Latest news with #DavidWard
Time of India
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
GNCAP urges corporates and fleet owners to prioritise five-star rated Vehicles
The Global New Car Assessment Programme ( GNCAP ) has updated its FleetSafe guide, recommending that corporates and fleet owners select vehicles based on NCAP five-star safety ratings and UN safety standards for passenger cars. David Ward, President Emeritus of GNCAP, stated that, 'Work-related crashes cause a third of global road deaths, making driving one of the biggest risks for employees. To assist fleet managers in making safer vehicle purchasing decisions, Global NCAP has revised and further developed our FleetSafe guide. It reflects the latest thinking and recommendations on vehicle selection." "Improved fleet selection and purchasing can contribute greatly to ensuring safer vehicles enter the fleet, safeguarding the health and well-being of employees and contribute to saving lives globally,' he added. 'Using Global NCAP's guidelines and adopting a five star commitment will be the best way for fleet managers to meet their duty of care for employees, reduce the costs of road crashes, and demonstrate real commitment towards Corporate Social Responsibility. How vehicle fleets are driven, maintained, and purchased is an important contributor to improved road safety ,' Ward further added. Call for enhanced two-wheeler safety Ward also drew attention to the safety of two-wheelers, noting that over 1.1 billion two-wheelers are sold globally and that multiple safety measures are needed to improve their safety. 'Two-wheelers should have ABS, blind spot detection systems and more to make them safer. With two-wheelers accounting for 44% of road fatalities in India, improving their safety is a major priority. These priorities include anti-lock brakes , standards for helmets, enforcement and road design,' he said. Speaking at a conference on 'Vehicle and Fleet Safety ' organised by the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), Ward further stated:'For further safety of two-wheeler riders, GNCAP recommends anti-lock brakes (ABS) for all bikes capable of plus 50kmh. India is world leader on ABS standard but it has mandated ABS above 125cc but could go further.' 'Since ABS has been a successful intervention to reduce the risk of road crashes and fatalities involving two-wheelers, this should be a feature in all motorised two-wheelers above 50cc. Safe technological systems, including ABS for all two-wheelers, cannot be ignored.'
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Safety first: Govt mulls mandatory ABS for all two-wheelers above 50cc
Representative image NEW DELHI: Government is considering making anti-lock braking systems (ABS) mandatory for all two-wheelers with engine capacity above 50cc. At present, ABS is only required in motorcycles over 125cc. This safety feature helps prevent wheel lock-up during sudden braking, enhancing control and reducing stopping distances, especially on slippery roads. Experts from India and abroad have emphasised the need for this provision, in addition to the mandatory wearing of helmets for all two-wheeler occupants — which is currently enforced, to reduce deaths and serious injuries. Two-wheeler riders are among the most vulnerable road users after pedestrians and cyclists, as they have little to no protection. 'Since ABS has been a successful intervention to reduce the risk of road crashes and fatalities involving two-wheelers and fatalities, this should be a feature in all motorised two-wheelers above 50cc,' said David Ward of Global New Car Assessment Programme at a conference on 'Vehicle and Fleet Safety' at the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE). Safe technological systems, including ABS for all two-wheelers, cannot be ignored, he added. Road safety expert Rohit Baluja highlighted the need to include two-wheelers in transport planning since they constitute 74% of all vehicles in India and 44% people killed on roads are two-wheeler occupants. 'Today, we only talk about putting helmets on two-wheeler riders. Is the helmet the only answer? Has anyone spoken about the transportation planning to reduce the number of these two-wheelers in the country? Two-wheelers are sandwiched between other vehicles due to poor traffic and transport planning... Powered two-wheelers destroy road discipline of all users and there is a need to address their requirement while planning and building roads,' Baluja said. He added that there is a need to have dedicated driving lanes for two-wheelers. President emeritus of International Road Federation, K K Kapila, said two-wheelers are the lifeline of major cities, despite improvement in public transport, and the only solution is to find ways and means to make them safe with use of technology.
Telegraph
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
UK's rarest cars: 1977 Ford Granada 3000 S Mk1, a former police pursuit car
The Granada 3000 S Mk1 was an unusual car in its heyday, combining a large engine with a limited array of standard fittings to produce the ideal high-powered fleet vehicle. Today, only six are believed to remain on the road in the UK – and David Ward's 1977 model is the only surviving police-liveried example. When Ford introduced the Granada in 1972, it revived the Consul name for the cheaper versions. The Consul GT, as featured in The Sweeney, was a popular choice of police traffic patrol car mainly due to its 3.0-litre V6 'Essex' engine. An October 1975 facelift saw Ford dispense with the Consul badge, with the Granada 3000 S replacing the GT. Externally, the 3000 S resembled its predecessor, down to its auxiliary lights at the front but, as Ward notes, the S had better suspension than the Consul GT, including an uprated anti-roll bar. There was also a lowered ride height, upgraded instrumentation, a modified driving position and very welcome power-assisted steering. Not to mention the luxury of hazard flashers and front head restraints. Other equipment included a driver's door mirror, a push-button radio, a smaller 'sports steering wheel', 'sports road wheels' and a 'sports gearshift knob'. In other words, no visitor to a Ford showroom could fail to notice the sporting nature of the S. Motor believed the 1975 modifications further refined a good car and minimised the weak points, while the 3000 S handling package made it 'feel more taut and responsive'. In 1975 came Ford GB's 'Added Value' campaign; the 3000 S was reasonably priced at £3,136 for a 113mph, five-seater saloon capable of 0-60mph in 9.5sec. Nor was there