Aug 16, 2017
August is traditionally the busiest time of year for Brits heading off on their holidays. Hopping across the Channel to explore the continent by car remains a popular holiday choice. However, many of us aren’t aware of some of the more obscure laws that many European countries have.
This vast lack of knowledge has been highlighted by a Green Flag survey. It found that a staggering 81% of Brits don’t realise that speeding on the continent could result in a £640 fine dropping through the letterbox once we’re home.
What goes around apparently doesn’t come around
In days gone by, speeding in the EU wasn’t followed up. The process was just too complex. However, that’s all changed now. A new law, passed in May, allows EU authorities to access DVLA data, enabling them to track down your details and issue an official fine of up to £640.
The situation is being exacerbated by the survey’s next revelation: that 69% of UK motorists are putting their bank balances at risk because they don’t know how to convert speed from miles per hour to kilometres per hour.
Strangely, this new law though doesn’t apply to EU drivers caught speeding in the UK. As in Ireland, Austria, Spain and Germany, Britain operates a ‘driver liability system.’ This means that the responsibility for a breaking a driving law lies with the person behind the wheel at the time. In countries such as a France, however, it’s the vehicle owner who is ultimately responsible for any fine, no matter if they were driving or not. The net result is that our police are unable to go after EU drivers.
Know your laws
The issue of speeding on the continent only represents the tip of the iceberg. Over half a million UK drivers will risk facing prosecution for driving offences committed overseas during their holidays – and that’s just based on figures from just France! To avoid a sting in the tail on your return from the continent, here are some of the more obscure laws and regulations you could fall foul of when driving in Europe:
Rules of the road
When driving in Germany, you must ensure your car is fitted with winter tyres when conditions require them (not, as is commonly mis-stated, at certain times of the year). Also, make sure you don’t lose your rag while at the wheel in Germany; making obscene gestures or using foul language will get you fined if you’re caught.
In Spain, how to park in cities can confound even the most cosmopolitan of drivers. You are only able to park on certain sides of the road on certain days of the week. Confused? Head here to unravel the nightmare. Alternatively, enjoy cheap parking by heading to Belarus, which has no parking meters whatsoever.
Be careful what you drink…
Alcohol limits vary from country to country (click here for a full breakdown). Countries with particularly tough policies include Macedonia, where no front seat passenger should be visibly drunk. In Cyprus, be wary of consuming any drinks or food when at the wheel – such behaviour is banned and could incur a fine of €85.
Finally, in France, all drivers are required to carry a self-test breathalyser. However, don’t worry too much if you are caught without one; the fine is only £11 (if enforced in the first place). Of course, those wishing to comply with the letter of the law should actually carry two breathalysers – so that there’s still one available for use on your onward journey, even if you’re stopped and required to use one!
Odds and sods
Do you wear glasses or contact lenses when driving? Then make sure you have a backup pair in the car when motoring in Portugal, Spain or Switzerland. Motorists there are expected to carry spares at all times. Also, don’t soap down your car on a Sunday in Switzerland because it’s against the law.
In Portugal, you shouldn’t carry a can of petrol in your car (no matter how safely), as doing so is illegal. You’re also not allowed to strap bicycles to the back of your car.
Which obscure motoring laws have you fallen foul of while driving in Europe? What about further afield? Let us know in the comments section below.
Aug 10, 2017
All drivers know roughly how much they spend on insurance, tax, and fuel, but what about those other driving costs that you might not consider? Additional driving expenses can quickly add up, creating a ‘hidden’ cost to motoring that we don’t always consider.
Service station snacks
The hidden costs of motoring were brought into stark focus recently when Admiral Car insurance carried out a mystery shopper test comparing UK service station snack prices with the cost of buying the same items elsewhere. It revealed that, if you stop to pick up snacks, drinks, or takeaway meals while on the road, you could be paying over 100% more than you would when buying the same items on the high street.
Admiral Car Insurance found that not only do food and drink products cost more in service stations than they do on the high street, but prices differ depending on which area of the country the services station is in as well.
