Driven to distradion Neurological conditions — illnesses affecting the brain — are becoming more common

17th June 2004, Page 34

17th June 2004

Page 34

Page 35

Page 36

Page 37

Page 38

Page 39

Page 41

Page 34, 17th June 2004 — Driven to distradion Neurological conditions — illnesses affecting the brain — are becoming more common

Noticed an error?
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.

among HGV drivers. Sally Nash reports. Manchester-based insurance

company Optiontheme is reporting a growing number of critical illness claims from HGV drivers suffering neurological conditions such as strokes, brain tumours and haemorrhages. Manchester-based insurance

company Optiontheme is reporting a growing number of critical illness claims from HGV drivers suffering neurological conditions such as strokes, brain tumours and haemorrhages.

A lot of claims are from drivers who are relatively young. Examples include a driver aged 58 with a brain haemorrhage and a 30year-old driver who suffered a stroke.

At least one driver with a brain tumour blamed it directly on the "stresses of the job". The Transport & General Workers Union is also convinced that the nature of the job — a sedentary lifestyle with constant stress — means that drivers are at risk from neurological health problems such as strokes and brain tumours. The Neurological Alliance says neurological conditions result from abnormal function or damage (caused by illness or injury) to the brain, spinal column or nerves. They have various causes, including a stroke, multiple sclerosis,brainispinal injury, epilepsy,Alzheimefs and motor neurone disease but the range

extends to include conditions such as CJD.

There are many neurological conditions with few that are totally curable. They are a major cause of disability and account for a high proportion of severely disabled people under the age of 65.

Such conditions can affect people at different stages in lifelhey can be present from birth or have a sudden onset due to illness or injury. Some conditions may stabilise or improve, but others can cause a rapid or prolonged deterioration in the quality of life. Proof of health

"Sensible eating, controlled drinking and nonsmoking are recognised factors in avoiding not only neurological conditions but also many other medical conditions," says the DVLA. Steve Wood had been in excellent health when he suffered a brain haemorrhage nearly two years ago. Wood drives a 7.5-tonner to move his dressage horse. But even though he has been named "Miracle Man" by his GP because of his full recovery Wood is fighting to

regain his class Cl and DI licences.

A professor of neuro surgery has stated that Wood has only a I% higher risk of a "re-bleed" compared with any other healthy driver and his GP has certified that he is fit to drive but the DVLA has ignored this expert advice.

After Wood fell ill in September 2002, MRI scans and an angiogram showed he had suffered something called a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) from a small arterio-venous (AVM) in the medial part of his left temporal lobe.

In December he underwent "Gamma ray stereotactic radiotherapy' to seal the bleed site. Further MRI scans revealed no other brain problems.

Wood informed the DVLA of this in October 2002; by the following January he had heard nothing so he wrote again. It took until September 2003 to extract a reply from the DVLA medical group.

The group agreed he was at the required standard of fitness to drive and there was nothing in its letter about revocation.

But the following day a letter from a medical advisor told Wood that his licence had been revoked. It would be replaced with a three-year "medical licence" but that he had lost classes C1 &D1. The DVLA said that "at its meeting of 24 March the panel reviewed the information supplied and, in its considered opinion, indicated a restricted ordinary licence, subject to

medical review, to be entirely appropriate at this time". Wood plans to write back to the DVLA to ask for the names of those on the panel who have significant knowledge of Gamma ray therapy and/or the after effects of that treatment; what evidence (other than the fact that he suffered the SAH) they have for refusing

him a licence until 70; and why the submissions of two doctors were ignored. If Wood does not get an adequate reply he will use the DVLA complaints procedure and

will investigate whether he could take his case to the European Courts. Recovery Recovery

"I had a serious illness," he says."But I recovered. I didn't suffer any lit or seizure. I am so lucky that I fall within a tiny percentage of SAH sufferers who do recover quickly and with no after-effects from either the illness or the treatment."

The DVLA claims to be acting in accordance with the European Directive on neurological disorders but Wood counters: "The directive states that the 'recommendation' is to revoke —it doesn't say you must." The DVLA refuses to comment on individual cases but refers drivers to its literature. • CONTACTS

Neurological Alliance: www.neurological alliance. org.uk; 020 7793 5907. Produces publications such as 'Getting the best from neurological services'.

