Fix Radio unveils the impact of the ULEZ expansion on tradespeople

As the ULEZ expansion is just under two months away from coming into force, tradespeople are set to be among those worst hit by the new regulation. Research from the Federation of Master Builders has shown that increases to transportation costs, such as rising parking fees over the last 18 months, has forced 80% of tradespeople in the capital to increase their prices. Now, new national research revealed by Fix Radio has shown that the ULEZ expansion will have a direct and detrimental impact on close to a quarter of all construction businesses in Greater London, with another 21% saying that increased transportation costs has made travelling into cities with their van an impossibility, increasing to 23% in London. The business landscape for sole traders and small businesses in the construction sector is facing increasing turbulence after the lockdown boom just a few years ago. Fix Radio found that almost a quarter of tradespeople have had to increase their prices as a result of inflation but are ultimately losing work as a result. This has heightened fears about the impact this will have on tradespeople who face a £12.50 daily fee for vehicles not meeting minimum requirements - equivalent to more than £3,100 a year. The research also unveiled that 23% of tradespeople in Greater London say that taxpayers facing higher rates on vans for private use have already had a detrimental impact on their business. To combat these increasing costs, a £110m scrappage scheme has been launched to help fund the purchase of new vehicles that are ULEZ-compliant. Under this fund, sole traders and tradespeople working for a micro-business have been granted extra provisions of between £5,000-£9,000 to help transition to a low-polluting or EV alternative. However, for tradespeople, this allocation covers a mere fraction of what would be required to swap their vehicle. A report commissioned by Transport for London, estimated that 30,000 non-compliant vans currently use the ULEZ expansion area every day, despite the fact there are only 23,803 vans that meet the new requirements for sale in the UK. The cost of steep parking fee rises, and 'green' motoring charges forces builders, plumbers and electricians in London spend £70 on average and a total of £140 a day including operating costs. According to Pier Consulting, with the average day rates and the additional ULEZ charges is now leaving tradespeople facing a loss of 21 workdays. Some have reported on Fix Radio that their daily costs have been as expensive as £300 to work in the capital. Clive Holland, Broadcaster on Fix Radio, discusses the effect of the ULEZ expansion on tradespeople, “I have to say from a personal point of view I think through the pandemic our industry was asked to continue to build which we did. Without the construction industry, the UK economy would collapse - you've seen a lot of strikes recently but if tradespeople ever decided to strike it would cause significant issues throughout the UK. Tradespeople haven’t had the pat on the back that they deserve for helping through the pandemic and putting themselves in dangerous situations. “When the ban on red diesel came, the ULEZ extension, the general taxation of vehicles and the electric vans requirement, they are all burdens to tradespeople which seriously affects their income. It is not only happening in London, it's happening in cities around the UK including Birmingham and Bath, the tradesperson who is going about their daily job, I think is being victimised. Particular at this time with Brits battling inflation and recession, it means that customers are turning down jobs because they can’t afford it and tradespeople are encountering extra fees, such as the ULEZ charge which makes jobs less desirable."

Amy Lister named JTL’s National Apprentice of the Year 2023

JTL has named Malvern-based apprentice Amy Lister as the winner of JTL’s National Apprentice of the Year Award for 2023. This year’s annual awards ceremony took place at the Victory Services Club in London. After being crowned a Regional Electrical Award winner for her academic and practical progress earlier this year, Amy went on to compete against 11 other regional award winners at JTL’s annual awards ceremony. As part of the selection process, it was agreed by its senior team that she should be named the overall winner in recognition of her excellent work as an apprentice at Goodridge Electrical. As the recipient of the award, Amy was presented with an engraved glass trophy and £1,000 cheque. The purpose of the awards is to recognise its highest achieving apprentices in the building services engineering sector and to celebrate their success. Candidates are nominated based on their outstanding performance throughout the four years of their training. Chris Claydon, Chief Executive at JTL, says, “Our national awards are all about recognition for the hard work and achievements of our learners as well as the dedicated people that have supported them during their apprenticeship. After hearing about Amy’s journey, it’s clear that she is a fantastic role model for all of our learners here at JTL as someone who embodies hard work, drive and tenacity.” Amy says on receiving the award, “I was completely shocked when I heard my name announced as the winner of the National Apprentice of the Year. All of the finalists have been on a great journey and it’s brilliant that JTL hosts these awards to recognise everyone. The process has made me reflect on where I’ve come from and the challenges that I’ve faced. It’s been a great experience!” The award scheme sees each finalist assessed against four key elements which make up the apprenticeship framework – their practical work onsite, theoretical knowledge, key skills and industrial test scores.