A selection of snacks (water, Coke, a ham sandwich, a sausage roll, crisps, chocolate and Wine Gums) that costs £15.78 in the South West of England cost just £12.58 in the North West. This affords drivers in the North West a 25% saving. However, the same items would total just £6.11 in a supermarket. That’s almost 50% cheaper than the most reasonable service station.
The cost of drinks and snacks is rarely considered when taking a long road trip. However, if you have several passengers, the cost can come as something as a shock, particularly if you’ve carefully budgeted for your travel plans.
To avoid paying over the odds, stock up on food and drink before you set off – and use the PetrolPrices app to make sure you refuel at the best value petrol station too!
Parking charges
Paying to park is all part of driving into towns and cities in the UK. While many motorists keep spare change in the car for slotting into parking machines, the cost of parking in some areas now requires substantially more than just a few coins.
Late last year, it was announced that London was the second most expensive place to park in the world. The city charged an average price of £8.84 per hour, coming in at far more than the living wage for those aged 25 and older, which was set at £7.50.
New York City was the world’s most expensive place to park, with 60 minutes in a parking space costing a whopping £20.55 per hour on average. Contrast that with Bucharest, where drivers pay an average of 55 pence per hour to park their cars!
Stockholm, Athens and Oslo were also found to be expensive locations in which to park. However, those cities say that the high prices are intentional. The aim is to deter motorists from driving into the city centres, in a bid for them to become more eco-friendly.
Residents in London are also likely to pay extortionate amounts for parking permits. The most expensive permit is for the borough of Islington, setting the car owner back £545 per year for a single permit.
Strangely, the high-end borough of Kensington and Chelsea sells permits for the much lower price of £214, while a permit in Westminster costs just £141 per year. This suggests that there is very little joined up thinking behind how these prices are worked out!
Should you want to buy a parking space in its entirety in London, avoid South Kensington like the plague. The area is home to the most expensive parking space in the UK, costing £480,000. However, it could be worse – a space in central Manhattan reportedly sold for $1 million recently!
Breakdown cover
Many motorists don’t consider the cost of breakdown cover when they’re wrapped up in the excitement of buying a new car. However, this can be quite a significant expense, particularly if you want all the bells and whistles included.
When it comes to breakdown cover, there are concerns that some drivers are not spending as much as perhaps they should. This is often the result of finances being squeezed in other areas.
In addition, many drivers are holding on to older cars and missing vital services to try to save money. However, this is a flawed approach. Having an older car that isn’t looked after properly means a higher risk of breaking down, even if it’s only used for short journeys. Breaking down with no cover in place can be an expensive business.
Although breakdown cover isn’t a legal requirement, it is important that your car is covered in case you become stranded, especially if you are travelling with your family in the car. Avoiding the stress of breaking down with nobody to rescue you can be well worth the cost of breakdown cover, even if that purchase adds to the hidden costs of motoring.
When choosing breakdown cover, pay special attention to exactly what it includes. There is a vast array of options available, and the cheapest one may not cover exactly what you need. Conversely, the most expensive might include several elements for which you have no use.
It’s well worth finding out whether you can get a breakdown cover package with your car insurance. You can also buy a policy that covers more than one car if you have multiple vehicles in your household. Both of these approaches can save you money.
By keeping track of how much you’re spending on these hidden costs of driving, you’ll be able to budget more accurately, and avoid getting hit by unexpected costs when you can’t afford them. Of course, using the PetrolPrices app regularly to ensure that you get the best deal on fuel will also help to make driving a more cost effective experience.
Have you been caught out by over-priced motorway service station refreshments? How do you go about beating the hidden costs of motoring? Leave a comment below to let us know.
Aug 9, 2017
The Royal Colleges of Physicians and of Paediatrics and Child Health warn that air pollution may be responsible for as many as 40,000 early deaths every year in the UK alone. Such findings have prompted the EU to set air pollution standards and to hold member countries accountable for meeting them.
