Expanding our fleet

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Expanding our fleet

We’ll soon be taking delivery of the latest addition to our haulage fleet.

It’s currently in the final stages of being fitted out in Colchester and is an articulated vehicle and crane with a specialised pick-up kit that will reach up to 33 metres..

The new rig is the first of its kind in our area and will enable us to lift loads of up to 10 tonnes over buildings to get loads into spaces where there is no other access.

It’s eco-friendly and will be registered and approved so it will be able to go into the new Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ).

If you have a job that needs this kind of specialist equipment why not give us a call.

The diversity of the freight haulage industry

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The diversity of the freight haulage industry

We have to know something about a wide range of conditions, businesses and products to be able to plan and work effectively for our clients.

For example, did you know that there is a slowdown in shipping for China during its New Year celebrations, when everyone has a two-week holiday?  That means there is a four-week slowdown in goods shipped from China because of the time it takes for them to get to the UK.

Then there are the effects of the still-unresolved process of the UK leaving the EU. We were super-busy before the last deadline, when businesses were stock piling materials and products to avoid disruption of supplies immediately after the expected leaving date at the end of March.  Now, of course, with the extension to October, the flow has slowed down, which gives us the capacity to take on more work.

There are many sectors for which we supply haulage services and for each we have to understand the conditions necessary to get customers’ orders to them on time and undamaged.

This includes fresh fruit and veg for superstores, which of course has to be moved both refrigerated for freshness and quickly.

Then there is glass, which we transport for another client – without breakages!

We have mentioned the supply and siting of cabins and materials for the construction industry previously.

Another industry for which we work is the UK film industry, although we cannot say a great deal about that as it is all confidential.

However, what many people do not realise is that the UK film industry is large and growing. Figures published this year by the BFI (British Film Industry) revealed that the market share for independent films had increased from 9.5% in 2017 to 11.7% in 2018. A total of 202 films was produced in 2018, at a cost of £1.924 billion.

And of course, the industry, like any other, needs supplies to be delivered on time to wherever it needs them!

Whatever the industry, we have the capacity to provide a seamless service from sorting out all the necessary permits and paperwork to collection, safe transportation and delivery, whether it’s a wide load, a high load or a container-full of stuff!

The new London vehicle charges

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The new London vehicle charges

We have a new truck that will enable us to comply with new anti-pollution legislation introduced in London!

There were just two months’ notice before Transport for London introduced the new ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone).

While it is understandable that given the publicity about the toxic atmosphere that is believed to have been causing many people, particularly children, to suffer from asthma and especially given the recent Extinction Rebellion demonstrations in the city to highlight the problems of climate change the new charges have added a cost burden to many businesses that have to drive into the zone to make deliveries

It operates within the same area as the Congestion Charge, which is payable as well. The Congestion Charge is an £11.50 daily charge for driving a vehicle within the charging zone between 07:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday. 

To be ULEZ compliant, a vehicle has to be Euro6 compliant, which means it has to have a 66 (or newer) registration, in other words be no older than September 2016.

The ULEZ charge operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. Most vehicles are subject to the daily £12.50 rate, including vans up to 3.5 tonnes, minibuses and motorcycles. However, for lorries above 3.5 tonnes the charge is £100 per day.

Failure to pay the ULEZ charge will incur significant fines. It is set at £160 (reduced to £80 if you pay within 14 days)

Many people do not realise that there is also a LEZ. The Low Emission Zone (LEZ) was set up to encourage the most polluting heavy diesel vehicles driving in the Capital to become cleaner. It covers most of Greater London and operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Charging days run from midnight to midnight – if you drive within the LEZ between 23:30 and 01:00 the next day, you’d need to pay for two days.

This website explains about the zones, charges and registering your vehicle.

Ticks new eco friendlier artic with crane

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Ticks new eco friendlier artic with crane

Mounting environmental concerns over the past decade, led by European legislation and low emission zones (LEZs) in major cities, are fuelling a new wave of green technology from truck and van manufacturers.

