In a new report by the National Insitute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), they called for all new roads to prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers. While some industry chiefs agree with this idea, others are quick to criticise, claiming that NICE are catering to the “Lycra army.”

The proposals

NICE is currently asking for responses to a consultation on their report to improve roads for pedestrians, cyclists and bus passengers. Some of their proposals include restricting vehicular access on certain roads, widening footpaths to make way for pedestrians, getting pupils to walk a mile a day and much more.

The proposals by NICE have been suggested as a drastic way to aim to reduce obesity, lower toxic air pollution and ease pressure on the NHS. They believe that their proposals are essential in lowering the nationwide obesity crisis.

Street and road planners have been encouraged to make roads as convenient as possible for cyclists and pedestrians, and make motorists the lowest priority on roads. NICE recommend widening pavements in order to allow for pedestrians in wheelchairs to safely navigate the pavement.

Smaller things such as asking employers to hold meetings standing up, encouraging staff to use the stairs, and asking employers to provide subsidised gym memberships and showers at work to encourage staff to cycle in. While these are small things, NICE hopes these can improve the overall health of people.

Professor Gillian Leng, the deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE, said: “Getting people to be more physically active by increasing the amount they walk or cycle has the potential to benefit both the individual and the health system.

As a society, we are facing a looming Type 2 diabetes crisis, which is in part caused by people not exercising enough. We need more people to change their lifestyle and to take more exercise.

People can feel less safe when they walk or cycle compared with when they drive. We’ve got to change this.

So asking planners to prioritise pedestrians, cyclists and those who use public transport when roads are built or upgraded can ensure they are safe, attractive and designed to encourage people to get out from behind their wheel.”

Concern from the industry

As cited by the RAC, new road building is scarce and often happens in housing estates where there is limited space to play with anyway. Housing estates are not often built near facilities such as doctors surgeries, supermarkets and similar, instead of in larger open spaces, so people will still need to travel in cars to get to these places.

Howard Cox of motorists’ group FairFuelUK said: “Yet another stupid out of touch edict. What planet are these so-called experts on?

The whole economy depends on road transport. A three-piece suite can’t be delivered on a bicycle. Of course, roads should be designed to cater for all users, but not by stifling the highest-taxed drivers of cars, vans and trucks in the world, for the sake of the Lycra army.”

Government response

Back in April 2017, the government published a Cycling and Walking strategy, which set out their aims to increase the number of people cycling and walking every day. The government wants to double the number of cycling or walking ‘stages’ by 2025 They define a stage as anytime someone is using a new method of transport in a journey, such as cycling to the station before getting a train or walking to meet someone before lift sharing.

In November 2018, the government went on to publish outcomes of a consultation based on their plans, and created the following points:

• Review the existing guidance in the Highway Code to improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians
• Invest £100,000 to support police enforcement by developing a national back-office function to handle dash-cam footage
• Improve enforcement against parking in cycle lanes
• Appoint a cycle and walking champion
• Encourage local authorities to increase investment in cycling and walking infrastructure to 15% of total transport infrastructure spending
• Engage with cycling and walking bodies to develop a behaviour change campaign

And now, in the present day, the government are committed to encouraging people to walk shorter journeys where at all possible, wschool-agedn to school and encourage older children to cycle to school. 90% of primary school age children live less than 15 minutes walk from their school and three-quarters of secondary school aged children live a 15-minute cycle from their house.

In response to the NICE statement, a Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘DfT guidance is crystal clear that street design should explicitly consider pedestrians and cyclists first. Our Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy safety review, published last year, set out further measures to improve safety, including a review of the Highway Code.’

Do you think that motorists should be the lowest priority on our streets? How often do you make a walkable journey in the car? Let us know below

Car theft is something none of us wants to experience. If faced with a space where our car once was, the first thing we’d do is call the police—and hope this would either bring our car back or, failing that, discover the perpetrator and bring them to justice. Yet, an astonishing 75% of vehicle thefts are remaining unsolved as our police struggle to find the criminals responsible.

This information comes after an analysis of Home Office crime data for 44 police forces, including the British Transport Police. The study also found that the current level of vehicle theft is higher than it’s been in years.