The UK has, after a protracted tangle with the EU over the matter, finally issued its draft UK Air Quality Plan. The plan includes a number of measures to reduce the levels of nitrogen dioxide in our air. According to the plan, UK air quality has improved significantly over the past several decades, but more needs to be done. However, are some of the proposals playing down road safety concerns?
At what cost, cleaner air?
One of the measures in the government’s plan is the removal of speed bumps. Speed bumps are (clearly) introduced to make us drive more slowly. However, the majority of drivers speed up after each bump, then hit the brakes as they approach the next one. This pattern of surging from bump to bump elevates pollution levels. Thus the government has said it will provide funding for English councils that wish to remove speed bumps.
Unfortunately, such a blanket offer seems to ignore the fact that speed bumps in many areas have been introduced as a road safety measure, in order to reduce the speed of traffic near schools, for example. Are we thus pursuing a reduction in air pollution deaths at the expense of increased risk to our young people?
Campaigners such as those from Living Streets argue that removing speed bumps without replacing them with alternative traffic calming measures could actually increase air pollution levels. By making the school route more dangerous to walk, they argue that many parents will opt to drive instead, thus having the opposite effect than the draft air quality plan intends: more dangerous, more polluted local roads.
Are air pollution tunnels the answer?
Since the government announced the draft UK Air Quality Plan, there’s been a great deal of discussion around whether covering motorways with air pollution tunnels could help to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels.
The concept has been inspired by the trial of wooden boards placed along the M62 near Simister, Greater Manchester. The £2.5 million scheme saw boards measuring 4 metres high running along a 100 metre stretch of the motorway, on either side of the road. The boards were later increased to 6 meters in height.
That trial led to a further board-based trial, in which the boards were coated with a nitrogen dioxide-absorbing polymer. While the outcome of that trial is awaited, the results of similar experiments in other countries have certainly been promising.
Will cost prove to be a barrier?
As well as analysing the barrier trial results, Highways England is also looking into another kind of barrier – cost. It is examining the potential cost of canopies over UK motorways to see how feasible it is to “reduce the costs to construct a canopy, which is a tunnel-like structure designed to prevent vehicle emissions reaching our neighbours, to make this a viable solution.”
A Highways England spokesperson commented,
“The best solution to accommodating the extra traffic on our roads, without negatively impacting on air quality, is cleaner low-emission vehicles. In the meantime, we are investing £100 million to test new ideas including less-polluting fuels and road barriers which can absorb harmful emissions.”
The future of cleaner motoring will no doubt involve a blend of all of these ideas, along with other, innovative solutions such as the recently announced Sion from Sono Motors – an electric car with built-in solar panels. Highways England’s air quality strategy lays out how it will spend the £100 million. With the UK government and local councils all looking at the issue too, it will be interesting to see the range of measures introduced to clean up our air over the months and years ahead.
Do anti-air pollution measures take enough account of road safety concerns? Are tunnels over our motorways the answer? Leave your comments down below to let us know your views.
Aug 9, 2017
New car sales in July continued to drop, with petrol cars down 9.3%. Diesel cars crashed even further, with a drop of 20.1%, according to the latest sales data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
While new petrol car sales are down this month, they’re actually up by 4.3% for the year to date. Diesel sales, on the other hand, are down 11% overall. The blame for the significant drop has been laid squarely at the government’s feet, as a result of its plans to drop petrol and diesel cars by 2040, plans for city centre charging and the confusion surrounding a potential diesel scrappage scheme.
Scrappage scheme delayed
Many expected the government to announce a diesel scrappage scheme as part of its recent air quality plan. This would deliver on the promise made in May to introduce compensation for drivers who scrap or retrofit their old diesel cars. Fast forward to July though, and the government has instead launched a consultation on a targeted scrappage scheme.
The onus is now on local authorities to come up with their own schemes as part of a drive to reduce excess NOx pollution over 18 months. These will then be signed off by the government. The new approach has been met with plenty of criticism. Former Liberal Democrat Energy Secretary Ed Davey MP states,
“The government promised compensation to help diesel drivers replace their cars just a few months ago. Now the scrappage scheme has been all but scrapped. It’s a shameful betrayal of diesel car drivers and shows the utter lack of ambition of this plan.”
