Campervans to be banned in New Zealand?

Members of the Otago Conservation Board are concerned about the amount of litter found in their scenic tourist hot-spots are are willing to do anything to overcome the problem. That believe that Camper van driving visitors are to blame for the roadside litter and they have banded together to put it to an end.



The board thinks that 'freedom campers' should be banned if they are not willing to clean up after themselves. They have "voted unanimously to draft a letter to their Department of Conservation superiors calling for the Government to ban campervans." It has also been suggested that companies offering van hire should be made legally responsible for the actions of their customers.

This seems outrageous to me, if the campervan contains a bin it is up to those driving it to use it. Why should van hire be banned rather than action taken against those who litter?

Used Van Prices Continue to Rise

The average resale price of used vans has continued to rise as the new vans market struggles to cope with the recession. The commercial vehicles industry is reliant on small business spending and as such has been effected by the recent economic problems. As new van sales reduce the demand for good quality used vans increases and those who are selling are able to command a higher price.



A recent survey by British Car Auctions has found that the average van is now sold for £3,902 up from £3,858 in October. This is a small rise but it shows an upward trend that is bad news for the commercial vehicles sector.

"Year-on-year values are now ahead by an astounding £1,089 - the biggest margin on record, reflecting the strong performance in November 2009 and just how weak the LCV sector was in November 2008."
Duncan Ward of BCA.

The decrease in new van sales is also providing an increase in van hire revenues. Both long term leases and short term cheap van hire are set to benefit from the stalling market as they arguably offer better value for money than buying a new van. The economic benefits of van rental are clear to anybody who has had an unreliable used van, with van hire the commitment is short and there is no drop in value.

Vans: Not Just for Van Drivers

A recent survey by commercial vehicles manufacturer Vauxhall has found that more drivers than ever are happy to get behind the wheel of a van. 81% of those questioned who had taken advantage of van rental 'believed driver safety had been well-catered for'. 90% were happy with the level of comfort provided.

"It's really pleasing to see that attitudes about vans are changing, we've always been committed to enhancing the performance, comfort and the safety of our vehicles."

It is not clear from the press release if people's expectations had been exceeded but the results are certainly positive. Van usage seems to have crossed over to the point where those who have not previously driven a light commercial vehicle are willing to give it a try. Van rental seems to be an increasingly popular alternative to hiring a van plus driver.

Removal companies are presumably not happy about the increase in people hiring vans to transport their belongings. There is money to be saved however and in a difficult economy that means a lot.

Perhaps this is due to an increase in comfort and safety levels for commercial vehicles or perhaps it is just because more people have tried driving a van now. apparently 40% of drivers have now driven a van. We will be a nation of white van drivers before too long!

Should Smoking be Banned in all Rental Vehicles?

Last month car rental company Avis banned smoking in all of their vehicles in order to cut down on cleaning costs. They said that customers were increasingly asking for smoke free cars and most objected to being able to smell the previous customer's cigarettes. Smoking has been banned in countless places over the last few years isn't it about time is was completely banned in hire cars?

Personally I would complain if I were to rent a hire car or hire van and find that it smelled like an ashtray. I'm no doctor so I'm not sure if there are any health risks associated with passive smoking once the smoke has disapated but I wouldn't want to risk it. At the very least those who wish to smoke in their hire car should have to pay extra for cleaning.

I don't believe in the erossion of people's civil liberties but when it comes to smoking I have very little sympathy. Making it harder for people to smoke is a positive thing and encourages people not to put their health at risk.