Mention pollution in the city and most of us would think that London would be the worst. However, a new study from the World Health Organisation (WHO) shows that we would be wrong. Their research revealed that 47 towns across the UK have unsafe pollution levels – and London wasn’t the worst.

The worst pollution problems

The study looked at levels of fine particle emissions known as PM2.5 across the UK. 47 towns and cities have reached unsafe levels, 32 of which have exceeded the limit of 10 micrograms per cubic metre.

Fine particle emissions come from a range of sources including transport, industry, coal plants as well as burning wood, fuels and waste, which have a connection with a variety of health problems including heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and respiratory infections.

The study showed that London, Manchester, and Liverpool were all above the WHO limits, but it was Scunthorpe in Lincolnshire that reached the 1st place as the most polluted place in the UK. In fact, London, typically associated with high pollution, was not even listed in the top 20.

The top 20 most polluted places were:

1. Scunthorpe – 15
2. Salford – 15
3. Thurrock – 14
4. Manchester – 13
5. Swansea – 13
6. Gillingham, Kent – 13
7. Carlisle – 12
8. Chepstow – 12
9. Leeds – 12
10. Leicester – 12
11. Liverpool – 12
12. Grays – 12
13. Eccles – 12
14. Nottingham – 12
15. Plymouth – 12
16. York – 12
17. Prestonpans – 12
18. Royal Leamington Spa – 12
19. Southampton – 10
20. Birmingham – 10

As well as these figures, the WHO recorded a level of 10 micrograms in Brighton, Bristol, Newcastle, Portsmouth and Port Talbot.

Pollution exposure

The figures show that 9 out of 10 people around the world are exposed to air pollution at dangerous levels and that some 7 million people each year die due to poor air quality. Clean air campaigners were quick to call on the government to act considering the new report.

ClientEarth, an environment law charity said that the new statistics show a ‘worrying level of dangerous air pollution’ across the UK. They added that people shouldn’t have to breathe air that is termed unhealthy daily. Their solution is a new Clean Air Act to create a plan to deal with the problem.

Alison Cook, policy director at the British Lung Foundation, called the pollution problem a ‘leading environment public health crisis’ in the UK. She added that action to deal with these toxic particles in the air needs to be taken quickly.

The government is already looking to crack down on pollution and emissions from cars and has introduced a ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars in 2040, and with some cities introducing diesel bans already it seems that the world is taking this very seriously. Automotive has often been thought to be a top provider of pollution, and indeed the number of cars on the road has increased, and the rise of SUVs and larger cars means more pollution. Some newer cars are cleaner, such as the Euro 6 diesel, but they are still producing dangerous particulates that harm people. While environmentalists protest in the way of electric, it seems that producing the batteries and the power needed to charge each car will still have an effect on the environment.

Problems around the world

The issue of air pollution in the UK is pressing and worrying. However, the study wasn’t just carried out here in the UK, and our pollution levels are nowhere near as dangerous as the most polluted cities in the world – with nine of the top ten being in India.

Top of the list is Kanpur in India with a frightening 173 micrograms per cubic meter, closely followed by Faridabad with 172 and Varanasi with 151 micrograms. Out of the list, the only one not in India was Bamenda, Cameroon with 132 micrograms per cubic meter. Part of the problem here isn’t just from vehicles but also from extensive deforestation.

Moreover, while the problem of deaths due to pollution is one the UK must deal with, it is also far lower than other places around the world. The death rate for contamination here is only one-fifth of the levels seen in India and one-sixth of those seen in China. It is also below the European average.

Dealing with the problem

While the picture here in the UK may not be as bad as in other parts of the world, it is still a huge worry for all of us. Moreover, the government is planning to up their game by introducing new measures to halve the number of people living in dangerously polluted areas by 2025.

The new proposals will let local governments take steps to improve air quality and clamp down on the most polluting coal and wood burners. The aim is to significantly cut back those tiny particulates that cause so many problems.

Campaigners say that more needs to be done. A diesel scrappage scheme is one favoured by the British Lung Foundation alongside investment in cleaner travel alternatives for public transport and encouraging walking and cycling wherever possible.

The government’s plan also looks at reducing other types of pollution including ammonia emissions from farms and the dust from vehicle brakes and tyres. However, Labour called this ‘hugely disappointing’, and said that very little was done to tackle the real problem. Work is also needed to reduce the strain on the NHS – experts say that air pollution is costing £20 billion a year on a system that is already struggling to cope with the demands being placed on it.

Have you ever noticed a problem with pollution where you live? Or when you visit one of the big cities? We’d love to hear from your experiences.

A recent study has uncovered that over a third of motorists are out-of-pocket following an accident that wasn’t their fault.

A study by the RAC of 2,062 drivers carried out earlier this year showed that many of us unfortunate enough to find ourselves involved in an accident not of our making are footing the bill not only for insurance policy excesses following a ‘no-fault’ accident but often in alternative transportation, loss of earnings, and pursuing personal injury claims.

