The poor condition of Britain’s local roads is laid bare today by new figures from the RAC which show its patrols went out to more than 8,100 pothole breakdowns between April and June 2023, the highest number in five years. Since the start of 2023, the RAC has dealt with 18,250 breakdowns for damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels – the call-outs which are most … [Read more...]
How to avoid the enlarged ULEZ London charge
If you’re planning a holiday or business car trip to London from the middle of August you need to check if you will be hit by a daily charge as the Ultra Low Emission Zone extends to the perimeter of the M25 orbital motorway. With the ULEZ expansion due this summer, many of us are wondering how we may be impacted. Is paying the daily charge worth it, or could trading a petrol or diesel car in for … [Read more...]
“Pothole nation” and how to claim for damage
Research from Go.Compare car insurance has revealed UK areas where drivers are likely to face the most potholes and shows how you can claim for damage to your vehicle. Go.Compare submitted more than 300 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to councils across England and Wales, to determine which of the UK’s roads needed the most pothole repair work. It found that Derbyshire County Council tops … [Read more...]
Signs removal will lead to more speeding fines
Speeding convictions and fines will rise this autumn in Wales after the new default 20mph limit is introduced and Welsh Government ordered the removal of warning repeater signs and funded more camera vans. Existing 20mph repeater signs put up since 2016 and soon-to-be illegal 30mph repeater signs will be taken down, offered to English authorities or recycled as scrap. Wales is the first part of … [Read more...]
Senedd debate 20mph limit
In the Senedd today, there will a debate on a petition signed by over 21,000 people demanding the Labour Government does not push ahead with its disastrous plan to reduce the default speed limit on Wales’ roads from 30mph to 20mph. Commenting on the petition, Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister, Natasha Asghar MS said, "The people of Wales are clear, they don’t want default 20mph speed … [Read more...]
Sustainable Cities Challenge funds announced
The Toyota Mobility Foundation, in partnership with Challenge Works and World Resources Institute, has launched a £7 million, three-year global challenge to help cities adapt to the future, with the potential to transform the lives of millions of people around the world. As cities grow and evolve, the challenges of moving people and goods in reliable, efficient, and inclusive ways have never been … [Read more...]
Newslines 23 June
All the EU’s four largest car markets grew, with the strongest gains in Italy (+23.1%), Germany (+19.2%), and France (+14.8%). From January to May 2023, the EU car market grew by 18%, to 4.4 million registered cars and BEVs jumped to 13.8% to 129,847 models. About 210,000 people will attend Glastonbury Festival this week, with nearly all arriving by road. Motoring organisations are advising … [Read more...]
TfW gives £14.2M to consultants
A Welsh Conservative investigation has revealed that Transport for Wales has spent a total cost of £14.2m on consultancy fees from February 2021 to March 2023. Commenting on the investigation, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar MS said, “To spend so much money on consultants, in such a short period of time is unbelievable, £14.2 million is an enormous sum of … [Read more...]
Speeders slowing down in Mid and West Wales
Speeding motorists have dramatically declined in Mid and West Wales, according to the latest statistics. They contrast with more drivers being caught in the rest of Wales, reveals Churchill Motor Insurance. In Cumbria there was no change reported and Dyfed-Powys covering mid and west Wales actually reported an 18% drop in speeding convictions to 2,342 offences in the period reviewed. By … [Read more...]
Government forcing drivers to slow down
Drivers are being forced to slow down on motorways and A-roads in England, as the speed limit has been reduced from 70 to 60 miles per hour along extensive stretches of major roads, according to new analysis from Churchill Motor Insurance. The proportion of major roads with a 70mph limit has declined from 83 per cent in 2020 to 78 per cent in 2023 and drivers cannot rely on navigation apps … [Read more...]