Carl Lomas, Chairman Inst of Couriers and Chairman of Transport for Greater Manchester Urban delivery group with Lord Mandelson, Chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University for the 2017 graduation.
Postgraduate research in final mile e-retail, express delivery, Lomas collected a postgrad certificate from MMU based on two academic paper drafts on final mile express that are a project with Dr David Lascelles & Prof Tony Hines of MMU.
Whistl has made a big impression on the UK mail market since it began operating thirteen years ago and has grown to a £600 million business now managing the sortation and delivery of mail and parcels in the UK and internationally. From bills to statements to advertising leaflets and brochures – one thing is for sure, the mail market is in good shape.
Carl Lomas IOC chair joined Whistl CEO Nick Wells and board members for a VIP tour of the company’s new super depot in Bolton which opened this week. The size of the giant whistle that greats you at the front door is an indication of the size and ambition for this new super depot and the role it will play in the ambitious growth plans the company has for the future.
Police drop DX investigation as CEO Petar Cvetkovic steps down and re-structure takes place.
The City of London Police have dropped their investigation into DX last week but this week DX Group reported that the net debt at the end of what the company described as an ‘exceptionally challenging year’ is expected to be £19 million, revenues are expected to be just short of 300 million for the year to June 2017. CEO Petar Cvetkovic, and finance director Daljit Basi announcement went public that they would step down from board, taking place with immediate effect. DX reported James Hayward, FCA, to become interim CFO.
National audience with TfL to TfGM Manchester,
Highways England talk national specs to include FORS.
Fleet operator recognition scheme was hosted at the Tarmac HQ in Birmingham with a Friday fish and chip lunch to finish a productive morning. IOC chair Carl Lomas was at the table to talk vans and light vehicles. It’s like a kite mark, there are no furry dice and it’s not a membership. Born in TfL, the national players such as Highways England ask you to have FORS before tendering for transport delivery.
- FORS create light vehicle van working group
- Webinars to explain FORS begin August 7th
- 17% increase in gold members
- What are the benefits of FORS beyond tendering, a positive discussion continues.
A growing number of IoC fellows have the FORS recognition for light vehicle fleets. FORS practitioner qualification is also embedded into the Apprenticeship Trailblazer degree apprenticeship.
Govt taskforce meeting the demand for skilled people in transport.
Apprenticeships in Transport taskforce at 55 Broadway with the Minister, Mike Brown & john Holland-Kaye with govt dept heads.
The Strategic Transport Apprenticeship Taskforce (STAT) The report title: Transport Infrastructure Skills Strategy met in the July sunshine of Wed 12th july. A one year on showcase of the progress so far that is truly multi-modal - road, rail and air.
Institute of Couriers fellows with Honda CX 80's courier bike for commercial final mile delivery in the City.
Institute of Couriers President Lord Falkland was at the celebrations of the five hundredth year of the ancient guild ceremony of Cartmarking. A bumper turnout of Institute fellows, guests and IOC heads of industry talked shop and discussed the future of the transport & logistics sector in Guildhall Yard; Taylor report on modern employment, clean air LoCity, congestion and collaboration in the City of London all on the menu.
IoC Courier bike gets 500 year Carmen signs in Transaid line-up at National Motorcycle Museum.
Gary Forester, CEO of Transaid and Mike Daly welcomed Carl Lomas and the IoC working courier bike to the National motorbike Transaid run at the Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham. Carl Lomas had the Carmen oak board ready to show the Lord Mayor's approval for the bike to ply trade in the City of London. ‘This is a proper working bike!’ commented Lomas.
Rob Flello, former Labour MP for Stoke on Trent South and ex-head of all-party freight group comments.
Now that the dust has settled on the General Election - even if the repercussions are still being felt throughout Westminster and beyond - I wanted to write to thank all of the attendees of the Group for your valuable input to our meetings over the years. Your support and friendship have been very much appreciated; Thank You. I also wanted to say a special thank you to Jon Beech for his technical input over a very long time and to the trade associations for providing the invaluable administrative support to the Group.
As you know, I didn’t retain my Parliamentary seat in Stoke-on-Trent South and so I am unable to take the Freight Group forward in Parliament. At this stage I don’t know whether a willing volunteer will come forward to carry on the Group’s work but I do hope the real progress with raising the profile of logistics within Westminster can continue. Watch this space!
For my part I am now concentrating on a new career doing consultancy and advocacy work bringing to bear my knowledge of the freight sector, the operation of government and the Houses of Parliament more generally, as well as business know-how from my life before Westminster. I very much hope our paths will cross before too long and please always feel free to get in touch. My new email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London launched his draft transport policy for consultation June 21st
Today the Mayor launches his draft Transport Strategy and he would like to hear your views on it.
It sets out his vision and ambitious plan to reshape transport in London over the next 25 years to create a better city for all Londoners.
For London to function well and be a great place to live, work and visit, the way people move around will need to change. The draft new Transport Strategy sets out a comprehensive and bold new approach to change the way people choose to travel in the capital. Through investment in healthy streets, public transport and measures to reduce the reliance on cars the aim is that by 2041 80 per cent of all trips in London will be made on foot, by cycle or by public transport.
The document can be found here on the IoC web, starting policy number one,
- London faces a number of growing challenges to the sustainability of its transport system. To re-examine the way people move about the city in the context of these challenges, it is important that they have been correctly identified.
The Mayor would like to hear your views on his draft Transport Strategy which details the policies and proposals to deliver on this vision. To fill in the stakeholder consultation questionnaire go to: tfl.gov.uk/mayors-transport-strategy
Alternatively, if you would prefer to respond in greater detail you can send a written submission by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by post to FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS. There are questions at the end of each chapter to provide a guide to key areas for more detailed responses and these are also attached for your information.
The public consultation will be open until 2 October 2017.
Top level TFL briefing: Ultra Low emission zone ULEZ will arrive 17 months early.
It begins April 2019 – Tim Ward TFL, ‘working with you we can improve air quality.’
IOC chairman Carl Lomas was with Tim Ward TFL for the ULEZ briefing. Tim welcomed the freight sector to the TFL 55 Broadway building in SW1, originally the ten floors rising from St James tube station was the tallest tower block in London. Buildings, like emissions, have moved on. It was an energetic and operator-engaged discussion as the ULEZ date races forward.
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