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'Don't panic buy' motorists urged
Drivers are being urged to buy only the fuel they need as more than 600 tanker drivers begin a four-day strike.
Last-minute talks aimed at resolving the dispute ended without agreement when the Unite union rejected an improved pay offer.Shell said it had contingency plans in place but admitted some of its 1,000 petrol stations might run out of fuel.Unite said the improved pay offer from Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, who employ the drivers, was "not sufficient".The employers said their latest offer would take drivers' average earnings to about £41,500, up from the current average salary of £36,500."We extended our offer to the very limits that our business could sustain," said Bernie Holloway from Hoyer UK. 'Significant impact' Union members are expected to set up picket lines outside a number of Shell sites at oil terminals around the UK.These include Stanlow in Merseyside, Avonmouth, Plymouth, Pembroke, Cardiff, Kingsbury, Basildon, Grangemouth, Aberdeen, Inverness, Jarrow and Luton Airport. Unite said it expected the knock-on effect to be felt almost immediately. Shell, which runs one in ten of the UK's petrol stations acknowledged that the impact would be "significant". But the UK Petrol Industry Association (UKPIA), which represents oil refiners, maintained that stocks at forecourts across the UK were at normal levels and most garages would have around four days of supplies. There have been reports this week of higher-than-usual demand at petrol stations. UKPIA estimated that demand for fuel was 30% higher than average for the time of year. But a spokesperson said this was something the industry could easily cope with and and that motorists appeared to be behaving sensibly. Sharing information The government said it would try to minimise the impact of the industrial action on motorists and business."As a contingency, and on the advice of the fuel industry itself, we sanctioned the fuel industry to prepare for a jointly managed approach to resolving distribution and logistical challenges," a government spokesperson said.The government has allowed fuel companies to share information in order to get supplies of petrol and diesel to where they are needed during the strike, while remaining within the scope of competition law. It also has the option of using a number of "emergency response tools" in the event of any fuel shortages. These include: * Limiting the amount of fuel that retail customers are allowed to buy at any one time * Prioritising the supply of fuel to ensure adequate supplies to the emergency services and other key services such as utility companies * Encouraging motorists to use less fuel A government spokesperson said, however, that these emergency powers had not been put in place. "Our response will remain proportionate to the situation," the spokesperson said. Porsche set to buy control of VW Porsche has said it will take a controlling stake in Volkswagen, in a deal that is potentially worth almost 10bn euros ($15.2bn, £7.7bn).
Strong influence But Porsche says it is not planning to merge with Volkswagen."Our aim is to create one of the strongest and most innovative automobile alliances in the world, which is able to measure up to the increased international competition," Porsche chief executive Wendelin Wiedeking said.Porsche has argued that it needs a strong influence at VW, which makes components for a third of Porsche cars.Regulators will look at the deal over the next few months.Porsche's move was made possible by a ruling by Europe's highest court last year, which rejected a German law that limited shareholdings in VW.Volkswagen's second biggest shareholder, the state of Lower Saxony, said it would keep its 20% stake.The German government is debating a law that would help Lower Saxony and workers maintain their influence at Volkswagen, which is one of the nation's biggest employers. Illegal Ivory Trade export to Asia and End Users TTimes World Report The collection ivory in many African countries for export to Asian countries with the biggest market is mainland China, these export end up in products ranging from priced gift items to technology products including priced vintage cars. Its report will be presented to next month's meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), where wildlife campaigners hope it will put pressure on governments whose countries are used by the traffickers. "The Asian market is the key. It is thriving again in Thailand, and a lot of Chinese businesses have moved into Africa, for example timber companies, which means more ivory is coming out," she told the BBC News website. Raw ivory and trinkets made from it on sale in an Angolan market It clearly identifies the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon and Nigeria as the main sources of illegal ivory. "These three countries are major conduits for trafficking illegal ivory from the region to international markets, particularly in Asia." The number of seizures fell between 1990 and 1995, but there has been a rising trend since then. China is identified as the single biggest market, though Traffic says enforcement has improved markedly in the last five years. In Africa, the conservation group singles out Ethiopia as a country which has effectively implemented the action plan drawn up by Cites four years ago, clamping down on its domestic ivory market, its only hoped that many of these other African countries will follow the example of Ethiopia. GM to Release Fuel Efficient SUV TTimes World Report Later this year, General Motors will offer a fuel-efficient SUV called the Yukon. The new model will be the only seven-passenger vehicle available as a hybrid, powered by gasoline and electricity. GM Joseph White, Detroit bureau chief of The Wall Street Journal will be talking to reporters, about GM's fuel-efficient SUV. This move is coming after a period of much struggle for the auto maker, as Toyota and other foreign brands have taking away much of the market share of the automaker. This move is long overdue one analyst said, you almost wondered if they were going to ever make any positive move. The efficiency vehicle will be the first for GM and certainly the first in the these class of vehicles available out there in the market. July 2006 - American Edition - Cars What’s new: 2006-2007 The buzzword at this year’s auto shows has been “crossovers,” or car-based SUVs that are similar to tall wagons. Automakers are turning to them because they generally have nicer road manners, demonstrate more secure handling, and provide better fuel economy than truck-based SUVs. Audi, Ford, Jeep, and Lincoln are all introducing new car-based SUVs in the next year. Notable redesigns include the Toyota Camry, which includes a hybrid version, the Lexus LS luxury sedan, and a more modern Jeep Wrangler. New vehicles on the horizon include the Volkswagen Eos convertible, the compact Volvo C30 hatchback, and a wave of small hatchbacks from Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550 Where else can you get the Aktion Gesunder Rücken's seal of approval? BY JOHN PHILLIPS PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG JAREM Tally all the engine possibilities and it’s accurate to say that Mercedes-Benz currently offers—whoa!—43 models. Ask the average schmo on the street to name the most famous, and he might say, “McCambridge,” or he might say, “Gullwing,” but he’ll probably say, “S-class.” For more than 50 years, S-class Benzes have been the most succulent sausages in the Teutons’ tray of vehicular sauerkraut. For 2007, the S-class lineup has been simplified. No more short- and long-wheelbase cars, just the 124.6-inch edition, 3.1 inches more majestic than its predecessor. The lineup now comprises the S550 tested here, whose $86,175 base price is actually $1650 shy of its S500 forebear’s, followed in April by a 510-horse V-12 S600, with a sticker close to $130,000. An all-wheel-drive S550 4MATIC should arrive in November, and the inevitable AMG variants will manifest when AMG and every F1 driver on the planet are damn well ready. |
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