Despite the lockdown, RAC patrols went to the aid of a staggering 4,694 drivers as a result of hitting a pothole in Q1 2021 – the equivalent of 52 drivers every day. Incredibly, this represents a three-fold increase in the number of pothole-related breakdowns from the last quarter of 2020 to the first quarter of 2021, up 3,233 from 1,461 in Q4 2020 and is the largest rise between quarters the RAC … [Read more...]
Electric car sales surge, but Wales sees big loss
Electric car sales are charging ahead on British roads. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show ev registrations hit a record and hybrid sales last month were higher than September 2020, the previous best for the dual fuel vehicles. It's also the first month that the Tesla Model 3 EV, pictured above, has been officially recognised in the figures after Tesla withdrew … [Read more...]
Newslines 30 March
Drivers are planning just 5.6m trips by car to see friends and family this Easter when Covid restrictions allow, the lowest number since the RAC began tracking motorists’ plans in 2014. Despite the easing of the national lockdown on Monday when the two household and ‘rule of 6’ regulations come in, the RAC Breakdown survey of 1,200 drivers suggests many people remain cautious about meeting up … [Read more...]
Tradelines 17 March
RAC insurance is launching a pay-per-mile policy in response to the dramatically lower distances being covered at the moment.The scheme is aimed at those who cover under 6,000 miles annually and if they find circumstances change they can leave the on-line and mobile phone policy scheme. Stellantis announced a partnership with Kiri Technologies to reward drivers of the New 500. The basic … [Read more...]
One-in-four dash cam recordings led to fines
Up to 89 dashcam video recordings of alleged motoring offences were submitted to police forces every day in 2019 and a quater led to prosecutions, said the RAC. A total of 32,370 pieces of footage were received by 24 police forces that accept video evidence of driving offences from members of the public, double the number recorded in 2018 (15,159). Data from the RAC’s freedom of information … [Read more...]
Breakdowns rising and worst places in Wales
Analysis of RAC data confirms suspicions that car use by drivers in the UK has not fallen to the same extent as it did during the first coronavirus lockdown in March 2020. During the first week of the latest lockdown, data from RAC Black Box Insurance customers shows there were on average 10% more cars in daily use than during the first week of March’s lockdown, leading to 31% more daily miles … [Read more...]
BEVs boosted to over 200,000 on UK roads
It has been a landmark 12 months for electric cars, says the RAC. Despite the wider car industry suffering badly from the effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a landmark when it came to sales of battery electric vehicles with twice as many sold last year compared to the year before, and a total of more than 200,000 registered since 2010, shows analysis of SMMT figures by the RAC. December alone saw … [Read more...]
Supermarkets cashing in on motorists, says RAC
Three of four supermarket retailers increase their prices by 3p a litre despite wholesale price only rising by just over a penny a litre. The price of fuel rose by 2p a litre in December as a result of three of the UK’s major supermarkets putting up their prices well above the increase seen on the wholesale market, data from RAC Fuel Watch shows. The average price of petrol went up from 114.39p … [Read more...]
Newslines 7 December
Fuel prices remained almost unchanged in November despite a barrel of oil shooting up $10 to $46 – a 27% monthly rise, shows data from RAC Fuel Watch. The average price of a litre of unleaded across the UK at the end of November was 114.33p – having fallen very slightly (0.19p) from 114.52p at the start of the month, while diesel dropped by a similar amount from 117.85p to 117.63p … [Read more...]
Bumpy road to low carbon future, say experts
The UK Government’s drive towards electric cars and a low carbon future faces a bumpy journey, say experts. Car-makers said they are committed to them and invested billions but the challenge of the next nine years is “immense”, according to Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive. "We are pleased, therefore, to see Government accept the importance of hybrid transition technologies – which drivers are … [Read more...]
