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Click here to see Scottish Road Safety Strategy - Response to a Consultation Paper by IoTA
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IoTA Scottish News
May 2008
What a busy time it seems to have been both in our Centres and within Scotland since the last newsletter.
Scottish Centres dinner
On 21st April we met together at Fishers Hotel in Pitlochry for a dinner. 30 people braved the forecasted weather. After dinner we were able to meet together and renew acquaintances and build some new ones. On Saturday morning we woke to a light fall of snow and then after breakfast we joined together to discuss the roads in Scotland. Alasdair Ferguson of Ferguson Transport (Spean Bridge) Ltd. told us of a campaign to improve the A82 that goes up the West Coast from Glasgow to Fort William. There has already been an internet lobby that is now closed but had received 8555 signatures to date that is almost twice the size of the previous lobby over the Aberdeen Western peripheral Route. I have enclosed a copy of their demands and would ask that you support it by writing to your MSP and to the Transport Minister.
Adrian Gray then spoke of the road improvements needed in the East Highlands and in particular the A96. This road runs between Inverness and Aberdeen and is used by a great many heavy vehicles each day. The road is in great need of updating and several towns and villages need bypassing. Those that regularly listen to the traffic news will have heard of the number of times that the road has had to be closed due to incidents. The other road is the A9 that needs duelling at least up to Inverness and is in great need of upgrading beyond there.
Phil Flanders then concluded by talking of the needs within the central belt and in particular the proposed replacement of the Forth Road Bridge and the maintenance work that needs to be carried out over the next two years in order to prolong the effective life of the bridge until the new crossing is built.
In summary if we are to support business and communities throughout Scotland then a great deal of improvement is needed to make our roads safe and fit for purpose.
A number of members took advantage of the special offer that Donald had arranged and stayed on over the weekend and a good time was had by all who attended.
Since our dinner
Alasdair Ferguson, who heads up the inter-agency A82 Partnership, will voice the concerns of the petitioners at the hearing shortly to take place in Dumbarton on 24th June 2008. From a health and safety aspect, we would urge A82 users to write to their MSP's in advance of this important meeting, stating their fears of the dangerous condition of this road throughout the 135 mile stretch from Tarbet (Loch Lomond) to Inverness. At this meeting, it is understood that each MSP will be given a copy of a DVD showing the road conditions in question.
The first stage
At long last funding is hopefully in place to commission a report to look into building a new £4m interchange transport centre around Oban's new £8m Caledonian MacBrayne ferry terminal and linkspan. This would sensibly bring all ferry,train,bus and taxi services under one roof, so to speak.
Fuel prices
With the high price of oil the government is being lobbied by many groups to reduce the tax on fuel. It's ironic that vehicles operating around where the oil comes ashore (for refining) at Sullom Voe in Shetland, pay what must be the highest price in the world for diesel at £1.41 per litre and still rising.!!!
CENTRES IN ACTION
EDINBURGH
Since the last IOTA Scottish News in February a meeting addressed by Richard Scaife of The Keil Centre in Edinburgh on the underlying reasons for road rage and bad behaviour on our roads was of great interest to all who attended. He started by explaining that the centre had been commissioned by the Scottish Government to undertake several pieces of work looking at the psychology of driving on our roads today. He concluded by explaining that for a variety of reasons we all have lapses in concentration whilst driving, even Psychologists. For more information take a look at the Keil Centre website.
Due to Easter falling very early this year Edinburgh hosted the ‘Dingbro Roadshow’ early in April and once again this was a great success with over one hundred and thirty people visiting during the evening. Listed in the journal will be the exhibitors who made the evening such a success and in particular Dingbro Ltd who arranged the evening providing the refreshments and bar.
A week later members attended the centre AGM when members of the committee and officers were re-elected.
On 22nd May a group of 16 members and friends met at Edinburgh Waverley Station for the start of a visit to York to spend time at the Railway Museum. There you can not only see one of the first Japanese Bullet Trains but a recently retired Chinese locomotive that had been built in the North of England We also saw the fastest steam train, the Mallard and bits of the Flying Scotsman that is in for a total rebuild. We only had time to scratch the surface before we went off to join some of the ladies who had visited the shops, in order to have a meal before returning to Edinburgh. It was agreed by all that this had been a great day out and should be repeated at some time in the future
INVERNESS
AGM
Inverness Centre had a most enjoyable, well attended AGM Dinner at the Maple Court Hotel, Inverness in April, followed by an interesting power point presentation of past and present transport developments throughout the Highlands and Islands, provided by Donald MacCuish, our Senior Vice President - Scotland. On the day following the Dinner, Terry Dobson, our National Chairman, was taken by Donald on a visit to two very successful local transport businesses run by our members, namely Donald Matheson MD of D & E Coaches, and Adrian Gray MD of AJG Parcels, the Inverness Centre Chairman.