Often, drivers are unaware that a no-fault accident can cause their premiums to rise, so come time to take out another year’s motor insurance, people can be in for a nasty shock. Even if you don’t make a claim, but only tell your insurer as you’re told to do, your file will get updated with a ‘notification’, often resulting in a hike in future premiums. Are drivers being penalised for their honesty?

Paying for another’s mistake

Insurance companies class claims as ‘no-fault’ when the costs resulting from an incident get paid by a third party. Imagine you’re stationary at a junction when a car ploughs into the back of you. As long as the driver doesn’t speed off without you having any record of their number plate — and the insurance investigation finds the other driver to be at fault — you can seek payment for any damages from their insurer instead of your own.

One-fifth of the motorists questioned in the RAC survey admitted to being in a car accident within the past five years, with 69% of these people saying they weren’t at fault. Of the people who answered, 21% had to pay an insurance policy excess, with 41% of those paying out between £150 to £349. Eight percent of respondents needed to spend money on alternative transport because their car was no longer roadworthy, with the average cost being £588. A further 4% of people suffered a loss of earnings. The biggest loss of earnings recorded in the survey was £3,091. Three percent paid to make a personal injury claim with £2,036 being the average cost.

To add insult to injury, many insurance providers will raise car insurance premiums by up to 30% for one non-fault claim, and 50% for two non-fault claims. Bearing all this in mind, should drivers be adding legal expenses cover to their policies?

The cost of policy excesses, travel expenses, and claiming personal injury could get taken care of when a person has legal expenses cover, but not every driver agrees it’s necessary to have.

No-fault claimants pose a higher risk to insurers

Those involved in a no-fault accident will notice a rise in their car insurance premiums, which many motorists feel is unfair. So how is this justified? Insurance providers argue the reason they hike up premiums in these situations is that statistics show people involved in any motor accident (whether no-fault or at-fault) pose a higher risk of having another accident later.

Your ‘no-fault’ accident might bring to your insurer’s attention something they didn’t know, that they consider risky. Things such as regular parking in a crime hotspot, driving through busy junctions each day or driving to work along country roads with poor visibility and high-speed limits.

Association of British Insurers (ABI) Manager for General Insurance, Rob Cummings, said: “Insurers consider a range of factors when setting the price of a customer’s motor insurance premium, including age, type of vehicle, postcode, claims history and driving record. Insurers claims data demonstrates that if a customer makes a ‘non-fault’ claim, they are more likely to make an actual claim in the future. As such, some insurers will consider this when setting the price for customers.”

Another painful disappointment for many motorists is finding out they’ve lost their no-claims discount. Insurers may say, a no-claims discount is that — a discount for not making a claim, regardless of if the claim results from another’s fault.

The ABI says you should make your insurance company aware of any incident even if you don’t make a claim. If the incident involved another party, they could make a claim against you at a later date with symptoms of alleged injuries appearing much later.

It’s tempting to keep quiet about certain incidents, questioning why we should be forced to pay higher premiums, often for years, when an accident wasn’t our fault. However, failing to tell your insurer of something they later discover, could invalidate your policy, causing them to not pay out on any future claims.

Keeping costs down

Can motorists act to prevent a rise in future premiums when making a no-fault claim?

Although there’s little you can do to influence an insurer’s decision when making a no-fault claim, you can shop around for a provider who won’t hike up premiums for notifying them of an incident. Some insurers will ignore the first one or two no-fault notifications, while others will discount all no-fault notifications.

As well searching for the best car insurance quote (price comparison sites help make the search easier), there are other ways to reduce your car insurance costs:

• Add a named driver to your policy — having a more experienced driver on your policy, (that uses your car) could help spread the risk.
• Consider making your next car one that’s in a lower insurance group
• Decide if you need added extras on your policy — things such as a courtesy car or windscreen cover might not be necessary for you and having them can increase what you pay.
• Increase your voluntary excess — as long as you can afford to pay it should a claim arise.
• Protect your no claims discount — this may cost more, to begin with, but can save you money if you need to make a claim.
• Pay for your insurance in one lump sum — paying monthly will cost you more overall. Many insurers will charge their customers interest for paying in instalments.
• Take the Pass Plus advanced driving course — more so if you’re a new driver. Although not every insurer offers discounted rates for drivers with a Pass Plus certification, many do. I took the Pass Plus course, back in the day and it’s paid for itself.
• Consider using telematics (black box insurance) – this technology records how safe a driver you are you and adjusts your premium in line with the results.

Do you think it’s fair for insurance companies to raise future premiums after a no-fault claim or notification? Has this ever happened to you? Would you risk not informing your insurer if a no-fault incident was paid for by the other driver and cost nothing to your insurers? Let us know in the comments.

If the UK is to keep up with the demand for zero-emission electric cars, there need to be another 83,500 public electric charging points added around the UK by 2020 says data firm, Emu Analytics. With the current number at approximately 16,500 nationwide, this would be some feat, perhaps just simply asking too much.