a direct UK-built rival; the Granada was made in Dagenham until 1976, with later models imported from Cologne. At £3,756, the Rover SD1 3500 S was far more expensive, as well as being only a four-seater, while the slower Triumph 2500 S cost £3,488. The 3.3-litre Vauxhall Ventora FE was only £3,042, but that was a car for the well-to-do accounts manager rather than a sporting saloon. The square-set Granada Mk2 succeeded the Mk1 in August 1977 after 504,747 units, although this one was not registered until 1 September 1978. It is one of the last of Avon and Somerset Constabulary's eight-strong fleet of the 3000 S, and as a last-of-the-line model the force could purchase it at a significantly reduced rate. Ford at Dagenham offered a Special Vehicle Options Police Package, hence this car is fitted with an oil cooler, a more powerful alternator and improved suspension with heavy-duty, gas-filled shock absorbers at the rear. With the callsign Tango Alfa Zero-One-Six, Avon and Somerset based this car at Avon Street in Bristol; its duties included patrolling the M4 and the M5. The special equipment included a public address system, roof-mounted spotlights with flashing red lights at the rear, a STOP sign, an anti-speeding Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder (Vascar) unit, a recalibrated speedometer and, of course, two-tone horns and dual interior mirrors. The boot was also filled with emergency equipment. This example left the police service in 1981; the Avon and Somerset force sold it at auction. The Granada underwent restoration in 1995, and by 2013 it belonged to the police vehicle expert Steve Woodward. Ward acquired it in 2015 and it is now part of his extensive collection of Granada Mk1s, which includes another 3000 S. Unlike the civilian version, power steering was not part of the Police Package. Ward says: 'It is quite hard to steer when parking, but as soon as you get going it is fine.' Today, Ward finds: 'When you are driving, nearly everyone turns to look at it and smiles or give the 'thumbs up'.' However, the police 3000 S sometimes received a different reception in the late 1970s. It was such a formidable machine that in 1977, a Motor Sport correspondent advised readers how to recognise unmarked traffic cars: 'If you are coming up behind it, there is the normal Granada badge supplemented by an S (for sneaky?).'
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
UK's rarest cars: 1977 Ford Granada 3000 S Mk1, a former police pursuit car
The Granada 3000 S Mk1 was an unusual car in its heyday, combining a large engine with a limited array of standard fittings to produce the ideal high-powered fleet vehicle. Today, only six are believed to remain on the road in the UK – and David Ward's 1977 model is the only surviving police-liveried example. When Ford introduced the Granada in 1972, it revived the Consul name for the cheaper versions. The Consul GT, as featured in The Sweeney, was a popular choice of police traffic patrol car mainly due to its 3.0-litre V6 'Essex' engine. An October 1975 facelift saw Ford dispense with the Consul badge, with the Granada 3000 S replacing the GT. Externally, the 3000 S resembled its predecessor, down to its auxiliary lights at the front but, as Ward notes, the S had better suspension than the Consul GT, including an uprated anti-roll bar. There was also a lowered ride height, upgraded instrumentation, a modified driving position and very welcome power-assisted steering. Not to mention the luxury of hazard flashers and front head restraints. Other equipment included a driver's door mirror, a push-button radio, a smaller 'sports steering wheel', 'sports road wheels' and a 'sports gearshift knob'. In other words, no visitor to a Ford showroom could fail to notice the sporting nature of the S. Motor believed the 1975 modifications further refined a good car and minimised the weak points, while the 3000 S handling package made it 'feel more taut and responsive'. In 1975 came Ford GB's 'Added Value' campaign; the 3000 S was reasonably priced at £3,136 for a 113mph, five-seater saloon capable of 0-60mph in 9.5sec. Nor was there a direct UK-built rival; the Granada was made in Dagenham until 1976, with later models imported from Cologne. At £3,756, the Rover SD1 3500 S was far more expensive, as well as being only a four-seater, while the slower Triumph 2500 S cost £3,488. The 3.3-litre Vauxhall Ventora FE was only £3,042, but that was a car for the well-to-do accounts manager rather than a sporting saloon. The square-set Granada Mk2 succeeded the Mk1 in August 1977 after 504,747 units, although this one was not registered until 1 September 1978. It is one of the last of Avon and Somerset Constabulary's eight-strong fleet of the 3000 S, and as a last-of-the-line model the force could purchase it at a significantly reduced rate. Ford at Dagenham offered a Special Vehicle Options Police Package, hence this car is fitted with an oil cooler, a more powerful alternator and improved suspension with heavy-duty, gas-filled shock absorbers at the rear. With the callsign Tango Alfa Zero-One-Six, Avon and Somerset based this car at Avon Street in Bristol; its duties included patrolling the M4 and the M5. The special equipment included a public address system, roof-mounted spotlights with flashing red lights at the rear, a STOP sign, an anti-speeding Visual Average Speed Computer And Recorder (Vascar) unit, a recalibrated speedometer and, of course, two-tone horns and dual interior mirrors. The boot was also filled with emergency equipment. This example left the police service in 1981; the Avon and Somerset force sold it at auction. The Granada underwent restoration in 1995, and by 2013 it belonged to the police vehicle expert Steve Woodward. Ward acquired it in 2015 and it is now part of his extensive collection of Granada Mk1s, which includes another 3000 S. Unlike the civilian version, power steering was not part of the Police Package. Ward says: 'It is quite hard to steer when parking, but as soon as you get going it is fine.' Today, Ward finds: 'When you are driving, nearly everyone turns to look at it and smiles or give the 'thumbs up'.' However, the police 3000 S sometimes received a different reception in the late 1970s. It was such a formidable machine that in 1977, a Motor Sport correspondent advised readers how to recognise unmarked traffic cars: 'If you are coming up behind it, there is the normal Granada badge supplemented by an S (for sneaky?).' Ford, understandably, preferred 'sporty, stylish, something special'. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