Thieves left unpunished

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the figures from the Home Office crime outcomes data for theft or ‘unauthorised taking’ of a motor vehicle and only 4% of cases resulted in charges or summonses being issued. Together, the 44 police forces logged 106,334 offences—the highest figure for the same period since 2009/10.

The analysis found West Midlands Police had closed 91% of recorded vehicle thefts without a suspect being identified, while the Metropolitan Police closed 85% of cases of recorded vehicle thefts for the same reason. The City of London Police were the force with the highest percentage of closed cases, at 96%. In fact, every police force except five forces closed over half of all cases without identifying a suspect.

So why are criminals responsible for three-quarters of all reported stolen cars going unpunished? Police chiefs say it’s due to an increased workload and fewer police officers, which mean they have to prioritise cases with a realistic chance of prosecution.

Criminals given ‘a green light’

The national percentage of vehicle thefts rose by 1% from the previous year to 77%. Over the same period, the number of police officers in England and Wales fell to 122,404 – the lowest number since comparable records began in 1996. Added to this challenge is the increasing number of complex and difficult offences police forces must investigate, such as rape and other violent crime.

Have car thieves become wise to not only the nation’s squeezed police resources but to modern car security, too? Simon Williams, RAC Media Relations Manager thinks so. He said:

“This is a sign that thieves have found ways around car security systems and have ways of selling vehicles on with little or no fear of being caught.

“The fact fewer suspects are being identified is very worrying and no doubt a symptom of the declining number of police officers and the resulting reduction in time that can be dedicated to investigating these crimes.”

Home Office statistics showed an overall increase in the total police workforce, but this number accounted for staff and not police officers, which decreased from the year before, along with Police Community Support Officers, special constables, and officers in ‘front-line roles’.

Labour politician Yvette Cooper MP, said:

“Too many investigations are closing without suspects being identified and we are hearing increasing reports of the police being too overstretched to investigate.

“Police forces are under immense pressure with rising serious and violent crime and changing patterns of crime alongside cuts in the numbers of officers and PCSOs. These figures suggest that investigations into volume crimes are now being hit. Failing to identify suspects gives criminals a green light to re-offend.”

Protect your property

So, if getting your vehicle back or hoping to see a thief punished is unlikely to happen, the best way to protect yourself from car theft is to work on prevention. Here are steps you can take to keep your car safe:

Double-check you’ve locked your car and beware of thieves who use ‘jammer’ devices to disrupt the signal between the fob and the car, leaving it unlocked and vulnerable to theft. You can do this by putting it in a tin box, and stow it safely in a draw.

Wherever you park, turn your car wheels, as thieves will avoid vehicles that take more effort and time to move. Use a driveway if you have one—thieves will favour cars further from houses—and always drive in rather than reverse in and out again. Try to use car parks with security patrols and/or CCTV, and park close to other cars.

To reduce the risk of carjacking in slow-moving traffic or a traffic jam, wherever possible, close your windows, lock your doors and hide any valuables.

The best way to secure your vehicle is with a tracker. Although this won’t prevent theft, it increases the chance of the car being recovered by the police. If you don’t have any car security, make fitting an immobiliser the priority. Car thieves avoid cars with visible devices and deterrents such as stickers warning of alarms and trackers. Any alarm is good but factory-fitted ones are the most secure and may also lower the cost of your car insurance.

Use a sturdy lock for the steering wheel, pedals or gearstick, and get your car’s registration number etched onto your car windows. These old-fashioned deterrents are making a comeback in our digital age.

You risk getting both a fine and your car stolen if you leave your car unattended with the engine idling. Whenever you leave the car, switch off the engine and lock the doors.

Never leave your keys unattended in public and when you’re at home, make sure your keys are out of sight and out of reach—and don’t be one 96% of motorists at risk of having their car stolen using a ‘relay attack’. Never take your keys upstairs or hide them in the bedroom though—it’s better to let a determined car thief have access to your vehicle rather than put yourself or your family at risk.

Have you ever had your car stolen? What was the outcome? What measures do you take to secure your vehicle against thieves? Tell us in the comments.

We wanted to get some numbers on the savings and benefits that you get from buying and owning an electric vehicle. That’s why we’ve heavily researched into electric vehicles, and the industries surrounding them to see what needs to change for government targets to happen. We haven’t just looked at power and the design itself, we’ve looked at insurance, repairs and more.

