Few of us can buy a car and pay for it in full, especially for a newer vehicle, leaving car finance as the only way to get the car. But worrying statistics show that nearly half of people admit they don’t know how much they’ve borrowed to get their car, and some 90% of them don’t understand the small print of their finance agreement.
Understanding finance
Two new studies showed that 47% of people who take out car finance don’t know how much they have borrowed – that’s around 3 million people. Nine out of ten don’t understand the terms of their finance agreement which can include conditions such as excess mileage fees that can result in much higher costs than expected.
Some 90% of new cars are purchased on finance, yet one-third of people have no idea that multiple applications for credit can hurt their credit rating. Also, another 1.4 million used vehicles were purchased with finance in 2017, meaning nearly 6 million people in the UK have a car that is funded via a finance scheme.
FCA review
Concerns about the amount of debt people are taking on for their cars has led the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to order a review of the industry, with issues such as miss-selling and irresponsible lending being top of the list.
For example, people may know they have a restriction on the mileage they can do but don’t know what the limit is. Personal Contract Purchases, or PCPs, account for almost 90% of the finance agreements and allow customers to pay some of the car’s value for up to five years, and then pay a lump sum to keep the car or hand it back.
Many of these contracts have a set mileage of up to 10,000 miles a year or 40,000 miles over the life of the contract. Penalties for going over these limits can be anywhere between 5p – 30p per mile. But, some legal experts are saying that these limits cannot be enforced.
The penalty question
According to the Consumer Credit Act 1974, providing half the payments have been made and the car is handed back in good condition, there should be nothing further to pay. It is known as a Voluntary Termination or VT. There are risks associated with it – including a black mark on your credit record – but means you avoid the mileage levy.
If people choose a lower monthly payment and a larger end payment, by the halfway point, they won’t have paid back half of the value of the car, and the VT section of the Act won’t apply.
Understanding the misunderstanding
Despite these figures, 91% of car owners say they have a good understanding of how car finance works – although 53% of them don’t know what PCP even stands for. One of the companies behind the studies, CarGurus, said that car finance is complicated, and they expected to find some level of misunderstanding among consumers.
But, what they found was a much higher level of misunderstanding than they had expected. The fact that nearly half of the drivers didn’t know how much they had borrowed was very worrying. The company advocate better education and ensuring that people use reputable companies who give them plenty of information and explanations before deciding.
Another car buying website, FairSquare, said their study showed that 89% of motorists don’t fully understand the small print yet 3 in 5 people still signed up, knowing that they don’t understand the consequences.
Strain of the payments
All of this came when RAC research showed that around 10% of motorists are struggling with the repayments on their cars. Half have had to cut back on spending to keep up with the payments, while others have been penalised for handing back keys because they simply cannot make payments. All of this makes the FCA’s review look to be a crucial step forward.
Helping drivers to understand what they are getting themselves into before they take out a PCP is essential and by making sure that they know what is in their car finance agreement.
Do you know what is in your car finance agreement? What do you think needs to change to protect drivers? Let us know in the comments below?
Ask any regular driver what irritates them the most, and top of most lists will be roadworks. We all know that they are necessary, but their timing is often terrible, seem to last forever and cause colossal congestion. Now, a new lane rental scheme is being discussed that could change the roadworks system forever – but how will it affect road users?
The lane rental scheme
The scheme has already been trialled in parts of London and Kent, with some success, and looks set to be rolled out nationwide. Utility companies were charged up to £2,500 a day for digging up busy roads at peak times. In most cases, the rates were between £800-2,500 in London and between £300-2,000 in Kent. The scheme also saw TfL raise some £4.8 million and Kent County Council raised £1.1 million, after costs, during the trial.
The idea is to incentivise companies to do the work outside the rush hour, to work on quieter roads and to collaborate with other companies to complete a set of roadworks in one go. Rather than each digging up the road, closing it, repairing it and then another company comes along and digs up the same stretch of road a week later; the idea is that they can ‘share’ the roadworks to get more done at once.
Transport Minister, Jo Johnson, said that drivers often get frustrated at roadworks, especially when they are suffering delays, yet it appears as if no-one is doing anything about it. The idea behind the lane rental system is because companies are paying for the time they have the lane blocked off, they will work quickly and minimalize the disruption to drivers.
