Forthcoming recovery shows.
The major European recovery show takes place in Dusseldorf/Neuss, Germany from 24 to 26 May. The IFBA event is organised by German trade association VBA. For more details call 00 49 202 26 65 60, fax 00 49 202 26 65 64 or visit the website.
www.vba-service.de

Meanwhile across the Atlantic, American Towman is launching a new summer festival in St Louis, Missouri from 8-10 June 2001. Unusually, the event is promising live demonstrations in an indoor exhibition. The regular American Towman Baltimore show is later in the year - 2 to 4 November.
www.towman.com

TRUK UK unveils Green flag vehicle deal.
Green Flag has linked up with Truk (UK) in order to make a special offer to a selected number of agents on Truk's new Spectacle lifts. The deal includes a choice of subsidised or interest free finance packages.Based on Truk's 2.5 tonne design capacity Lo Pro Spectacle Lift the vehicle includes a body specially designed for Green Flag on a Mitsubishi Canter 6.3 tonne GVW chassis with factory crew cab and a three year warranty. If a customer prefers another type of chassis this can be incorporated.

Truk (UK) managing director Tony Jones says: "We are very pleased with the initial success of the offer and the co-operation that Green Flag has shown. I am sure that it will be beneficial to the whole Green Flag network".

The vehicle's body features a large through-locker at the front with two large side lift-up lockers for storage, plus a nearside control locker that houses the remote control. A Xenon 1,430mm (56") light bar, locker lights, jump leads and a towing bracket are also included in the specification and it is finished Green Flag's eye-catching green livery. If a Swan Neck Spectacle Lift is preferred, Truk can supply a 2.5 tonne Swan Neck in place of the Lo Pro.

TRUK (UK):
0117 949 1191

Bennett leaves force and predicts further changes.
Inspector John Bennett has retired from the police service and moved to Amey Highways. Bennett was secretary to the ACPO Traffic vehicle recovery group in which role he acted as a key contact for the recovery industry.

Moving to a traffic management role with Amey, Bennett told Professional Recovery that he sees further changes ahead for the industry. "I can see much the potential for a move to a permanent standby recovery service on motorways. Vehicles may be moved to service areas for further inspection and repair."

The new temporary secretary of the ACPO group is Allan Edwards, Staffordshire who is taking over until a permanent replacement is found. The group is now chaired by Ian Latimer, assistant chief constable operations, Devon & Cornwall following the retirement of former chairman Alan Street.

Division continues on industry standards.
With no sign of progress being made on minimum standards following the stalled talks between industry representatives and Jones Venning at the end of last year, REMSA (the Recovery Equipment Manufacturers & Suppliers Association) is now adding its weight to the call for progress. It wants to host a meeting of interested parties in an effort to move the subject forward.

New REMSA chairman Chris Jones of Ceejay Systems has been tasked by REMSA members to press for industry acceptance of the minimum standards which were being developed by the Focus Group. "Our organisation was a keen supporter of the Focus Group," he says, "and indeed made a major contribution in terms of input towards the proposed standards and substantial financial support.

"Our membership is therefore very disappointed that the minimum standard has not been accepted and there appears to be no mechanism for moving things forward."

REMSA argues that the absence of a common standard costs operators money, with the downtime incurred in making vehicles available for approval by each of the organisations they work for. "This cannot make sense," says Chris, "and ultimately we do believe the common standard must be adopted."

By using the Focus Group proposal in conjunction with the British Standard on recovery vehicles, REMSA believes that it would be possible for the first time for manufacturers to provide equipment to operators which satisfied all of their customers.

So now REMSA is offering to host a meeting to see progress made in what it accepts is "a sensitive area". Chris says that the idea has had support from a number of sources.

However over at the RRRA the feeling remains that the imposition of outside standards is not the best way forward. Chairman Pete Cosby states unequivocally: "We are totally against any Focus Group resurrection. It is time the recovery operators, of all associations, realised that we need to keep decision-making and negotiations with official bodies in house."

The RRRA points to the various rules and regulations which all recovery operators have to comply with and is proposing that its members adopt a six-weekly inspection system to ensure faults are discovered at an early stage, keeping vehicles safe and saving costs. To this it would add spot checks on paperwork and vehicles - possibly using an outside engineer.