What we were looking for

We realised that something in the insurance industry wasn’t right. Insurance companies hadn’t taken into account how much safer electric vehicles were compared to combustion engines, as their high torque (we’ll explain this later) allows them to manoeuvre around potential hazards quicker. We went around and got some insurance quotes for an average person, as well as repair costs, costs of filling up, longevity, second-hand value and so much more.

We’ve compiled all of these costs together to provide you with a comprehensive review of whether electric cars are worth the money at the moment for a standard motorist, and also analysed what needs to change in the industry to meet government targets by 2040.

Insurance costs

• Social and single place of work
• 8000 annual mileage
• Drives in peak times
• Same address
• Employed
• 43-year-old female
• Clean licence
• £500 excess
• Non telematics policies
• Kept on driveway

Here’s the cars and their quotes, listed with the provider as well

There’s a large discrepancy between the Kia Soul and the Kia Soul EV. Same size, same make of car only the Kia Soul insurance was £274.60, and the Kia Soul EV was £307.60. The cars are the same size and shape and the lower horsepower, and higher torque on the EV make it safer in real life as it has a smaller engine.

Even though it is an electric vehicle and therefore has more expensive parts to replace or maintain, the lower risk small engine size means that a considerable amount should have been knocked off the price. If there is an issue with the battery, then the warranty covers it for ten years or 100,000 miles, up to 70% degradation. The 70% degradation means that the warranty only covers the repairs if the battery capacity is less than 70%.

These quotes are all for cars of a similar technical spec regarding power and capability, even though one of the cars was combustion and the other electric.

Matt Oliver, spokesperson for GoCompare Car Insurance, said: “It’s easy to assume that electric cars are futuristic technology that’s simply unaffordable for the average household. It’s still early days for electric car technology, and you’ll find fewer car insurers offering cover on these vehicles. That’s why it’s so important to compare insurance premiums for electric cars so that you can find the best price possible, as fewer insurers covering electric vehicles, means less competition and higher premiums, so you might have to pay more than you would for a standard car.”

One thing that PetrolPrices wondered was due to the higher torque in electric vehicles, were insurance companies seeing the high numbers and placing a higher price. For those who don’t understand torque, the simplest way to explain it is the pull that you feel when you accelerate sharply on a car. For a more detailed explanation, have a look here.

The higher the torque, the quicker it is able to accelerate and therefore surely it would be quicker to maneuver out of harm’s way. Electric cars also have a much lower top speed, with most sitting around 80 mph meaning that the risks associated with higher speeds simply don’t happen in an electric vehicle. The list price of vehicles may be what is driving up these costs, but the massive difference in price between the Mercedes, which has a list price starting at £80,000 and the Tesla, which starts at £90,000 is larger than the price difference between the Kia Soul and the Kia Soul EV, which have a price difference of the same spread, £10,000.

The repair industry

One of our partners, WhoCanFixMyCar.com worked with us to help understand the electric car industry in terms of repairs. One interesting point that was picked up was that because the knowledge in the industry is unknown, the mechanical engineers within the industry are struggling to repair some electric cars as the whole structure of a combustion car is completely different to an electric vehicle.

Craig Stein the owner of Steins Garage, winner of the Best Garage in Scotland 2016 said “Car’s are developing quicker than some garages can keep up with and it will important that the right training is put in place over the next few years otherwise the price difference between fixing an electric car and a combustion engine car might actually put people off buying electric.”

There’s almost no knowledge of an approximate cost for any repair as one garage may have done a fix before, but most of the time due to the lack of training and knowledge there is a higher cost than anticipated due to the parts, the labour and also the time taken to look into the problem.

Al Mia, owner of Autowerke Garage, finalist in the Best Garage of London 2017, brought up a point about the Teslas: “The Tesla Model x 100D and Tesla Model S 100D spend much more time in the garage that most cars as the time it takes to get a new parts is longer than almost every other car model. This is because there are only a few distribution centres in the UK. Furthermore, if the part is not in stock, it will have to be ordered from the factory in California and flown to the UK, extending the delay further.” For combustion car parts, a simple trip to the local distributor solves all issues as most cars use similar parts, for example a BMW might use a Ford clutch, and a Renault could have a Citroen indicator.

