It has been the safest year on record with the fewest accidents on Welsh roads. Welsh road accidents dropped more than a third in 2020 compared to 2019, making last year the safest year on record for road users in Wales. Welsh government figures show road accidents were at their lowest during the ‘stay at home’ period in spring, with April 2020 down 68% year-on-year, while May was down 65%. … [Read more...]
Lockdown takes a toll on cars
The cost of the lockdown has been revealed for cars. Some 87% of drivers say they have a car which was hardly used during the pandemic, and almost one in ten (9%) took a car off the road using a Statutory Off Road Notification. When checking on their unused car, a third (33%) had a flat battery, 17% had low tyre pressure and one in twenty (6%) found mould on the interior. Others suffered from … [Read more...]
Newslines 9 March
Welsh roads have seen a rise in traffic in recent weeks, compared with the first national lockdown a year ago. Some areas recorded almost double the amount of vehicles, Traffic Wales and Welsh Government figures reveal with Conwy experiencing a 94.2% rise and there has been a 62% rise in road use across Wales over the most recent six weeks compared with the first six full weeks of restrictions … [Read more...]
Returning to the road as lockdown end’s in sight
Now we have an end to lockdown in sight it’s the right time to prepare your car for returning to the roads. Leasing Options has come up with handy ten-point turnaround tips which will save you money as well: Clean The Car (Saves You £350+) Prevent Paint Damage through regular cleaning or applying a wax coat. Tree sap and bird droppings can actually damage your paintwork. Bird droppings … [Read more...]
Lockdown laziness leads to larger payments
Lazy drivers are paying through their noses for car insurance during lockdown. GoCompare Car Insurance has reminded drivers of the need to shop around for the best insurance deals as new research reveals a sharp increase in number of policies being automatically renewed in the last 12 months. The website, found that 7.6m motorists paid a ‘loyalty tax’ to their insurer for allowing their policy … [Read more...]
Lockdown plans need checking
Drivers should ensure they are covered for the lockdown. Lee Griffin, CEO and one of the founders of GoCompare, said, "The pandemic is continuing to have a major impact on our day-to-day lives, including our driving habits. “To stay safe and avoid penalties, it’s important that drivers keep abreast of lockdown rules regarding car use and driving according to the rules of the road. “Temporary … [Read more...]
Planned travel ban into Wales “unproven”, say opponents
The Leader of the Opposition in the Welsh Parliament – Paul Davies MS – has rounded on the First Minister over a ban on people entering Wales from England, and the Labour Party’s inability or unwillingness to publish comprehensive data proving that transmission rates are accelerating due to travel. Welsh FM Mark Drakeford said today that a travel ban from hotspots in England, Scotland or … [Read more...]
Speeding rose three-fold during lockdown
Motorists were speeding three times more frequently during lockdown compared to normal, according to AX. The study of telematics data by the vehicle protection and management technology provider suggests motorists were making the most of unusually low traffic levels, giving drivers the opportunity to speed in otherwise normally congested areas. Serious speeding events – the most … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: Locked down with a Peugeot 2008
Lockdown has been a learning experience for everyone, including the policeman who pulled me over for a routine check. Now I have spent over three months behind the wheel, some of the time, in the newest Peugeot 2008 and that’s a long time when we normally have to experience a test car in a matter of hours during a new model launch or in a week of extended test driving. So the lockdown rules have … [Read more...]
Newslines 6 June
GoCompare is warning would-be car buyers to check their insurance before heading out for a test drive because 92% of policies don’t cover driving cars other than their own. If a motorist test drives another vehicle without checking they’re covered, they could be prosecuted for driving without insurance. Dyfed Powis Police has stopped and turned away from Wales about 1,000 motorists in two days … [Read more...]