Although we have some of the safest roads in the world, every death or serious injury is one too many, said Economy Secretary Ken Skates. The Cabinet Secretary was speaking at Road Safety in Wales event in Cardiff, which looked ahead to how new and emerging technologies will impact on safety on Welsh roads and how behaviour change models can be applied to … [Read more...]
Convoys carry safety concerns, says IAM RoadSmart
Self-driving lorry convoys of close running HGVs need very careful planning, said road safety body IAM RoadSmart. Britain’s biggest independent road safety charity is advising there must be more reassurances on issues such as cyber attacks as well as basic road safety needs such as telling other drivers which trucks are in the platoon. The trial … [Read more...]
Older buses face biggest challenge over NO2 emissions
For a number of local authorities, the UK plan for tackling roadside NO2 concentrations presents a significant challenge, requiring them to improve poor air quality as quickly as possible. Whilst the latest ultra-clean Euro VI buses and advanced electrified options comfortably meet clean emission requirements, a significant majority of the older, … [Read more...]
Commuters queuing for longer, says union
GMB says average journey times to work have slowed down over the last five years. The union's study is based on the latest official statistics and shows that the average commute from home to work increased from 27 to 29 minutes between 2011 and 2016. For the UK’s 16 million drivers, this equated to up to 14 extra hours behind the wheel last year, or … [Read more...]
Expect a lesson in easy driving next week
School’s out for summer, and no doubt commuters are enjoying a break from the usual rush-hour traffic – as parents, teachers and other workers have ditched their morning drive to work. Recent research by Confused.com reveals more than two in five (42%) motorists who use their car to get to work are staying home at some point during the school summer … [Read more...]
More vehicles damaged by potholes, says RAC
Pothole pollution is getting worse on our roads. The quality of the UK’s roads may be worsening according to data from the RAC’s Pothole Index which shows there has been a 31% increase in pothole-related faults attended by its patrols in the second quarter of 2017 compared to the same period last year. Between April and June RAC patrols went … [Read more...]
Afternoon and night best times to travel
Well thanks to school holidays, you should avoid setting off on the 1 August if you want to steer clear of traffic hotspots, data shows. The 26 July, 1 August, and 22 August are the busiest for Wales with a tenth of one families each date heading away, and 8am is the worst time with 34% leaving at this time. Surveying parents across the nation, car … [Read more...]
UK to ban conventional cars and vans by 2040
The Government has unveiled controversial plans to ban pure petrol and diesel engined vehicles from UK roads by 2040. It follows failure to meet European clean air legislation and a High Court decision that requires an environmental strategy to be put forward. The plan was discussed before the general election but publication was delayed because of … [Read more...]
Severn Tolls reach the end of the road, but not yet
The Severn Bridge Tolls will end in 18 months after 52 years. The next anticipated price rise in January will be the last before costs are passed into the general motorway maintenance budget and Welsh Government is expected to have to pick up a proportion of that expenditure in some form. The legislation for the bridges’ construction and operation … [Read more...]
Newslines 21 July
Newport has the highest MoT failure rate in Wales and it’s tenth in the league of losers nationwide. Wipers and washers are the most common cause of MoT failures and can be easily avoided says a spokesman for the AA Garage Guide. Oxford is currently the favoured location for building an electric version of the Mini, two sources familiar with the … [Read more...]