Head of Road Policy at the RAC, Nicholas Lyes, said that the announcement is ‘very welcome’ and that trials have shown that some of the worst congestion in London has been halved when the lane rental scheme was in use. Motorists know that congestion and roadworks are necessary, he added, but unnecessary queues and length of roadworks are something everyone finds very frustrating.
The scheme still needs the official sign off from the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, then the Department of Transport will start to draft guidelines for local authorities with regards to the bidding process.
Against the scheme
Street Works UK, who represent the utility companies and their contractors, was a little less enthusiastic about the idea, although this might not come as a surprise. They cited their own research that showed that while behaviour change could lead to improved outcomes, and less congestion, there was less evidence that it was directly due to the lane rental scheme.
Their view was that utilities are delivering the infrastructure that the UK needs to drive productivity, economic growth and deliver on government priorities, and the scheme isn’t the best solution to help with this. But they also said they would go along with it, implying that they realise how much hassle roadworks cause all road users.
In the figures
Figures show that utility companies have worked together over 600 times, since the trial started in 2015, versus just 100 times before that. It shows that the scheme can inspire cooperation where none was previously seen. There have been efforts to deal with utility roadworks for many years, going back to the New Roads and Streetworks Act of 1991, but few have had any real progress which is why there is enthusiasm for the idea of the new scheme.
Around 2.5 million roadworks are carried out each year across the country, costing the economy more than £4 billion – mostly in late employees, delayed deliveries and other results from congestion. Local authorities already have powers to manage and coordinate street works, but some say they aren’t using them effectively. The aim is that the new scheme could start to roll out next year and could help drivers around the country have a smoother ride to work.
This lane rental looks to be a blessing for all road users, as it will hopefully ease up congestion in some of the busier roads in the UK. However, it will no doubt come as a curse on utility companies as they have to allocate funds to be able to carry out repairs.
What are the road works like near you? How will the lane rental scheme help you? Let us know in the comments below
Blue badges are a lifeline for disabled drivers and passengers, allowing them the ease of parking and helping them to feel settled in society. However, because these badges enable people to park for free in pay and display bays in certain areas, plus for up to 3 hours on yellow lines if it safe and not an obstruction, makes them a huge target for thieves.
Recent statistics have shown that blue badge theft in England has quadrupled in 4 years with nearly 3000 stolen in 2016-17 compared to 650 in 2013. The numbers from 2013 were still 14% higher than 2012, showing a steady increase over time. The Department for Transport has attributed 98% of these thefts to people wanting to be able to park for free and in priority spots.
Substantial figures
The biggest number of burglaries happened in London, with 196 stolen in Islington, equating to 26 in every thousand blue badges taken. Theft rate is higher in the congestion zone as blue badge holders can apply for exemption from the congestion charge, as it is harder for them to walk around London.
English councils can take legal action against those who are misusing a blue badge, either via theft or by borrowing it from a friend or family member.Last year 1,131 motorists were taken through this process. In fact, the Department for Transport reports showed that 2016 saw an 84% surge in prosecutions for misuse of a blue badge.
New plans to be introduced
Around 2.4 million people hold a blue badge in England, and they allow people to visit the shops and to see friends without having to worry about their mobility causing issues once they reach their destination. There are plans to offer these to another million drivers with hidden disabilities such as autism and dementia. These plans could help individuals to feel more comfortable in situations that they might otherwise find upsetting.
Hopefully, it will help them to feel less anxious about putting their safety at risk should they not be able to park in a predictable and convenient place. This would be the most significant change to blue badge rules since they were introduced in 1970, and calls have been made for clear and consistent guidelines to be put in place, to stop fraud and theft. At present, many authorities are only happy to give people blue badges if they have issues with their mobility, but this new rule would give them the freedom to base their decision on other factors too.
What do you think?
At PetrolPrices.com we carried out a Facebook poll on whether people think that blue badge holders should be allowed to park for free in hospitals. 33% of people said that they should, with the other 67% of people disagreeing. However, some comments suggested that people thought that no one should have to pay if they were legitimately visiting the hospital. This raised the issue that people will park in free hospital car parks near to town centres to go shopping, meaning that patients find it harder to park.