With Tesla cars, all the parts are specially made for Teslas only, and while they are lovely, if not premium, it costs more to replace than a standard part. If something goes badly wrong with the battery, a specialist Tesla crew is sent out as the battery could potentially be too dangerous for a standard engineer to deal with. As seen above the insurance for a Tesla is pretty high, and this is probably one of the main factors of that.

Kyle Burke, owner of Eagle Autos, winner of the Best Garage in London 2017 said “There are a lot more electric cars on the road than there were only a couple of years ago which means we have had to adapt and learn about repairing new components. The way an electric car is put together is different from a combustion-engined car, which means some garages might charge significantly more money for labour as they need more time to figure out how to make the fix.”

Overall other experts in the repair industry have highlighted to us that the training and knowledge of electric car fixes is lacking and people are looking to encourage and expand their knowledge but with more and more car companies announcing new electric models and designs everyday the car manufacturers are striding ahead of the rest of the industry to try and validate themselves as being part of the ‘electric movement’ but sadly the repair industry is struggling to keep up.

Charging vs filling up

For this comparison, we chose to look at the cost per mile for charging a car vs the cost per mile for filling up a car with petrol. We chose a Renault Zoe vs a Renault Clio for this one and looked at the cost of charging at home per mile, the cost of charging publicly per mile and finally the cost per mile on petrol.

To charge the Renault Zoe at home to full charge overnight, the cost per mile is 4.2p compared to around 12p per mile on public chargers, according to data from WhatCar?. Taking a price of 121.3ppl, the cost to fill up would be 10.4p a mile for a Renault Clio. While you’re saving a considerably large amount for overnight charging for charging a Renault Zoe, if you need to fill up on the road it could be costing you a lot more.

With electric, the price shouldn’t change too much, and you can be fairly sure of a consistent price year round, but with petrol the price changes almost daily, and if the price of oil goes up then you can see the effect this has all around.

Another issue in this peripheral is the availability of electric chargers. With 9000 devices covering 5,500 spots, the availability of charging where you need it is not at its full potential yet. There are petrol stations spread across the length and breadth of the country but not yet for EV charging points.

Tax, grants and charges

Electric vehicles are exempt from VED tax unless they have a list price of over £40,000 at which it is £310 a year for five years. After that, there is no more VED tax.

On the other hand, diesels that emit more CO2 are required to pay higher tax based on their emissions ratings. The Renault Clio, which has a CO2 emission of 160 CO2 g/km, first-year road tax is £160 for a single 12-month payment, and after that, it is £140 for a single 12-month payment.

So, is it worth it?

The car manufacturing industry is moving at a faster pace than the peripherals can keep up. The car service industry is struggling to understand all the new cars and parts are few and far between. Labour costs are more because the build of an EV is completely different to a combustion car.

Insurance premiums are higher because of the numbers associated with electric vehicles, yet the less risks associated with EV’s should be lower. Insurance companies should review their policies on insuring electric vehicles and see whether the industry is fair towards them.

Yet, despite all this, it seems that the attraction of electric has not decreased yet, people are still interested in the lower running costs and the lack of VED. If you have an electric car for 4 years your running costs will be lower, our example case of the Kia Soul EV was £2,062.40 for 4 years costs whereas the Kia Soul was £6,097.40. However taking into consideration the initial list price, the Kia Soul EV is £25,995 for the entry level model, with the Kia Soul priced at £14,525 for the same model spec as the EV. At the moment, combustion engines have a lower depreciation after 4 years, with the Kia Soul at 45% and the Kia Soul EV at 63%. These values are an approximate and are based on 2018 models, but even so the depreciation shows how much the value of electric cars go down.

Electric has a future, but whether it is affordable for most people in the present is not attainable at the moment. Even with all the government help and advice, the UK is simply not ready for electric vehicles. The infrastructure of millions of electric cars charging at the same time has the potential to push pressure onto the electricity generators which could very easily lead to a national crisis.

What needs to change is for electric cars to become cheaper initially but also for the longevity of them to be understood. Hyundai won’t give out the battery replacement cost because they believe their batteries will last forever. Most combustion cars last 16 years before they are scrapped, and while electric has not been around for long enough to give a fair judgement, it is forecast that they will be able to run for a lot longer.

