IoC in Manchester for the birth of a Northern govt freight group hosted by Transport for Greater Manchester TfGM. Are the Northern cities ready for logistics consolidation? Paul Davidson, (AECOM) focused on air, rail & water commenting, ‘It's difficult to engage with road freight’. Helen Smith TfGM Head of Freight ‘We want this forum to deliver, we want ideas and we want to act on them.’
Since mid-2014, the industry benchmark for wholesale diesel prices, ULSD10, has fallen by nearly 70% from around 50p per litre to a low of barely 15p per litre in January this year. The fall was so significant that there was even speculation that the Chancellor may look to cash in by increasing fuel duty to above the current rate of 57.95p per litre. Fortunately for motorists this never eventuated, however prices have since rebounded significantly in 2016 by nearly 10p per litre in less than four months - just in time for the busy summer driving season.
With exploding delivery numbers in the express delivery, shift from high street retail to home delivery expected to be half of all retail value by 2020, light van registrations up 18% in a single year and three Q4 million foot sortation sheds in middle England 2015. The next challenge is a workforce with skills to deliver the booming numbers in an evolving platform. Minister Nick Boles has delivered news set to provide a legacy, a step change in the sector, a trailblazer apprenticeship for express delivered before the end of the year, ready for levy.
IoC were back at the NEC for the month of May, Multi Modal marked the last of the big transport trade shows. Road, rail, air and sea is what makes multi in the modal title, shipping packages by water and air, networks were well showcased from pallet to part load. APC were showcased as the chosen network for PGS Global by Scott Allington.
Shadow Treasury Minister Seema Malhotra joined college principal Tracey Aust and Carl Lomas IOC chairman to cut the red ribbon and open the door to an aspiring next-generation workforce in the hot-spot of logistics - Heathrow.
The ribbon cut marked the official opening of West Thames College's new Skills and Logistics Centre at Boundaries Road, Feltham.
Carl Lomas MBE, Chair IoC was present at West Thames College today for the visit of the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Seema Malhotra MP.
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