Race to electric

The current locations fitted with charging points are going to see a lot of pressure in the coming months, estimates say that there will be one million electric cars on the road within two years, thus meaning the infrastructure has no choice but to adapt.

In London, for example, 3 in 5 residents will become reliant on public charging spots as they don’t have garages or driveways to charge their car safely and as more and more motorists look to make the switch from diesel and petrol, the government must offer more valuable incentives for implementing EV friendly solutions. Such scheme would be logical considering the ambitious plan to ban all traditionally fuelled cars by 2040.

Lack of infrastructure

Currently, there are around 150,000 electric cars on UK roads, and already these drivers have experienced trouble with the lack of public charging points. There is one charging spot for every nine electric vehicles on the road, leading to problems charging cars when out and about.

If the infrastructure is increased to meet the study’s suggested figure, this will still only be one charge point for every ten electric cars. Industry insiders say that most people will continue to charge their cars at home, but the problems lie when making longer journeys as a pure electric car can typically only run 100-200 miles per charge.

London snapshot

The snapshot from London is an excellent example of the problem. The numbers of electric cars in the capital is booming with over 12,000 models registered, but the infrastructure is well behind. Currently, people with home charging locations such as a driveway or garage are the most likely to buy an electric car and, in London, this accounts for only 40% of the residents.

The remaining 60% would need to rely on on-street chargers which are not being installed quickly enough, according to the London Assembly’s report on the subject. It also points out that funding for the project is ‘heavily over-subscribed.’

Charging point options

Different companies already offer different charging solutions around the world, and it can be confusing for local authorities to know which option to choose. A lack of standard design means that drivers could face having to carry around adapters in case they go to an unfamiliar area and find the charging point is a different specification to the one they are accustomed to using.

Payment methods – paying for electric charging should be a simple process like paying for diesel or petrol. However, again, there is a lack of standardisation that sees options ranging from mobile apps and payment cards to different accounts. It could mean a driver has to sign up for a new service for every different charging station that they use.

Countrywide picture

Currently, around the UK, there are significant differences in the availability of chargers. Newcastle is one of the top cities for chargers with a ratio of 1.45 cars per plug-in point. At the other end of the scale is Peterborough which has a ratio of 485 vehicles per charger – although, the area does have a higher rate of off-street parking than many cities.

Supermarkets are one of the top locations for public chargers, but the picture is varied amongst stores. 19% of ASDA supermarkets have a charging point installed compared to Tesco with just 0.4% of their stores.

The speed of charge must also be addressed. BMW recently announced they are working with a Dutch energy company, Alfen, to supply electric vehicle charging that will mean the cars have ultrafast charging capabilities. However, if the infrastructure in place can’t provide the power at a rate that makes the process convenient, then these added benefits may not be felt by motorists.

Supply issues

The UK electricity network already notices a surge when everyone pops the kettle on during popular TV show finales, so what will it be like when everyone gets home at 6 pm and sticks the car on charge?

When charging an electric car, much like your phone, overusing fast chargers can damage the car battery and keeping it around 80% keeps the car in optimum condition. Overnight the car charges at anywhere between 3kw to 22kw so all that electricity is undoubtedly going to affect us negatively.

The message taught by firefighters to always switch off everything before you go to bed springs to mind here, as one presumes that anything left on overnight poses a potential hazard. If Emu Analytics predict correctly and there are 1 million electric cars on the roads in the next two years, then inevitably the electricity grid will struggle as well as the potential fire hazard.

If you are thinking of buying an electric car then it is always worth checking the charging point availability around you, ZapMap covers all of the UK and shows most of the charging points.
When looking at home charging, the government provide a grant for electric plug-in points for your house, for 75% of the cost up to £500.

Have you considered buying an electric car? What are your main concerns? We’d love to hear from you!

Last summer saw the news that motorway lessons would become available for learner drivers, and, from next week, learner drivers in England, Scotland, and Wales are allowed onto the motorway, 60 years after the first UK motorway opened.

The new rule is part of a broader transformation in UK motoring including the changes made to the driving test in December 2017, the new MOT, and a tax hike on newly registered diesel cars. With many people embracing the new law for learner drivers, will everybody be so pleased?

Why change the law?

Figures from the Department for Transport show that inexperienced and young drivers are most at risk from road traffic incidents. Those under the age of 25 are up to seven times more likely to get serious or fatal injuries from a crash than drivers aged over 25. Despite motorway crashes only making up 4% of all road crashes and 5% of all fatalities, collisions on the motorway are often more serious due to high speeds.

Although the new law will improve driver education, a study carried out by car servicing company Servicing Stop found that 56% of respondents said they thought it was “dangerous” to allow learner drivers onto motorways, on the other hand, a RAC survey showed overwhelming support for the move.

Under current rules, learner drivers can only have motorway lessons after they’ve passed their driving tests. This is often done by taking the Pass Plus training, which covers motorway driving as one of its six modules. At present, only around 3% of new drivers take this extra training, even though it can reduce your insurance with some companies.

