Parking Fines - Some Information!

Parking fines; we seem to get them more and more these days!! However there is some justification to parking fines and restrictions although its hard to believe! Parking fines generate much needed revenue for local authorities to help pay for everything to do with our local road network. This can be things like new signs, pavement widening and repairing potholes. If we are foolish eneough not to adhere to parking restrictions then we cannot really complain when we recieve parking tickets!

Parking enforcement officers also play a very important role by helping to keep the roads and by-ways clear for any vehicles responding to emergency calls. This is of course of huge importance.

In general, parking infringements occur in the following ways. If you park on a public road and do not follow the parking instructions you could find yourself with a parking fine, or as it is officially known a fixed penalty notice or penalty charge notice. For many local authorities parking is not a criminal matter, and it is the responsibility of the council not the police to govern local parking policy and the enforcement of such regulations. However, failure to take responsibility for any parking infringement and subsequent penalties can result in the matter escalating to a criminal issue involving the police and the local magistrate’s court!
If you commit a parking offence where the police are responsible, a police officer or traffic warden can fix a penalty notice to your vehicle. The details of the offence will be on the notice along with the amount of the fine and the time frame in which to pay. If you pay within a certain time period, the amount you have to pay is reduced. If the local authority is responsible for the fixed penalty or penalty charge and you park where you shouldn’t, a local authority civil enforcement officer can fix a penalty notice to your vehicle, they can also send it to you. As above if you accept you were in the wrong, you can pay the amount they ask for and again if paid within a certain time frame the amount is reduced.
There are more than 70 reasons why you could be given a parking ticket. Some of the most common include parking on yellows lines, parking in residents parking areas without a permit and not displaying a valid ticket in a pay and display area.
The good news is there are ways of appealing most kinds of ticket if it was given unfairly or mistakenly. For more information contact you local Citizens Advice Bureau.

The Commercial Vehicle Show 2010

The Commercial Vehicle Show held at the NEC in Birmingham, is Britain’s largest and most successful road transport event. The show in April 2010 will allow exhibitors and visitors to identify ways they could improve efficiency and maximise profits. It will focus on the road transport and logistics industries and is an ideal place for LCV drivers and LCV fleet operators.

Richard Gibbs, Managing Director of BPW confirms, “As a long time exhibitor of the show, we value the opportunity to meet so many of our customers, old and new, in a relatively short period and in a venue where they come to us. For operators, a business meeting place such as the 2010 CV Operator Show is a truly cost effective way to keep up to date with new developments while also meeting new suppliers.”

Not since the CV show in April 2008 has such a meeting place been available to exhibitors and visitors. This year’s show was cancelled by the Commercial Vehicle Show organizers, LLP, made up of the Road Haulage Association, the Society of Motor manufacturers and Traders, the trading company of the SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). It was cancelled due to the difficult economic climate, as vehicle manufacturers found it hard to commit time, money and resources to the show in an ever slowing market.

The organizers of this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show 2010 will look for more support from exhibitors and manufacturers to ensure the shows continued success.

Citroen LCV sales soar for September…

Figures published this week show that Citroen LCV have delivered one of there best ever September results, and have virtually matched its September 2008 LCV sales volume – finishing down just 0.31% in the month year on year; Just 9 registrations!

It has also been announced that 1 in 10 LCV’s sold in September were Citroen’s. With 9.74% share of the LCV market for the month, it would appear Citroen have had a pretty good month! Citroen commercial vehicles operation manager, Robert Handyside, commented “ The September sales figures demonstrate that Citroens overall LCV package is ultra competitive in today’s van market. Citroen has the UK’s most modern LCV range – with its associated fuel efficiency and emissions benefits - which puts the Company in an extremely strong position. “

Here at Crusader Vans we are able to offer fantastic discounts across the Citroen LCV range coupled with low finance rates starting from just 2.99% flat. Follow this link or give us a call on 0800 955 5055.

Scrappage Scheme To Be Extended!!

Lord Mandelson has announced that the UK scrappage scheme which originally started in May this year has been extended to cover a further 100,000 cars and vans. The £300m initiative had been due to end in February or when the limit of 300,000 vehicles being scrapped was reached. So far 227,750 orders have been placed through the scheme at a cost of £1,000 per vehicle. The extension means a total of £400m will have been invested into the scheme. There have been a couple of other changes to the scheme, the age qualification has been changed by six months to any car registered before 29 February 2000 and the minimum age of vans being scrapped has been cut from 10 years to 8 years.

One of the problems we see with the scrappage scheme is the vehicle must have a valid MOT. Why does a vehicle that is about to be scrapped need a valid MOT!!!! However, an even bigger problem is the discount is only off the full retail price?! Perhaps the government could announce that Crusader Vans can already help save over 40% off the UK dealer list price on most makes of commercial vehicles, therefore making Crusader Vans better value for money. So forget the government scrappage scheme and vote Crusader Vans!!!

To see our current range of money saving offers click here or give us a call on 0800 955 5055.

Citroen Nemo – The UK’s ‘Greenest’ Van – 84mpg!!!

Citroen have long been at the forefront of the UK LCV market in terms of their ‘green’ credentials. This has been reinforced with their current LCV line up which includes 3 vans that fall into the sub 120g/km CO2 emission LCVs -

- C2 Enterprise van (113g/km)
- Nemo 1.4HDi SensoDrive van (116g/km)
- Nemo 1.4HDi manual 5 speed van (119g/km)

Whilst the rest of the range also boasts some impressive figures, highlighted with the Citroen Relay panel van producing from just 208g/km, its the Nemo 1.4HDi that couples its low emissions with outstanding fuel economy.

In a recent independent Fuel Marathon conducted by Total Excellium, the Citroen Nemo returned a stunning figure of 84.09 mpg over a 411 mile course which covered every major British road from motorways to city driving.

These impressive figures coupled with an impressive load capacity and some very low monthly leasing prices makes for a real winner in our eyes. To see more on the Nemo and the rest of the Citroen range click here.