Wales's recovery from the pandemic will take a step back after the freeze on new road-building announced last week, according to the transport industry. In response to the announcement last week that all new road-building projects in Wales will be frozen while the Welsh Government conducts a review, Chris Yarsley, Policy Manager for Wales at Logistics UK said, “The logistics industry relies on … [Read more...]
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EVs real threat to jobs
EU legislators are preparing to ban sales of petrol and diesel powered vehicles by 2035 as it toughens emissions laws. A proposal to slash 60% cut in emissions at current levels by 2030 due to be announced in three weeks will precede the total block and it comes as Jaguar says it will be moving future EVs up-market to match Porsche and Bentley. CLEPA said in a statement, such stringent … [Read more...]
Multi-million-pound new Welsh road as slow as ever
Drivers will face a continuing 50mph speed limit on Wales most expensive key road despite £336M upgrade and three-years late construction. The five-mile A465 Heads of the Valleys road through the Clydach Gorge is part of a £800M widening of the dual carriageway between Monmouth and Neath Port Talbot. Controversially, the M4 around Port Talbot was given a 50mph limit where bends were … [Read more...]
Practical test pass rates soaring
Learner drivers passed their practical tests at the highest rate ever recorded during the pandemic, according to the Department for Transport. The data, which spans April 2020 to March 2021, shows that 49.8% of learners passed the test, up by 3.9% on 2019-20 figures. There was more good news for learners taking theory tests, with 55.7% passing, the highest rate since 2013-14 and 8.6% higher than … [Read more...]
Bid to ease driver shortage for HGVs
With more than 45,000 HGV driver tests outstanding at DVSA as a result of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Logistics UK is pressing government to introduce a seasonal visa for European HGV drivers to protect the nation’s supply chain while the organisation catches up with this backlog. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, understandably, all driving tests were suspended,” explains David Wells, the business … [Read more...]
Lawmakers fail to understand technology, say suppliers
The planned European wide ban on petrol and diesel cars is not supported by technical data, said Sigrid de Vries, Secretary General of CLEPA, the association of automotive suppliers. “The steeper the target, without recognition of sustainable renewable fuels, the closer one gets to a de facto ban on the internal combustion engine. Without renewable fuels acknowledged in this law, if you need a … [Read more...]
Newslines 22 June
Audi will stop introducing new models using petrol and diesel engines from 2026, reports German paper Sueddeutsche Zeitung. The Bavarian daily newspaper has quoted Audi CEO Markus Duesmann comments to labour representatives and top managers last week. Hybrid and PHEV versions will be offered in the Hyundai Tucson N Line range this summer. They offer up to 38 miles on electric power alone and … [Read more...]
Many thousands missing out on Motability scheme help
Over 159,000 people in Wales are eligible for The Motability Scheme yet more than 109,000 are unaware of this way to enjoy worry-free motoring. The Motability car leasing scheme is available for recipients of Enhanced Rate of the Mobility Component of Personal Independence Payment, Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance, War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement or Armed Forces … [Read more...]
2,000 banned a week so far in 2021, Moneyshake told
Britain’s dangerous and bad drivers have been exposed. The DVLA has confirmed to Moneyshake mobility services that 502,888 drivers have been disqualified from driving in the last four years, 86,000 drivers lose their licence per year excluding ‘totting up bans’, in 2021 alone, nearly 2,000 drivers have been banned every week so far, 3,767 drink drivers are banned every month in the UK, on … [Read more...]
Secrets of the US President’s car
US President Joe Biden has arrived in the UK for the G7 summit chauffeured in his £1.2m Cadillac ‘The Beast’. Joe Biden’s ‘Beast’ has an armoured exterior, layered armoured windows, a top-spec communications system and Kevlar-reinforced tyres and it’s believed also has some secret offensive features to thwart or disable attackers, but how much does all this extra security cost? The cars … [Read more...]