The Welsh Government has been accused of hypocrisy over its environmental & clean air policies by using diesel powered ministerial limousines rather than hybrid models. Welsh Conservatives renewed calls for the Welsh Government to scrap its ministerial limousines after it was revealed they are all fuelled by diesel. Responding to a Written Assembly Question from Andrew RT Davies, the … [Read more...]
Education
Britain braces for intensely cold week
Hundreds or thousands of motorists could be stranded this week as bitter Siberian weather sweeps over Britain. Motoring and emergency services are urging drivers to only go out if vital and to properly prepare themselves and their vehicles for particularly cold days and even colder nights. The first intensely cold spell is expected to be felt in the east of the UK on monday but to … [Read more...]
Hang on and enjoy the ride, says IAMRoadsmart
No matter if it’s once in a blue moon or every day, the key principles of motorcycle-riding with a passenger are the same. Richard Gladman, IAM RoadSmart’s head of riding and driving standards, shares eight ways to ensure the safety of your pillion. If you have friends and family who are unaware of advanced riding techniques, please share these tips with them to help them stay … [Read more...]
Welsh Government loses clean air case
Welsh Government has failed people and not implemented EU law on air quality, a judge has ruled. Now it must come up with a clean air plan by May and implement it through councils before August. This is likely to lead to rapid introduction of vehicle restrictions on some roads where measured pollution is above safe limits. Parts of South Wales are known to be above limits and the court … [Read more...]
Electric vans now matching diesels’ cost, say analysts
The costs of emissions-free, electric vans are now as low as their diesel competitors. That’s according to a new study by consultancy CE Delft that focuses on the small van segment largely used in cities and which accounts for 40% of total van sales in the EU. The study takes into account purchase price, taxes, fuel bills and maintenance costs over six years, equivalent to a standard lease … [Read more...]
Survey reveals Britain’s terrifying driving habits
British drivers are more dangerous than they think. Have you fallen asleep at the wheel, changed your seating position, driven without a seatbelt on, or checked your emails whilst driving? All of these can cause accidents. With the added danger of dark evenings and icy roads this winter, the team at Drive Vauxhall decided to investigate what dangerous driving behaviours anonymous Brits will … [Read more...]
Newslines 20 February
Climate-conscious Brits are increasingly going green, with a quarter (26%) of drivers choosing carbon footprint as a top priority when buying a new car, according to the AA’s used car website. The AA-Populus poll surveyed over 17,000 drivers and found that apart from comfort and safety, low CO2 emissions was the biggest factor for consumers when looking for a new car. … [Read more...]
Aston Martin boosting education and engineering – in China
Aston Martin will be investing in a new design and innovation partnership with Tongji University in Shanghai, one of the world’s leading universities in this field. Aston Martin’s EVP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman will become a visiting professor, sharing his knowledge with the students via lectures and workshops. The first project of this new partnership is a collaboration on … [Read more...]
Britain plans gaol terms in emissions fraud
It will be made a criminal offence in Britain to attempt to manipulate vehicle emission test results. In a tougher stance than current EU rules dictate, the UK Government could levy unlimited fines on businesses and even jail engineers and company executives found to be cheating tests. The measures have been put to public consultation and are aimed at preventing a repeat of the Volkswagen … [Read more...]
Welsh drivers most likely to carry alcohol in boot
A third of motorists use cars as a mobile pantry. Women are the worst offenders with 37% of female motorists of storing food and drink in their cars compared to 29% of male drivers. Wales appears to be the booziest nation, with 5% keeping alcohol in the boot of their cars. The survey also revealed that men are more likely to keep their cars free from clutter, with 17% keeping nothing in … [Read more...]