Motorists are asking some unusual questions when they want to retax a vehicle, says the DVLA. DVLA’s services on Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa allow motorists to ask DVLA when their vehicle tax is due by providing the registration number. These services have been used over 47,000 times by more than 20,000 unique users since they launched 2 years ago. While most people have asked … [Read more...]
Welsh sale sees £287,792 paid for registration
Retired businessman Ian Guest from Barnard Castle stunned all during the second day of DVLA Personalised Registrations’ 30th Anniversary auction at The Vale Resort, near Cardiff by successfully securing IG 1 for £222,000. With fees taking the total sum to be paid to £287,792, IG 1 becomes the Agency’s third highest-selling personalised registration behind 25 O and 1 D which went under its gavel … [Read more...]
Bogus parking firms clamped by new law from today
Motorists across Britain will have greater protections against bogus parking fines as new measures to clamp down on rogue private parking firms become law. Sir Greg Knight’s Parking (Code of Practice) Bill, which has received Royal Assent today, will bring in greater regulation of the private parking industry. Drivers will be able to more easily challenge unfair parking tickets through a new … [Read more...]
Motorists admit overlooking eye-sight safety
Findings from comprehensive eye tests conducted by a leading optician on over 1,000 UK residents have revealed that one in five – which equates to 7.6 million licence-holders - haven’t had any vision check since reading a number plate at 20m when passing their driving test. In a bid to scrutinize the 20m test as a worthwhile indicator of roadworthy sight, Vision Express carried out the number … [Read more...]
Newslines 16 November
Cardiff Council is expected to get tough on illegally parked or untaxed vehicles abandoned on the streets, and it could be removing 20 a week. It already has powers to clamp and remove illegally parked vehicles but does not always use them and the additional powers would see them taking over duties from the DVLA with abandoned cars early in 2019. Wales First Minister intends to decide on the … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 October
VW, BMW, MB and Porsche have suspended European sales of their plug-in hybrid models, reports Automotive News Europe. The new WLTP emissions programme tests them differently to the former NEDC regulations and the result is their CO2 footprint is bigger and outside the limits for subsidies and their owners have to pay higher taxes. UK engine production was stable in August, with just 0.3% … [Read more...]
Safely seeing is a matter of law for all drivers
Drivers and riders are being encouraged to take the ‘number plate test’ - a quick and easy way to check they meet the minimum eyesight requirements. By law, all drivers and riders must meet the minimum eyesight standards at all times and this includes being able to read a number plate from 20 metres. The campaign is reminding the public that they can easily check their eyesight by … [Read more...]
Newslines 19 June
Volvo Cars says from 2025 at least 25 per cent of plastics in every new model will be made from recycled material. It also urged auto industry suppliers to work more closely with car makers to develop next-generation components that are as sustainable as possible, especially with regards to containing more recycled plastics. The head of Volkswagen’s luxury arm Audi on Monday, the most senior … [Read more...]
DVSA raking in money from failed driving tests
Many learner drivers fail their practical test first time around – making the on-line assessment a surprisingly lucrative system for the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. Statistics show that over £68 million was paid by drivers that ultimately went on to fail their test during 2016/17. Over the course of 12 months, hundreds of thousands of motorists took their test, with a pass rate of … [Read more...]
Best sellers which won’t burn a hole in your pocket
If you are looking to buy a new car this March, InsuretheGap.com has analysed how the top ten best-selling petrol cars in 2017 have held their value in the last five years. A new car loses approximately 20 per cent of its value as soon as it is driven off the showroom forecourt, and cars lose between 15 - 20 per cent of their value each year. All of the cars in the study lost almost … [Read more...]
