"This is part of Ryder's proactive plans to keep customers advised on new legislation being introduced and how it will affect their business," comments Peter Backhouse, vice president and managing director of Ryder Europe. "We have already contacted those contract hire customers that will be affected and will be arranging for the speed limiters on their vehicles to be recalibrated during routine servicing. All appropriate rental vehicles will have their limiters re-set as a matter of course."

"We are in the midst of an active campaign to educate customers, managers and drivers and we believe that most will appreciate the long term benefits of these new laws. Lower speeds will provide improved fuel economy, which in turn will reduce operating costs and have a beneficial effect on the environment. Road safety is high on everybody's agenda at the moment, so the opportunity to reduce the number of high speed trucks and vans on our roads should be grasped with both hands. Lower speeds will reduce traffic accidents, minimise damage to loads and reduce driver stress."

Warren Bignell, commercial director of Hensons Foodservice, which has operated a fleet of refrigerated 7.5 tonners from Ryder for the past 12 years, states, "Ryder advised us on the impending introduction of speed restrictions back in the summer, so we've already had 90% of the fleet limited to 56mph and have gained useful experience ahead of the law change. We've had a few moans from drivers on long runs about increased journey times, but that was only to be expected. Overall, I think that reduced speeds are a good thing and anything that reduces the risk of serious accidents has to be applauded."

Under the impending new legislation, taking affect on 1 January 2007, all diesel engined commercial vehicles registered between 1 October 2001 and 31 December 2004 (Euro 3 specification or later), with a gross design weight between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes, will be required to have their electronic speed limiters set to comply with the new maximum speed limit.

In addition, these vehicles will also be banned from using the third lane of three-lane motorways, once their maximum speed has been recalibrated. From 1 January 2008, the same rules will apply to the same type of vehicles registered after 1 January 2005.