However, the Scottish government scrapped hospital parking charges in 2008 for patients and NHS staff, and this saved people more than £25 million over seven years which relieved many individuals of the financial burden that extra costs at a difficult time can cause. This is in contrast to the record £174 million that the NHS made from charging patients in England during 2016-17, with more than half of trusts charging disabled people to park.
It is important that people are aware that borrowing blue badges from friends of relatives counts as misuse and that they could be prosecuted. As they are such high value due to the cost of parking and driving today, it may be that we continue to see the number being stolen continue to rise.
What do you think of the new plans for blue badges? Do you think that the number of thefts will continue to rise? Let us know in the comments?
ASDA have just revealed to PetrolPrices that they will be capping their forecourt prices from today, with unleaded capped at 116.7p per litre and diesel capped at 118.7p per litre. This is on top of price cuts from last week after the RAC called for supermarkets to cut their prices due to the price of a barrel of oil dropping.
The price of wholesale oil has now dropped to $61.46 and with the exchange rate stronger than last week, it seems like there is no reason for supermarkets not to cut their forecourt prices. It is also worth mentioning that smaller retailers may feel pressured but hopefully a cut will come from them in the next few weeks.
Last Thursday the price of oil dropped and the RAC called for the price of fuel to drop in supermarket forecourts as they are often the first to react to price cuts in oil. Initially, the RAC asked for a 3p price cut, and while there was a drop in some areas, others were barely affected and the overall reduction around the UK was 0.5p, which was hardly noticed by most UK drivers. Yesterday morning the RAC called for further cuts, and as far as we understand ASDA is the first to take action.
Jason Lloyd, Managing Director of PetrolPrices says “ASDA’s decision to cut their prices by 2p and capped for the whole of the UK shows why they lead the market on price. In truth, the RAC should get some credit for prompting them to make this change, but we’re sure the rest of the market will follow suit over the next few days. Wholesale costs have been falling over the last week so this is not unexpected but its a welcome boost to Britain’s drivers when the cost of being a motorist is at its highest ever recorded levels, which is discouraging some off the roads.”
At the end of half-term, this cut should come as a welcome relief for families who have been travelling around and need to fill up. This is an excellent result for drivers around the UK, and will hopefully encourage other supermarkets to cut their prices even further.
UPDATE: At 12:36 pm, on the 16th February 2018, Morrisons tweeted that they will be cutting their prices by up to 2p a litre.
UPDATE: At 4:13pm, on the 16th February 2018, Sainsburys tweeted that they will be cutting their prices by up to 2p a litre on unleaded and 1p a litre on diesel.
We aim to update this story as more news comes in from other supermarkets.
Alongside speeding, driver distraction is the leading cause of fatal accidents on Britain’s roads, and it seems that we are all distracted from the road every time we drive. A recent study by Peugeot has shown what we have always expected, which is that on average drivers take their eyes off the road up to 7% per journey.
The level of distraction equates to drivers are not looking at the road for 2 miles every 30 miles they drive, which also explains why many accidents do occur.
Peugeot research
Peugeot researched to prove that their i-Cockpit technology reduces driver distraction. The i-Cockpit solution places functions such as the speedometer onto the front of the windscreen, so drivers do not need to look down to see the speed they are travelling at.
In Peugeot’s research, drivers carried out 25 identical 6-mile journeys in two SUVs, including different speeds and road types, while wearing glasses which featured six small cameras that could record where the individual was looking every 0.05 seconds, by tracking the eye movements and processing the results. One SUV had i-Cockpit, and the other one did not and had a standard speedometer.
The results of the study showed that drivers using the new i-Cockpit system took their eyes off the road 5% of the time and drivers with a regular speedometer took their eyes off the road 7% of the time. The test proved that checking a primary function such as the speed of the vehicle does contribute towards driver distraction.
Distracted while driving
A similar study carried out in 2017 by Direct Line used eye-tracking technology and found that drivers take their eyes off the road every 9 seconds. As well as that, a fifth of those asked admitted that they had had an accident because they were distracted while driving.