The end of 2018 is drawing to a close and we’ve seen many changes within the motoring world, from learner drivers on the motorways to a new MOT. So what can we expect in 2019?

Although there are bound to be several unknown shocks and surprises to drivers over the next twelve months, here are a few of the main changes we can expect in the new year…

Emission mission

As mentioned in an earlier article, an Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be in place in central London from the 8th of April next year and will replace the T-Charge. Most vehicles, including older petrol cars and most diesel cars sold before certain dates, must meet stricter exhaust emission standards or drivers must pay a daily charge to drive these cars.

“It is clear that charging clean air zones have the greatest impact by bringing the majority of zones into compliance by 2021,” said a report by the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP)—the laboratory test to measure fuel consumption, emissions of pollutants, and CO2 from passenger cars—first applied to new cars in September of last year.

Before the WLTP, the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) was the test used but, because of progression in technology and driving conditions, it had become outdated because the test based its values on a theoretical driving profile while the WLTP cycle uses real-driving data, collected from around the world and better shows typical driving behaviour.

From the 1st of January 2019, databases will show only the WLTP results for Fuel Consumption, yet the results for CO2 emissions will continue to be NEDC (or NEDC equivalent) figures until the 6th of April 2020.

Mike Hawes, Chief Executive Officer at Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said of WLTP: “This is an opportunity to reassure consumers that their cars will achieve figures much closer to the official ones.”

Driving change

How driver licensing will work if you drive within the EU after the 29th of March 2019 (when the UK leaves the EU) will depend on a ‘deal or no-deal‘ situation, so if you wish to drive to an EU country soon, it might be best to go in the next couple of months.

The current situation is simple; you need only your UK driving licence to drive anywhere in the EU, for work or pleasure. Yet if there’s a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, the mutual recognition of driving licences between the UK and EU could end, which means drivers may need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive within the EU (which some countries outside the EU already require). If this happens, the International Driving Permit you will need to buy will depend on which EU country you plan to visit. Cyprus, Ireland, Malta, and Spain recognise the ‘1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic’ licence. The licence remains in force for 12 months. All other EU countries including Norway and Switzerland recognises the ‘1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic’ licence, which remains in force for three years.

Even if the UK makes a deal with the EU, the government has decided that from the 1st of February 2019, the AA and RAC may no longer issue IDPs, nor will mail order facilities exist to apply for them. Instead, around 2,500 Post Offices (instead of the current 89) will issue them.

Cough up

From the 1st of April, Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for all cars, vans, and motorcycles will increase in line with RPI (one of the two main measures of inflation).

Most drivers of cars registered before 1 April 2017 will have to pay an extra £5 in standard rate VED for the year, meaning an annual bill of £145 for petrol and diesel cars and £135 for hybrids. Owners of older, high emission models will pay up to £15 extra. Buyers of new vehicles with CO2 emissions over 255g/km must pay an extra £65 on first-year car tax. The premium tax owners must pay for the first five years at the standard rate on cars with a list price of £40,000 or more has increased from £310 to £320. Owners of electric cars will still not have to pay VED charges.

Ministers said the increase in car tax in line with RPI would “ensure that VED receipts are maintained in real terms and that motorists continue to make a fair contribution to the public finances,”.

2019 also brings the following developments:

People with hidden disabilities will be eligible to apply for Blue Badges, Scotland will introduce a drug driving limit (which will involve roadside testing to allow police to check drivers’ levels of prescription and illegal drugs and prosecute where relevant), new electric and hybrid cars will have to come fitted with sound generators so that the vehicles make a noise when travelling at low speeds, and all new cars launched by Volvo from 2019 onwards will be pure electric or plug-in hybrid.

So, while we don’t yet know what the post-Brexit UK will look like, at least regarding driving it is clear there’s a firm focus, and that focus is on reducing emissions

Which of these changes do you support and which do you oppose? What changes to motoring has most affected you in 2018? Let us know in the comments.

We’ve all seen those annoying drivers on a cold winter’s morning – scraping just enough ice from their screen to give them a ‘porthole’ for vision, but what you may not know is that anyone caught driving like that could face a £60 fine and three penalty points.

In fact, as winter rolls around again, it’s worth knowing that there are a few situations that could see you in hot water if you’re not aware of them – the act of ‘portholing’ is just one of them.

