Two weeks ago we talked about The Battle over ULEZ expansion in London since then things have progressed again.

In late July, London’s High Court dismissed appeals made by the five Conservative boroughs. In making his ruling, Mr Justice Swift said he was satisfied that expanding the scheme was within the mayor’s powers and that enough information was given for people to provide “informed responses” to the public consultation process. Sadiq Khan described the judgment as a “landmark decision” and said he would press ahead with the expansion on August 29th as planned.

The London mayor had come under intense political pressure from within his own party to rethink the enlargement and provide more support. On August 3rd, he announced that he would expand the established £2,000 ULEZ grant to all Londoners with non-compliant vehicles.

The decision was widely seen as a move to reduce the political fallout over the extension after the Tory by-election win in Uxbridge. The scheme will be available to any household with a non-compliant car or motorcycle, and is expected to cost £50m.

As of July 23rd, some 10,562 applications had been made to the scrappage scheme, with some £38.5m allocated to date. With the £50m addition to the scheme now being made, around £120m is still available.

Does the Ulez expansion effect you? Let us know in the comments. 

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There’s a lot to love about summer; the long warm days spent visiting friends and family, the day trips to the beach or country parks and the good old UK Staycation. What isn’t always so great is the hectic journey to get to these divine locations.

We’ve all been there at some point or another, stuck in a traffic jam in sweltering heat and often with the sight of some poor soul pulled up on the hard shoulder with vehicle trouble.

As tempting as it can be just to jump in the car and set off on your summer adventure, it’s important to know what preparations you should make ahead of setting off on your journey.

It’s equally as important to know what you should do if you become the person stranded on the hard shoulder of a busy motorway or even on a country lane.

Start Rescue has provided us with a useful checklist on what to do in the event of a breakdown, as well as pre-journey checks that you can carry out to help prevent breaking down in the first place.

Pre-journey checks

Most breakdowns are avoidable. 17% of all breakdowns Start Rescue attended in 2022 were due to tyre issues.

With a trend of increased reported breakdowns during the busy months of July and August these pre-journey checks can help you…

•  Check your fuel: Sounds simple, but check you have enough fuel. If you are driving an electric vehicle, ensure you have enough charge to either complete your journey or are able to plan where you can top up.
• Check your tyres: Check your tyres are pressured to the manufacturer’s guidelines. It’s also important to ensure your tyres have at least 3mm of tread. Look out for bald patches or any tyre wall damage such as cuts, bulges or nails that could have punctured the tyre wall.
• Check your oil: The oil in your vehicle helps to ensure that the engine runs smoothly, acting as a lubricant and helps to avoid it from overheating. Therefore, it’s important to ensure that you have the correct oil levels.
• Check your coolant level: Ensure you have the right coolant levels to avoid your vehicle overheating, especially in heavy traffic.
• Check your screenwash: Bugs and dirt on the windscreen can impair your vision so ensure the windscreen washer tank is topped up. Also check your windscreen wiper blades are in good condition.
• Pack useful items: It’s ideal to have drinks, snacks, a blanket and USB phone charger or portable power bank to hand, should you experience a breakdown.

If you are unsure about coolant levels, oil, tyres etc, check your vehicle’s manual for guidance, or contact a local trusted garage for a quick vehicle check over, as checking the above will take no more than 10 minutes.

What to do in the event of a breakdown

• Stay calm!
• Get your vehicle to a safe place: If you are on a motorway, if it is safe to do so, see if you can make it to the next exit. If you can’t, pull up on to the hard shoulder and stop as far to the left as you can, with the wheels turned to the left.
• Warn others you have broken down: Turn on your hazard lights and, if its dark or foggy, turn on your sidelights too. As long as you are not on a motorway, you can use a warning triangle if you have one, placing it at least 45m behind your vehicle.
• If safe, leave your vehicle: Exit your vehicle using the left-hand doors and move as far away as you can, behind a safety barrier if there is one. On dual carriage ways and motorways, look to move up the embankment away from the fast-moving traffic. Always stand in a position which is behind your vehicle, not in front or to the side in case your vehicle is hit by another.
• Broken down in a live lane? If you are unfortunate enough to break down in a live lane, immediately turn on your hazard lights. If you can’t get over to the left-hand lane, stay in the car, leave your seat belt on and call 999.
• Call for roadside assistance.

