New UK electric car sales data shows the government’s ambitions for the electric vehicle transition doesn’t go far enough and Wales lags behind other parts of Britain. For the second month in a row, EVs were the only fuel type to grow the number of new cars registered and the share of the market. EVs now represent 1 in 6 of all new vehicle registrations, with demand being driven by EV’s now … [Read more...]
Features
Insurance premiums rising again
The average cost of insuring the ten most popular car models in the UK has increased by £100 year-on-year, according to comparethemarket.com. Drivers of one of the most popular cars typically paid £675 for their car insurance between March and May this year – up from £575 in the same three months in 2021. Driving has become increasingly unaffordable, as 84% of motorists have spent more on fuel … [Read more...]
Newslines 4 July
Hundreds of beautiful and valuable classic cars are heading to France with Brittany Ferries this weekend belonging to Brits and other nationals attending the biennial Le Mans Classic festival in Pays de la Loire. Around 430 rare and valuable made the voyage from Portsmouth to ports of Caen and St Malo with an estimated value is £25.8 million, making the garages of Brittany Ferries' vessels among … [Read more...]
Ultimate air b&b for F1 fans on show this weekend
As the home of British motorsport prepares to welcome record crowds at this weekend’s Grand Prix, new pictures have been released of the luxury residences currently being built just yards from Silverstone’s hallowed tarmac. Escapade Silverstone is an £80m development of two, three and four-bedroom residences next to the racetrack’s most legendary series of corners - Copse, Maggots, Becketts and … [Read more...]
Energy costs crippling UK automotive sector
British automotive manufacturers are calling for urgent action on spiralling costs as new analysis from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reveals firms face a £90 million uplift in energy bills this year – equivalent to more than 2,500 automotive jobs – as costs surge by 50%. UK electricity prices are the most expensive of any European automotive manufacturing country and 59% higher … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 July
The bus industry in Wales will receive a support package worth £48m to help recover from the impact of the pandemic and deal with emerging financial challenges, the Welsh Government has announced. The Bus Emergency package will provide ‘gap funding’ until the end of this financial year for bus operators to maintain the necessary bus services and routes in their area, in return for greater … [Read more...]
Automotive business ponders new site in Ebbw Vale
The Welsh Government is investing £8.5 million in new industrial space in Blaenau Gwent aimed at attracting businesses to the area, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has announced. A 50,000 sq ft industrial unit will be built at Rhyd y Blew, Ebbw Vale, in the Tech Valleys area. The modern building will form the first phase of a wider site masterplan, and help satisfy huge demand for such … [Read more...]
Clampdown on careless drivers
You can now go to prison for a long time if you seriously injure someone while carelessly driving. The law changed this week following campaigns to plug a gap in sentencing guidelines and here Paul Loughlin (below), partner and motoring offences specialist at Stephensons explains the thinking behind the changes. “The consequences of dangerous and careless driving are often profound. Just one … [Read more...]
New law on smart chargers eases strain on grid
New legislation requires all home and workplace electric vehicle chargers installed from this week to have smart charging capabilities. The new laws are aimed at helping to manage the strain on the national grid. They will encourage drivers to use smarter tariffs to avoid thousands of EVs charging at once during peak hours, which is usually during the day and evening. Charlie Cook, the founder … [Read more...]
End of the road for traditional petrol and diesel cars
It’s game over for the internal combustion engine as we've known it in Europe, green group Transport & Environment (T&E) has said, after EU governments agreed to end sales of polluting cars and vans by 2035. The deal reached by Environment Ministers this morning makes the switch to zero-emissions vehicles a foregone conclusion after the European Parliament voted for it earlier this month. … [Read more...]