Partial vision

With police forces actively clamping down on drivers with poor vision, it was only a matter of time before the net widened to try and catch drivers that are too lazy to clear their windscreen properly before setting off.

Whilst a £60 fine and three penalty points may seem harsh for failing to clear the screen, the reality is that there’s no real difference between that and driving with poor eyesight, which carries a much stiffer penalty, it could possibly be argued that failing to clear a screen should carry a harsher penalty still.

While ‘portholing’ is a very defined term, what isn’t clear is just what that constitutes – how much of the screen should be clear? Common sense tells us that any significant obstruction to our view is dangerous, and that to take an extra few minutes to finish clearing the screen and windows is the sensible choice, but does the screen need clearing completely, or just the majority?
The Highway Code is very clear:

• You must be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows
• You must ensure that lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible and legible
• Make sure that the mirrors are clear and the windows are demisted thoroughly
• Remove all snow that might fall into the path of other road users

Engine idling

While it’s tempting to start your car and let the heat do the work for you, that in itself can be an offence if the vehicle is on a public road (as opposed to your driveway), which could result in a £20 fine.

Section 42 of the Road Traffic Act of 1988 and rule 123 of the Highway Code states that “you must not leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road”. However, defining necessary or unnecessary could potentially be a defence; it was necessary to demist or de-ice the windscreen. It would take a particularly zealous police officer to book you for the offence.

Perhaps of more importance is the fact that any insurance company would likely refuse a claim if your car was stolen under the same circumstance; leaving your car to de-ice with the engine running unattended would likely be seen as a failure in duty of care – that you’ll take reasonable precaution to keep your vehicle safe.

Driving in winter

Driving in winter presents a host of new challenges that we in the UK aren’t specifically taught how to deal with, and no amount of ‘how-to’ articles will prepare you for the reality of driving in snow and ice. Best advice (when the weather is particularly inclement) is to only drive when completely necessary.

Should you find yourself in the position of having to make a journey, experts say that you should have a Winter Survival Kit prepared. This may seem extreme, especially if you’re confident of your abilities, but many times, drivers have found themselves stuck due to other motorists.
Your winter kit should include:

• Any personal medications
• Fully charged mobile phone with in-car charger
• First aid kit
• Road atlas (in case of detours and road closures)
• Blanket
• Shovel
• Ice scraper and de-icer
• Torch with spare batteries
• Snacks (in extremis!)
• Extra screenwash

Shop bought de-icing solution is readily available through supermarkets, garages and convenience stores, but should you wish to make yourself a greener remedy, or in case you run out of pre-packaged, you can make a simple de-icing solution using three parts white vinegar to one part water.

Preparing your car

Just as you should carry a winter survival kit, you should ensure that your car is fully-prepared for winter: check that you have the right amount of anti-freeze, that your tyres are in good condition, windscreen wipers are smear-free and that your screenwash is topped off. This won’t stop you getting into trouble, but it will help to keep you out of it.

Do you have any tips for winter driving? Should drivers that ‘porthole’ face a stiffer fine? What’s in your winter survival kit? Let us know in the comments.

Traffic experts predict that motorway journeys will take up to three hours longer than normal this Christmas, with the worst delays most likely for those heading north and it’s not just people visiting family and friends for Christmas who will add to the road congestion—delivery drivers, last-minute shoppers and those travelling to and from work may get caught in the traffic.

With both rail engineering works and strikes occurring, traffic authorities expect chaos over the holiday period after determining Britain’s worst areas for traffic jams.

Congestion suggestion

With 20 million festive trips expected this week, motorists are being urged to expect significant congestion on major roads such as the M25, M6, and M40. Those driving on the M6 between Staffordshire and Greater Manchester on Thursday could get caught by delays of up to 181 minutes and, on Friday, using the M40 south from the M42 in Warwickshire to J8A at Oxford may add an extra 110 minutes to the journey.

The worst days for congestion, according to research by the RAC and the transportation data analysis company Inrix, will be Thursday and Friday, with between 2.5 million and 2.8 million vehicles travelling across Britain.

To make sure over 97% of roads are available for Christmas travel, Highways England intends to lessen disruption by removing over 200 miles of roadworks from motorways and major A-roads by Friday at 6.00 a.m. but large-scale roadworks will continue on the M1 between Milton Keynes and Northampton and on the M6 near Coventry and between Stafford and Crewe.