Until the law changes on June 4th, it will still be illegal for learners drivers to use motorways. Even when the law comes into place, motorway lessons will be voluntary and left to the driving instructor’s discretion to decide when their pupil is ready to move onto motorway lessons. Saying this, driving on the motorway won’t become part of the driving test, but it was decided to add it into lessons to increase confidence in learner drivers and prevent accidents.

The National Associations Strategic Partnership has produced best practice guidance for Approved Driving Instructors, but The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) won’t be providing any more training to driving instructors wishing to offer motorway lessons. Trainee driving instructors cannot take pupils on motorways; it is only the fully qualified who can, so parents teaching their children won’t be able to either.

Motorways are a weak point for drivers

Head of PR & External Affairs at the RAC, Pete Williams, feels that driving on motorways for the first time can be ”daunting” for many new drivers.

He added: “Giving learners the option to gain valuable experience on our fastest and busiest roads should further improve safety and enhance the confidence of new drivers.”

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling says allowing learners to experience motorways under professional guidance will help them gain practical knowledge of how to use them in a safe environment before passing their test.

The new law will expose learner drivers to a wider range of new driving skills:

– how to join and leave the motorway, overtake and correct use of lanes
– practise driving at higher speeds
– recognition of motorway-specific traffic signs
– the procedure for a vehicle breakdown on a motorway
– dealing with high-sided vehicles

Gareth Llewellyn, DVSA Chief Executive, said: “By allowing learners to have lessons on motorways, we are making sure learners get the skills and experience they need to drive on fast, busy roads.”

President of The AA, Edmund King, described a lack of experience of motorways as the “Achilles heel” of the learner driver’s tuition and said introducing smart motorways without hard shoulders has only increased the fears of motorway-shy drivers.

Not everyone has been as supportive of the changes, including former Director of Campaigns Jason Wakeford from road safety charity, Brake.

After the announcement last year he said: “Rather than allowing learner drivers on the motorway, there should instead be a requirement for all newly-qualified drivers to receive mandatory lessons, including on the motorway, once they’ve passed their test.”

He added: “There needs to be much wider reform to the learning-to-drive system, including a minimum learning period and restrictions for newly-qualified drivers, such as a late night curfew.”

Motorways still the safest roads

Even if you’re not a new driver, motorways can prove to be a nerve-wracking place. With fast-moving traffic, multiple lanes and slip roads, it’s possible to get caught off-guard. Without pedestrians or cyclists, statistics show motorways are still the safest roads on which to drive.

With so many motorists concerned with learner drivers on the motorway, how can we stay safe? First things first, be patient with them. Everybody had to learn to drive once, and it’s easy to forget that being well prepared and fast to react to events comes with the experience that learner drivers still need. As you should with any vehicle, keep a safe distance from the learner driver and increase the gap on wet, icy, or foggy roads. While it can be frustrating being behind a learner driver, remember you were once that driver whom everyone was getting annoyed at and pull back a bit.

What’s your opinion of allowing learners to drive on motorways? Will it help make motorways safer or lead to more accidents? Do you avoid motorways because you’ve never felt confident enough to use them? Tell us your views in the comments.

A recent study has revealed that motorists aged between 41 – 60 are the most likely candidates for breaking the speed limit while going about their daily business. A survey by SmartDriverClub of over 6,000 British motorists concluded that drivers within the 41 – 60 age group drive faster than the limit for 6.6% of the total time they spend behind the wheel.

Of course, some factors have a bearing on that figure, but government statistics relating to the National Speed Awareness Course (NSAC) tend to back that up.

The numbers

Understanding the numbers starts to clear things up a little – stating that middle-aged drivers speed the most is factually accurate, but we should also say that the difference in age groups – 17-25, 26-40, 41-60 & 65+ is just 0.5%, almost negligible differences.

Driving for an hour a day would mean that the 41-60 age group spend around three minutes fifty seconds above the speed limit, while the slowest group (26-40) would spend approximately three minutes twenty-seven seconds speeding; this isn’t night and day differentials.

However, would this be enough information for insurance companies to start re-evaluating risk policies? Statistically, we know that young male drivers are generally more likely to be involved in an accident, a lazy assumption would be that they’re also the most likely to spend their time above the speed limit, rather than below it. Figures released from the Ipsos MORI/University of Leeds study paint a different picture.

The study used data from over 2.2 million drivers, collated over a five-year period, and analysed to form answers, the first being that the average age of ‘offenders’ was between 42-50 years old, backing up the study that SmartDriverClub did. However, it did also state that participants in the NSAC had the lowest collision rates showing the benefit of the NSAC.

Exceptions to the rule

Had the difference been higher, we could start looking at the ‘why?’. Is it that the 41-60 group feels more comfortable or confident behind the wheel? Do they have the balance of experience, skill and knowledge that puts them at the peak of their motoring?

Of course, you’re going to have exceptions.

