Ten months after starting, Cardiff’s leading bike share scheme is adding six new stations to keep up with demand from eager users as it reveals that customers have clocked up enough miles to cycle around the world more than 10 times. The six new docking stations will be installed at locations in Splott, Butetown, Grangetown and Rumney as well as outside Ninian Park Station. nextbike, which … [Read more...]
Newslines 22 February
Nine new special edition models have been added to the Audi range. Black and Vorsprung trims are now available in more SUV and coupe models, lifting their equipment still higher. Prosecutors have raided the office of Hyundai Motor Co’s quality division in southern Seoul as part of a probe into how the automaker and affiliate Kia Motors Corp handled vehicle recalls over engine defects, … [Read more...]
Industry criticises Government for ’emissions tax’ rises
The Vehicle Remarketing Association has added its support to the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association’s response to the current Government’s WLTP consultation. Sam Watkins, chair at the VRA, said that her organisation shared the BVRLA’s concern about how the potential, negative impact on the company car sector could have widespread repercussions. She explained, “The Government’s … [Read more...]
Exhaust-leak tests’ headache for car makers
After the chaos of last autumn’s new engine emissions tests, car makers are preparing and bracing for even tougher legislation covering stationary vehicles, and which could be more favourable to diesel models. Volkswagen Group's sales chief Christian Dahlheim said that to pass the latest tests nearly all engine-transmission variations will again have to go through "time consuming" WLTP … [Read more...]
Irresponsible Royal sets back safety by three decades
The British Safety Council tirelessly campaigned for over twenty years until wearing a car seatbelt while driving became a legal requirement in 1983. Department for Transport has estimated this has saved 2,000 lives a year but recent events involving the Duke of Edinburgh remind us why we need to keep repeating this message. The British Safety Council’s charismatic and often controversial … [Read more...]
Driving choices are changing
More than 15 million Brits are planning to take measures to be more environmentally conscious in the year ahead with a shift in driving habits expected as the most popular move, according to an analysis by AA Cars. Around half of Brits are expected to take steps to be more eco-friendly in 2019, with many making changes to how they own and run cars; one in five (17%) plan to use their car more … [Read more...]
Diesel shortages beginning to show, prices rising
New diesel car sales are falling so quickly that there could be shortages of them on the used market in the near future, says the Vehicle Remarketing Association. The organisation – which represent companies that handle, sell, inspect, transport or manage more than 1.5 million used vehicles every year – says that while new car diesel demand has plummeted, corresponding used demand has stayed … [Read more...]
Tradelines 23 January
Blue Monday this week, which is said to be the most depressing day of the year, saw automotive charity Ben launch its new campaign to support people struggling with loneliness. Research shows that a quarter of British people feel at their loneliest in January, however loneliness is often or always a concern for over 9 million people in the UK all year-round. Ben’s own helpline sees an influx … [Read more...]
Newslines 11 January
Kia is the only brand in Britain’s top ten to improve on market share last year. The ninth placed Korean brand saw a growth of 2.7% with 95,746 registrations while market leader Ford suffered an 11.6% decline, although Nissan sales collapsed 32.1% in seventh place. Honda and Toyota have joined MINI and said they will suspend car production in April for a few days. It follows the car … [Read more...]
Lean and green drive car buyers choices, says report
Environmental factors have become the second most important consideration to prospective car buyers behind only price, according to figures from comparethemarket.com in its latest Premium Drivers report. The new figures show that 25% of people consider environmental impacts, such as fuel, carbon efficiency and alternative fuel, as the most important factor when buying a car. With 24% of people … [Read more...]