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The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has released a provisional list of the test stations that will be closed from 28-30 December 2011.

A post-recession decline in new car sales will limit the availability of good-quality two to five- year-old cars and could cause average used car values to rise, according to a new report from British Car Auctions (BCA).

It suggests that since 2008 around 500,000 fewer new cars have been sold each year, restricting the supply chain and resulting in increased competition and expense for dealers trying to source younger cars. BCA suggests that this cost could be passed on to consumers, who will face higher prices if they are seeking fuel-efficient vehicles.

The government wants to raise the motorway speed limit to 80mph by 2013 to “generate economic benefits of hundreds of millions of pounds through shorter journey times”.

Announced by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, the increased speed limit will be subject to consultation later this year. Although there is opposition from road safety campaigners, the government said that safety was still a priority. It said there are 75% fewer fatalities on British roads each year compared with 1965, when the current 70mph speed limit was set.
 
In its response to the consultation, the BVRLA will suggest that the increased speed limit will be recognising the speed at which many motorists currently drive. It will also say that if the intention were to reduce journey times, it would be more effective to raise the 56mph speed limit currently imposed on heavy goods vehicles. The BVRLA will also stress the importance of improving road safety and addressing the pinch points on motorways that cause delays.

Members are reminded that on 1 October the following regulations came into force:

1. Default retirement age abolished
Forcing an employee to retire at a given age will constitute unfair dismissal unless it can be “objectively justified as a proportionate means of meeting a legitimate aim”. It is also now unlawful not to recruit someone because they are aged 65 (or over) or are within six months of reaching that age.

Further information can be found in Age Discrimination Legislation (BVRLA Fact Sheet 560).

2. National minimum wage increased
The new standard rates per hour are:

• for workers aged 21 and over: £6.08
• for workers aged 18 to 20: £4.98
• for workers above compulsory school age but under 18: £3.68
• for apprentices in their first year or aged under 19: £2.60

Further information can be found in National Minimum Wage (BVRLA Fact Sheet 509). 

3. Agency workers gain increased protection
After 12 weeks in the same role, agency workers become entitled to the same pay as their directly employed colleagues, and receive protection concerning the maximum time they can work, length of night shifts, rest periods and annual leave entitlement.

New company cars leased in Europe’s major markets in 2010 have collectively reduced their CO2 emissions by 1.28 million metric tonnes since 2008, according to a report published by GE Capital.
 
Data was drawn from GE Capital’s 250,000-strong pan-European fleet and extrapolated to represent all new company cars in the 11 markets assessed. Over 1 million tonnes were reduced in the UK, France, Germany and Italy alone. Average emissions per car fell by 11g CO2/km – from 152g CO2/km in 2008 to 141g CO2 /km in 2010.
 
The report also draws a direct correlation between CO2 output and fuel consumption, estimating that on average a £141.50 saving could be made on each 2010 car in its first year when compared to a 2008 model.

The government wants to relax the rules on which small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to produce an audit.

Proposals published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills would see UK SMEs eligible for audit exemption if they could meet any two of the following criteria:

• Employees: no more than 50
• Balance sheet total: no more than £3.26m
• Turnover: no more than £6.5m

The government is also seeking views on whether to allow companies that currently prepare accounts under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) more flexibility to change their accounting framework to UK GAAP (generally accepted accounting practice).

Last week, the FairFuelUK petition reached the 100,000 signatures mark on the government’s e-petition website. Having achieved this milestone, the issue is now eligible to be debated in the House of Commons.

The FairFuelUK campaign calls on the government to do more to bring down the cost of fuel, including scrapping the planned 4p fuel duty increases scheduled for January and August 2012 and finding a way to stabilise pump prices.

The BVRLA continues to support the campaign and looks forward to seeing what initiatives the debate will generate.