A 26-year-old took it upon himself to drive from John O’Groats to Land’s End in the fastest time possible, completing the 841 miles in just 9 hours 36 minutes, averaging 90 mph. Is it a surprise that he was driving an Audi?

Upmarket Audis top the list for speeding – with Audi drivers spending 8.7% of the time above the limit. BMW drivers are next, spending 8.3% of their time speeding, followed by Jaguar at 8%, Land Rover at 7.8% and Mercedes at 7.7%.

62% of drivers admit to speeding in the last year but to deliberately set out to break a record that doesn’t exist and endangering life along the way. Perhaps most importantly doing this is giving the police a reason to crack down further on speeding motorists.

Speeding and you

Quite frankly, it would be somewhat foolhardy to state that speeding is the root of all evil, but with a caveat; inappropriate speeding. There are numerous benefits from driving within the speed limit – better fuel consumption (although the speed awareness course tells you that you should stay in a low gear for city driving), prolonged component life, reduced risk of prosecution, smoother driving style and a reduction in stress levels.

Contrary to popular belief, keeping within a speed limit is quite a good measure of your driving ability as it demonstrates spatial awareness, the ability to understand your speed without having an eye on the speedo constantly and allows for increased planning time. All these skills give you the opportunity to understand the road and any hazards before you.

Tips to avoid speeding:

• Check your speedometer regularly. While sounding simple, it’s all too easy to find yourself travelling at 6-7 mph above the speed limit (which was 54% of those attending a speed awareness course).
• Roads that have a system of street lighting in place with lamps placed no more than 200 yards apart are considered a 30mph speed limit unless marker boards indicate otherwise.
• Understand the Highway Code; dual carriageways, single carriageways, central reservations, lampposts can all affect the speed limit.
• Use cruise-control where possible.
• Recognise what makes you speed; being tailgated, overtaking or just traffic flow and try to keep yourself calm in those situations.
• Start your journey a little earlier so as not to feel pressured.

Would you agree with the studies that say middle-aged people are the most likely culprits? When was the last time you were caught speeding? What do you think of the John O’Groats to Land’s End driver? Let us know in the comments below.

Getting an MOT is a relatively untouched part of owning a car for the motorist, with most just sending it to the garage and then hoping it passes! So, it comes as no surprise that people are uncertain about the new MOT and what it means for their vehicle. A new survey released by the RAC shows a shocking 49% of people don’t know what the new categories mean.

Simply put, the new MOT creates a new categorisation system for defects, with dangerous, major and minor determining the defect, and advisory and pass not affecting any defects. The new MOT also tests a few more car issues such as underinflated tyres, reversing lights and daytime running lights on new cars. The government has provided a full breakdown here.

RAC survey

The RAC took a survey of 1,866 motorists and found that almost half of them were confused by the new ‘minor’ fault category and thought it still leads to a fail, which isn’t the case. In fact, this new category is a ‘pass with defects’ which should be made clearer as soon as possible.

Further confusion was shown in the ‘dangerous’ and ‘major’ fault categories. 5% of the survey thought a car would pass with a ‘dangerous’ fault and 6% thought their car would pass with a ‘major’ fault listed. In both cases, the cars would fail under the new defect grading system. A ‘dangerous’ fail stipulates that it cannot be driven until the fault is fixed.

Minor problems

Three-quarters of the survey thought that the new ‘minor’ category, which has been created in addition to the existing advisory notice system, would mean people ignore these problems. 13% believed that the minor fault would lead to an advisory notice – resulting in a fail. But advisory warnings do not mean the vehicle will fail.

Opinions about the changes were divided. 44% said the changes were reasonable while 56% were against them. The advertising for the new test system seems to have had mixed results as only half of those surveyed said they knew when the new changes would start although further exploration showed that nearly two-thirds were not aware of the date.

More likely to fail

The RAC asked if drivers thought there was a danger that the new categories could be open to interpretation between different test centres and three-quarters believed that it would. 59% of those spoken to think the new test system would lead to more fails with only ten percent thinking there would be more passes – 15% thought the rate would remain unchanged.

It highlights something the RAC have also said they are concerned about – interpretation differences. While the motoring organisation is behind the new test system, they are worried that there could be differences between one garage and another as to how a fault is categorised, and therefore whether a car would pass or not.

The diesel problem

Another big issue with the new test, once again, highlights the emphasis on diesel and the emissions from these cars. The diesel particulate filter (DPF) is the device that captures and stores particulates from the exhaust system. Under the new test, if there is any coloured smoke coming from the exhaust or any sign the DPF has been tampered with, the car will receive a major fail. However, taking the diesel for a good run down a motorway or dual carriageway will help to clean out the DPF.

Half of the RAC survey group either own or run a diesel car and 53% of them knew there was a DPF on the vehicle. But another third weren’t sure if theirs had one or not. And if there is a problem with the DPF, it can be a nasty one – new ones can cost around £1,000, which would be a surprise for the half of drivers who estimated the cost between £250 – £500.