Planned roadworks

M5 J17-J18 (near Avonmouth) 4.2 miles
M62 J10-12 (near Manchester) 10.3 miles
M6 J16-19 (near Crewe) 20 miles
M6 J13-15 (near Stafford) 20 miles
M1 J13-15 (near Milton Keynes) 14.9 miles
M23 J8-10 (near Crawley) 11.5 miles
M20 J2-7 (near Maidstone) 15.9 miles
M6 J2-4 (near Coventry) 13.6 miles
M4 J3-12 (near Wokingham) 20 miles
A14 J31-28 (near Cambridge) 11 miles
M20 J10 (near Ashford) 1.6 miles
A1(M) J15-A1 Buckden (near Huntingdon) 6 miles
A14 J32-34 (near Cambridge) 5 miles
M20 J9-8 (near Ashford) 6 miles
M50 J1-2 (near Worcestershire) 3.8 miles
M6 J2-4 (near Coventry) 14.3 miles
M6 J13-15 (near Stafford) 13 miles
M6 J8-M5 J3 (near Birmingham) 7 miles
M5 J5-4A (near Bromsgrove) 2.6 miles
A1(M) J59-60 (near Newton Aycliffe/Coatham Mundeville) 3.5 miles.

The worst times to travel on Britain’s roads on the lead-up to Christmas

December 19th 3-6.30 p.m.
December 20th 11.30 a.m.-6.30 p.m.
December 21st 11.30 a.m.-6.00 p.m.
December 22nd 10.30 a.m.-4.00 p.m.
December 23rd 4.00 p.m.-6.30 p.m.
December 24th 11.00 a.m.-1.00 p.m.

To avoid the worst queues, drivers are being encouraged to use alternative routes or delay their journeys until 8.00 p.m.

Off the rails

Inrix data scientist Joshua Kidd, advises motorists to explore different routes to their destinations and to use the latest technology for real-time updates.

Kidd said: “Our data shows that compared to a normal day, Thursday, December 20th, will see the biggest increase in cars on the road.

“With most drivers setting out mid-morning, traffic will become heavier over the course of the afternoon and stay congested into the evening.”

Train passengers may not fare any better. Tens of thousands of passengers could have their travel disrupted over the Christmas break by Network Rail’s 330 planned engineering works.

Andy Thomas, Managing Director of Strategic Operations at Network Rail, said:

“Most of the network is open for business as usual but some routes are heavily affected, so we strongly advise to plan ahead.

“A huge investment programme will deliver more reliable infrastructure and improved services for passengers.”

Strikes continue to affect the rail network and on Saturday, Northern Rail employees walked out at 7.00 a.m., as part of their disagreement over driver-only trains. Further strikes will happen each Saturday this month.

South Western Railway has strikes planned for the 22nd, 27th, and 31st of December. London Underground Central Line plus Waterloo and City Line plan to strike on December the 21st and 22nd and there will be strike action on the Bakerloo Line on December the 26th.

Planes, trains, and automobiles

With airline strikes looking set to carry on well into 2019, travel delays are affecting most modes of transport.

Four hundred of the 965 Virgin Atlantic pilots have arranged up to three lots of four-day strikes to occur over the Christmas and New Year holiday because of the airline’s unwillingness to include them in discussions over changes to pay and benefits.

But if your car remains your transport of choice this Christmas, and you have plans to drive anywhere further than your local area, give your vehicle a once-over to make sure it’s in good repair and not liable to break down, leaving you stranded.

Check your fuel, coolant, oil, and screenwash levels and examine the condition and pressure of your tyres. Make sure you also check the forecast before you travel. By knowing the forecast in advance, you can prepare for any hazardous weather and reach your destination safe and ready to put on that party hat and sip your mulled wine.

Are you planning to brave the roads in the next week or two, or do you have a flight or train booked? Will news of travel chaos make you stay home, instead? Let us know in the comments.

Renault and Nissan have come out worst in a new study done by the team behind one aspect of the VW scandal. They also revealed that the average new diesel car emits more than six times the legal limit of nitrous oxide (NOx) when tested in multiple real-world conditions.

