Now we all know that the nation has voted to leave the EU, our thoughts turn to what the implications could be for “Brexit motoring.”
As per our last news item, petrol and diesel prices are widely expected to rise, at least in the short term – something people are already beginning to see (although not yet to the level some people predicted). However, there’s far more to motoring than the cost of fuel.
Many media outlets and national newspapers have begun to discuss other implications for UK drivers, so we thought it would make sense to give some space to some of the theories and suppositions. It’s very important to remember that when it comes to Brexit motoring, even the most informed opinion can only really be described as speculation at this stage.
No formal “Brexit” negotiations have yet taken place, so our exact relationship with most of mainland Europe is yet to be determined. However, it is possible to consider some of the EU’s current impacts on motorists and get a good idea of what could change.
Brexit Motoring: Insurance
Car insurance is arguably the thing that will be most affected by our planned withdrawal from the European Union, for a couple of reasons. One headline theory is that it could actually get cheaper – at least according to some pundits.
Why IS this? Well at the moment, it’s mandatory for UK car insurance policies to provide for a minimum level of legal cover when cars are driven in EU countries. If we’re no longer part of the EU, it’s possible that insurance companies could pass on the savings in not having to provide this cover, in the form of lower premiums.
However, this will mean that those who do wish to drive on the continent will have to pay separately (as many drivers already do to ensure a comprehensive level of cover) – and if we’re not part of the EU, these extra insurance costs could be high. So, reading between the lines we have a speculative advantage for drivers who never drive outside Britain, and a potential extra cost for those who do.
There’s more: As explained in a This is Money report, a law changed back in 2012 following an EU ruling, preventing insurance companies from offering cheaper policies to drivers based on their gender. This saw the end of a trend that was allowing (statistically safer) female drivers to pay less for car insurance than men. If an independent UK decides not to maintain this legal provision, we could see cheaper insurance for women once again, but probably more expensive insurance for men.
Driving in Europe Post Brexit
As (contrary to the understanding of many) the UK has never been part of the borderless Schengen zone, there have always been passport controls between the UK and mainland Europe (the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland being an exception).
As such, this part of driving in and out of Europe will remain unchanged, whatever is eventually decided regarding freedom of movement. However, once we leave the EU, we will no longer be able to fill our cars with cases of wine and cheap tobacco. It will likely be possible to buy small amounts at even lower prices, but within the same strict limits that apply to true “duty-free” purchases in places like Australia and the USA.
Ensuring these limits are adhered to is likely to make crossing out of Europe rather more arduous and time-consuming than it is now, but this change could be offset by fewer people crossing these borders once the “booze cruise” days are over.
Unless other European countries leave the EU, road laws will remain consistent. However once Britain is no longer part of the EU, the country may well choose to amend some motoring laws on this side of the Channel.
Brexit and the Car Industry
The impact Brexit may have on car manufacturing, and the car industry in general, is where things become really speculative. As you will know if you watched any of the pre-Brexit debates, the car industry was used repeatedly by both campaigns as a political tool to influence voters.
It’s too early to speculate on what might happen regarding manufacturing (even though plenty of newspapers are attempting to!) Until Brexit negotiations are well underway, it’s almost impossible to accurately predict whether manufacturers might move factories or whether the EU may impose trade tariffs.
However, we can still have a think about what could happen to car prices in the short to medium term. According to the same report referred to above, The RAC believe there’s “little evidence” that buying a car will become any more pricey. This is referring to the interim period while negotiations get underway.
After Brexit is complete, things could change; If we don’t negotiate a good trade deal, car prices could go up, resulting in cars here costing more than in mainland Europe. Toyota is one manufacturer who’s been open about this.
Also, while there’s not yet been any sign that interest rates will rise (and, in fact, speculation that they could fall yet further), if they do go up it could mean that car finance deals get a little more expensive.
Brexit Motoring Conclusion
You’ll notice we’ve been very cautious to only summarise some of the most common theories relating to Brexit motoring. It’s well worth emphasising that a huge number of factors remain up in the air at the time of writing, so informed speculation is the best we (or indeed anyone else) can offer. Whatever happens, nothing’s going to change particularly quickly at this point.
You have not mentioned anything regards driving licences!, UK drivers abroad and foreign drivers here.
Give me back my EU!
We have given the Supreme Soviet in Brussels cum Strasburg the, ‘two fingers’ – those of us that have been in socialist coup de etat have seen all the signs before – the utter horror of the USSR and East Berlin (the barbwire grid in the canal outside the Pergamon Museum to prevent the prols escaping).
The new, ‘wind of change’ that will soon blow through Europe draging in Marine Le Pen etc. We have have escaped a new Zimbabwe where the tokens in your pocket are worthless (Z$ 850,00 not worth toilet paper) – ditto Brazil, Venezulea, Argentina y Cuba me amiga – we will have to again, ‘sort out’ the remains of the Roman Empire yet again!
History repeats to those that ignore it – may the gods help us.