We are not yet at the stage where switching to alternatives like fully-electric powered or LPG vehicles is viable for hauliers, largely because there are not enough refuelling points.  For example, there are only two LPG-supplied petrol stations for HGVs between London and Birmingham.

But that doesn’t mean we hauliers can do nothing to contribute to efforts to reduce emissions and environmental pollution.

Ticks is in the process of having a new articulated crane lorry custom-built.

It will be much more fuel-efficient than older models and will also be fitted with a bigger job so that we can lift the large steel beams used in many construction sites, particularly in London.

So, in three months’ time, when we get the new vehicle, we will be able to meet the new emissions charges being introduced in April in London, and we will be able to better meet the needs of our construction industry customers working in the confined spaces of inner city London but still needing the capacity of lifting the heavy steel beams that are a feature of modern construction.

This new vehicle will be an addition to our fleet, so we will still be able to meet the needs of our existing customers.

Uncertainty about the future and planning ahead

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Uncertainty about the future and planning ahead

Time is pressing for small businesses as the uncertainty about the terms of leaving the EU continues.

Uncertainty is the last thing any business needs, especially if they are part of a supply chain across Europe and they need to ensure there will be no interruption to their business activity.

Making sure they have a continuous supply of raw materials, components and products, depending on the nature of their business, is crucial.

Yet the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) estimates that the majority of its members have as yet made no preparations or plans to deal with possible disruption to their supplies.

While larger companies have lost patience and already commissioned warehouse space or actually building additional storage, this is not really an option for the small business.

However, there is a solution for those who need additional storage space and that is our self-store facility.

There are a few limitations on what you can store for obvious safety reasons.

You cannot store food and perishable goods that could attract rodents or bacteria, for example, unless they are very securely packaged.

Similarly, you cannot store anything that could be a fire or chemical pollution hazard, so no flammable liquids such as gas, paint, petrol, oil or cleaning solvents and compressed gases and no chemical or radioactive materials.

There is space available in our self-storage facility, which is accessible 24/7 and secure, so if you need to ensure that your small business has the supplies it needs to continue operating, why not give us a call.

Getting ready for Christmas?

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Getting ready for Christmas?

Did you know that our self-storage facilities are accessible to you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?

That makes it easy if you are looking for somewhere to put the Christmas gifts!

In an age of smaller houses with less cupboard space, it is much more difficult to hide the Christmas presents from over-excited and impatient little ones.

It can be especially difficult if those gifts are large, such as that new bicycle your child has asked for.

What you can’t store

There are some items that for fire and other safety or hygiene reasons we cannot allow people to store in our units, for the sake of everyone who uses them.

They include:

Food and perishable goods unless they are securely packed. We don’t want to attract the interest of rats, mice or other organisms!

Birds, fish, animals and any other living creature.

Combustible or Flammable materials such as gas, paint, petrol, oil or cleaning solvents and compressed gases.

Explosives, firearms, weapons or ammunition.

Chemical, radioactive materials, biological agents, toxic waste, asbestos.

Any item which emits smells, odour or fumes.

Illegal substances, items or goods illegally obtained.

Storage for a short time can also be useful if you need to create space over the festive season for visiting friends and family. Just pack those ornaments and other stuff in boxes and put them in your self-store unit.

Why not call us to find out more about the costs, terms and conditions.

Self-storage to the rescue for winter and Christmas

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Self-storage to the rescue for winter and Christmas

The size of the average new-build UK home has reduced dramatically over the years and with it the space available for storage.

It is the same story with gardens, and at this time of year, when the weather is becoming colder and wetter, you may want to put the garden furniture under cover and perhaps also the lawnmower and other equipment.

Self-storage is a convenient and affordable solution for both these problems.

It will also soon be Christmas and you may need a place to store gifts away from impatient young people in order not to spoil the surprise of a new bicycle or other large gift.

