Driver development training - Aggregate Levy Sustainability Fund (ALSF)
Introduction
The Government is funding the training of driving instructors and drivers to develop their skills at 'Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving' or SAFED. This note summarises how the scheme operates and what is available.
Background
The Aggregates Levy reduces demand for primary aggregates by increasing their cost and makes the use of recycled and secondary materials more viable.
The Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund uses some of the revenue from the Aggregate Levy to further address the environmental impacts associated with quarrying operations (noise, dust, visual intrusion, loss of amenity and damage to biodiversity).
The Fund is spent through various agencies including the Department for Transport. For 2005/7 up to £1.8million of ALSF funding has been allocated to driver development training to reduce the fuel consumed during the road transport of aggregates.
Eligible drivers and instructors
Drivers are eligible if 25% or more of their work involves transporting qualifying aggregates. They might typically work for a quarry operator, logistics company, an aggregates consumer or be an owner driver. Qualifying aggregate is that which has paid the levy or recycled aggregate that is substituting material that would have paid the levy. Instructors are eligible if they intend to train eligible drivers.
For example cementous pulverised ash, power station waste, is ineligible if used in place of cement which is exempt from the levy. If it is used in place of crushed rock it would qualify to bid for assistance.
Who can apply
Anyone within the supply chain for qualifying aggregates can apply through the programme manager or their network of local training providers. Training is to develop existing drivers and not for license acquisition.
Benefits
The DfT has previously funded a programme of similar training to demonstrate and evaluate the benefits. Across England 375 instructors and over 6000 drivers were trained. On the day they achieved an average improvement of 10% in terms of fuel consumption. A series of case studies have been published and are available free of charge. These used data from real companies employing SAFED trained drivers and confirmed long term fuel savings typically of 5%. Other benefits are less easy to quantify but should include less driver stress, reduced accident risks, reduced accident repair costs, less wear and tare particularly on the drive line and brakes.
Over time these benefits have the potential to increase the immediate benefits of the fuel savings with lower insurance premiums and higher residual values for the trucks. The fuel saving alone is likely to be worth over £1000 in the first year alone.
To access the project report summarising the earlier SAFED demonstration and an evaluation of the benefits achieved for the 6375 drivers trained click here.
Timing
It depends on demand and the availability of instructors how soon a driver can be trained. The training itself normally takes a full day. It is desirable for a driver to be trained on their work vehicle, but if it is not available the instructor will try to provide a suitable alternative. This will involve a small charge and drivers from larger businesses are also subjected to a modest contribution.
Contact details
For further information:
SAFED Aggregates Helpline: 0800 783 7434
Web: www.safedaggregates.org.uk/
Email: info@safedaggregates.org.uk
Publications
The DfT also funds a best practice programme to research, publish and disseminate advice to help operators and drivers reduce their fuel consumption. This helps the environment whilst improving their competitiveness and publications especially relevant are:
The Safe And Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED) guide which outlines the elements of the one-day training course.
Companies and drivers benefit from SAFED: 15 case studies from operators in different sectors who undertook SAFED training and the long-term benefits they are achieving.
For a free copy of these, or any other best practice publications, contact:
Tel. 0845 602 1425
Web: www.freightbestpractice.org.uk
Email: Transportenergy@fabermaunsell.com