bp invests €7.5m in Service4Charger

bp ventures has invested €7.5m in the Service4Charger GmbH, a Berlin-based EV charging service provider. It is leading Service4Charger’s €10m Series A funding round, which includes participation of €2.5m from Smart Energy Innovationsfonds. Service4Charger's in-house trained and digitally equipped electrical engineers, ‘Mobile Heroes’, focus on the installation and maintenance of charging stations for electric cars throughout Germany, for various charging scenarios, such as charging in fleet depots, at public charging stations and at home. It has grown to a team of over 85 employees and is already represented in 25 cities, from Aachen to Berlin and from Hamburg to Munich. Lucas Althammer, CEO of Service4Charger, says, “The new capital will enable Service4Charger to expand into additional markets and add more local operational staff and Service4Charger mobile heroes to our team across Germany. In this way, we are doing our part to expand the charging infrastructure for e-vehicles, which is critical to the transition to a lower-carbon European economy. We welcome the funding from, and collaboration with, bp and its German brand, Aral, as well as Energie360°, as we work together to drive the electrification of mobility." In May 2023, fully electric cars represented 17.3% of all new registrations in Germany. The EU is targeting 30m EVs on the road by 2030. Highly skilled electrical engineers are needed to ensure charging infrastructure can be rolled out at required pace to match the demand and maintained to avoid charge point downtime. Gareth Burns, Vice President of bp ventures, adds, "As bp pulse rolls out EV charging, it is essential that we have the right skill sets and expertise to make charging installations an efficient process and to service our growing network of EV charge points. The investment into Service4Charger brings bp a collaboration that can enable rapid and reliable installation and servicing of EV charge points in Germany.” Electric vehicle charging is one of bp's transition growth engines. Today, bp offers 22,000 EV charging points and aims to have more than 100,000 worldwide by 2030. Germany, where its e-mobility business operates is a central pillar of its EV offering, with around 1,500 ultrafast charging points across the country. To date, bp ventures has invested more than $1bn in seven regions, including 14 mobility investments. Since 2022, Service4Charger and bp have been working together to electrify Aral pulse fleet customers in Germany and plan to further expand their collaboration.

Be.EV to create Greater Manchester’s ultra-rapid EV hub

Manchester’s Sale Water Park is set to receive a new charging hub in a £1m deal with EV charging network, Be.EV. Sixteen charger bays will go live at the 152 acre parkland and lake, making it the largest ultra-rapid charging hub in Greater Manchester. It is the latest project in the company’s wider collaboration with Trafford Borough Council, which has already seen more than 41 chargers go live across the region. It means that drivers will be able to charge their cars from 20% to 80% in as little as 20 minutes. The site will be equipped with Kempower chargers that feature load balancing abilities. The chargers can intelligently distribute energy supply between vehicles according to capacity and demand, meaning if one car reaches the maximum amount of power on one charger, any residual energy supply can be reassigned to another vehicle connected on-site. Visitors will benefit from the installation, with kayakers, swimmers, dog walkers and sailors able to charge their vehicle whilst out on the water or grabbing a bite to eat at the Treetops Café or Boathouse Grill restaurant. Located two minutes from the M60, Trafford residents and commuters will also be able to access the site around the clock, with the site able to charge over 380 cars on any given day. With 1.2MW of power being delivered across the charging bays, the project is a step forward for the council in its mission to enable more public to join the EV movement. It will retain ownership of the site and the chargers will be owned, installed and maintained by Be.EV, who will provide Trafford Council with a share of the site's profits. Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, says, “The site is also a testament to Trafford Council’s ambition to have a real impact on Greater Manchester and take the necessary steps towards a net zero future. We are proud to be at the forefront of the EV transition alongside them. They are exemplary partners in the creation of a reliable and sustainable transport network. We look forward to continuing our partnership.” Cllr Aidan Williams, Executive Member for Climate Change at Trafford Council, says, “Since the Council declared a climate emergency in 2018, we have committed to a range of activities in an effort to achieve zero carbon status for the borough as soon as possible. “This includes the delivery of projects that encourage people to make more journeys by bike, on foot or using public transport. However, we fully understand that this is not always possible and that it’s vital we support people to have cleaner, greener vehicles. “Becoming home to the largest ultra-rapid charging point in Greater Manchester shows how serious Trafford is about electric travel. Ensuring the charging infrastructure is in place is a key component in making electric vehicle use a viable option for people in the borough.”