Is scrappage the right approach?
Interestingly, those representing the motor industry are not yet convinced by the practicalities of scrappage schemes. SMMT’s Chief Executive Mike Hawes told Auto Express magazine,
“The difficulty is two-fold. Where is the problem of air quality? It will be in very localised areas, so which cars are you going to target? These located in the area or those moving in and out?
“Secondly, it’s the oldest cars you want to get off the road, pre-Euro 4. That vehicle is over 12 years old, but there are over two million of those on the road. But if you own one of those you are not the average new car purchaser. How do you incentivise someone who has a car worth a couple of grand to spend £25,000?”
Car makers to the rescue
While policymakers and pundits continue to argue over the perceived pros and cons of a diesel scrappage scheme, it could be car makers who end up leading the charge to secure a workable strategy for people wanting to move to cleaner diesels and alternative fuel cars. BMW/Mini has announced its own version of a scrappage scheme, which could see owners of older diesels being offered up to €2,000 (£1,800 at the time of writing) off the price of a new BMW or Mini.
Branded as a ‘fleet renewal campaign,’ because the German car company insists that it won’t scrap any traded-in cars, qualifying car owners can choose from a range of cars that meet Euro 6 regulations and that emit 130g/km or less of carbon dioxide. According to Carbuyer, this means not only can buyers choose from a diesel BMW 3 Series 320d or the stonking BMW 5 Series 530d, plug-in hybrids also qualify. These include the Mini Countryman Cooper and the electric-powered BMW i3.
It’s worth noting though that BMW doesn’t stipulate exactly how much of the discount you can expect when you come in with your beaten up old Volvo diesel. It will be “dependent upon model bought.” The scheme is expected to be rolled out across the EU by the end of August. It will run until the end of December. If successful, we wouldn’t be surprised to see BMW extend the offer.
While the government, rival politicians and the media continue to argue over scrappage, perhaps BMW’s innovative approach is the pragmatic solution. After all, it’s car makers who stand to lose out if diesel continues to be the focus of the pollution debate. Thus car brands must play their role in bringing about the serious change needed to reduce pollution levels across the UK’s towns and cities.
Is the government doing enough to ensure that diesel drivers aren’t being left stranded? Or should it be up to the car industry to help resolve the NOx crisis? Let us know your thoughts below.
Aug 9, 2017
While earlier indications signalled that a rise in fuel prices might be on the cards for July 2017, prices actually dropped for a fifth consecutive month. The latest data has revealed the top ten cheapest and most expensive locations in the UK for purchasing fuel.
UK fuel prices continued their decline in July, with unleaded dropping to an average of 114.7 pence per litre and diesel dropping to an average of 115.4 pence. That’s a per-litre reduction of 5.4 pence per litre for unleaded since the decline in prices began in February, and of 6.9 pence for diesel. Excellent news for drivers clocking up the miles on their summer holidays.
Prices remain higher than they were this time last year, but not by a great deal. Unleaded now costs 2.8 pence per litre more than in July 2016, while diesel costs 3 pence more.
Fuel prices have fluctuated greatly over the past decade. This time in 2007, unleaded cost an average of 96.7 pence per litre. By 2012 it had risen to 132.3 pence. Diesel has followed the same pattern, rising from 97.2 pence in July 2007 to 137.4 pence per litre in the same month of 2012.