It also showed that 11 million drivers in the UK have crashed at some point in their driving career. Of those who had had an accident, the biggest reason drivers admitted was the cause of the crash was due to speeding and unsafe driving, but the second most significant reason was due to distraction inside the vehicle.
Being distracted when driving is a leading cause of fatal accidents, by staying alert and focused on the road it actively reduces the number of deadly crashes. It is hoped that research conducted over these studies will help to inform drivers better that they are being distracted on every journey they make, but there are several ways to reduce distractions.
How to reduce distractions
There are many things you can do to ensure you are distracted less while driving without needing to buy a Peugeot i-Cockpit vehicle. Make sure your phone is either off or on do not disturb mode. Some modern phones even have a ‘driving’ mode that will send an automated text response to anyone who calls or messages you to let them know that you are driving. Android and Apple are looking at imposing a driving mode where the phone automatically stops working once inside a moving car, but there is an option for passengers to unlock the phone’s functions too.
If you are driving with younger children, make sure they understand that you cannot distract the driver and help them to know why. With small children, it may be easier to make more extended journeys with someone else in the car who can talk to them and keep them entertained for more extended periods of time. When using a navigation system, keep it hung in the right place that causes the least distraction in the right corner of the windscreen, so you are not looking away from the road ahead for too long. If you are lost, rather than trying to adjust the sat nav while driving, pull over when safe and check then.
Music is another issue, and changing CD’s or tracks can lead to minor accidents and driving into the back of someone. Have everything set up before you leave, or ask the passenger to help. Use shuffle mode or autoplay and then don’t touch it again until you stop.
If you are feeling tired while driving, especially on a long motorway, it is better to be late than to be dead, so pull over and have a rest, eat a banana or drink a coffee and continue when you feel awake. While driving it is more often than not the unexpected that will catch you out, whether it is the person glued to a phone screen or an animal running out, so being aware of the unexpected can save lives.
Do you agree with the research and how often do you find yourself looking away from the road? What do you think should change to reduce driver distraction in cars? Is the Government strict enough about preventing mobile phone use in cars? Let us know in the comments below
New changes to the driving test are being rolled out across test centres all over the UK. These measures are seen to make the test more up to date with common driving habits, such as being able to operate a satellite navigation and driving with one.
The Government are now looking to introduce further measures on top of existing regulations to reduce the amount of accidents by learner drivers. Because of these changes, are we going to see fewer novice drivers on UK roads than ever before?
Questions about novice drivers
A recent question at Prime Minister’s Questions queried the possibility of a graduated license system being brought in here in the UK. This came after new figures show that 25% of new drivers are involved in an accident in their first two years of driving. The report also showed that some 400 novice drivers are killed, or seriously injured, on the roads each year.
In response, the PM admitted that it highlighted an important issue and that the government would be considering it. Currently, there are regulations where if a driver gets six points on their license, within two years of passing their test, then they are banned from driving, versus 12 points for experienced drivers. However, the UK does not place restrictions on novice drivers in any way and is the only western country not to do this.
Graduated licenses proposed
The concept of graduated licenses is not a new one with previous research showing it could save up to 4,471 casualties a year and some £224 million in costs. Research conducted by the Department of Transport proposed a training regime could include 100 hours of supervised daytime driving and 20 hours of night-time driving before sitting any practical and theory tests.
Following this, the novice driver would be ‘on probation’ for 12 months. It would mean using a ‘P’ plate compulsorily and you would not be allowed to drive between 10 pm, and 5 am unless supervised by someone over the age of 30. It would also include a ban on carrying passengers that are under the age of 30, and even having lower or zero alcohol limits for novice drivers.
Restrictions around the world
Many other countries already use similar schemes. In New Zealand, restrictions are even tighter, and there is a three-stage system that drivers must go through. There’s a learner license, a novice license (where you must score 32 out of 35 on a theory test) and then supervised L plates.
Then the learner driver must learn for six months before sitting a 45-minute restricted driving test. Once passed, they can drive between 5 am and 10 pm or outside these times if supervised. They are not permitted to get behind the wheel with a trace of alcohol in their system until they are 20. Finally, there’s a 30-minute practical test, once you have held a restricted license for 3-18 months and taken the advanced drivers course.