"This may entail costs to the membership, but in line with our present policies we would watch any costs keenly to keep them as low as possible, and in return give enhanced standing to members," says Pete.

And without naming any other organisations, he criticises "various recovery fringe bodies" for endeavouring to resurrect the Focus Group and similar proposals which RRRA members have agreed would be too costly and in consequence decided not to support.

"All these bodies have an axe to grind," he warns.
* RRRA now claims to be the biggest independent recovery association in the UK with 507 members.

RAC slide-beds start industry speculation.
A slide-bed in RAC colours at last month's Commercial Vehicle Show has led to speculation that the RAC is moving to in-house vehicle recovery. The truck, shown on the Isuzu stand, is one of two built by Roger Dyson for the RAC and is a day-cabbed NQR with Hydraloader body.

Neither of the trucks is yet in service. "We've yet to decide how or where to operate them," says the RAC's operations contracts manager Nigel Tuffey.

The RAC has used slide-backs in the past. "We had five or six Mercedes slide-backs in the early 90s," Nigel continues, "and the operation was not particularly successful, but we're always revisiting the way we operate."

The new Isuzus won't be used as roadside repair vehicles - which puts paid to one of the rumours circulating about their role in the RAC fleet. Apart from any other considerations, they have insufficient storage space for the equipment which RAC patrols carry.

And Nigel Tuffey offers apprehensive RAC contractors this assurance: "For some years we've focused on roadside repair and kept recovery primarily to our contractors and we have no plans to change this in the foreseeable future."

e-group grows - but where next?.
The recovery industry e-group, launched late last year, now has 249 members and is continuing to grow. "The original aim was to get the top 20 per cent of operators involved," says Mark McAllister who was instrumental in setting the group up, "and we've already achieved that."

According to Mark the key benefit of the e-group is instant communication. "There are no minutes of meetings and no politics involved. It's totally democratic," he says.

The e-group provides a forum for debate, and attracts input from operators elsewhere in Europe and in the USA. "American operators can't believe how high our fuel prices are," Mark notes. Among current domestic debates is the reliability of the Mitsubishi Canter.

"To ensure that only genuine recovery operators take part, the criteria for entry", says Mark ever so slightly tongue in cheek, "is ownership of a loss-making recovery company".

But with no organisation to carry the group's arguments forward to outside bodies, the question now facing its supporters is whether to develop the e-group into a new association. "That's a real possibility," Mark admits, "but there's no collective e-group stance at the moment and I doubt if there will be for a while." And he stresses that while he administers the e-group, he doesn't control it. "If the group wants to go that way then it's up to someone else to take it forward," he stresses.

To find out more - and check if you're eligible to participate - contact mark@mcallisters-recovery.co.uk

Gwent contracts still under examination.
Alleged irregularities in Gwent police contracts are still being investigated by the district auditor. Last month the Gwent Recovery Group stepped up the pressure with a letter to the chief constable asking that the current contract with a local operator be suspended and calling for an independent audit of invoices to investigate alleged overcharging.

Mike Eagles of the Gwent Recovery Group claims to have an invoice from October 2000 which he says shows an overcharge of £2,805.32 for recovering a commercial vehicle.

A spokeswoman for the district auditor confirmed that the investigation was still on-going but explained that it was difficult to forecast when it might be concluded. "It all depends on what direction the investigations take and what they find," she said.

And Gwent police confirm that a full internal inquiry is underway at the instigation of the deputy chief constable, although Mike Eagles asks if this is appropriate in the circumstances and wonders if an independent investigation by an outside force might be a better approach.

The Gwent Recovery Group's action is being supported by the RRRA.

Uninsured drivers treated too leniently?.
A study by Direct Line insurance suggests that Britain has more uninsured drivers on its roads than any other country in Europe except Greece. It estimates that around five per cent of the cars on Britain's roads are being driven without insurance cover. This compares with estimates of ten per cent for Greece - but a mere 0.2 per cent in Germany.

