Author Archives: Van Rental

Van Hire Boost Expected Thanks To 2012 LEZ Changes

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The van hire industry expects the changes to the London Low Emission Zone rules to drive an increase in demand for daily van rental in early 2012, as companies based outside London rent vans for use in the capital instead of replacing any non-compliant vans in their current fleet.

Despite a rise of 17.7% in light commercial vehicle registrations in 2011, there are still a substantial number of vans on the road that fail to meet Euro 3 emissions standards and will thus have to face a £100 per day fee for driving inside the London Low Emission Zone (LEZ)  from 3rd January 2012.

November saw a 18.6% month-on-month increase in new van registrations and Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive, says that he expects the trend to continue:

“Both the van and truck market saw growth, reflecting sustained investment in new vehicles by businesses. London’s new Low Emission Zone comes into effect on 3 January, requiring drivers of older vans and trucks to upgrade their vehicles or pay a daily fee, so we expect to see a boost to registration levels next month and through the early part of 2012.”

If you need to drive into London occasionally but do not want to foot the bill for buying a new van, van hire offers the ideal solution. Most van hire companies run new vans that are no more than 2 or three years old and are often newer. All such vehicles will meet the required Euro 3 emissions standard for driving inside the LEZ.

Click here to compare van hire quotes or click here to learn more about the London LEZ.

Halstead & Sudbury Van Hire: E A Vehicle Rental

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I’m very pleased to welcome E A Vehicle Rental of Halstead in Essex and Sudbury in Suffolk, to vanrental.co.uk.

E A Vehicle Rental is part of a family-run firm that’s based at Weavers Court in Halstead – close to the centre of the town. The company also has a second branch in Sudbury, which is around 15 miles north of Halstead.

E A Vehicle Rental offers short and long wheelbase panel vans for hire as well as luton box vans and 7.5 tonne trucks.

To find out more or make a booking, contact E A Vehicle Rental directly:

If you’d like to advertise your van or minibus hire business on vanrental.co.uk, visit our advertising page to see all the options or contact us directly if you have any questions.

Gran With A Van Delivers Flood Aid Nationwide

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Most people are prepared to hang up their van keys by the time they reach their mid-70s – but not Suffolk-based grandmother Sue Duncan, who continues to use her 15-year old Citroen Dispatch van to deliver aid to victims of flooding across the UK.

Mrs. Duncan lives in Leiston (about 20 miles north of Ipswich) and runs a small charity called Flood Aid UK, which aims to help the victims of flooding. Having been flooded out of her own home once in 1970, she understands how traumatic it can be, especially for mothers with young children.

Last summer she delivered aid to a young family whose home had been destroyed in the London riots, bringing them beds, a sofa, wardrobe, washing machine and much more: Mrs. Duncan says that she hires a lorry when necessary to deliver aid from the warehouse she uses to store the items she collects from house clearances and receives from donations.

Sue Duncan is holding a fundraising event for Flood Aid UK at Leiston Community Centre this Saturday, 10th December 2011, from 10am-2pm.

You can find out more or contact Sue Duncan here.

Source: EADT24

Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour Dates – Book Your Minibus Now

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The last few years has seen the television ratings battle between The X Factor and Strictly Come Dancing become something of a pre-Christmas ritual.

If you keep your TV firmly tuned to the Beeb, then you may be planning on seeing a show on the Strictly Come Dancing live tour, which starts on the 20th January 2012 and runs through to the 26th February 2012.

Events like this are always more fun in a group – so if you are planning a group trip to see Strictly live, then you may want to consider hiring a minibus to get you to the event. That way, you only need one Des(ignated driver) and the rest can enjoy a drink during the interval and a natter en route. In addition, everyone stays together, you only have one parking charge to pay and your fuel bills will probably be less than they would for two or more cars.

Here are the dates for the 2012 Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour – many of these dates have two shows per day, a matinee and an evening performance, so family-friendly travel times should be possible:

  • Birmingham NIA: 20/01/2012 – 22/01/2012
  • Nottingham Arena: 24/01/2012 – 25/01/2012
  • London Wembley Arena: 27/01/2012
  • London O2 Arena: 28/01/2012 – 29/01/2012
  • Manchester Arena: 31/01/2012 – 01/02/2012
  • Sheffield Arena: 02/02/2012 – 03/02/2012
  • Liverpool Arena: 04/02/2012 – 05/02/2012
  • Newcastle Arena: 07/02/2012 – 09/02/2012
  • Glasgow SECC: 10/02/2012 – 12/02/2012
  • Cardiff (Motorpoint Arena): 15/02/2012 – 19/02/2012
  • Dublin O2 Arena: 22/02/2012 – 23/02/2012
  • Belfast Oddyssey: 24/02/2012 – 26/02/2012

For full details, visit www.strictlycomedancinglive.com.

Please note that all details and dates are correct to the best of our knowledge – but vanrental.co.uk cannot be held responsible for errors or cancellations. Please check before you make any transport arrangements.