Other examples of restrictions in New Zealand include lower speed limits, the engine size of the car they car drive and the power output of the vehicle.
Welcoming change
A RAC spokesperson, Pete Williams, said the group ‘welcomed’ the plans to look at the novice driver system having requested it themselves in past years. Studies also show that novice drivers themselves feel ill-equipped for life as a solo driver with 35% of them saying the driving test does not cover the skills to cope with everyday driving.
Many people do not learn to drive due to the rising cost of running your own vehicle– these additional restrictions may lower insurance premiums. The hope would be that the graduated license system could see insurance premiums drop, for that restricted period allowing novice drivers to build their no claim bonus before they are ‘fully qualified’ drivers.
Are fewer drivers a growing trend?
However, the fact is, with more restrictions in place to drive and the growth of self-driving cars, are fewer people even going to bother to learn to drive in future anyway? Public transport in the cities is improving, ride sharing is growing fast and delivery services mean almost anything can be delivered to your door. The urge to drive your own car could fade away the same as the urge to ride a horse. Moreover, although it could lead to less congested, quieter roads in the short term, it may be replaced by more autonomous vehicles so no real difference anyway.
What do you think of this proposed new system, is it long overdue? What would you suggest as a change to the law that strikes more of a balance between new and existing drivers to reduce accidents and congestion? Let us know in the comments below
Local councils, strapped for cash, are seeking new ways to generate money – by slapping fines on motorists for minor offences. West Midlands mayor, Andy Street, has written to the government to change regulations and give local authorities the power to fine drivers for a range of minor offences, currently in the hands of the police outside London.
Costly mistakes
Councils want to be able to punish drivers for violations that include stopping in box junctions, illegal U-turns and stopping in cycle boxes at traffic lights. Those in favour say that councils are better equipped to find and track down offenders, and then collect the fines, rather than placing the burden on the police, who are facing a shortage of road police officers at the moment.
However, campaigners are concerned that local authorities are merely trying to squeeze more money out of drivers to deal with the problems they are having with their budgets. Currently, everywhere apart from London and Cardiff see ‘moving traffic restrictions’ handled by the police except for bus lanes. The Local Government Association (LGA) and the West Midlands mayor are among those campaigning for a change and broader powers.
Increasing income
The LGA wants to see more cameras at box junctions, junctions, and cycle lanes to create revenue that would go back into the road network. They also say they are losing money due to cuts in road traffic officer numbers, meaning people are getting away with more than they did before.
The AA has raised concerns that councils would issue penalties to raise cash to fill holes in their budgets. They described the record of enforcement for some councils as ‘atrocious’ including the use of signs and road markings mean that drivers are often penalised for being in the wrong position due to a lack of understanding of the road layout. An example came from Preston where bus lane restrictions were re-enforced and generated £115,000 in fines in a single week.
Police powers
Roads minister, Mr Jesse Norman, confirmed that Parliament had received a written question from the LGA, which represents some 18 local authorities and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The letter called for powers for councils, under the Traffic Management Act 2004, based on the efforts to ‘manage traffic contraventions and reduce congestion’ with authorities also raising the issue at regular engagement meetings.
However, Mr Norman rejected the pleas, saying that the necessary powers to act where needed were already in place and that the government had no plans to change the legislation. LGA spokesman, Martin Tett, said that the organisation would continue to press for reform claiming that it would allow councils to ‘tackle impatient drivers who break the law and put others at risk’ with the aim of shaving seconds off their journey.
Christmas gloom
An example of councils making income from drivers committing minor infringements came about on Christmas Day – the one day of the year when public transport does not run, and many drivers think it is okay to use bus lanes.
Sheffield was one of the worst with 141 drivers receiving a fine of £30 which increased to £60 if they did not pay it within 14 days. Leicester City Council fined another 46 motorists for using a single stretch of a bus lane.
Perhaps the worst story was Lee Williamson who pulled over to give some clothes and food to a homeless man on Christmas Day – and received a £70 fine from the council for his charity. The penalty has since been revoked after a huge public outcry.