The UK’s cheapest fuel
The cheapest unleaded in the UK in July could be found in Leigh, Greater Manchester, with an average price of 109.5 pence per litre. Pembroke Dock in Pembrokeshire and Dunkinfield in Greater Manchester also came in at under 110 pence per litre for unleaded, with averages of 109.8 pence and 109.9 pence respectively. The cheapest price found in any individual petrol station was at Asda Tamworth Automat, with a fantastic price of 107.7 pence per litre.
| Town |
County |
Unleaded |
| Leigh |
Greater Manchester |
109.5 |
| Pembroke Dock |
Pembrokeshire |
109.8 |
| Dukinfield |
Greater Manchester |
109.9 |
| Barrow-in-Furness |
Cumbria |
110.2 |
| Pudsey |
West Yorkshire |
110.2 |
| Spennymoor |
County Durham |
110.5 |
| Cwmbran |
Torfaen |
110.6 |
| Abertillery |
Blaenau Gwent |
110.7 |
| Tamworth |
Staffordshire |
110.7 |
| Beeston |
Nottinghamshire |
110.7 |
The cheapest diesel was in Spennymoor in Country Durham and Tilbury in Thurrock, where it cost 110.7 pence per litre on average. Pembroke Dock and Loanhead, Midlothian, followed at 110.8 pence per litre.
| Town |
County |
Diesel |
| Spennymoor |
County Durham |
110.7 |
| Tilbury |
Thurrock |
110.7 |
| Pembroke Dock |
Pembrokeshire |
110.8 |
| Loanhead |
Midlothian |
110.8 |
| Abertillery |
Blaenau Gwent |
110.9 |
| Dukinfield |
Greater Manchester |
110.9 |
| Port Glasgow |
Inverclyde |
110.9 |
| Penarth |
The Vale of Glamorgan |
110.9 |
| Leigh |
Greater Manchester |
111.0 |
| East Dereham |
Norfolk |
111.1 |
The UK’s most expensive fuel
At the other end of the price scale, Tighnabruaich in Argyll & Bute leads the UK when it comes to the most expensive unleaded, at an average cost of 132.9 pence per litre. It’s followed by Freshwater in the Isle of Wight at 129.9 pence and Woolacombe in Devon, at 127.8 pence. The most expensive price in any single petrol station was found at Chelsea Cloister Service Station, at a staggering 150.0 pence per litre.
| Town |
County |
Unleaded |
| Tighnabruaich |
Argyll & Bute |
132.9 |
| Freshwater |
The Isle of Wight |
129.9 |
| Woolacombe |
Devon |
127.8 |
| The Isle of Arran |
North Ayrshire |
126.9 |
| Gretna |
Dumfries & Galloway |
125.5 |
| Markfield |
Leicestershire |
125.0 |
| Lockerbie |
Dumfries & Galloway |
125.0 |
| The Isle of Islay |
Argyll & Bute |
124.9 |
| Cowes |
The Isle of Wight |
124.1 |
| Doune |
Stirling |
123.9 |
Tighnabruaich also topped the list of the most expensive places in the UK to buy diesel in July 2017, at an eye-watering 135.9 pence per litre. Freshwater followed at an average of 131.9 pence, then Woolacombe and the Isle of Benecula, in Eilean Siar, jointly at 129.9 pence per litre.
| Town |
County |
Diesel |
| Tighnabruaich |
Argyll & Bute |
135.9 |
| Freshwater |
The Isle of Wight |
131.9 |
| Woolacombe |
Devon |
129.9 |
| The Isle of Benecula |
Eilean Siar |
129.9 |
| Acharacle |
Highland |
128.1 |
| Markfield |
Leicestershire |
128.1 |
| Dunmow |
Essex |
126.8 |
| The Isle of Arran |
North Ayrshire |
126.2 |
| The Isle of Islay |
Argyll & Bute |
126.0 |
| Cowes |
The Isle of Wight |
125.7 |
Looking ahead – fuel prices in 2018
The forthcoming meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has seen oil prices falling once more in anticipation of the outcome of the two-day event. Many investors are concerned about the strength of major producers’ commitment to oil output caps.
Meanwhile, BP Chief Brian Gilvary has spoken out about price expectations heading into 2018. He suggests that the balance between cuts in production in Russia and the OPEC region and ongoing shale production in the US means that, “For 2018, something around $45 to $55 a barrel is probably a good range.”
This could be good news for petrol prices. With steep jumps in oil prices seemingly off the table (at least based on current projections), it seems that drivers can look forward to continuing to reap the rewards at the pump as we head into next year.
