Motoring
Read online at www. proinstaller. co. uk
NEW DIGITAL SERVICE TO MINIMISE DISRUPTIVE ROADWORKS
The Department for Transport is investing up to £ 10 million in Street Manager, a digital planning service due to launch next year, to replace a costly and ineffective system that will make more consistent, accurate data on street works available to motorists.
Unlike current data on roadworks which is often out of date and incomplete, Street Manager will generate real time data and will be free for technology companies and app developers to use.
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more consistent, accurate data
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This will allow existing apps and providers, such as Waze and Google maps, to enhance their services making them even more accurate and allow other firms to create new products to help drivers avoid jams. It could see the latest data being shared via satnavs and app‘ push’ notifications to help motorists choose a new route.
Volkswagen transporter sets new Nürburgring lap record
A Volkswagen Transporter has set an unofficial lap record of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in the hands of HMS Racing British Touring Car driver Rob Austin.
The lap time of 9 minutes 58 seconds, beats the benchmark time set by TV presenter and professional motor racing driver Sabine Schmitz, of 10 minutes and 8 seconds, in 2005.
The production-standard Volkswagen Transporter was supplied by Northgate Vehicle Hire, the UK’ s largest van rental company, and is powered by the midrange 150 PS diesel engine.
The attempt, filmed on home soil for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, set out to beat the 10-minute barrier and the time set by Schmitz on the same track 13 years ago.
The short video chronicles Rob’ s attempts to make this landmark time during two days of testing and track attempts.
Northgate Vehicle Hire sponsors Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship( BTCC) team HMS Racing. A spokesman said:“ This feat by a professional racing driver
Street Manager will replace an out-of-date and ineffective system currently in use by local authorities and utility companies, allowing them to accurately record and share data better on the 2.5 million roadworks that take place in England each year. It will support them to collaborate on joint works and better coordinate timings so that drivers don’ t get caught up in multiple works.
www. gov. uk
was an unusual way to showcase the quality and durability of one of our most popular vans, the Volkswagen Transporter.
“ At Northgate, we believe a spirit of partnership is key to success, and we work tirelessly to ensure our customers have the right van to power their business. We’ re proud to work with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and offer its products to help meet the needs of our customers.”
www. volkswagen-vans. co. uk https:// youtu. be / CDExYy0gEzo
‘ Open and shut case’ for door specialist’ s latest Mercedes-Benz truck
A 25-year track record of reliable, cost-effective service meant that when a Shropshire-based manufacturer of bespoke, architecturally veneered doors, panels and other joinery items needed another new truck, Mercedes-Benz was the only name in the frame.
Established in 1974, Hazlin operates from headquarters in Bromfield, near Ludlow. Its highly-specified 16-tonne Atego arrived via the Kidderminster branch of Dealer Group Rygor Commercials, whose Truck Sales Executive Jeremy Price has been supplying the family-owned company’ s vehicles since the 1990s.
Hazlin was founded by Colin Jones, who is now 85 and long retired. His son Chris, who rowed for Great Britain in the World Championships of 1982,’ 82 and’ 83, joined the business
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Motoring
in 1992, when it was turning over £ 350,000. He initiated the purchase of its first Mercedes- Benz, a 310D van, the following year, and its first truck to wear a three-pointed star in 1996.
Today, with turnover up to £ 7 million, Hazlin runs eight vehicles, every one of which was supplied by Rygor Commercials. The fleet includes two more curtainside-bodied trucks, a 12-tonne Atego and a 26-tonne Actros with rear-steer axle and a roof that can be folded back, concertina-style, so product can be lifted in and out by crane. Completing the line-up are four 3.5-tonne Sprinters – three panel vans and a chassis cab – and a smaller Vito.
The trucks deliver Hazlin’ s fire, acoustic and radiation doors, vision panels and associated joinery products to construction and refurbishment sites nationwide.
www. hazlin. co. uk
Leave a positive vision behind: tips from IAM RoadSmart
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Over time our eyesight deteriorates and previously strong vision can become poor. If eyesight problems are left unaddressed they can often lead to poor reaction times to unexpected hazards or the behaviour of other road users. Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’ s head of driving and riding standards provides advice on eyesight and driving.
• Book regular check-ups. Eyesight can deteriorate over time without you noticing. If you are having to move closer to the television to read the titles clearly or have noticed even a slight deterioration with your eyes, we recommend a visit to the optician for a check-up; this should be done on a regular basis( every two years) and it’ s free for the over 60s
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• Take a break: eyes get tired too. If you are travelling for long periods of time, you should take a break every two hours or every 100 miles, whichever is sooner. This will refresh you and your eyes, keeping you alert
• Driving at night can be the most problematic area as our eyes age. No matter how eagle-eyed we may think we are, it is a scientific fact that as we get older our eyes become less sensitive to light. Avoiding night time driving is a wise precaution if you are starting to struggle to see clearly after dusk
• Keep a pair of sunglasses in the car in all seasons; low sun on a wet road will make you wish you hadn’ t packed them away after the summer
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• Know the law. You must be able to read( with glasses or contact lenses, if necessary) a car number plate made after 1 September 2001 from 20 metres. To find out more information on this visit |
the government’ s driving eyesight rules page here
• Use this to test yourself, if you struggle to read it get checked out straight away
• Stay hydrated. Water is very good in keeping you hydrated and is also good for your eyes. With the added bonus of helping you maintain concentration while driving and riding
Richard said:“ Deteriorating eyesight can often be a sign of other health problems so a check-up is a good idea. If you do have eye correction prescribed for driving make sure you use it, not having your glasses is a poor excuse when you have had a crash. And how often do you clean your glasses? Even a pristine windscreen will seem dirty if the lenses are covered in fingerprints.”
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