Viewpoint
motortransport.co.uk
Don’t be confused about Euro-6
W Steve Hobson Editor Motor Transport
e have all seen those confused.com TV adverts – so much confusion in the world we don’t know where to turn. That must be how any fleet operator looking to buy new trucks next year must be feeling. Looking around Freight in the City last week, it is clear that there is no lack of solutions to the problem of emissions: battery electric, hybrids, range extenders, hydrogen, methane, bioLNG – and probably some more I missed. But exactly what problem are these solutions looking for? If we are talking about improving air quality in our cities by cutting NOx and particulate emissions, then let’s be honest, Euro-6 diesel is still the best solution. These are extremely clean vehicles emitting very low levels of these pollutants, and the biggest challenge is encouraging the
rapid replacement of older – especially Euro-3 and 4 – vehicles with Euro-6. Which is why most of the clean air zones proposed by the 30 cities with the worst air quality are trying to do just that by charging pre-Euro-6 buses and HGVs to enter the zones. For maximum effect, the schemes should also cover cars and vans but politicians in both central and local government know this is a vote loser. So once again it is commercial vehicle operators who get hit. It is also why TfL’s £1m hydrogen buses are a waste of money that would have been better spent subsidising upgrades of, say, 20 dirty old trucks to Euro-6. Euro-6 is the solution not the problem when it comes to urban air quality and more carrot and less stick would be a welcome change.
Embedding a safety-first culture I Stuart White General manager operations, Fortec Distribution Network
magine you’re a manager walking through a warehouse in office shoes and you step outside the safe pedestrian area into a safety boot-only area. How likely is it that a member of staff will challenge you? While many organisations say they want to have a safety-first culture, not all of them achieve it: the process isn’t always an easy transition and yes, it does include creating a working environment where people speak up if they have safety concerns. But it’s how to get to that point. A good health & safety culture must be embedded throughout an organisation, from the boardroom to the shop floor, if it’s going to work. Every single person should have a voice and feel free to make suggestions about safety. Honest feedback is critical to success. If you don’t get feedback, you won’t uncover any flaws in your working practices and if you wait until something happens, you could end up with a serious accident – and then it’s too late. With feedback you can put preventative measures in place. When people suggest good ideas, you should put at least some
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of them into practice, otherwise people won’t have faith in the process and suggestions will dry up. Communication and training are keys to creating a safety-first culture. Everyone in the company should be clear about what safe procedures are in place and the process to follow in reporting nearmisses or suggesting improvements. Near-misses can give you vital insights in how to prevent accidents in the future. Instil a programme of continuous improvement. Send staff on training, create bespoke training, issue newsletters, hold meetings, create a dedicated safety working group – do everything you can to give people ownership and ensure that individual staff members take responsibility for their own safety and that of their colleagues and the public. It’s vital for your business. After all, if someone doesn’t care even about their own safety, how can you expect them to care about the safety of others?
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To contact us: Tel: 020 8912 +4 digits or email: name.surname@roadtransport.com Editor Steve Hobson 2161 Head of content Tim Wallace 2158 Deputy head of content Hayley Pink 2165 Group production editor Clare Goldie 2174 Deputy production editor Jo Saunders 2173 Key account manager Andrew Smith 07771 885874 Display telesales Barnaby Goodman-Smith 2128 Event sales Tim George 0755 7677758 Classified and recruitment advertising rtmclassified@roadtransport.com Head of sales Emma Tyrer 07900 691137 Divisional director Vic Bunby 2121 Head of marketing Jane Casling 2133 MT Awards Katy Matthews 2152 Managing director Andy Salter 2171 Editorial office Road Transport Media, First Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, Surrey SM1 1JB 020 8912 2170 Free copies MT is available free to specified licensed operators under the publisher’s terms of control. For details, email mtsccqueries@roadtransport.com, or call 01772 426705 Subscriptions Tel 0330 333 9544 Quadrant Subscription Services, Rockwood House, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DH Rates UK £135/year. Europe £163/year. RoW £163/year. Cheques made payable to Motor Transport. Apply online at mtssubs.com Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper Published by DVV Media International Ltd © 2019 DVV Media International Ltd ISSN 0027-206 X
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If you would like to contribute to MT’s Viewpoint, email steve.hobson@roadtransport.com 11.11.19