Number One - Its Official - June 1999 Camelot Training were awarded a grade one excellence score the occupational training of transport. The Governments, Training Standards Council TSC published its inspection report finding Camelot the number one courier school. Report extracts - 'Camelot provides excellent motorcycle courier training. It is committed to providing support to assist trainees achieve their full potential. The company has developed strong links with industry and gets high achievement rates in NVQ training qualifications for couriers.
Kevin Keegan Interlink Deal - Kevin Keegan was signed up for a two year deal with Interlink to promote and endorse the distribution services of Next day nation-wide company Interlink.
National Courier Awards Tower Bridge - 1999 saw three bike winners from 10,000 couriers. Richard Smith - Alexander Moore, Sally Sylvan - Business Direct, & Mark Wilson - Security Despatch celebrated in front of a packed house on the upper walkways of famous landmark, Tower Bridge in Central London.
Free Ordnance Survey Maps - In October OS maps became free on the internet. A new service called Get-a-Map was launched. Couriers could down load maps for free. Geoff Robinson of OS Maps commented 'Never before have we given away free mapping, but I hope millions of people will take advantage of the new service' Find the web site at www.ordsvy.gov.uk
New radio Company ears - Mid 99 saw the arrival of Ears radio. Long time industry radio heroes, Mick Davies and Danny O'Sulivan set up shop opposite the BBC in West London. Mick and Danny formed a new team with nearly fifty years experience of courier and minicab radio systems. Contact them on 0208 762 9966
Camelot Back Industry News Letter - 1996 launched Dispatch News. A free newsletter to courier companies across the UK was provided by Camelot training on a regular basis. Dispatch News was born. It was a new title for the whole courier industry, news based and not restricted to membership of organisations. Carl Lomas had re-launched the Despatch Associations newsletter Dispatches three years earlier and placed his efforts into the wider industry market to deliver news to many more courier companies through the new title.
Courier Elected chairman of National Motorcycle Council - 1995 found Carl Lomas then Vice Chairman of the Despatch association elected to the chairman’s role of the National Courier association. This brought a great deal of respect for the courier industry into the eyes of the rest of the motorcycle world. In a speech at the House of Lords Lomas took a strong message the two wheelers of a growing professionalism in the motorcycle courier industry.
Alternative Parcel Company created - February 1994 saw the creation of the Alternative Parcel Company by the confederation of over 40 individual same day courier organisations. 40 shareholders elected a board of directors from amongst their number and APC was officially launched with an operating hub in the West Midlands.
Apollo Courier Takes first place in UK - 1994 saw ex Apollo Despatch courier Damon Hill take first place in the British Car GP. Damon had worked for Apollo couriers on a Z500 Kawasaki and later West One before racing a TZ350. He started cars at the French race school Winfield before his UK win in the FW16 Williams.
Pizza Delivery down a million pounds in delivery accident - In the early 90s Pizza deliveries often had money back offers for late delivery. Pressure was on to get food delivered at record speed. 1994 Pizza Giants Domino lost a multi million dollar court battle. The lawsuit came after a pedestrian was injured by a speeding pizza delivery driver in America. Domino contractually released its 5300 worldwide stores from their 30 minute delivery guarantee. At the time there were 76 UK stores with approximately 800 riders working on two wheels. Pizza Hut was the largest chain in the UK with over 300 outlets.
Ring of steel around the City of London - 1993 found couriers brought to a halt in the City of London. A ring of steel was created following bombs by the IRA. Checkpoints ended fast deliveries in and out of the EC postcodes. As couriers struggled to find new routes in and out of the City area a shock statement was made by Sargent Freemantle of the Traffic Management Department of the City of London Police, ' Lets face it, Nobody likes couriers!' A to Z couriers organised maps of the ring of steel from the corporation of London and they were issued to courier companies through Dispatches under the editorship of Carl Lomas.
Council Wardens began Privatisation - In the early nineties trial schemes began where private parking wardens representing the local councils took charge of ticketing illegal parkers. Discounts were offered for early payment of tickets. Wandsworth was the first council to begin the scheme. Ian Dafter of Chain Gang in SW11 said at the time, ' Our vans actively work in the Wandsworth area, I have found the council excellent but I fear privatised parking wardens will look to profit when awarding penalties.'
Training Enterprise Council support first training in courier industry- 1992 saw the first support with government funding for official training of couriers. CILNTEC provided funding for Camelot Courier Training to offer free course places to the unemployed who wished to become motorcycle couriers. Camelot offered their successful candidates entirely free to the courier industry and the industry responded with guaranteed jobs for qualified Camelot graduates. Dave Chaikin of AtoZ couriers commented at the time, 'We have good results from Camelot, their graduates have a thorough understanding of the job from day one and drop out rates on the job are very low.
