New lease accounting standard on “to do” list as BVRLA chairman highlights aims and achievements for 2016

Working with our customers we are tackling driving related risk, providing tools and training to reduce accident rates.

Slowly but surely, the million plus new cars, vans and trucks we put on the road each year and the fleet management services and technology we provide with them are helping to reduce emissions and save lives.

And our impact is growing:

The BVRLA entered 2016 with its membership at a 10-year high. Our members own and operate nearly 4.5 million vehicles.

That means one in every nine cars, one in every five vans and one in every five trucks on UK roads is owned or operated by a BVRLA member.

These are the trucks taking parts to our factories and stock to our supermarkets. These are vans getting plumbers to our homes and supporting the online shopping revolution, although my wife also seems to be having a good go at this!

These are the cars transporting salesmen to their customers and tourists on their holidays.

Our industry is not very visible, but our products and services are everywhere. Without these vehicles, our economy, our society, would grind to a halt.

This is a very persuasive story, and I am pleased to say that our colleagues in Whitehall, Brussels and across the industry have never been more aware of the role we play or more receptive to our messages.

By raising awareness of your achievements and the importance of your role, we were able to secure some major wins for our industry last year:

• we managed to obtain a vital delay in the abolition of the paper counterpart to the driving licence;

• we made progress in improving the operation of the Dart Charge at the Dartford Crossing;

• we obtained a positive outcome to the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into car rental;

• and we gained an extension to the Driver CPC exemption for delivery and collection drivers.

We will continue to rely on your credentials as we focus on some of the challenges we will be tackling on your behalf in 2016:

• we will help members digest the implications of the new lease accounting standard and support you with your customers; and

• we will urge the government to carry out a wholesale review of the company car tax system;

• we will be work closely with the DVLA and DVSA to ensure that their digitised services reflect our members’ needs;

• we will enable members to thrive in an increasingly regulated world by rolling out our new Codes of Conduct and governance regime.

Simon Oliphant was speaking at the recent British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association 2016 Annual Dinner