Christmas Van Hire For Students – Or Store It Instead

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If you are travelling home this Christmas and need to empty your belongings out of your room in halls, then why not hire  a van for a one-way trip and save your parent’s the hassle of a return trip in a heavily-loaded car?

One-way van hire is surprisingly easy to arrange and Hertz is currently offering great deals on student car and van hire for students aged 19-24.

As far as we know, this is unique amongst van hire companies, most of whom require you to be at least 21 years old.

Hertz has more than 70 locations around the UK, so there is probably one quite close to your university and to your home – perfect for arranging a one-way van hire.

To cut costs still further, why not pool your resources with another student who’s travelling to the same area and halve the cost? Most vans are big enough for two students’ possessions and you may be glad of the company if it’s a long drive.

If you haven’t driven a van before, don’t worry too much – vans are pretty easy to drive. Check out our page on driving a van for the first time for a few tips to remember.

Don’t Take It Home – Store It Instead

Finally, if transporting all of your stuff home for three weeks and then bringing it straight back again seems a bit daft (well, it might do), then consider self storage instead.

Self storage is readily available all over the UK and we’ve put together a self-storage guide to help you get started. The basic principle is simple – you pay by the week or month to have your own private lock-up in secure building or compound. You can choose how much storage you need – from a large cupboard right up to a warehouse!

Extended – Europcar Van Hire Discount Code – Up to 20% OFF [EXPIRED]

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** THIS OFFER HAS NOW EXPIRED **

Update – we’ve managed to get this discount code extended for another two weeks!

Save up to 20% On Europcar Van Hire if you book by 15/11/2011!

Just a reminder that our exclusive Europcar discount code ends on Wednesday 30th November 2011.

This voucher code provides up to 20% off Europcar van hire at all UK locations, for all types of van.

The code is valid for hire periods up to 16th December 2011, so there if you need to rent a van in the next fortnight, make sure you get  a Europcar quote with the vanrental.co.uk discount code.

Click here to go to our discount code page

Van Rental in Peterborough: Eye Van Hire

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I’m delighted to welcome Eye Van Hire of Peterborough, to vanrental.co.uk.

Eye Van Hire offers a range of van hire services from its Peterborough base and can provide same day van hire for when you need a van immediately – following a large DIY purchase, for example.

To find out more, contact Eye Van Hire direct:

If you’d like to advertise your van or minibus hire company on vanrental.co.uk, visit our Advertising page to get started or contact us direct.

Birmingham NEC Toy Fair – Beat The Post-Christmas Blues

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If you think you might be suffering from a post-Christmas excess of turkey and television by the 27th December, you might want to consider a trip to Britain’s biggest toy fair, the Toy Collectors’ Fair at the Birmingham NEC.

Organised by toy fair specialist Barry Potter Fairs, the last NEC Toy Collectors’ Fair in September attracted more than 400 stallholders and thousands of visitors. Toys have a great cross-generation appeal – unlike antiques, crafts or DIY, there is sure to be something that will interest all members of your family.

The wide selection of stallholders means that there will be a huge range of stock on offer – including rare trains, models, teddy bears, dolls and much more. TV memorabilia will also feature strongly – it’s a chance for the Star Wars or Dr Who fan in your life to find that special item…

The Toy Collectors’ Fair is open from 10.30am – 3.30pm on the 27th December 2011 – see www.bpfairs.com or www.thenec.co.uk/whatson/

Electric Van News – Scottish Police Go Electric & Renault Wins Award

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Lothian and Borders Police Buys Electric Van

Scotland’s Lothian and Borders Police force has purchased an Ford Connect Electric van to replace a conventional diesel-powered van.

The van will primarily be used for urban work in central Edinburgh and has a range of 80 miles and a payload of 500kg.

The Ford Connect Electric is a Ford Transit Connect with an electric conversion by Azure Dynamics, a company that has partnered with Ford to product these vans, which are being marketed in Europe and the USA.

UK CV Show

Lothian and Borders Police won’t be the first organisation in its area to be operating an Electric Transit Connect – East Lothian Council has already taken delivery of one to use as an internal mail delivery van.

Renault Kangoo Van Z.E. Voted International Van of the Year

Renault Kangoo Van Z.E. International Van of the Year

The Renault Kangoo Van Z.E. has been voted International Van of the Year 2012

Renault’s all-electric Kangoo Van Z.E. has been voted International Van of the Year 2012. The winner was selected by a jury of 22 European journalists who specialise in the light commercial vehicle market.

Jury chairman Pieter Wieman explained: “With the Kangoo Van Z.E. Renault brings the electric van within the reach of the normal European van user,” he said, “thereby delivering a major contribution to environmental sustainability, one of the most important issues of the transport of goods by road nowadays.”

The Kangoo Van Z.E. launches in the UK on the 1st December and it probably is fair to say that it offers comparable running costs for urban use once diesel costs are taken into account.

As I discussed recently, the van will be sold but the batteries will be rented, enabling Renault to tailor battery pricing according to the van’s annual mileage and to ensure that battery care and life expectancy are not an issue for the operator of the van and do not impact its expected residual value.

