Transport for Wales has reintroduced hourly rail services between Chester and Liverpool via Runcorn, Helsby and Frodsham from today. The step-up in services will increase from 15 to 30 a day in total (15 in each direction) and will be delivered on new trains, improving the customer experience and connectivity of the region. New electric buses that will support sustainable travel in Gwynedd … [Read more...]
Call for incentives for retail buyers to switch to EVs
There are currently no financial incentives for private car buyers to switch to an EV, says specialist leasing company DriveElectric. So, unless the government changes its policy on consumer purchase incentives or reduces taxes in the run-up to a general election, or there’s a new government with a more pro-EV policy, sales of new EVs are likely to continue to be mainly to businesses and … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 August
The Drivers and Vehicle Standards Agency says vehicle recalls will now appear on MOT test certificates records. The vehicle recall system is an essential safety mechanism for motorists to return their car to their dealership to have warranty recalls repaired free of charge to adhere to regulations and for franchised dealers, this is a crucial opportunity to re-establish contact and form new … [Read more...]
Production levels lifting at last
Though well-documented supply challenges continue to affect car production, pressure appears to be easing as manufacturers push to return to pre-pandemic levels, accoridng to Lisa Watson, director of sales at Close Brothers Motor Finance. Speaking after the latest UK car production figures were released for November, she went on, “Challenges such as the global chip shortage remain but are … [Read more...]
Traffic volumes still below pre-pandemic peak
Traffic volumes appear to still be below pre-pandemic levels with flexible working patterns that have become commonplace across the UK likely to be a major factor, said RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes. "Nonetheless, the trend is upwards, especially so for vans and HGVs – both of which show higher traffic volumes than prior to the pandemic. Therefore it remains vitally important that the … [Read more...]
It’s getting tougher for Welsh automotive sector
The UK Automotive industry is unlikely to return to previous high levels of production and component suppliers in Wales must look elsewhere to survive, delegates to the Autolink 2022 conference were told yesterday. The gloomy outlook and warning was given by Prof Ian Henry, managing director of AutoAnalysis and a HM Government advisor on the motor industry speaking at the annual Welsh Automotive … [Read more...]
Car-parts makers face unprecedented change
The speed of change for the automotive industry is accelerating and also diversifying, according to the latest analysis by the car maker's component suppliers body. The results of the latest CLEPA Pulse Check survey reflect the expectations of automotive suppliers and provides an outlook into an increasingly volatile business environment, with the Russia-Ukraine crisis exacerbating an already … [Read more...]
Cars now more appreciated than before pandemic
Disruption during the Covid crisis changed Britain's driving habits, but motorists emerged loving their cars even more, according to Auto Express. Two years on from Britain's first Covid lockdown, a third of all drivers appreciate their car more than ever, even though a majority drive less often for leisure and personal reasons today than before the pandemic. The research by … [Read more...]
Welsh engineering company closes after 75 years
Allevard Springs will close its South Wales car components plant. About 60 jobs will go. The company moved to Tonypandy as part of the UK Government’s encouragement to boost jobs in South Wales following WW2 and it started production in 1947 for Land Rover. Work expanded and it was a significant supplier to car and light commercial vehicles over the next 70 years but the contraction in vehicle … [Read more...]
SUVs dominate used sales & Fiesta is most popular
SUVs were the fastest selling used cars of 2021, while the Ford Fiesta has retained its title of the most popular overall for the seventh year in a row. The Mercedes GLA has been crowned the fastest selling used car of the year, with examples of the luxury German model (below) spending the shortest time on the AA Cars platform before being snapped up by eager buyers. Booming demand for SUVs, … [Read more...]