DAF seeks forbearance of UK emissions and safety schemes 05 December 2014

"Give us the problem, and we will solve it for everyone. We all applaud schemes such as FORS, CLOCS, SLS and the London Low Emission Zone, but let us deal with emissions, protecting vulnerable road users, etc."

So says Ray Ashworth, managing director of DAF Trucks, commenting on the growing number of schemes that require truck adaptations aimed at improving safety and environmental emissions.

"We don't want to design trucks fit for individual cities or industries: we want to design trucks fit for the whole of the UK."

And he issues the same plea to the European Commission, currently working on new regulations, designed to allow extended crumple zones on the front of truck cabs and allow for improved aerodynamics.

"Don't design the trucks for us. We can do that, if you give us the space. And if the problem is carbon emissions, in the UK we need to solve the congestion issue as a priority before aerodynamics."

Beyond potentially overbearing compliance, though, Ashworth also worries about the changing commercial reality, spearheaded by evident consolidation among operators, bodybuilders, parts companies – and even OEMs on the horizon.

For him, the picture of reducing competition is not a healthy one.

That said, Ashworth predicts an improving truck market next year, with some growth up to 40,000 units (above 12 tonnes) in 2015 and on to 43,000 by 2016 "which will be the new norm".

DAF's market share for 2014 will be around 27% and the company has already shipped nearly 9,000 Euro 6 trucks year-to-date, of which 6,500 have now been registered.

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
DAF Trucks Ltd

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