Despite the relatively steady oil prices, PetrolPrices can’t help but think that, as soon as the price ticks over $50 per barrel with any kind of consistency, motorists will start feeling the pain at the pumps once more. As ever, we’ll be watching closely and letting you know.
Aug 9, 2017
Motorists in Derby are claiming that a new roundabout has caused ten accidents in 48 hours. They are blaming a lack of lighting and signage for the cluster of fender benders. But are such road issues just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Britain’s road network? Are you up to speed with all the dangers that the UK’s motorists face?
The roundabout on the A516 in Derby had only been open for two days when drivers revealed that it had caused multiple accidents because motorists were failing to see it in time. So bad was the situation that one motorist, David Wilson, not only crashed his car but witnessed another car drive over the roundabout while he waited to be rescued. Wilson told the Daily Mail,
“Fortunately, for whoever was driving, it was a Land Rover and they were able to get over the island without too many difficulties, but other people are going to crash there until something is sorted.”
What went wrong?
Thankfully, no one has been hurt in the accidents thus far. The roundabout was built to service a new housing estate development. It has subsequently been fiercely criticised by locals, who are demanding that the council install rumble strips. The council has investigated. It believes that the roundabout’s new lighting had stopped functioning and that the issue has now been resolved.
However, some could argue that the roundabout is a typical sign of Britain’s increasingly inferior road network. There are a host of issues that, at best, infuriate drivers and, at worst, can cause serious damage to cars and those in them.
Potholes driving motorists potty
As many a swearing driver will attest to, potholes are public enemy number one. According to recent research, there is one pothole per 110 metres of road in Britain. These cost motorists £684 million a year in car repairs, with a pothole compensation claim being made every 17 minutes. Successful claims cost the government £2.3 million in 2016.
To tackle the pothole plague, the government has set aside £250 million for its Pothole Action Fund. However, the funding is a drop in the ocean according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance, which claims that £12 billion is needed to sort out Britain’s potholes. A recent report by Car Parts 4 Less highlighted the 10 worst afflicted roads:
Cottage Lane, Ormskirk
Liverpool Road (A57), Salford
Chester Road, Poynton
Topsham Road, Exeter
Bingley Relief Road (A650), Bradford
Dunstable Road, Luton
Dividy Road, Stoke-on-Trent
Hills Road, Cambridge
Stratford Road, Solihull
Garrett Lane, Wandsworth
Skid-happy highways
An investigation by the Department for Transport revealed that 26% of our A roads require “further investigation” because they offer inadequate skid resistance. The findings are the highest since records began back in 2007/2008. Some 11,000 vehicles skidded on dry roads and led to accidents in 2015.
AA president Edmund King told the Express newspaper,
“It means that, if a law-abiding driver is travelling within the speed limit and a child steps out, what may have been an avoidable accident could become a tragedy.”
Road signs driving us to distraction
The onus is on drivers to keep abreast of the Highway Code. However, our mass of road signs and their meanings are leaving two in five motorists flummoxed. Driver confusion can lead to sudden braking that can cause congestion and accidents. While many of us may pride ourselves on our knowledge of the rules of the road, it’s worth taking this test to see just how clued up you really are about the UK’s road signs.
The issue is being exacerbated because our roads have been flooded with too many unnecessary road signs, claim some critics. In 1993, there were 2.45 million signs in England; by 2013, this had increased to a staggering 4.57 million. Many believe that such prolific use of signs can lead to confusion and sudden, risky driving manoeuvres.
To tackle the issue, the government gave powers to councils in 2016 to rip down unneeded signs, “ensuring road signs that are used far longer than needed have a ‘remove by’ date; making sure traffic signs are visible on unlit roads; stopping temporary message signs from being cluttered with adverts and distracting logos.” The government believes that the move could “save £30 million in taxpayers’ cash by 2020, leaving drivers with just the signs they need to travel safely.”