Sustainable energy and lighting upgrades must not be overlooked

Powercor is warning against neglecting the necessary transition to sustainable energy solutions and modern LED lighting systems, in response to a recent report highlighting that an estimated 700,000 children are being taught in unsafe or ageing school buildings in England. The report by the National Audit Office throws into focus the deteriorating condition of school buildings amid reports of sewage leaks and the presence of asbestos. “This is a really challenging situation for schools but we firmly believe decision makers must continue their transition to sustainable energy and improved lighting solutions,” says Chris Wright, CEO, Powercor. With solar energy systems able to pay back the original investment in fewer than three years in some instances, schools have the opportunity to neutralise their energy costs in a relatively short period of time and free up cash for further infrastructure investment. “The government has allocated money for sustainable energy solutions, but the amounts involved do not cover everything that’s needed,” continues Chris. “In the case of solar, schools need to add battery storage to their arrays to store energy for future usage but for most schools this isn’t possible with the money they have.” LED lighting is another important consideration for schools. “Many studies have proven that lighting can affect mental health and education outcomes,” says Chris. “Not only that but high-energy T5 and T8 fluorescent tubing lamps will be being banned in the UK from 2023, leaving many schools in a tricky situation when existing tube lighting fails.”  

SELECT announces new associate members

SELECT has welcomed three major new enterprises to its growing Associate Membership Scheme as it continues to attract an impressive line-up of market-leading manufacturers and organisations. Schneider Electric, Robus LED Group and CompEx have all joined the 25 existing associates who have built mutually beneficial relationships with its member businesses over the past 18 months. The three new associate members will now be able to engage with SELECT’s experts and members, enjoy access to a wealth of services and benefits, and work with the organisation to share the latest ideas and in-depth knowledge to the advantage of the wider industry. Iain Mason, Director of Membership and Communications at SELECT, says, “Everyone at SELECT is delighted that enterprises of the size and stature of Schneider Electric, Robus and CompEx have joined our Associate Membership scheme. “Becoming an associate is an opportunity for partner organisations to build stronger relationships with key players in the electrical contracting industry, and also to ally themselves with an established and successful trade body.” SELECT, which represents around 1,250 electrical firms and 15,000 contractors across the country, launched the scheme early in 2022 to help develop a mutually complementary network of industry-specific partners. Mr Mason adds, “Since its launch, the scheme has proved extremely popular and has allowed associates to speak to our members both through our print and digital channels and also face-to-face at the many events we run across Scotland throughout the year. “It has also strengthened our own relationship with some of the industry’s most renowned names and allowed us to develop and grow events such as our Toolbox Talks, President’s Cup and President’s Lunch.” David Pownall, Vice President of Services at Schneider Electric UK & Ireland, says, “We have had a long and fruitful association with SELECT over the years, including sponsoring organisation awards, and we are proud to be included in an Associate Membership scheme which brings so many benefits to the electrical industry.”

Latest LMI published by TESP shares new skills insights

New Labour Market Intelligence published by The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership has shown an increased focus on low carbon activities and an increase in expected demand for qualified electricians and apprentices. The detailed LMI study, carried out by research expert, Pye Tait, and funded by industry charity, NET, has provided up-to-date information on the electrotechnical sector in terms of its size, workforce demography, challenges and opportunities that it faces. With a total workforce of around 276,000, best case scenario calculations estimate that around 33,000 additional workers are needed by 2027. Of those employers questioned, 54% and 49% respectively expect demand for qualified electricians and apprentices to increase over next two to three years. There has been more work associated with net zero carbon agenda compared to 2020, with an increased number of businesses undertaking related activities such as heat pump installations (15% in 2023 vs 7% in 2020), Micro renewables (18% vs 12%), grid-sized renewables (11% vs 6%) and electrical performance certification (23% vs 3%). When looking at which technologies are likely to have most significant impact over the next three years, responses included energy efficiency management (38%), EV or vehicle to grid infrastructure (31%), automation (21%) and network/wi-fi enabled devices (20%). 53% foresee no challenges in adopting new technology, up from 19% in 2018-19, indicating increased business confidence. However, the hardest roles to fill were cited as supervisors (73%), apprentices (53%), and directors/managers (50%). The highest volumes of hard-to-fill roles are skilled electricians and apprentices. Main future challenges that employers highlight include labour pool and skills shortages, new technologies, net zero targets and rising costs. Barriers to net zero technology adoption include lack of available training, upskilling costs and insufficient government guidance and funding. Drawing together all findings in the report, Pye Tait states that the two largest challenges the industry is currently facing are attracting a sufficient number of high-quality recruits and upskilling the existing workforce to meet changing technological needs. “There is a task ahead to ensure we avoid skills shortages but it’s within the gift of employers to do something about it,” says Ruth Devine, Chair of TESP. “In addition to the recruitment of apprentices, there are many options to train staff already within the business. The concept of ‘Electrician Plus’ – upskilling qualified electricians in new technologies and wider CPD – presents a real business opportunity that should be seized upon. “There are also thousands of learners on full time courses who are industry ready and could go through an accelerated apprenticeship, become qualified quicker and deliver benefits sooner. There’s no reason not to look at recruiting or upskilling as a way to grow your business and ensure the industry meets the challenges ahead,” concludes Ruth.