God save the Queen her Heirs and sucessors
Car prices rising to above European levels? They already cost more because we drive on the wrong side of the road, you only have to compare prices in France and here in the UK, we pay much more for the same cars.
As to our car industry being under threat, what do we actually build here? The odd Vauxhall/Opel, Nissans,Toyotas, MGs as a kit from China. Most car manufacturers are global in their production, Renaults built in India, Morroco, Turkey even Russia!
So should we, if Europe throws their toys out, look East and start sourcing our cars from Japan, Korea, Russia or China, or even better encourage them to build here in the UK, if only in kit form. Bulgarian manufacturer LITEX, have been building some superb cars for several years as kits from Chinese company Great Wall, surely we can do this as well.
It’s time for Britain to look after itself and not be bled dry by EU costs and bureaucracy.
We may very well be stepping into the unknown, but that was what happened when the Common Market ideals converted to EU, without us being asked to vote.
The quicker that our westminster cronies realise that the people of Great Britain have spoken via the poll stations and that We pay their WAGES rather than MP’s telling us minions to go away and not question what they do, they will now have to be more transparent and listen to what their constituents say !!
We have a chance to put the GREAT back into Britain. We were revered by the world post world war 2 and we engineered many great household names in Cars, Trucks, Machinery for manufacturing, Farm Tractors and implements, Motorcycles and construction vehicles.
When Mr Bamford of JCB fame voted out, that gave a clear view of business opinion as JCB is renowned worldwide for it’s Diggers and Farm machinery. JCB know the world markets outside of Europe.
It’ll be a hard road to take, but worth it in the end, especially for our next generation.
Edward Godfrey you have not lost the EU. You still have the right to go live there. Please do not moan about being a looser it is never worth it.
Reference Driving licences! There was never a problem before the EU took over and still should not be. However if you are going to live in any country or move to ours you will need to pass that countries driving test.
Just like the people who live outside the EU have to now coming into the UK. Our test is quite hard to pass compared to most EU countries but sadly can still be improved ie Motorway/night/merging (Zipper effect).
Basically time to look out for number one the UK
Eu is far more for the average joe than the rich minority who have succeeded in fooling the poor into giving up their hard won citizenship and accepting becoming a subject.
As someone who was around and aware pre-EEC EC EU I saw many welcome changes to the way poorer humans were respected.
The rights of a citizen had the ruling classes thinking before trying on anything that would oppress the hard working majority below the average wage.
The first thing the govt did post brexit was freeze our benefits…the payments that were our right as citizens to be able to keep up a healthy standard of living!
They (govt)are busy now stopping as many legal claimants as possible by cheating the figures with ATOS – a name change has NOT covered up their cover up, of what I believe to be “illegal” false interviews to ignore properly offered evidence and use at best “creative writing” to show claimants in a false light of ability and without their truly really desperate needs just to allow them a meager daily living..
I have driven abroad in some good and some bad(but due to EU law improving) places and in none of them did we get the selfish attitudes of driving that has been shown and distinctly more apparent in “the me first thatcherite society that is ruining britain”.
quote by a Dutch Cheif of Police! This is daily worsening of incidences of:
Barging and cutting up in traffic queues; jumping into parking spaces being carefully manouevered into; racing their engines clouding up the environment; and those putting their phone call ahead of safety-as pedestrian, boris fan cyclist, driver, taxi driver, van or truck driver!:
I and my wife were for Brexit big style as when we voted to join the common market it was for free trade but then the federal state of Europe emerged over the years with loads of well paid politicians who we never voted for in the first place. Now Britain has the chance to back back control of OUR country impose our laws our policies and our immigration rules, Brexit wasn’t all about immigration in itself it was just getting rid of Brussels and all the chaff. Up here in Carlisle Cumbria a factory that I will not name but who employ mainly Polish and other eastern block nationalities in their factory couldn’t do the right thing and report these workers to the police for surrounding a British worker after the referendum and calling him all manner of four word expletives for being British yet if we do that to them then we are RACIST sorry but surely that’s double standards their argument was well they would close our factory down if we sacked any of them. And when the floods were on in Carlisle the police arrested dozens of pols for looting but only were prosecuted because the police said any more would seem like persecution of them, NO they were thieves and should all have been done then sent back where they came from because a thief is a thief wherever they come from. Personally I think Britain will be fine things will be tough for a while but in the end GREAT BRITAIN again
NO, now we all know that the nation has voted to leave the EU, we did not only 37 % voted to leave believing the lies and exaggerations of the con merchants. The EU is far from perfect but still better than out!
You have not mentioned anything regards driving licences!, UK drivers abroad and foreign drivers here.
Give me back my EU!
We have given the Supreme Soviet in Brussels cum Strasburg the, ‘two fingers’ – those of us that have been in socialist coup de etat have seen all the signs before – the utter horror of the USSR and East Berlin (the barbwire grid in the canal outside the Pergamon Museum to prevent the prols escaping).
