filling stations in the UK than in 1912, and it will not take much to push more stations out of business.”

Holloway adds: “Around 65 per cent of the price at the pump is tax. With oil prices rising, the Treasury will soon receive greater revenues than expected when the increase hits the price at the pump, so the Chancellor will be making more money anyway. Why not allow forecourt traders a little breathing room, so they can stay in business?”

Fleets are being encouraged to offer their opinions over the prospect of fitting speed limiters to company cars which could lead to cheaper tax and insurance.

The Commission for Integrated Transport idea is set to be discussed over the next few months and they are keen to discover what fleets think. They also intend to research what effects introducing the limiters - known as Intelligent Speed adaptation (ISA) systems would have in reducing deaths and injuries on UK roads and in reducing carbon emissions along with other pollutants and raising fuel consumption.

A spokesman for the commission said: “We haven’t looked properly at this but we’re very happy to take views on it, including those from the fleet industry.” Commission Chairman Peter Hendy told The Times last week that a report would be published next year that would set out the benefits of deploying speed limiters.

Mr Hendy, who is also head of Transport for London (TfL), went on to add that the devices would be tested on some of their own fleet next year which could be effective in enforcing 20mph speed limits in residential areas where it would be too expensive to install speed cameras.

TfL has commissioned research from Leeds University which has suggested that road deaths could fall by 37% if all vehicles were equipped with the limiters.

An estimated 2.3 million drivers fall asleep at the wheel of their vehicle every year according to new research just out.

Of 1,000 drivers questioned in a joint survey by road safety charity Brake and recovery company Green Flag, 7% admitted to falling asleep at the wheel.

If this percentage is applied to all registered drivers, it is possible that millions are dozing off on Britain’s roads.

In addition to this, more than a quarter of those interviewed believed they had been a passenger while a tired driver was in control

Despite the government’s campaign encouraging drivers to “Take a Break” it appears that many are still failing to do so.

The report reveals that 78% of drivers rely on opening windows or turning up the stereos in a bid to beat their tiredness.

The figures follow last week’s comments by road safety association GEM, saying that the poor quality of motorway service stations is forcing drivers to stay on the road instead of stopping.

Jools Townsend, head of education at Brake, said, “It’s crucial that drivers planning long journeys or driving at unusual hours are aware of the dangers of driving while tired and avoid it by getting a good night’s sleep beforehand and taking regular breaks.”

The recent escalating fuel prices will lead to an increase in fraud, according to a report published this week.

Despite low pump prices, crude oil costs are spiralling, with demand for oil likely to put pressure on fuel markets later this year.

This will lead in turn to an increase in fraudulent activity, such as when company drivers operating a pay and reclaim system may become tempted to claim excess fuel expenses from their employers.

These systems are open to abuse because of the amount of paperwork they create.

Other scams have included drivers filling up their partners’ cars on the company bill and siphoning off fuel for private use.

The report, from fleet software providers CFC Solutions, advises fleets to implement simple fuel saving and monitoring measures to combat the threats.

Andy Leech, business leader at CFC, said managers “don’t have to simply face rising fuel cost with a grim face, swallow, and pay the bill” but should pre-empt price increases and the potential fraud implications.

Basic savings can be made by using fuel-efficient vehicles, directing drivers to use cheaper outlets and monitoring mileage.

Mr Leech highlighted the effective use of fuel cards and relevant software systems in reducing fraud.

He said: “With fuel cards, data can be automatically loaded into fleet management systems and abuses easily identified.”

“This can be done by limiting the type of spend available and also analysing spend by driver and vehicle.”

“Our advice is simple,” he said. “Keep using fuel cards in conjunction with fleet software because this is the best way of tracking spend.”