Glaxo Neurological Centre: www.glaxocentre.merseyside.org; 0151 298 2999. Non-medical advice and information centre for people with neurological conditions and their carers. Information on Parkinson's disease: www.parkinsons.org.uk Information on MS and related neurological disorders: www.actionms.co.uk Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: WWW. dvla .gov.uk

Recent CM reports on drivers' health: Eye conditions, CM15 April; heart problems and diabetes, CM20 May. F AT FIRST With fuel prices on the rise again, a van that runs on thin air would be a best seller. Emma Penny hasn't cracked

that, but tests the next best thing... a diesel Fiat Punto van. When there's Italian traffic to contend the dery variant even more popular. with, deliveries in towns and cities While the payload is class-leading, standard When there's Italian traffic to contend the dery variant even more popular. with, deliveries in towns and cities While the payload is class-leading, standard can be difficult—or so it appears equipment is not quite so generous.Along with can be difficult—or so it appears equipment is not quite so generous.Along with from The Italian Job. So if Minis are able to air-conditioning, the cost-options list includes nip through the back routes, it follows that any metallic paint,ABS, a passenger airbag, front small and nippy van might do the same. fog lights and powered windows with central Enter Fiat's new Punto van, equipped with locking— and, rather than a CD tuner, only a

Dualdrive power steering featuring a City radio cassette is provided.

option to make zipping round palazzos even But it does provide some extras which easier. And with fuel prices on the rise, we were competitors don't, such as a height-adjustable keen to try out Fiat's new 13-litre 16v Multijet steering wheel,"follow-me-home" headlights, a full-height bulkhead wall and, of course, Dualdrive power steering. However, opt for air-con with a pollen filter and you'll spend an additional £596 (all prices ex-VAT), while ABS will add another £298, and electric windows and central door locking cost £275. Go for metallic paint and it'll set you back an additional £212.

diesel engine, which promised frugal fuel consumption while dodging in and out of traffic.

Sadly, though, we weren't transported to the heart of Italy for this test, so we had to make do with south London and our test route through Surrey and Kent.At least the weather was appropriately Mediterranean, being so warm and balmy that the optional air conditioning was a welcome addition, and we didn't enjoy having to switch it off for our economy runs.

We have, of course, test-driven the Punto before (CM 24 May 2001). Since then, however, it's had a serious overhaul, including a replacement engine.The headlamps and rear lights have been significantly redesigned, and the rather aggressive-looking nose is new. On the inside, changes are less noticeable, but there is anew trip computer and fresh materials are used on the dashboard and seats.

Hat says the Punto is targeting companies transporting and distributing small and medium-sized goods in town and over short distances, with occasional motorway use. It fulfils that brief, and has the added benefit of a class-leading 510kg payload. When it comes to buying a Punto van, the choice is simple: either the 13 16v Multijet diesel developing 70hp, or a 60hp 1.2 8v petrol version.The diesel's basic price is £7,950 (exVAT), or £10,007 on the road (inc VAT), while the petrol costs £7,650 (ex-VAT) or £9,710 on the road (incVAT).The £300 price differential between the two is much smaller than the traditional diesel/petrol split, which should make When there's Italian traffic to contend the dery variant even more popular. with, deliveries in towns and cities While the payload is class-leading, standard can be difficult—or so it appears equipment is not quite so generous.Along with from The Italian Job. So if Minis are able to air-conditioning, the cost-options list includes nip through the back routes, it follows that any metallic paint,ABS, a passenger airbag, front small and nippy van might do the same. fog lights and powered windows with central Enter Fiat's new Punto van, equipped with locking— and, rather than a CD tuner, only a

Dualdrive power steering featuring a City radio cassette is provided.

though, are less than competitive.The Renault Clio and Vauxhall Corsavan both have longer intervals. In brief Options fitted (,ex-VAT) Metallic paint 212 Climate control and pollen filter 596 Body coloured bumpers 100 ABS 298 Productivity Productivity

We've no complaints in this department; the Punto performed better than we'd even dared hope. We've tested the Corsavan with the same engine, and managed to get an impressive 57.7mpg while laden round our test route, so we were expecting great things. What we didn't quite anticipate, however, was an even better fuel economy result with a bigger payload (510kg vs the Corsavan's 465kg), but we managed to squeeze 61.4mpg out of the Punto — a record for the car-derived vans we've tested.

Unladen, as you'd expect, we managed to get an even better result of 64.1mpg, an improvement on the Corsavan's 62.1mpg round the same route. But it is a closely fought sector, with only a few mpg separating most of the CDVs we've tested. Look at the fuel results from the last Punto we tested (CM 24 May 2001), and you can see exactly how much things have improved, as we managed only 48.7mpg with Fiat's old 1.9 60hp unit.

Better fuel economy and payload are matched by plenty of poke.Accelerating from 0-80km/h the Punto is faster than the Corsavan and almost two seconds quicker than the Fiesta. Indeed, it's beaten only by the Rover Commerce 2.0TD, which has a bigger engine and, of course, greater horsepower.

