The transport industry, particularly in the East of England, is seeing renewed market confidence according to Braintree-based transport training and support group Novadata, which has witnessed a marked increase in new business enquiries over the last month. The firm has also enjoyed a number of recent new client wins.
Managing Director of Novadata and transport law adviser for the Professional Drivers' Association, Derek Broomfield said: "We have had a 15% increase in positive enquiries in the past month from local, regional and national organisations requiring transport training. The rising demand is a reassuring sign that confidence is returning to the economy."
Several proactive enquiries have been generated by a series of free information seminars that Novadata has held over the past six months which deal with the new transport legislation that came into force for the freight industry on September 10 this year, following its introduction for the bus and coach sector in September 2008.
Derek Broomfield continues: "Lorry driving is a profession with a high level of responsibility. The aim of the new legislation, which will affect over three quarter of a million drivers in the UK's road haulage industry alone - is to maintain high standards of driving and improve road safety.
"Having delivered the UK's first seven hour approved Driver CPC course for the bus and coach sector in September 2008, we decided to hold our free information seminars. We initially provided these for our own clients but were quickly overwhelmed by requests to attend. The sessions have proved to be a huge success with representatives from organisations as diverse as FedEx, Morphy Richards, National Express, DHL, Saga, AA, Ernest Doe, Office Depot and Greenwich Council.
Rob Coleman, Transport Manager at Office Depot at Northampton confirms: "The Novadata CPC Driver information session I attended was excellent. It provided me with exactly what I wanted to know; the information was spot on!"
Derek Broomfield concludes: "We have been very encouraged by the response of those attending and their subsequent interest in our training portfolio. It just goes to show that it pays to be resourceful!
"We also believe recent client wins genuinely signal an upturn in the economy and renewed confidence in the future of the freight industry in the UK."