Surprisingly expensive
If the LGA do get their way, the cost of such errors can be extortionate for drivers. For example, stopping in a yellow box if you are not turning right, can cost you £70 outside London and up to £130 within the capital. A bus lane infringement can cost you up to £90, if you do not pay within 28 days of receiving the notice, meaning drivers could be seeing more and more letters coming through the door demanding money if the LGA get their way.
Overall, drivers in Britian probably get away with a fair few minor motoring offences
Do you think that the LGA should be dealing with minor motoring offences? What side do you stand on? Let us know in the comments below
In the digital age, you can order pretty much anything online to be sent to your home, but one exception has always been ordering fuel for your car parked at home or work. Well, that has now all changed with the launch of Zebra Fuel.
Zebra Fuel is a digital petrol station, delivering fuel directly to your car when you need it. Just log into the app, and with three clicks you can set a time for a specialist driver to come and give you fuel, while you carry on with your day.
The service has launched in South West London, regarded as an ideal location due to petrol stations closing down replaced by housing, road congestion getting to and from a station as well as sacrificing a precious parking space to fill up only to find it full when you come back. The convenience of a service that comes and fills up your parked car is ideally suited to London.
A Zebra Fuel co-founder revealed the experience that prompted him to start the company.
“My moment of clarity came when I was driving in Central London one day when I ran out of fuel. I turned on WAZE, found the nearest petrol station which was on Park Lane, and somehow crawled there on fumes. So I filled up my car, and it came to £76. (My car usually costs £60-£65 to fill.)
I thought the meter on the pump was faulty. The cashier said: ‘No, this is one of the most expensive petrol stations in the UK’ I found myself asking can’t we strip out the costs and inefficiencies of a petrol station and have the fuel come directly to us? That was the moment Zebra Fuel was born.
Zebra Fuel is solving one of the highest pain points in daily life: There is not one person who enjoys filling up their car at a petrol station. It is slow, unpleasant, expensive, dirty and petrol stations can be dangerous places at night. Our customer retention rate is close to 70%. People and businesses are not going back to petrol stations once they start using us.”
History of on-demand fuel
Our world has become a world where people are starting to prefer convenience over experience. While some people may still enjoy the experience of going to fill up, some simply may be too busy and find time increasingly more difficult to allocate, hence the introduction of the on-demand fuel industry.
In 2012, a company called FuelMe was founded in Los Angeles delivering fuel to people who did not have time to fill up at petrol stations. A few years later several brands launched offering the same service in different parts of America, such as Filld.co in San Francisco and Booster Fuels in Denver.
Zebra Fuel is the first digital petrol station in the UK, currently focused on London only, but it is expected that this will be the beginning of a new wave of brands that deliver the same service, in much the same way that UBER changed the way people ordering a taxi across the UK.
Why is it happening now?
The fuel retail market is likely to undergo many changes in the coming years, with a changing economic climate, a government push towards electric and new fuel pricing strategies, the next 20 years leading up to the planned petrol/diesel ban of 2040 will no doubt be hard. However, we may begin to see a decline in traditional petrol stations sooner than some think and a rebirth of the way that people buy fuel will change.
For example, we are likely to see the rise of intraday pricing, i.e. where the price fluctuates through the course of the day, in the UK allowing more price flexibility at the forecourt, which is a concept already adopted by some on the continent. In Germany prices at one station can change ten times in a day.
Disruption in the petrol retail market through electric, driverless and connected cars, intra day pricing and on-demand fuel brands like Zebra Fuel are going to mean a lot of change in the next five years, and most of it is beneficial to the consumer.
Key benefits of Zebra Fuel
Zebra Fuel delivers fuel to your vehicle when you choose. You just go through a short process on the app and set a time, and you get your car filled up without having to worry about it. By checking the app, you can see the van and when it is going to arrive and fill up. Zebra Fuel also does deliveries throughout the night, so you can wake up in the morning and drive straight to work on a full tank!
Zebra Fuel is based in the heart of London, allowing driving commuters to fill up during their working day without having worry about getting fuel at rush hour, or when they want to spend time with their family.
The whole process happens on an app which remembers you and your vehicle, so no need to use a computer and having to worry about it affecting your work. The app takes less than 5 minutes to go through so can be done on a lunch or coffee break.