The Punto also scores in other productivity areas.The nearest competitor to its 510kg payload is the diesel Fiesta with 494kg.The load area is good, too, with a length of 1,300nun (slightly shorter than the Fiesta's 1,320rrun). Load height of 950nun is good, while the width between the arches is a useful 1,075mm. On the road

So it's faster, less thirsty and carries more than the competition. Seems like the ideal van, then. In some ways it is, but we do have a few quibbles. While it is very nippy and a willing workhorse, the Punto produces a rather irritating whining note which, while it isn't immediately apparent, becomes really annoying once you ■

have noticed it. The bad news is that the noise only disappears once you've pressed the clutch, but we wouldn't recommend that as a long-term method of avoiding it! As well as that whine, we found the background noise fairly intrusive.The engine sometimes sounds a little tractor-like, and the Punto has the loudest interior noise at speed compared with the other vans we've test driven. Perhaps Fiat has managed to find that additional payload by skimping somewhat on

sound insulation — a sort of no-gain-withoutearache equation.

And in common with many of the new, small diesel engines, the Punto also has a very narrow torque band, so you can't just be lazy and rely on torque to coast along in the same gear all the time. It needs to be driven slightly more like a petrol-engined vehicle. We also detected a touch of turbo lag— a delay between putting our foot down and any action happening as a result. It's a problem

which afflicted many of the much older turbodiesel engines. But once the powerplant reacts to input, it has good acceleration.

Weaving in and out of urban traffic or manoeuvring around car parks is easy, as the steering is very light, even out of Dualdrive mode. While it makes the ride slightly go-kartlike at times, the Punto sticks well to the road, cornering confidently even on very twisty back roads, while the non-slip PVC floor in the van helps to prevent loads from sliding around.

As well as going forward fairly quickly, the Punto has an ability to stop pretty pronto, as braking tests at the proving ground show. At all speeds, it came to a halt more quickly than the competition, which could make all the difference in a busy city environment. Cab comfort

You wouldn't expect one of the cheapest vehicles in any class to come out as one of the best overall. And, true to form, the Punto doesn't excel all round. But it's no slouch, either.

Initially the cabin feels slightly claustrophobic, not helped by the dark plastic load-area divider, which makes the area seem smaller than it is.There is plenty of storage space, though, and the dashboard design makes the most of available space for cubbyholes to hold essential van-driver stuff, as well as two fairly securelooking cup-holders.

The seats are comfortable and easy to adjust while, unlike the Corsavan, the Punto has an adjustable steering wheel. However, movable headrests wouldn't go amiss.The stalk on the left-hand side was quite a reach at times.And when you are using the wash-wipe, you need to hold the wash on long enough for the wipers to activate, or you could be left with two wet streaks down the window.

The dials are clear and easy to understand, our only criticism being that the speedometer is marked at 20mph increments with only small marks in between. Gauging exactly how fast you are travelling when between the 20mph marks —vital if you are doing lots of work in 30mph zones —is a skill to learn quickly. Meanwhile, for quick deliveries, you can open the tailgate without leaving the driver's seat by raising a small lever by the door. Just don't make the same mistake as our tester, who drives a Peugeot car which has a lever in the same place to open the diesel filler cap. You could be in for an unintentionally noisy journey with the back door half open... • Servicing downtime: Recommended standard servicing, 50,0001m-1/year. Insurance: Quote for fully comprehensive cover, 6100 excess, for 40-year-old builder in the South-East, married, home-owner, with clean record. Figures supplied by CVD Insurance. Contact: 0870 751 8120. Contract Hire: Figures for three years at 50,000km/year, full maintenance, supplied by Lombard. Contact 0870 0105896. Parts prices: Retail total of brake linings (full set), headlamp unit, door mirror, wiper blades, oiVair filters, clutch. Residual values: Trade value, assuming 50,000km/ year, in CAP Average Condition. Figures supplied by CAP Monitor. Contact 0113 222 2000 4 Our Verdict Comfort

The Punta is pretty well finished, and is comfortable to drive. Pity about the noise levels though. _ -gives the final word

Besides a few minor complaints, we think this is a good effort from Fiat. Yes, we know payload isn't perhaps the most vital issue with this size of van, but it all helps.

Cost too, makes this an attractive option — as does the fact that it's the most frugal van we've ever tested. If diesel pump prices keep going up rapidly, fuel economy will become an increasingly important factor in buying decisions. With that in mind, the Punto must surely be a convincing proposition.

Perhaps Fiat has sacrificed some of the sound insulation to get that huge payload, hence the noisier cabin, but that doesn't explain the whine we heard. Possibly it was just on the van we tested, or it could be something that Fiat needs to address. Those points aside, we reckon this is a decent vehicle, and should be a serious contender for anyone looking for a car-derived van.