Councils pocket £328m from parking tickets

Motorists paid £328 million in parking fines to councils in 2008/9, according to new research from the Taxpayers’ Alliance and Drivers’ Alliance.

The sum is a 16% decrease from total parking fines in 2007/8, which was £379 million. Although it is not clear why there has been such a large decrease the recession could have made motorists more cautious about incurring charges such as parking fines say the organisations.

However, the sum is three times higher than the amount raised by speed cameras and has led to accusations that drivers were being milked by local authorities which saw parking controls as a cash cow.

Peter Roberts, chief executive at the Drivers’ Alliance, said: “Parking enforcement has become a massive money making industry and we are seeing unscrupulous and target driven enforcement of parking laws where the penalties far outweigh the offence. Our report shows that some local authorities are treating drivers unfairly and cashing in on parking fines.”

Jennifer Dunn, policy analyst with the Drivers’ Alliance and the TaxPayers’ Alliance, added: “For many councils’ parking fines have become a lucrative source of income. But while revenues are being made at the cost of the motorist, taxpayers haven’t seen their council tax fall, or their local services improve. Motorists are being treated like cash cows, but the only people that appear to be benefiting are wardens and their bosses.”

But, a Department for Transport spokesman said: “Our guidance is clear that parking charges should not be used as a revenue raising measure.” (Taxpayers’ Alliance/Daily Telegraph: November 25).

GM makes pledge on German Opel sites

General Motors (GM) has said that it will not be closing any of Opel’s four plants in Germany as part of its restructuring plans.

The US carmaker also said it would be cutting between 9,000 and 9,500 jobs in Europe, slightly fewer than the 10,000 it originally estimated.

But the company gave no details about Opel and Vauxhall plants outside Germany.

Earlier this month, GM cancelled the sale of its European operations to car parts maker Magna.

GM’s interim European boss Nick Reilly has also said that the company’s European headquarters will be at Germany’s Ruesselsheim plant.

It has also been revealed that GM has paid back the remainder of the €1.5 billion bridge loan which had been granted by the German government to keep Opel afloat after its parent company filed for bankruptcy in the summer. (BBC.co.uk/Financial Times: November 25).

Mercedes and Renault join forces

Mercedes-Benz and Renault are to co-operate on a new modular small car platform and two separate engine ranges that will form the basis of a new range of Smart models and a new line of Renault city cars.

The platform is a rear-engined, rear-drive chassis already under development by Mercedes. It will be used in the next Fortwo, due in 2013, and for a replacement for the Forfour that’s scheduled to arrive in 2014.

In lightly modified form – the wheelbase and track widths are variable – the platform will also be used by Renault for a new range of entry-level models, including the Twizy electric car and a four-door based on the Zoe concept.

It is unclear whether Renault-owned Nissan, Dacia and Samsung will have access to the new platform. Nissan has been considering a new entry-level model positioned beneath the Micra, possibly to be produced at its Sunderland plant in the UK.

Mercedes and Renault are also planning to share new engines. Initially Mercedes will provide Renault with three-cylinder petrol and diesels, both with stop-start systems.

The new engines, which are said to be different to Smart’s current powerplants, have been designed specifically for the rear-drive platform. They will be fitted to a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed double-clutch transmission.

Later, the two firms will work on a range of new sub-1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. These will be used in higher-end versions of the Forfour, as well as the next A and B-classes and future generations of the Twingo, Clio, Modus, Mégane and Scenic.

Owing to the similarity in mechanical layout, it’s likely that the new Forfour will be built by Renault alongside its new four-door model, at one of its existing plants. The Fortwo will be manufactured at Smart’s plant in Hambach, France, and it could be joined there by Renault’s city car.

As part of their deal, Mercedes and Renault are also planning mild hybrid and electric versions of their new models, although at this stage it remains unclear just which company is set to head the development. (Autoindustry.co.uk: November 25).

SEAT plans a fleet revolution

SEAT’s new fleet boss Nick Andrews says he has ambitious plans to grab more market share, compete with the major fleet players and improve consideration levels for the brand among customers.

To that end, the ex-Audi man says he’s restructured the company’s fleet department and implemented a new sales and marketing plan.
He said: “We have a very clear plan over the next three years to establish SEAT as a fleet manufacturer of choice, so that people automatically consider us when they are putting together their choice lists. And we want to improve the sales volume to a 2% market share of fleet by 2012. We’re underperforming at the moment.

”Consideration levels for SEAT are nowhere near where they should be. To get there we have a fairly simple strategy. Our strategic competition is Peugeot, where we want to be on price and equipment. But we also want to improve customer loyalty, so that their experience of dealing with SEAT is absolutely industry-leading.”

Mr Andrews conceded that previously SEAT had not always served the fleet market as it should, but said that he had restructured to ensure this was no longer the case.

He explained: “Previously we had one person having to try and look after the entire leasing and rental industry, and what I’ve done is restructure the team so there are four area sales managers and they have responsibility for all fleet in their area: end user, leasing and rental.

”Also we’re investing more spend in fleet marketing, and with a dedicated fleet marketing manager. There is a growing level of fleet experience and expertise at SEAT and that means we are doing things better than perhaps we have done historically.

”We have a wholelife cost proposition that is extremely competitive, but there’s still a focus on front-end price and discount out there, so it’s up to us to show how the new diesel engines put us in a good tax position, and that in SMR and residual value terms, we are strong too.”

The company is also in the process of putting together a network of fleet-specialist dealerships as well as a dedicated business contact centre to deal with enquiries and demonstrators for fleets, leasing and rental companies. (Fleetworld.co.uk: November 25).