Zebra Fuel is for both consumers and businesses, so if you need to fill up a fleet of cars, or just your own, no need to worry just let Zebra Fuel handle it! At the moment you can only get diesel, but Zebra Fuel is working on petrol and electric charge options that will be live soon.
The prices are low, probably lower than your average cost per litre! All that comes on top of that is a small delivery fee, which is a less than the total savings of the fuel cost.
So why Diesel and London only?
A spokesman for Zebra Fuel told us “We are testing the market with diesel deliveries – from a regulatory perspective this made the most sense. However, we will be delivering other types of fuel very soon. Electric and Petrol are coming, watch this space!”
Zebra Fuel has also confirmed that they plan to launch ZebraBio, a Zebra Fuel exclusive eco-friendly clean diesel that will help to reduce emissions. They are beta testing petrol and electric and plan to bring out hydrogen when the technology becomes more widespread.
Zebra Fuel also told us “We picked London for our launch because so many petrol stations have been and still are closing down all over the city, causing additional congestion. Zebra’s service reduces road congestion: When you take a driver who’s going to the petrol station in central London, they are adding two trips to the total number of trips made in the city that day.
They are probably driving out of his way to the petrol station; they are queuing up, almost certainly with their engine running, and creating a tailback that can have an impact miles away – across town even. So Zebra Fuel eliminates two journeys with one of our drivers. We wanted to test the London market and then scale using London learnings. We plan on launching Paris Q4 2018, and we will be in 4 major European cities by Q2 2019.”
Exclusive Zebra Fuel member offer
PetrolPrices are delighted to be working with Zebra Fuel to help promote their amazing service to members. Zebra Fuel is the first digital petrol station to appear on the PetrolPrices map within London represented as a van icon. By clicking on the van you are not only presented with the price of fuel grades on offer, you can also download the Zebra Fuel app from the map.
Zebra Fuel will also be visible in the regular price alert emails to those who live within the London area with a Zebra price listing and members can click from the price alert to download the app here too. PetrolPrices has also managed to agree to an exclusive member offer, those who sign up to Zebra Fuel, download the app and use the code PP20 will receive £20 worth of free fuel for the first two fills, i.e. £10 off each fill.
Don’t forget to use code PP20 when you sign up.
Please note: Zebra Fuel only currently operates in South and West London, do not try to sign up and use them if you are not located in this area.
Everything to do with the roads seems to be getting the ‘smart’ treatment of late – smart motorways, smart cars. Now cats eyes are the latest part of the road network to get the smart treatment with the introduction of smart cat’s eyes, which are being tested in collision hotspots to try and cut down on the number of accidents.
Intelligent cat’s eyes
The new intelligent cat’s eyes will light up in response to changing traffic lights and make major roundabouts look more like airport runways. It is the first time they are being considered for use in this way and are aimed at improving road safety, according to Highways England.
Some 170 of them are being used on Switch Island in Merseyside where the M57, M58 and three A roads all come together, as part of a £3 million project to improve the area. These new ‘road studs’ will be used to help 90,000 motorists manage the confusion of roundabouts. Cables will be laid beneath the road surface to connect the studs to the traffic lights via an automatic controller unit.
Cats eyes in action
When the traffic light turns green, the LED lights will be used to separate the lanes for the flow of traffic. This helps stop drivers crossing the white lines as they manage their way around the multiple exit roundabout.
The provider of the system, Clearview Intelligence, says that the studs are visible around 1,000 metres away and have already proven to reduce accidents in locations around the country where they are being used. In fact, collisions at some of the junctions have been reduced by up to 50%, the company said.
The system is already in use in Hindhead Tunnel, in Surrey, to help guide drivers through the tunnel. The A2-A20 junction in Kent along with the A41 in the Wirral and the Sheriffhall roundabout in Edinburgh have also been fitted with them, to help improve safety. Highways England are aiming for improved journeys and better safety for drivers with the new systems.
Runway roads
The idea of creating runway style roads is part of the government’s program of congestion relief which is due to start this month and has £220 million in funding. It is expected to take around 12 months to complete, in the Merseyside site, and vastly improve the situation – with 49 accidents in the last two years, it averages one every fortnight.