Classic car worries

Another interesting development with the new test system is that vehicles over 40 years old will no longer require an MOT. While this might be a relief for drivers of certain classic cars, some experts are concerned that this could lead to a rise in accidents involving them.

The new rules would mean there would be some 300,000 vehicles on the UK roads that no longer need to be checked. These include classic ‘old bangers’ such as the Ford Cortina and Austin Allegro from the 1970’s.
The government said the change was due to these vehicles being ‘maintained in good condition’ and used on short trips only occasionally. But a survey of classic car owners found more than 55% were against the new rules. Older vehicles, they say, are made to lower design standards and are more prone to corrosion. Plus, not all owners keep their cars in excellent condition.

Understanding the changes

The RAC has recommended that everyone gets to know the new changes as quickly as possible. RAC spokesperson Simon Williams said that test centres and garages need to do a perfect job of explaining the differences, so motorists understand what they need to do with the different results from their MOT. They believe the tests are a positive thing but want to be sure that garages are consistently interpreting the new rules in the same way.

Did you know about the new rules? Do you understand what the new categories mean? Let us know in the comments below.

The days of driving your child to school could soon be at an end if clean air campaigners get their way.

The Swap The School Run For A School Walk report, submitted to the government, outlined 21 recommendations to make it easier for children to walk to and from school, including a call for a ban on cars at the school gates at drop-off and pick-up times.

Government in the dock

UK charity Living Streets, whose mission is to achieve a better walking environment and inspire people to walk more, has delivered a report to the Transport Minister, Jesse Norman, asking for the government to take urgent action to improve the walk to school.

Jenni Wiggle, Living Streets Director of Local Impact said “We would like to see more local authorities working with schools to ban people from driving up to the school gate – adding to air pollution, congestion and road danger during drop-off and pick-up. Walking to school not only improves our air quality but is a great way for children to build more exercise into their daily lives, helping them to arrive to school healthier, happier and ready to learn.”

Only last week The European Commission announced that it will refer the UK government to the Court of Justice of the European Union for continuing to ignore levels of air pollution.

New figures from the Department of Transport have shown that cars used for the school run account for one in four cars on the road at peak times. This comes only one year after a joint investigation by the Guardian and Greenpeace’s UK’s journalism project Unearthed announced that thousands of children were being subjected to threatening levels of air pollution outside teaching and care facilities.

Killer statistics

• Over 1,000 nurseries in England and Wales, which look after 47,000 babies and children, sit within 150 metres of a road that is breaching legal limits of NO2 from diesel traffic.
• Air pollution causes long-term health issues and debilitating diseases and results in 40,000 premature deaths each year in the UK.
• A study of 11,000 children in the US confirmed that children living within 500 metres of busy roads had reduced lung growth compared to children living over 1,500 metres from such roads. It also establised that children exposed to high levels of NO2 had a higher chance of getting asthma.

Diesel vehicles most responsible

Leaders of eight cities with a serious air pollution problem labelled the government’s new clean air plan as inadequate. Campaigners said a ban on petrol and diesel cars from 2040 wouldn’t help the thousands of people dying every year from illnesses linked to deadly exhaust fumes.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Industry Commissioner, said: “We will only succeed in fighting urban air pollution if the car sector plays its part. Manufacturers that keep disregarding the law have to bear the consequences of their wrongdoing.”

A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: “We are determined to make cycling the natural choice of transport for people of all ages and backgrounds, and we want to increase the number of children that usually walk to school. This government recognises for those living in rural areas there may be few alternatives to driving to school, which is why we are also investing £3.5bn in green transport [and] encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles, which will also improve air quality.”

Children are extremely susceptible to air pollution as their exposure is often greater and they absorb and keep pollutants in the body for longer, say experts.

Alison Cook, Director of Policy and Communications at the British Lung Foundation said that toxic air is linked to asthma and chronic chest problems, and damage to the lungs in early age is irreversible. Illegal levels of pollution around schools is worrying, and while banning cars from school gates will help reduce pollution in classrooms and playgrounds but will that make a big enough difference? Ms. Cook added that action on local and national level is needed to help people move to cleaner forms of transport such as walking, cycling and public transport.

Rosie Rogers, Senior Political Advisor at Greenpeace said: “Ministers’ apathy on this issue so far has been nothing short of a dereliction of duty. Michael Gove should swiftly come up with a clear plan to tackle the diesel vehicles responsible for most roadside toxic pollution and an outright ban on the sale of petrol, diesel cars and vans from 2030.”

Changing the tradition

For years parents have done the school run with many walking their children to school on a daily basis, talking to other parents and getting the latest information from the teacher. In more recent years, thanks to Ofsted ratings, parents are driving their children out from their local schools to ones that are rated higher in the hopes of ensuring their child has a better education.

Could one simple change that the campaign has missed out on be sticking to a school within walking distance of the house? Most people growing up walked to school unless they were in rural areas, and then some got the bus. There are often grants for families with young children who need bus passes and some counties offer minibus service for primary school age children.

