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...]
Call to crack-down on drug drivers
Driving under the influence of both legal and illegal drugs is an issue that is growing on all measures in the UK - collisions and casualties have gone up by over 260 per cent over the last ten years, and convictions are now at over 12,000 a year. The impact is devastating, far-reaching, and only getting worse, said IAM RoadSmart. This issue was brought to the government’s attention in 2011 … [Read more...]
More drivers missing vehicle tax payments
There has been a worrying increase in the number of drivers having their vehicle tax Direct Debits cancelled by DVLA after payments couldn’t be taken due to a lack of funds, figures analysed by the RAC show following a Freedom of Information request. Almost one million drivers (950,377) had their Direct Debits cancelled in the financial year 2021-22, an increase of 9% on the 862,529 on 2020-21. … [Read more...]
Mounting opposition to “green-washing” attack on motoring
Low traffic neighbourhoods, so called “clean air zones” and new, underused cycle lanes are all deeply unpopular. So much so that a new petition has recently appeared on the UK Parliament website (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/633504) demanding a revision to the statutory guidance that brought them in. Within days of posting, it has attracted over 1,200 signatories. Instead of there … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 January
The Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate is a final edition flagship to surpass them all. Ferocious performance of 770PS will come with a re-engineered, sharper dynamic focus to the handling and coupled with exquisite design and only 499 examples will be released from this Spring. Land Rover make the most unreliable cars, according to a survey of 6,000 motorists by the Honest John website. Next with … [Read more...]
E-scooters should be off Christmas lists
Loss adjuster CMA has seen a steady rise in e-scooter related claims over two years, mostly collisions involving other motorists, but also thefts. The increase is in line with Department for Transport figures showing the number of collisions involving e-scooters rose from 460 in 2020 to 1,352 in 2021. Earlier this month, a boy of 12 was killed in Birmingham, prompting the deputy lord mayor to … [Read more...]
Parking is in the news again
An increasing number of councils are raising car parking fees in town centres to combat further budget deficits as the seasonal Christmas shopping spree is underway. Significant financial constraints put on councils sees some parking spot prices rise up to 33 per cent amid cost of living crisis. Online parking portal sees over 4,000 more parking space owners register in the past three months, … [Read more...]
‘Wrong’ lights motorists face £1,000 fine
Since 2011 all new cars in the UK are legally required to have ‘daytime running lights’, or DRLs, that come on automatically when the engine is started. These low-wattage lamps are designed to increase visibility and reduce vehicle accidents during the day but in many cases the DRL system does not automatically illuminate rear lights. If you’re relying on DRLs on winter roads with poor … [Read more...]
Newslines 1 November
You can now view the ULEZ camera locations on a map thanks to ulez.co.uk, The new online map shows the locations of all Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) cameras in London to help drivers avoid being fined for entering the ULEZ without a permit and it will also be useful for planning journeys and avoiding the ULEZ areas. The Government is considering using camera technology to catch drivers and … [Read more...]
A fifth of drivers risking insurance fraud
Go.Compare insurance has found that one in five parents with children who have a car could be risking a significant fine and a criminal record for ‘fronting’ their child’s insurance policy. ‘Fronting’ is when an older or more experienced driver - usually a parent - claims that they’re the main user of the car but it’s mostly driven by a young person, or other high-risk motorists, to reduce the … [Read more...]