New traffic lights will also be installed to work with the smart road studs, set at a higher location so HGV and bus drivers can see them easier.
Cats eyes or road studs?
You may also notice another change taking place – cats eyes have undergone a rebranding and are now being called road studs. The reason for this is twofold, both quite amusing for drivers. Firstly, tourists are confused by the term and don’t understand warning signs such as ‘warning cat’s eyes removed’ when driving around the UK.
The other reason is that children were worried as they thought they were real cat’s eyes being embedded in the roads – hands up if you remember thinking that when you were a kid?
Most of us probably did because cats eyes have been around that long. The first ones were made back in 1933 by a man called Percy Shaw. He was driving along a West Yorkshire road and saw his lights reflected in the eyes of a cat walking alongside the road. He instantly realised their potential for road safety and came up with the device we are all familiar with. Cats eyes have been noted as one of the top 10 most iconic designs that the UK has ever created!
So, cat’s eyes are being renamed as road studs and smart road studs to help tourists feel more at ease on UK roads, and to stop children having sleepless nights over the mistreated cats! However, for most of us, they will remain cat’s eyes, no matter how smart they become.
What do you think about the new cats eyes? Do you think they will help?
Every week there seems to be a news story about how prices are rising for motorists, whether this is fuel, fees, tax or insurance, and this has now reached the point where many drivers may not be able to afford to drive at all this year.
A survey by comparethemarket.com has found that 1 in 5 drivers have said that they may have to sell their car in 2018 due to not being able to afford the costs associated with running it, which equates to around 7 and a half million drivers in the UK.
The inflated cost of car insurance seems to be one of the most significant issues. The cost of car insurance has hit a record level which is pushing many motorists to the breaking point. It has been rising steadily for a while now, and the average annual premium is £758, which is up £43 year on year, causing 52% of people to say that they may need to give up their car.
55% of drivers are also saying that rising petrol prices and the cost of car repairs are becoming too high for them to afford, with an average of £342 being spent on garage bills in the last 12 months with 1 in 10 paying up to £1000.
Avoid high repair bills
One of the ways that high car repair bills can be avoided is to ensure that you do your research before committing to getting your car fixed somewhere, and get a second opinion before going ahead with any repairs. Recently in the news, there was a story of a girl who was nearly charged over £600 to fix her air conditioning that her car did not even have. When she got a second opinion, the garage discovered it was a different fault, but the risk still ran that she could have been charged for something that she did not have. As 38% of drivers said that they have a knowledge gap about their car which is preventing them from being cost-efficient, it seems that this is one area that many people could improve in.
In fact, 43% of drivers are aware that they are not cost efficient when it comes to their cars for some reasons, but there are a few other ways in which people can stay on top of the things which can impact on the cost of running a car.
Compare and Research
For example, always research and compare car insurance quotes when your premium is up for renewal and don’t automatically accept the quote from your current insurance company as this may not necessarily be your cheapest option. Check for no claims discounts and shop around. Don’t be afraid to barter between two companies to lower your price.
You may also benefit from looking into having a black box installed in your car to bring your insurance premium down, especially if you are a young driver looking to cut costs. Some insurance companies are also offering black boxes for drivers of any age, and it can help to lower your insurance costs and provide money-saving tips.
The main worry that has been stated by Simon McCulloch, Commercial Director at comparethemarket.com is that if the cost of owning a car continues to rise it may put the brakes on car ownership in the UK. In the long run, the rising costs would be bad news for the economy as many people need their car to be able to get around, whether to work or to take the kids out.
How PetrolPrices.com can help
As well as researching garages and insurance quotes when required, you can save money by ensuring that you always fill up your tank with the cheapest fuel available to you, and we can help you with that.
We find and publish the lowest fuel prices in each area of the country with 98% of stations being updated daily, so you know that you are always receiving the most up to date information for your particular location. You can get a price alert for your area via email as well.
In our basic plan, which is free, we have limited searches and limited prices alerts, but for just £2 a month with Plus you can get a route planner to find the cheapest fuel on your route, more searches, better searches and so much more information.
Do you find that the cost of driving has risen up? What’s your biggest concern about the expense of motoring? Let us know.