What needs to be done to sort out the dangers of the UK’s highways? Is the only solution more investment, and in the current economic climate, will that ever happen? Let us know your thoughts below.
Aug 4, 2017
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) sold more than 1.7 million drivers’ details to private parking firms between April and June. This compares to 1.06 million over the same period in 2016.
The vast increase has sparked concerns that, if this trend continues, there will be a 64% increase in fines annually. That would mean a total of 7 million sets of details being shared, compared to the 4.7 million released during the 2016/17 financial year.
Additional income
The DVLA charges £2.50 per record. That means it made the tidy sum of £4.35 million between April and June. The figure equates to around 19,000 tickets being issued each day, or one parking fine every 4.5 seconds.
The government steps in
The three private parking firms who bought the most records were ParkingEye, which bought 570,000, Smart Parking, at 125,000, and Euro Car Parks, with a total of 118,000 records. By being members of a trade association, such as the British Parking Association or Parking Community, such firms are legally allowed to purchase the driver information that they need in order to issue fines.
The staggering new figures have led to support for the introduction of laws to ensure that private parking firms are regulated in a transparent and consistent way. The aim is to protect drivers from being caught out by firms that aren’t explaining their parking terms clearly enough.
Conservative MP Greg Knight tabled a bill last week proposing a code of conduct for private parking firms. Self-regulation has evidently not worked, with drivers who park on private land facing hugely inconsistent procedures and standards.
Quite often, parking charge notices are issued on dubious grounds, with people not understanding what it is that they did in order to receive one. This adds stress and confusion on top of concern about having to pay the fine.
Do you know your notices?
Drivers can receive two types of parking notice: penalty charge notices, and parking charge notices. These look very similar, but aren’t the same thing.
Both are yellow in colour, affix to the windscreen and carry the same message. However, a penalty charge notice is an official parking fine from the police or council. These are issued for offences such as parking on double yellow lines.
A parking charge notice is an invoice from a private parking firm. These could be given to you in a number of locations, including supermarket and hospital car parks.
To pay or not to pay?
If you find a parking charge notice on your windscreen, and don’t understand why it has been issued, you might not have to pay it.
First, take photographs of where you’re parked, any signs that are around and anything else that is present that you think may make it an unfair charge. This way, you have evidence to support your decision to not pay, should you need it.
If you’ve parked blocking an entrance, or stayed for longer than you were supposed to, you should pay the charge, just as you would if it were a penalty charge notice.
With so much confusion around which charges should be paid and when, it’s not surprising that the number of tickets being given out is rising. The causes of issuing notices are becoming increasingly blurred. As such, it’s certainly possible that some private companies are trying their luck, hoping that drivers will pay the fee without question.
A consistent code of conduct for private parking firms would definitely help to keep everything fair and in order. It would benefit drivers by removing confusing grey areas. As such, PetrolPrices is delighted to see the government finally stepping in to address the matter.
Do you think the government should regulate the conduct of private parking firms? Will this help or will it merely add another layer of bureaucracy to the whole industry? Leave a comment to let us know your views.
Aug 3, 2017
A recent report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revealed that the cost of car services, repair bills and replacement parts could all end up costing British motorists 10% more if the UK leaves the European Union without a beneficial trade deal in place.
If Theresa May decides that no deal is better than a bad deal, the UK would be forced to follow World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. That means British motorists could be looking at a collective bill increase of more than £2 billion per year due to new tariffs that would be put in place.
Do you fancy paying more for your car repairs?
The WTO tariff on imported car parts falls between 2.5% and 4.5%. It would cost the average motorist an extra £21 each year for replacement parts, plus an extra £49 annually on top of this to cover subsidies, customs costs, and regulatory barriers.
80% of car parts in the UK are imported, three quarters from EU countries. Many of these would also be subject to higher charges. The UK would probably have to pay higher tariffs on the parts that are exported to EU countries too.
As such, although there are more components being manufactured in the UK now, the cost of selling them to different countries could jeopardise the amount of money being made by this industry. In fact, it has been suggested that a ‘no trade deal’ could cost British exporters more than £6 billion per year in newly implemented tariffs.
