Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar MS, has demanded answers after images emerged of commuters being cramped, and unable to social distance, on trains across the Welsh rail network last weekend. Commenting, she said, “Ensuring there are top-notch safety measures to prevent COVID-19 is still more important than ever, yet images emerging of passengers being cramped like … [Read more...]
Commuters carried Covid contagion to communities
Commuters moving between different counties increased COVID cases in the UK significantly before lockdown was imposed, according to new research by Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). The study, conducted by Professor Thomas Plümper, looked into spatial contagion between local counties in England and found that cross district spatial contagion adds a very important amplifier to an … [Read more...]
Covid-19 polarises buyers around the nation
Covid-19 has polarised the world, and the nation – including car buyers. According to research from episode one of the annual Britain Under the Bonnet report, from Close Brothers Motor Finance, some 38% of drivers are more likely to delay buying a car due to the economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19 and Brexit, while 12% have brought forward their plans. The fifth edition of the report, which … [Read more...]
Older drivers love to use their cars
Uswitch insurance comparison site says a quarter of us would give up our cars to help the environment. The results also reveal how age and location have huge impacts on how we feel about making sacrifices to help the environment. Meanwhile, the RAC Foundation has backed a report from the New Weather Institute think tank suggesting large 4x4 SUVs should not be bought and used in major … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 March
Welsh roads have seen a rise in traffic in recent weeks, compared with the first national lockdown a year ago. Some areas recorded almost double the amount of vehicles, Traffic Wales and Welsh Government figures reveal with Conwy experiencing a 94.2% rise and there has been a 62% rise in road use across Wales over the most recent six weeks compared with the first six full weeks of restrictions … [Read more...]
Weeds need removing from our green drive
There are a few weeds to be taken care of as the motor industry, energy providers, related suppliers and authorities take us down the green road towards 2030 and onwards, writes Robin Roberts. The haste and race to have low emission cars and other vehicles on our roads is tripping over some serious issues, notably cost, and not just for vehicles and infrastructure but the expense of losing … [Read more...]
Fleets changing with the tide of life
Future car fleet management could soon develop into three relatively equal pillars – conventional fleet, grey fleet and salary sacrifice schemes – FleetCheck is forecasting. The fleet software specialist says that its conversations with customers about the impact of EVs and the pandemic so far in 2021 are indicating a shift in emphasis of this kind. Peter Golding, managing director, said, … [Read more...]
Welsh keep their cars for longer
Welsh drivers are keeping their cars for longer than the UK average. Scrappage figures just released show 928 vehicles were crushed in Wales, just 1.7% of the total last year. That’s comparable with the South West but East England recorded only 272 cars destroyed, or a marginal 0.5% of the total. One in three cars scrapped was in the North West around Liverpool and Manchester and one-in-six was … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 February
A £750M bus and train network in South Wales will be marginally delayed from 2023, due to implications of coping with the Coronavirus crisis. Transport for Wales was nationalised after passenger numbers collapsed last year and operator Keolis-Amey couldn’t make it pay and Welsh Government has pumped in £167M to keep the public transport services running. The reported deal with Korea’s Hyundai … [Read more...]
Welsh taxi drivers get free Coronavirus protection
Taxi drivers in Wales will be better protected against catching Coronavirus. Russell George MS – Shadow Minister for Transport – has given a broad welcome by the initiative from the Welsh Government to introduce “free” PPE for taxi and PHV drivers in Wales, but questions why it has taken Labour so long to introduce the scheme. Mr George said that it is essential to recognise the vital … [Read more...]