As Lee Puffett, Managing Director at Start Rescue commented:

 “Simple vehicle checks could prevent a breakdown and help make sure you get to your destination safely. However, should you find yourself unfortunate enough to have an issue with your vehicle, through our invaluable network of local recovery operators, we’re on hand 24/7 to assist stranded motorists. So be sure to check your tyres, screenwash and oil, but if you don’t know how to, take your vehicle to a trusted garage to perform a quick check, as it will take minutes and could save you a great deal in time and money further into your journey. Please don’t run the risk and then ruin your day out or holiday. Most of all, have an enjoyable summer, with the peace of mind that Start Rescue is here to help!”

Boris Johnson decided to introduce the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) when he was Mayor of London. It came into effect in April 2019, when Sadiq Khan became Mayor. A £12.50 daily charge applies for driving in the Ultra Low Emission Zone if a  vehicle doesn’t meet specific emission standards; broadly speaking, most diesel vehicles registered before September 2015 and petrol vehicles registered before January 2006.

Initially, the ULEZ covered the same central area as the Congestion Zone before widening to the North and South Circular roads in 2021. In November 2022, a further expansion to cover all London boroughs was confirmed, and this is due to start on 29th August 2023.

The Mayor’s office said it was needed to tackle air pollution, congestion and the climate emergency. Other cities in the UK, Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Bradford, Glasgow, Portsmouth, Sheffield, Newcastle and Gateshead, have introduced clean air zones. Others will soon follow.

Low-emission zones have been introduced to clean up the air, aiming to make people healthier and reduce the burden on the NHS brought about by air pollution. For the London ULEZ expansion, £110m has been set aside for a scrappage scheme for people on low incomes or disability benefits, some small businesses and London-based charities. Eligible drivers can get up to £2,000 for scrapping a car. The amount of money on offer differs for vans and motorbikes.

Serious concerns regarding the financial impact of ULEZ expansion have been raised by some residents, businesses and politicians. Some people affected say the scrappage scheme won’t help them. The cost of second-hand ULEZ-compliant cars has also risen. ULEZ expansion was a significant local issue during the Uxbridge and Ruislip by-election.

Five Conservative-led councils – Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon and Surrey – have launched legal action over the expanded scheme. In April 2023, they were granted permission to challenge the legality of how the ULEZ plans developed in a judicial review; the review is ongoing. Many local authorities affected by the expansion do not believe their transport systems or residents are ready for the expansion. The Mayor has defended the plan, arguing it is necessary to help prevent health conditions related to air pollution and even excess deaths. Preparations such as installing cameras have continued.

The number of older polluting vehicles that have entered the current Ulez has fallen dramatically, with 97% now meeting the cleaner standards. Within that area, it is estimated that NOx emissions have fallen by 26% since 2019. Air quality has improved, but all Londoners still live in areas exceeding World Health Organization guidelines for both pollutants.

Diesel and unleaded prices are charging quickly currently, and competition is helping to drive down prices and ensure that UK drivers are being charged a fair price for their fuel. If you see a price that has changed, please consider updating it on the PetrolPrices app to help other motorists save on their fuel costs.

Our Statement

The team at PetrolPrices welcome the findings from the CMA Road Fuel Market study, which is exactly why PetrolPrices was formed in 2005, to help motorists compare fuel prices and save money at the pump.

Whilst we welcome the report and are encouraged about the findings, as a free of charge service already the PetrolPrices website and app already exist without any expense to the taxpayer.

PetrolPrices was founded in 2005 and helps over 1.5 million motorists a month save money on fuel.
We show prices for all brands of fuel stations across the UK and obtain data on Petrol, Diesel and Premium grades from the fuel stations and our wonderful community of drivers.

Our free app is available on both iOS and Android, plus we have a free website if you don’t wish to use the app. 