Scolmore adds antique brass to its Definity Complete range

As electrical contractors look towards decorative wiring accessories to achieve a smooth, clean finish for interiors the demand for flat plate wiring accessories that compliment a room’s decor has been on the rise. In response to this, the Definity Complete range which incorporates screwless, push-fit face plates has now been extended to include the stylish antique brass finish. Definity Complete has evolved from Click Scolmore’s well-established Definity flat plate accessory range and features all of the same attributes, including modular switching but without the visible fixing screws. Because the face plates are supplied independently of the electrical inserts, it means that the initial installation of the product can be carried out and any subsequent maintenance or decoration completed before the final fixing of the face plate. The inserts are available in black, white and grey, and the addition of antique brass to the range of cover plate finishes brings the total number of finishes to eight. The popular range includes brushed steel, stainless steel, polished chrome, white, metal white, matt black and metal black. The range of products includes switches, power socket outlets, fused connection units, 45A switches, control switches, socket and blank plates, telephone and data sockets, satellite and coaxial outlets and media plates.

Ovia launches new rectangular bulkheads

Ovia continues to expand its range of utility lighting and the latest addition is the company’s first industrial, rectangular bulkhead. REX is the name given to the new range of 5W IP65 CTA Rectangular LED Bulkheads and they are available in standard, emergency or with photocell. Designed with the installer in mind and with ease of installation a priority, the bulkheads are toolless gear tray entry. It is CTA switchable via the DIP switches in the colour temperatures - 3000K, 4000K and 6500K - and it comes with a three year warranty. The IP65 rating offers flexibility of application, making it suitable for large indoor areas as well as for external use, providing lighting for locations such as walkways or gardens. It also has a black base and can be wall or ceiling mounted. There is an optional black rectangular trim, as well as an optional red rectangular diffuser.

The future of heat pump installation is digital

heatly is looking for input from the heat pump sector and related industries. It is a new software package and supporting app that will make heat pump installation easier, improving consumer confidence and stimulating demand. Set to benefit the whole sector - from manufacturers and installers to trade associations, training providers and energy companies - it is part funded by Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero under the Heat Pump Ready programme. Utilising the latest technologies to enhance the process of choosing and installing a heat pump, including 30 second room surveying, a simple heat loss calculation tool, 3D visualisation and a single place to view all supporting paperwork, the company will remove installer barriers and improve consumer confidence. The first version covers the essentials of heat pump installation and is currently being trialled, but there is scope to contribute to the next stages of development before widespread launch in Spring 2024. Once launched, it will provide opportunities for businesses to tailor the look and functionality of the app for their specific requirements. Thormer Solutions Ltd is calling for a wide variety of organisations across the heat pump supply chain and related industries to invest in the development of this new technology. Griff Thomas, Managing Director of Thormer Solutions, GTEC, says, "We are at a critical point in the development of heatly, getting it right at this stage will greatly benefit everyone involved in the heat pump supply chain and beyond. We want to hear from businesses and organisations across the sector to understand their challenges and make sure the app meets our industry's needs. "Investors will have a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of a potentially game changing tool that could really accelerate support for heat pumps. Accurate specification is so crucial and heatly will massively improve and speed-up this part of the process. High quality installations and the removal of barriers will lead to happy heating engineers and end users essential to driving the market forward."