Christmas is also a time when it is traditional for families to visit so the run-up to the festive season is a good time to de-clutter the house.

Again, if you need to make space for visitors but have items you may not use everyday and don’t want to get rid of altogether, self-storage is a useful option.

It is secure, dry and accessible when you need it, so why not give us a call to find out more about the cost and terms?

Possible benefits to the Haulage industry after leaving the EU?

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Possible benefits to the Haulage industry after leaving the EU?

It is not always possible for a haulage company to plan its work schedule ahead, so we need to be able to respond day by day to our customers’ needs.

Much of Ticks’ work is in collecting fresh food consignments from UK ports and delivering them quickly to our customers.

So the impact of any customs delays after Brexit is likely to be serious because if checks on consignments have to be carried out for every load, and this means waiting in queues then the supplies will be no longer fresh on delivery.

This is always assuming that the ports have the space and the extra manpower that will be needed to carry out the checks.

Then there is the issue of what to do about those “unaccompanied containers” which have been sealed and certificated at their origin and are then shipped across countries, loaded off trailers on one side of the Channel then onto a local haulier’s trailer on the other. This depends on all the countries through which the goods may have to pass accepting the same certification.

Registration of both trucks and drivers may also be affected, which may mean drivers not being to travel freely across borders.

However, these problems have all been well rehearsed by drivers, ports authorities and those bodies that represent the haulage industry, such as the RHA (Road Haulage Association) and the FTA (Freight Transport Association).

But is it possible there could be benefits for the Haulage Industry if it becomes more difficult to cross countries’ borders?

It may mean that European Haulage Companies will prefer not to send drivers all the way to the UK, resulting in increased business for UK-based hauliers picking up the goods and transporting them to their final destinations.

That may mean that there will be more job opportunities for UK citizens to join the haulage industry.

It may also mean that there will be fewer of the sometimes-huge continental trucks and trailers on UK roads, which may also bring improvements in traffic flows.

Obviously it is hard to predict what the consequences of Brexit will be without more detail on the final agreements, but given the expertise and responsiveness of the UK’s haulage industry and their ability to respond quickly to customer requirements, there may be more positive benefits than we are yet seeing discussed.

Safety and security is important in the haulage industry

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Paying attention to safety and security is important in the haulage industry

Transporting goods is not simply about getting consignments to and from their destinations on time.

A HGV is a large, heavy and therefore potentially lethal vehicle if not driven carefully, so in addition to ensuring that consignments are securely looked after, we also have to be mindful of the safety and security of all those who are on the roads when we are and also during loading and unloading at the depots.

So our lorries are checked regularly and kept in good, roadworthy condition. We also check our drivers’ licenses every six months, to ensure they are permitted and safe to drive and not a danger to other road users.

All our drivers are also fully trained on fork lift trucks, an important consideration when they are unloading in busy yards.

When it comes to the security of consignments from other countries, all shipments must have a CRM contract.  CMR stands for ‘Convention Relative au Contrat de Transport International de Marchandises par la Route’ it is the consignment note and it must specify the rights and obligations of all those involved: the shipper, the carrier and the addressee.

There are usually four copies of the CMR note, one of which travels with the consignment all the way to its destination and the information it must include is:

  • the date and place at which the CMR note has been completed
  • The name and address of sender, carrier(s) and consignee (the person to whom the goods are going)
  • A description of the goods and their method of packing – this should be acceptable to both consignor and consignee (however, for security reasons, you do not always want the carrier to be able to identify valuable goods)
  • the weight of the goods
  • any charges related to the goods, such as customs duties or carriage charges
  • instructions for customs and any other formalities such as dangerous goods information

In addition, we have to have special CMR insurance cover that enables us to carry cargo legally within European nations. While it is a legal requirement it also helps protect us in case of damage or loss or theft of the goods. 

All in all we do everything we can to make sure that not only are the goods we’re transporting are safe but also the people involved.