Car finance company, Go Car Credit, reveal Volkswagen (VW) drivers are the messiest, spending the least time cleaning their cars (14 minutes / week).

Renault and Nissan drivers were not far behind, spending roughly 16 minutes per week cleaning their vehicles, 20% less than the national average.

As well as being messy, VW drivers may also neglect vehicle upkeep, as VW drivers were found to spend the least amount of time maintaining their vehicles.

Bentley car drivers are the cleanest, spending twice as much time cleaning their cars than the average person. Bentley owners spend 40 minutes per week cleaning their car compared to just 20 minutes from the average UK car driver.

With the season of spring-cleaning upon us, Go Car Credit was keen to find out which car drivers are the cleanest and which were the messiest. Surveying 1000 car owners, the data revealed Bentley drivers were also the most car proud, spending 50% more time cleaning and maintaining their cars than cleaning their own homes. Bentley drivers also spend the most time maintaining their vehicles (44 minutes per week compared to 19 minutes of the average driver).

The survey also found that men spend 25% more time cleaning their cars than women (18 minutes compared to 22 minutes per week).

Other key findings include:

• VW owners spend the least time cleaning their cars (14 minutes / week)
• Londoners are the cleanest car owners (27 minutes / week)
• Mini drivers spent 4 times as much time cleaning their homes than their cars
• The average UK car driver spends 20 minutes per week cleaning their car

Looking at differences between the owners of specific car brands, the research revealed that Aston Martin drivers were the most car proud, spending 84% more time cleaning and maintaining their cars than cleaning their homes (64.57 minutes compared to 25.86 minutes).

Keen to uncover which cars are the cleanest, Go Car Credit created a ranked table of car brand owners and the time they spend cleaning and maintaining their cars:

Although Volkswagen drivers were the least clean, spending on average 14 minutes per week cleaning their cars, Mini drivers were the most house-proud car owners. They showed the biggest difference, spending over 4 times as much time cleaning their homes than their cars (20 minutes cleaning their cars compared to 114 minutes cleaning their homes per week).

Looking at regional difference, Londoners were the cleanest car owners, spending 27 minutes per week cleaning their vehicles, spending 7 minutes more than the national average of 20 minutes per week. The South-East spends the least time cleaning their cars, dedicating only 15 minutes per week to cleaning their vehicles. House-proud Scotland saw the biggest difference, spending 108 minutes cleaning their homes compared to 17 minutes cleaning their cars each week.

As a result of the study, Go Car Credit launched a competition to find the UK’s messiest car. Go Car Credit’s Marketing Manager Hayley O’Connor said; “We wanted to see just how messy people let their cars get and if a VW driver would come out on top.”

UK drivers submitted photographs of their messiest vehicle interiors to Go Car Credit’s Facebook page. Following a selection process by a panel of judges from Go Car Credit, it can now reveal the winning entry came from Tammy from Norfolk with her Vauxhall Astra.

The winning image contained empty McDonald’s packaging, lateral flow tests, empty drinks bottles, sweet and crisp wrappers, an ice cream stick, discarded clothing, magazines, and paper towels.  Hayley continued: “We found a whole range of messy motorists. We recommend car drivers take care of their vehicles for health and safety reasons.”

According to research by findandfundmycar.com driving test pass rates vary for different days of the week. Road use may fluctuate throughout the working week. Mondays can be chaotic with morning traffic and lunchtime rushes, as can Fridays for the same reasons, whereas the weekends might be quieter unless significant events like a football match are on.

Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) statistics show that, surprisingly, Monday is the day you are most likely to pass your driving test, with it having a 49.58% pass rate – just 0.49% higher than the runner-up, Tuesday. In stark contrast, the worst day to book your test is Sunday, with a pass rate of 45.14% – 4.44% less than Monday.

Here are pass rates for the days of the week:

Monday – 49.58%

Tuesday – 49.09%

Thursday – 48.54%

Wednesday – 48.25%

Friday – 47.38%

Saturday – 47.15%

Sunday – 45.14%

When is the best month to book your driving test?

