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Unlike current data on roadworks which is often out of date and incomplete , Street Manager will generate real time data and will be free for technology companies and app developers to use .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Street Manager will replace an out-of-date and ineffective system currently in use by local authorities and utility companies , allowing them to accurately record and share data better on the 2.5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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