Do you do the school run? Are your children affected by air pollution near their schools? Do you agree with the proposed ban? Let us know in the comments.

Understanding the choices and options regarding how we fuel our vehicles now and in the years to come has always been relatively straightforward; unleaded, diesel or AFVs (Alternatively Fuelled Vehicles).

Buyers take advice and guidance from authoritative sources, and when encouraged by incentives from the Government, those choices become easier. Just as we’re now encouraged to buy hybrid or all-electric, there was a time (in recent memory) that the same applied to diesel – we were actively encouraged to take the diesel option.

Research tells us that diesel perhaps may not be the saviour of the internal combustion engine, even with such giants as Bosch actively working toward better solutions, society is in crisis, with worldwide legislators introducing a raft of changes without any definite plan.

Banned from cities

One such example of ‘no clear plan’ is the recent placing of signs within the city of Hamburg, Germany, that are banning the use of diesel on two major roads within the city. Despite the signs being placed in readiness for a ban, no clear outline or structure has been issued as to what diesels will be targeted – everything but the current Euro 6 compliant vehicles? Or Pre-Euro 5?

Critics are saying that it is nothing more than a gimmick; the two roads in question just happen to have air monitoring stations on them, and there is the issue that any detour would likely lead to extra miles being added to a journey, therefore, more pollution.

Here in the UK, we’ve already seen a surfeit of owners that have been penalised for following the Government’s advice, which now leaves them facing punitive taxes, both directly and indirectly, and yet the Business Secretary, Greg Clark has insisted “there is still a place for diesel”.

Road to Zero

With the confusion in Germany, and the ever-changing opinions regarding the use of diesel here in the UK, is it any wonder that new car sales have slumped by 8% over the last year? Or that diesel sales in particular are down 32%? Some cynics may say that Clark’s statement is a rather ineffectual push to boost sales of new cars, but until a clear strategy is in place, the market will remain deflated.

Despite the lack of clarity, or set policy, other organisations are looking to implement measures targeting diesel vehicles also; Richard Cairns, Headmaster at the independent Brighton College, has recently spoken of targeting environmental issues. He plans on creating a working group, made up from the school’s sixth-formers to investigate the effects of diesel, and he’s not ruled out the banning of teachers and parents using diesel cars from entering the site.

Has the government rushed ahead?

Trying to make sense of the where the legislation is at is a minefield. We know that certain documents have been leaked regarding the Road to Zero policy, we also know that some statements made are baseless and mean very little – the banning of hybrids that can’t manage 50+ miles on electric power only in 22 years means nothing.

But what with diesels? It seems that the world is against them, and yet our Business Secretary has made a bold statement saying they’re not yet dead, and he sees a future for them. To quantify the statement, he has said that it could be a further option, perhaps for long-distance haulage, but surely that’s not an acceptable answer?

How will this affect you?

Logic tells us that buying a diesel right now isn’t the sensible choice, and given the slump in sales numbers, it would seem that buyers agree. However, it’s looking more likely that these proposed regulations are ‘fluid’ and very likely to be different in a year, never mind in ten or even twenty years.

Germany is the first country in the world to set an outright ban like this, and other European cities are set to follow, but again, it seems possible that the ban is potentially more of a political move, rather than one to help with air quality, this is purely about showing their commitment and ‘hardline’ stance – a little style over substance if you will.

If you own a diesel, there is no doubting that you’re going to see an increase in the cost of ownership, but as always, there are things that you can do to minimise that expense. If you’ve already registered with PetrolPrices, download the app to give you a clear understanding of where to find the cheapest fuel in your locale while you’re on the go.

Keep an eye on supermarket price wars or discount vouchers, they can save you approximately £5 per fill, this could equate to around £260 per annum as an average. Of course, make sure your car is mechanically up to the job – no sticking brakes, slipping clutch, dirty air filter or flat tyres.

Aside from that, we’re all just waiting to see which way the Government is leaning, once things have been clarified, we’ll be sure to tell you.

Do you feel that the government are deliberately muddying the waters? We can’t see a clearly defined plan or strategy, do you? Should we just forget about fossil-fuel and embrace the future of electricity and PHEVs? Let us know in the comments below?

With up to 12 million UK motorists receiving a fixed penalty notice every year, a new study carried out by independent registration company Regtransfers shows which areas of the UK fixed penalty notices are being issued the most and why.

The eye-opening results, taken from official government data sources, cover offences from speeding to failing to stop at a red light and shows just where we can find our nation’s worst drivers.

Crime hotspots

The study covers 2.7 million police-issued penalties in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland throughout the tax year of 2016-2017, with the data showing the number of driving offences per 10,000 drivers registered within each police force division. The combined data from City of London Police and Metropolitan Police forces show results for London as a whole. Despite Scotland using several, local police forces recorded data present as one police area.

The figures, compiled by Regtransfers, highlight the locations with the highest number of offenders caught and punished for seven of the major driving offences.