UK Christmas Markets – Full Details Here

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Christmas market stallsIf you fancy an affordable treat as Christmas approaches, why not visit one of the UK’s many Christmas markets?

Christmas markets are very popular all over Europe and provide a chance to enjoy the festive spirit early. They usually feature a wide range of continental food stalls, traditional Christmas crafts for sale and sometimes a good, old-fashioned fair, complete with Merry-Go-Rounds and other rides aimed at young children.

Christmas markets have really taken off over the last 20 years and there are a surprising number all over the UK. Many UK Christmas markets are German-style, allowing you to get your fill of  German beer, bockwurst and stollen (German Christmas cake), as well as buy hand-crafted traditional wooden German Christmas decorations.

We’ve put together a list of all the main Christmas markets in the UK – it’s a bit long but is in alphabetical order, so it should be easy to navigate.

Remember, if you are planning a group trip to a Christmas market, the cheapest and most efficient way to get there is to hire a minibus – that way, there is only one parking charge, one driver and everyone can travel together. It’s much cheaper than rail! Click here for a minibus hire quote.

Large public Christmas treeUK Christmas Markets 2011:

  • Bath Christmas Market: 24/11/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Belfast Christmas Continental Market: 19/11/2011 – 18/12/2011
  • Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market: 17/11/2011 – 23/11/2011
  • Bournemouth Christmas Market: 17/11/2011 – 03/01/2012
  • Bradford Christmas Market: 19/11/2011 – 10/12/2011
  • Bristol Christmas Market: 10/11/2011 – 22/12/2011
  • Bury St Edmunds Christmas Fayre: 25/11/2011 – 27/11/2011
  • Canterbury Traditional Christmas Market: 18/11/2011 – 24/12/2011
  • Carlisle Christmas Market: 07/12/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Caerphilly Medieval Christmas Market: 10/12/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Chester Christmas Market: 24/11/2011 – 31/12/2011
  • Chichester Christmas Market: 08/12/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Cirencester Christmas Market: 25/11/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Derby Christmas Market: 01/12/2011 – 24/12/2011
  • Durham Christmas Market: 02/12/2011 – 04/12/2011
  • Edinburgh Christmas Market: 24/11/2011 – 24/12/2011
  • Glasgow Traditional Christmas Market: 20/11/2011 – 23/12/2011
  • Gloucester Quays Victorian Christmas Market: 24/11/2011 – 27/11/2011
  • Jersey – La Fête dé Noué: 01/12/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Kedleston Hall (Derby) Christmas Craft & Food Fair: 26/11/2011 – 27/11/2011
  • Leeds Christkindelmarkt Traditional German Christmas Market: 11/11/2011 – 18/12/2011
  • Leeds Caribbean Christmas Fair: 26/11/2011 – 27/11/2011
  • Lincoln Christmas Market: 01/12/2011 – 04/12/2011
  • Manchester Christmas Market: 17/11/2011 – 21/12/2011
  • Newcastle Continental Christmas Market: 21/11/2011 – 03/12/2011
  • Nottingham Christmas Market (Smithy Row): 23/11/2011 – 24/11/2011
  • Oxford Christmas Market: 02/12/2011 – 18/12/2011
  • Plymouth Christmas Market (Armada Way): 17/11/2011 – 24/12/2011
  • Portsmouth Victorian Festival of Christmas: 25/11/2011 – 27/11/2011
  • Ripley Castle Christmas Fair: 09/12/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Ripon – Lightwater Shopping Village Dickensian Festival: 01/12/2011 – 04/12/2011
  • Rochester Castle Dickens Christmas Market: 30/11/2011 – 18/11/2011
  • Royal Leamington Spa Christmas Fair: 20/11/2011 – 18/12/2011
  • Skipton Yuletide Festival & Christmas Market: 04/12/2011 – 11/12/2011
  • Solihull Christmas Market: 25/11/2011 – 17/12/2011
  • Southbank Centre / London Eye Christmas Market: 18/11/2011 – 24/12/2011
  • Stamford Christmas Market: 11/12/2011
  • Swindon Christmas Market: 02/12/2011 – 24/12/2011
  • Tetbury Christmas Market: 05/12/2011 – 10/12/2011
  • Truro Victorian Christmas Market: 13/12/2011 – 18/12/2011
  • Warrington Festival Gift Fair: 30/11/2011 – 23/12/2011
  • Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market & Ice Rink: 24/11/2011 – 21/12/2011
  • Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre: 01/12/2011 – 04/12/2011
  • Wrexham Erddig Christmas Market: 03/12/2011 – 18/12/2011
  • York – Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland: 26/11/2011 – 08/01/2012

Christmas decorations for sale at a Christmas marketRemember, if you are arranging a group trip to a Christmas market, minibus hire is often the most affordable way to get there and back.

Please note that all details and dates are correct to the best of my knowledge – but I cannot be held responsible for errors or cancellations. Please check before you make any transport arrangements.