Although both visits were planned at the Dinner, Adrian was unable to be present next day but kindly arranged for his Human Resources Manager to show us round his new depot.
Before leaving Inverness next day again, Donald and Marion took Terry and Linda on a tour round the entire Loch Ness, including time for lunch together at the Dores Inn.
Falkirk
The officers and committee were re-appointed at the AGM held in April. (See further details on the Falkirk page)
NEWS
Do I spend or do I save?
In the current financial climate this is probably one of the most difficult decisions that any company may face but as our National Chairman found out when he visited Inverness that at least two of our members have decided that they need to invest in their companies in order to take them forward
Adrian Gray, Inverness Centre Chairman and MD of AJG Parcels has recently taken delivery of 27 Volkswagen Crafter panel vans from Hawco Van Hire, Inverness. The picture shows our National Chairman with one of the new vans in the firm's latest brilliant red and yellow livery. Adrian has only recently moved in to a brand new depot in Inverness, also shown below
Donald Matheson, MD of D&E Coaches, another Inverness Centre member has recently extended his depot to house his ever expanding fleet.
Even here our National Chairman manages to get his photo taken but does he have to point out that it is a coach that we are looking at?
Vice President (Scotland)
Stewart Stevenson MSP and our Vice President (Scotland), Donald MacCuish being welcomed by Alan Silver, IHT Secretary, as top table guests at the last Institution of Highways & Transportation Dinner held at Drumossie Hotel, Inverness.
Super Lorries
The Department for Transport (DfT) has rejected proposals to allow Lorries as long as 34 metres and weighing up to 82 tonnes on our roads following publication of a report commissioned by the Transport Research Laboratory. The plans were rejected on the grounds of compromising safety, increased emissions and traffic management problems. Imagine being behind this size vehicle on the A9 or A82.
Institute web site
Have you visited our website recently? The staff at HQ have been very busy updating our site in order to give both members and enquirers the most information. It is intended that in the near future both the journal and IOAT Scottish News will both be available on this site
Do we need our institute?
I have noted three items of news recently that highlight the need for skilled staff in road transport operations and our Education Committee is still working hard to supply both initial training and Continuous Professional Development training.
The first report from Chartered Management Institute (CMI) estimates that the number of transport executives including fleet managers has risen to a seven year high and that resignations this year are 3.8% as against last year s 2.4%. Jo Causon, director of marketing and corporate affairs at the CMI advised companies that despite improvements in pay, more must be done to retain staff.
The second item from national statistics shows that in the last 10 years freight traffic coming in through our ports has increased by 45% whilst traffic leaving was virtually unchanged.
A lot of empty lorries going back to the rest of Europe.
This links to a third item that says that foreign drivers are more willing to break the working time rules on our roads. This is in opposition to the statistics for the continent where it suggests that it is the local drivers who break the rules. Are we an easy touch?
Our Institute is trying hard to raise the standards in this country and it will only be then that we are able to crack down on offenders.
Probably most importantly if our Institute is to survive then we need more members. All bodies are finding that they are losing members and IoTA is no different but we need to recruit members if we are to continue.
An application form is available for download or you can simply join on line click here to go to the Membership page and follow the links.
Edinburgh airport
This airport is expanding all the time and this year is offering flights to 109 destinations using 40 airlines. This year almost 40% of passengers travelling to or from the airport are on international flights and international passenger numbers are increasing by 26% a year. The CAA has recently produced a report that shows that noise pollution has fallen over the last twenty years despite the rapid increase in traffic. This is due in the main to the modern engine design. This airport is within the West Edinburgh Planning Framework and provision has already been made for a second runway if needed around 2020. The only question that most of us will be asking by that time is what fuels will be available to our airlines at that time? Currently the runway is being re-surfaced which it is hoped will last for between ten and fifteen years
Ending after six years
Why not come and enjoy yourselves
David Parfitt and the Edinburgh Committee have been very busy over the last few months in order to provide a conference to the high standards that we have come to expect of our conferences. The conference booking form will be out shortly in the June edition of the Journal so please look out for it and book what I am assured will be another great conference. Whilst to some the price may seem high I can assure you that you will get your money’s worth.
You can also download a booking form click here
National Conference 10th to 12th October 2008
to be held at the
Edinburgh Marriott Hotel
Theme
Road, Rail and over the Sea to Sky -
Saving the Planet
The hotel is close to the airport and the M8 and city bypass and is situated to the west of the city and less than 5 miles from the city centre. Plan your trip by road, rail or air but make sure that you have your say by attending.
Sponsors needed
The cost of putting on the National Conference is considerable and in order to keep the costs to delegates as low as possible the centre is expected to raise funds through sponsorship. To date Edinburgh Centre has raised over £5000.00 within the centre but we now need to obtain about the same amount from within our industry. Can you help or have you any suggestions of companies that may be able to help. If so please contact either Dave Parfitt on 0141 776 0543 or Ian Johnson.
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