These offences are:

• Careless driving
• Insurance and licence offences
• Not wearing a seatbelt
• Parking offences
• Running lights and ignoring road signs
• Speeding
• Using mobile phones at the wheel

Avon and Somerset take the lead for the worst driving, with 197,692 fixed penalty notices issued overall. That’s 1,785 driving offences for every 10,000 drivers over the twelve-month period.
The ten worst areas for all driving offences per 10,000 drivers are:

• Avon and Somerset: 1,785
• Cumbria: 1,455
• Warwickshire: 1,410
• Norfolk: 1,388
• Bedfordshire: 1,385
• Northamptonshire: 1,231
• Humberside: 1,148
• Lincolnshire: 1,124
• West Yorkshire: 1,120
• Merseyside: 1,107

Whether this means that the police in these areas are particularly vigilant or the people driving in these areas are more willing to take risks while driving is unknown, but the stats do prove a point that in certain areas of the country there are more fines than others, even if the population size is similar.

Drivers fined every two-and-a-half seconds

In 2017 the RAC Foundation found that drivers receive a fixed penalty notice every two-and-a-half seconds, meaning around 13,000 motorists get fined each day. In a year it is estimated that one-third of the 40 million drivers on our roads will receive a fixed penalty notice for something.

The introduction of fixed penalty notices (FPN) for careless driving offences came into force in August 2013. The concept of having a fixed penalty notice is not a new one as FPNs have been used for minor parking offences since 1950 in Great Britain. In more recent years FPNs have been used for other driving offences such as careless driving, ignoring road markings and others as dictated by the Road Traffic Act.

Driving offences

Careless driving offences include driving under the influence of drink or drugs, middle lane hogging, overtaking dangerously, and tailgating. Scotland came out worst in this category with 11,890 fixed penalty notices issued for careless driving last year, equalling to 36 fixed penalty notices per 10,000 drivers.
With 45,940 fixed penalty notices issued for offences such as driving with a provisional licence without a supervisor and L-plates, driving while underage, driving without at least third party insurance, or driving without a licence at all, Scotland also scored highest for fixed penalty notices here with 139 FPNs per 10,000 drivers.

Drivers in Essex held the place for highest number of seatbelt offences, resulting in 47 fixed penalty notices per 10,000 drivers (or 5,819 issued for the year). Offences cover not only failing to wear a seatbelt while driving but for failing to have the correct child restraints for children under the age of 14.

Gwent motorists are more likely to receive a fixed penalty notice for parking offences, including parking in a prohibited spot, parking in a resident bay without a permit, parking in a pay-and-display area without a valid ticket, and parking on double yellow lines. Drivers in Gwent received 6,500 penalty notices between 2016 – 2017 or 178 fixed penalty notices for every 10,000 drivers.

As this data is only for fixed penalty notices issued by the police, expect figures to be much higher when including parking penalty notices issued by local councils and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

Fines not deterring people

The greatest number of fixed penalty notices issued for running red lights and ignoring road signs or markings occurred in Leicester with 8,675 fixed penalty notices issued. This works out at 131 for every 10,000 drivers. Offences included in this category are failing to follow traffic signs, or with the direction of a traffic warden, and driving anywhere else but on the road.

With the most common driving offence throughout the entire UK being speeding, the worst offenders are Avon and Somerset motorists, clocking up 184,65 speeding tickets in last year. Whether from exceeding the statutory speed limit on public roads or motorways, these motorists are being caught and punished for 1,657 offences per 10,000 drivers.

The smallest penalty for speeding you can expect is a £100 fine and three penalty points added to your licence. You could receive a driving ban if you receive 12 or more penalty points within a three-year period. With 62% of motorists admitting to speeding in 2017, it seems that the heavy fines in place are still not deterring people.

Drivers most guilty of using their handheld devices while in charge of a vehicle are those in London, with 25,872 penalty notices given to drivers over the twelve months period. Averaging at 52 offences per 10,000 drivers, the offences cover making or receiving a call while behind the wheel (using hands-free devices is still legal) or for any use of a mobile phone while the engine is running, even when stationary.

Severe penalties and tough fines

The punishment for receiving a fixed penalty notice depends on the seriousness of the offence. If you’re issued one, you may receive a fine or a fine and points on your licence. Fines paid within 28 days won’t result in any further action and in some FPN cases, you can receive a discount by paying within 14 days of receiving the notice.

If you dispute the offence, you must go to court where if found guilty, you’ll receive a heavier fine than if you had taken the original fixed penalty notice.

While many motorists will argue that even the most careful drivers get caught out in a driving offence in their lifetime, drivers can avoid the more obvious offences such as using a mobile phone while driving.
In March 2017 the law changed, doubling the penalty for motorists caught using a mobile phone while driving, with drivers now expect to receive six points on their licence and a £200 fine. The reduced number of fixed penalty notices issued for mobile phone use being due to the new legislation is up for debate.

How does your area’s driving behaviour compare? Have you ever received a fixed penalty notice and if so, did you think it was fair? What changes would you make to the current laws? Let us know in the comments below.