Statistics from the DVSA point towards April as the best month to book your driving test, while January has emerged as the worst month.

April has a pass rate of 50.19%, with March and May coming in second and third with 49.53% and 48.71%, respectively. On the opposite end of the scale, January has a pass rate of 46.7%.

The list of pass rates is as follows:

April – 50.19%

March – 49.53%

May – 48.71%

July – 48.34%

August – 48.11%

June – 48.01%

February – 47.4%

November – 47.05%

September – 47.1%

October – 46.9%

December – 46.79%

January – 46.7%

Which season is best for booking your driving test?

Due to March, April and May having the highest pass rates, spring is the best overall season for booking your driving test. Spring leads summer by slightly over 1%, while winter and autumn complete the order thanks to a score of 47.59% and 46.81%, respectively.

Here are the results for each season:

Spring – 49.17%

Summer – 48.01%

Winter – 47.59%

Autumn – 46.81%

Which day of the month is best for booking your driving test?

So, we have the best day of the week and month for booking our tests. At this point, we could easily call it a day and claim that any Monday in April would be the best for your driving test – but that’s not enough.

For the most significant statistical advantage, we wondered if there was any merit around which day of the month you should be looking to book your test. Spoiler alert, there is.

Across all the possible days of the month, the 24th has come out as being the most successful day for booking your test. The 24th has a pass rate of 49.53%, with the 1st following closely behind with a rate of 49.46%. It’s interesting to note that both these days sit on opposite sides of the month, with the remaining days floating around the 47-48% mark.

So, which day should I book my driving test?

This information confirms that Monday, April 24th is the most statistically advantaged day for passing your driving test. Of course, this isn’t to say that booking your test for this day will guarantee a pass, but it could potentially tip the odds ever so slightly in your favour.

This day and date combination has already gone for 2023, with it not being seen again until 2028 or 2034.

You can find more driving information and guidance from findandfundmycar.com

New research conducted by the RAC reveals that the government looks unlikely to meet its target of having six or more rapid or ultra-rapid electric vehicle chargers at every motorway service area in England by the end of 2023. Only 27 of 119 motorway services reviewed by the RAC currently have the target number of chargers. The RAC’s research found around 400 high-powered charging units at motorway services capable of charging 682 electric cars simultaneously.

When looking at the number of connectors these devices have, there is an average of nearly four of the most commonly used CCS (Combined Charging System) connectors and just under two CHadeMO connectors used predominantly by the Nissan Leaf.

Six motorway services in England don’t have any high-powered chargers. These are Leicester Forest on both sides of the M1, Tebay South on the M6, Carlisle Northbound on the M1, Strensham Southbound on the M5 and Barton Park on the A1(M).

The government’s “Taking Charge: the electric vehicle infrastructure strategy”, published in March 2022, set out an intention to accelerate the roll-out of high-powered chargers on the strategic road network through the £950m Rapid Charging Fund to give EV drivers confidence in the ability to undertake longer journeys. The document states, “We will ensure that every motorway service area has at least six rapid chargers by the end of 2023, with some having more than 12.” Currently, only six services in England have more than 12 such devices. These are Exeter on the M5, Rugby on the M6, Reading East and West on the M4, Thurrock on the M25 and Wetherby on the A1(M).

The government expects around 300,000 public chargers of all speeds as a minimum by 2030 and more than 6,000 high-powered chargers along strategic roads by 2035.

RAC EV spokesperson Simon Williams said: “Our findings show there is much work to be done before the end of the year if the government’s target of having six high-powered chargers at every motorway service area is to be met.

“Installing these types of units is not straightforward as connecting to the electricity grid is expensive and time-consuming, but clearly more needs to be done to make this process simpler than it is currently.”

“As a lack of charging facilities is rapidly becoming one of the most widely quoted reasons for drivers not going electric, all parties involved in making installations happen must work together to overcome this obstacle.

“With approaching 1m battery electric vehicles on the road and the Government having a goal of 80% of new cars sold by 2030 being zero-emission, it’s critical that the country’s charging network grows proportionately, particularly at the fastest end of the charging spectrum.”