The FIA Foundation and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), who helped to reveal the VW scandal, released new information this week showing that in real world tests most manufacturers come out way above the maximum limit.

Worst performing manafacturers

Renault and Nissan came out worst performing, after signing a strategic partnership deal in 1999, meaning that their diesel engines are the same. The legal limit for NOx is 0.08mg/km, and Renault Nissan averaged over 12 times that, way above 0.8 mg km.

The worst offenders from these brands included the Renault Kaptur, and the Nissan Juke and Qashqai, as identified through previous research.

Following Renault Nissan came Fiat Chrysler with a figure just under 0.8mg/km. Hyuandi entered in third place, with Toyota and Ford taking fourth and fifth respectively. The VW group actually fell near the bottom of the list, showing their commitment to change since the dieselgate scandal of 2015, with Jaguar Land Rover taking the bottom spot and having the cleanest engines.

Euro 6 compliance

It was found that none of the Euro 6 models available on the market actually reached the mark in the rigorous tests done by The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) initiative and less than 30% of diesel cars tested on the roads were actually Euro 6 compliant meaning that if the ULEZ zones were measured on TRUE results, no cars could enter the centre of London.

Euro 6 compliance is legal on all new models bought on cars, and from September 2019 any car registrations must be Euro 6 compliant. It was introduced in 2015, and since then any mass produced cars have had to be compliant.

The Euro 6 compliance level aims to reduce the amount of NOx, particulate matter and a few other harmful chemicals. Every year 40,000 people die for reasons related to pollution, and so each new iteration of EU compliance aims to lower these numbers further and further.

The new ULEZ zones coming in to force early next year in London means that any car that doesn’t meet the Euro 6 standards will have to pay an extra £10 on top of any other congestion charges. Those living in Islington with a diesel car will also face an annual surcharge of £99.65 which other London councils may adopt later in 2019.

Euro compliance testing is done in a controlled environment overlooked by Government agencies, meaning that real-world tests are more likely to capture data that is more representative of drivers.

TRUE testing methods

The TRUE test used remote sensing technology, which shot infrared and ultraviolet beams through the pollution emitted by each car as well as the type of car, whether it was a fleet or commercial vehicle and what Euro compliance rating it was.

The TRUE rating is a three-colour scheme, in which green = meets pollutant limits, red = far exceeds limits and yellow = in between and no diesel car tested during this period, including Euro 6 compliant vehicles, had a green rating. The TRUE rating takes the Euro 6 data but tests cars in a real-world test.

The testing was completed over a five-month sampling campaign, November 2017 to March 2018, and was active in nine spots across London. More than 100,000 vehicles were tested, and due to the real world nature of the data, it was more authentic and tangible than the laboratory testing done for Euro compliance.

It must be said that the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) procedures are more reflective of real-world driving habits. However, due to the controlled environment, they can never be entirely accurate in comparison to a test done on vehicles that have been driven for a while on actual roads, gone over potholes and generally had a bumpy ride.

Taxis pollute the most

The study also found that the most common black cab models pollute up to 30 times more NOx than a personal car of the same age. Euro 5 black taxi cabs, some of the newer models and technically more compliant with stricter emissions test, are producing at least 50% more NOX than of the Euro 3 or Euro 4 models. The average NOX emissions from cabs per KG of fuel used have actually seen a measurable increase in the past five years.

When compared to buses, this is shocking as there has been a 65% decrease in emissions by buses over the last five years, and due to the number of people, a bus can hold it means they are naturally less polluting anyway when compared to the pollutant per person.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London’s air is so toxic it damages children’s lung growth, causes thousands of premature deaths and increases the risk of asthma and dementia. We know that dirty vehicles are responsible for half of our NOX air pollution – and this new data from TRUE and ICCT reveals the stark health impact of polluting diesel taxis on our streets. It also underlines why we at City Hall have been delivering hard-hitting, urgently needed policies to tackle vehicle emissions, such as cleaning up the bus fleet and introducing the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone, 24 hours, seven days a week in central London from next April. We all need to play a part in cleaning up our toxic air and while I am encouraged that almost 1,000 taxi drivers have switched to cleaner electric taxis, this damning report really highlights why we need to accelerate their uptake.”

What do you think should be done to help reduce emissions? Do you know how much your car actually pollutes? Let us know below