New petrol and diesel cars will be banned from sale by 2035, lorries five years later and aircraft and shipping will face stinging new fuel taxes under proposals announced this week by the EU. Imported steel used to make vehicles will also be heavily taxed as the EU seeks to dramatically reduce cross border carbon footprints. Ex Renault-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has told the BBC how he was … [Read more...]
Education: Road Safety
Government is threatening road safety – claim
Business group Logistics UK is dismayed by the announcement of the continued relaxation of drivers’ hours legislation until 8 August 2021. It governs the length of time which HGV drivers are legally expected to work and James Firth, the organisation’s Head of Road Freight Regulation Policy, explains the announcement will heap more pressure on drivers who are already stretched to the limit to … [Read more...]
Diabetic drivers must declare condition to DVLA
A leading Insurance comparison website is warning that many motorists with diabetes risk a hefty fine if they fail to declare the condition to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Quotezone.co.uk also warns that policies could be void and claims disputed if diabetic drivers have not declared the disease to their insurer - and that includes those newly diagnosed. As the pandemic-induced … [Read more...]
Two new family cars lack the ultimate safety features, say testers
Two popular new family cars fall short of the best protection for occupants compared to their rivals, say safety testers. In the latest round of Euro NCAP tests, the new Renault Kangoo and Opel Mokka both earn four stars, one below the highest rating.. The long overdue, new edition of the Renault Kangoo MPV performed well in crash tests, but with only moderate side impact protection offered, its … [Read more...]
Accidents & injuries hit record low in Wales, say Quotezone
It has been the safest year on record with the fewest accidents on Welsh roads. Welsh road accidents dropped more than a third in 2020 compared to 2019, making last year the safest year on record for road users in Wales. Welsh government figures show road accidents were at their lowest during the ‘stay at home’ period in spring, with April 2020 down 68% year-on-year, while May was down 65%. … [Read more...]
Welsh Government reverses Covid-19 recovery, says industry
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...]
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...]
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...]