The new, ‘wind of change’ that will soon blow through Europe draging in Marine Le Pen etc. We have have escaped a new Zimbabwe where the tokens in your pocket are worthless (Z$ 850,00 not worth toilet paper) – ditto Brazil, Venezulea, Argentina y Cuba me amiga – we will have to again, ‘sort out’ the remains of the Roman Empire yet again!
History repeats to those that ignore it – may the gods help us.
God save the Queen her Heirs and sucessors
Car prices rising to above European levels? They already cost more because we drive on the wrong side of the road, you only have to compare prices in France and here in the UK, we pay much more for the same cars.
As to our car industry being under threat, what do we actually build here? The odd Vauxhall/Opel, Nissans,Toyotas, MGs as a kit from China. Most car manufacturers are global in their production, Renaults built in India, Morroco, Turkey even Russia!
So should we, if Europe throws their toys out, look East and start sourcing our cars from Japan, Korea, Russia or China, or even better encourage them to build here in the UK, if only in kit form. Bulgarian manufacturer LITEX, have been building some superb cars for several years as kits from Chinese company Great Wall, surely we can do this as well.
It’s time for Britain to look after itself and not be bled dry by EU costs and bureaucracy.
We may very well be stepping into the unknown, but that was what happened when the Common Market ideals converted to EU, without us being asked to vote.
The quicker that our westminster cronies realise that the people of Great Britain have spoken via the poll stations and that We pay their WAGES rather than MP’s telling us minions to go away and not question what they do, they will now have to be more transparent and listen to what their constituents say !!
We have a chance to put the GREAT back into Britain. We were revered by the world post world war 2 and we engineered many great household names in Cars, Trucks, Machinery for manufacturing, Farm Tractors and implements, Motorcycles and construction vehicles.
When Mr Bamford of JCB fame voted out, that gave a clear view of business opinion as JCB is renowned worldwide for it’s Diggers and Farm machinery. JCB know the world markets outside of Europe.
It’ll be a hard road to take, but worth it in the end, especially for our next generation.
Edward Godfrey you have not lost the EU. You still have the right to go live there. Please do not moan about being a looser it is never worth it.
Reference Driving licences! There was never a problem before the EU took over and still should not be. However if you are going to live in any country or move to ours you will need to pass that countries driving test.
Just like the people who live outside the EU have to now coming into the UK. Our test is quite hard to pass compared to most EU countries but sadly can still be improved ie Motorway/night/merging (Zipper effect).
Basically time to look out for number one the UK
Eu is far more for the average joe than the rich minority who have succeeded in fooling the poor into giving up their hard won citizenship and accepting becoming a subject.
As someone who was around and aware pre-EEC EC EU I saw many welcome changes to the way poorer humans were respected.
The rights of a citizen had the ruling classes thinking before trying on anything that would oppress the hard working majority below the average wage.
The first thing the govt did post brexit was freeze our benefits…the payments that were our right as citizens to be able to keep up a healthy standard of living!
They (govt)are busy now stopping as many legal claimants as possible by cheating the figures with ATOS – a name change has NOT covered up their cover up, of what I believe to be “illegal” false interviews to ignore properly offered evidence and use at best “creative writing” to show claimants in a false light of ability and without their truly really desperate needs just to allow them a meager daily living..
I have driven abroad in some good and some bad(but due to EU law improving) places and in none of them did we get the selfish attitudes of driving that has been shown and distinctly more apparent in “the me first thatcherite society that is ruining britain”.
quote by a Dutch Cheif of Police! This is daily worsening of incidences of:
Barging and cutting up in traffic queues; jumping into parking spaces being carefully manouevered into; racing their engines clouding up the environment; and those putting their phone call ahead of safety-as pedestrian, boris fan cyclist, driver, taxi driver, van or truck driver!:
I and my wife were for Brexit big style as when we voted to join the common market it was for free trade but then the federal state of Europe emerged over the years with loads of well paid politicians who we never voted for in the first place. Now Britain has the chance to back back control of OUR country impose our laws our policies and our immigration rules, Brexit wasn’t all about immigration in itself it was just getting rid of Brussels and all the chaff. Up here in Carlisle Cumbria a factory that I will not name but who employ mainly Polish and other eastern block nationalities in their factory couldn’t do the right thing and report these workers to the police for surrounding a British worker after the referendum and calling him all manner of four word expletives for being British yet if we do that to them then we are RACIST sorry but surely that’s double standards their argument was well they would close our factory down if we sacked any of them. And when the floods were on in Carlisle the police arrested dozens of pols for looting but only were prosecuted because the police said any more would seem like persecution of them, NO they were thieves and should all have been done then sent back where they came from because a thief is a thief wherever they come from. Personally I think Britain will be fine things will be tough for a while but in the end GREAT BRITAIN again
NO, now we all know that the nation has voted to leave the EU, we did not only 37 % voted to leave believing the lies and exaggerations of the con merchants. The EU is far from perfect but still better than out!