Direct Line wants to see higher fines being imposed on those found guilty of driving without insurance, claiming that magistrates typically set fines at around £150 while the average annual insurance premium is £350. If Direct Line's estimates are anywhere near correct, it means that over one million cars in Britain are being driven without insurance cover.

Info sought on suspicious Iveco-Ford.
Do you recognise this truck? It's been in the possession of the West Yorkshire Police since 4 January, after being seized in the Leeds area, and they would like to know more about it.

"The majority of the dating features on the vehicle would be indicative of a vehicle constructed in 1999," says detective constable Ben Watson of the stolen vehicle squad. "However the vehicle was displaying an L registration, purporting to be of 1994 construction.

"The chassis could have been legitimately purchased through a salvage agent in West Yorkshire, but the rest of the vehicle is of highly dubious origin."

The truck has a tubular steel recovery bed, a fabricated spec lift and running track for the bed. There are signs of pre-drilling in readiness for warning beacons being fitted.

"It is obvious this vehicle was nearing completion prior to it being seized," continues DC Watson. "This could be for a number of reasons which I am not at liberty to disclose for fear of prejudicing the investigation."

If any readers have any knowledge of the vehicle or information about where it was built or where it might have been stolen from, DC Watson asks that they ring the stolen vehicle squad in Leeds on 0113 239 5014. He stresses that any information provided will be treated in confidence.

Packed Yearbook Launched.
What has 240 pages and is packed with info on the recovery industry? The Recovery Yearbook, that's what.

Launched by Professional Recovery at last month's Recovery 2001 event, it is the most comprehensive listing of UK recovery operators ever published. It also incorporates a supplier directory.

"Compiling this list from scratch was a mammoth task," says managing editor Steve Rooney, "but the industry now has a top-class directory which I'm sure everyone connected with it will be keeping on their desks."

The Recovery Yearbook has already received widespread praise.

And one real plus-point for subscribers to Professional Recovery is that they receive a copy absolutely FREE. Non-subscribers can buy copies for £45 each.

If you have not already subscribed, you can do so now by clicking here.

"The challenge now is to make sure it's even better when we produce the 2002 addition," says Steve - who welcomes feedback from Yearbook users.

Higher increase for statutory charges?.
Recognition by the Home Office that all is not well on statutory charges for removing vehicles has come with a request to the RRRA for information on the problems relating to non-payment of removal fees.

In a letter to the RRRA, Nick Montgomery-Pott of the Home Office said that there was recognition of the high level of non-payers for abandoned vehicle removals.

"It would be helpful if you could tell us how far this problem is reflected in the new rates for removals your organisation would like to see introduced," he wrote. "In particular it would be helpful to have your assessment of the scale of the problem in terms of non-payment of the removal fee, storage costs, administration costs etc for abandoned vehicles.

"If you think the problem is distorting recovery charges generally, there may be a case for dealing with the charges for abandoned vehicles in a different way."

RRRA chairman Pete Cosby was quick to respond, suggesting that the non-payment rate for this work could range between 50 and 70 per cent, depending on location.

"The problem is not reflected, in our view, in the proposed new removal rates, these currently having been fixed since about 1991," he said. "In the intervening time, insurance rates, VED rates and fuel costs have all increased drastically. These three costs alone really justify a higher increase than the suggested £155."

He also asked that the problem be returned from the police to the local authorities. "Recovery companies would, we are sure, undertake the removal of these vehicles for the local authorities, probably at a reduced rate, thus easing a burden for them."

.......and new pressure on abandoned cars
Pressure on the government to take action on abandoned cars is coming from an unlikely source - the Channel 4 TV programme Driven. Its aim is to persuade central government to introduce a national policy on abandoned cars, rather than leaving it to individual local authorities.

The programme makers describe car dumping as "a national epidemic" and say that according to DVLA figures the number of cars being abandoned rose from 19,500 in the 12 months to March 1999, to 42,500 in the year to March 2000. The problem is particularly acute in parts of London.

The results of the campaign are to be broadcast on the next series of Driven, which starts in September. More details of Driven's views on abandoned cars and an on-line questionnaire are on the programme's website, www.4car.co.uk