RAC patrols attended nearly a quarter (23%) more breakdowns where potholes were likely to blame in the last three months of 2022 compared to the previous three months, show new RAC figures released to mark today’s National Pothole Day. The motoring services company’s roadside staff went out to an average of 20 breakdowns a day between October and the end of the year – a total of more than 1,800 – … [Read more...]
TfW’s five-year plan to boost public transport
Transport for Wales has published a five-year Corporate Strategy outlining how they’ll improve public transport and encourage more people to travel sustainably. The not-for-profit organisation, which is wholly owned by Welsh Government is delivering a transformational programme that will enhance rail, bus and active travel routes. Last year, the Welsh Government released Llwybr Newydd: The Wales … [Read more...]
Over £3M spent on 50mph Welsh speed cameras
Over £3m of taxpayer money has been spent by the Welsh Government installing speed cameras on five stretches of major Welsh roads. A written question from the Welsh Conservatives has shown £3.34m was spent on installing speed cameras on the M4 in Newport and Port Talbot as well the A470 in Pontypridd, A483 in Wrexham, and A494 in Deeside. Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister … [Read more...]
19.6M trips expected on UK roads this week
Drivers will make an estimated 19.6m separate trips by car to see friends and family this week, with 40% of all getaway journeys crammed into just two days, according to new predictions by the RAC and INRIX. Leisure traffic is expected to build steadily through the course of the week, peaking on both ‘frantic’ Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th December with a predicted 7.9m getaways over the two … [Read more...]
Worst ever winter breakdowns, said RAC
The RAC yesterday coped with over 12,000 breakdown calls in what it said was the ‘worst-ever winter breakdown cocktail’. RAC Breakdown spokesperson Rod Dennis said, “Yesterday was officially our busiest day for breakdowns on record, with around 12,000 drivers needing help, the equivalent of eight every minute of the day. Even our busiest day during the infamous Beast from the East in 2018 didn’t … [Read more...]
Drivers steer clear of smart motorways’ concept
Half of drivers say they frequently or occasionally avoid using lane one on ‘all lane running’ smart motorways. It's a revelation that completely undermines the very reason so many hard shoulders have been permanently turned into running lanes: to increase road capacity. RAC research with 1,904 drivers on ‘all lane running’ smart motorways, found a fifth (21%) claimed to have frequently steered … [Read more...]
Welsh Tories step up attack on Labour roads’ policies
Welsh Conservatives have reiterated their opposition to 20mph becoming the standard speed limit in Wales following news that Labour-run Monmouthshire County Council will scrap the limits on two roads following congestion concerns. Commenting on the news, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar MS said, “What we are seeing here is the beginning of, what I suspect … [Read more...]
Welsh Tories call-out Labour’s new speed limits
The Welsh Conservatives challenged the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay over plans to impose a default 20mph speed limit in Wales and expand the number of 50mph zones. Shadow Transport Minister Natasha Asghar MS took Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, to task following an interview he did on ITV’s Sharp End last week, when he criticised the “remarkably narrow sighted view” of Cardiff … [Read more...]
Newport M4 50mph limits now enforced
Drivers caught exceeding 50mph on the M4 around Newport face fines from today when cameras are switched on a year after being installed. The limit between junctions 24 and 28 of the motorway around Newport was lowered to 50mph to tackle pollution caused by congestion as traffic bunched up. The Welsh government said it marked the final stage of a plan to improve air quality … [Read more...]
Bad weather driving needs more skill
Hundreds of new drivers will encounter wet and wintry roads for the first time this year and need to prepare to alter their summer driving style. Five tips all motorists should be aware of this winter come from the experts at Bill Plant Driving School. Think about your stopping distance. When a road surface becomes slippy, it makes a vehicle unable to brake as quickly as what it would be … [Read more...]