The best way to manage this would be for the government to maintain the UK’s single market and customs union membership until an acceptable trade deal has been reached.
How about paying over the odds for your car insurance too?
As well as the looming spectre of rising repair bills, the Telegraph has recently discovered that motor insurance companies have been inflating repair bills. This is one of the reasons why premiums have been rising.
By charging rival insurance companies up to 100% more than the repairs have cost them, car insurance firms have created a hidden cost layer of around £750 million. That’s equivalent to 5% of the insurance premiums paid by British motorists each year.
With the average cost of comprehensive car insurance now at a record high of £462, this rise in costs has until now been blamed on young drivers, excessive whiplash claims, and tax increases. However, it seems that the insurance firms themselves are partly to blame too.
The Telegraph has revealed that when an insurance firm uses a particular company to fix cars, they can receive discounts for sending multiple vehicles to them. They are under no obligation to pass these discounts on to the rival firm representing the ‘at fault’ driver. Thus repairers will produce invoices for the ‘at fault’ party, then pay the ‘not at fault’ party the difference.
Could the brand be a factor?
Repairers working on BMWs, Audis and Mercedes were found to charge up to 100% higher labour costs than they usually would. This means that the second firm ends up paying far more than the repairs actually cost, and thus increases its premiums to cover this.
The Association of British Insurers, which represents most of the large insurance firms, has been unable to deny the findings. It has stated that the system used by motor insurance firms “could work better.” MPs, consumer groups and repair companies have called for an investigation into the matter.
With repair, maintenance and insurance costs on the rise, it’s more important than ever to ensure that we look after our cars with regular services and by checking tyre pressures, water and oil levels before long trips. A few minutes’ regular attention can help to avoid unwanted trips to the garage, along with extra expense in what is already a difficult financial climate.
Do you think Brexit will lead to higher car repair bills? Could action to bring down insurance companies’ inflated repair bills help to even things out? As ever, share your thoughts in the comments below.
Aug 2, 2017
A petition to introduce compulsory, age-related driving tests is gathering momentum. Benjamin Brooks-Dutton started the petition to the Department for Transport and Secretary of State for Transport after his wife Desreen was killed by an 85-year-old driver who mistook his car’s accelerator for the brake. The vehicle was travelling at 54 miles per hour in a 20 mile per hour zone when it mounted the pavement and struck Desreen.
The petition now has more than 250,000 of the 300,000 signatures that it is seeking. In addition, Harriet Harman MP has written to Lilian Greenwood MP, Chair of the Transport Committee, urging it to hold an inquiry into the mandatory re-assessment of drivers over the age of 70.
You can read about the petiton here
The news comes as DVLA figures reveal that the number of drivers aged 90 and over in Great Britain has topped 100,000 for the first time. When it comes to drivers aged between 80 and 89, the figure rises to more than 1.2 million.
Are older drivers more dangerous?
In 2016, the Older Drivers Task Force report from the Road Safety Foundation reported that,
“Older drivers have reduced ability to judge and adapt to speed and to read complex driving situations. Vision, reaction times and skills in executing manoeuvres decline with age.”
Medical conditions as well as age can impact on driving ability. As such, older drivers are already required to self-assess their medical fitness to drive every three years. However, the Older Drivers Task Force report highlights the fact that self-declarations are unreliable, citing one study that found a 60% disparity between self-declarations of cardiac problems and physicians’ evidence of the same.
Despite this, there is a growing body of evidence to show that older drivers are actually less dangerous on the roads that younger drivers. An accident data study by Swansea University found that drivers aged 70 and over are involved in between three and four times fewer accidents than male drivers aged between 17 and 21. Meanwhile, the Older Drivers Task Force study of police records found that drivers aged over 70 are less likely to kill a pedestrian than middle-aged drivers, and only half as likely to do so as drivers below the age of 25. The report also confirmed that,
“Drivers over 70 are less likely to be involved in crashes involving speed, loss of control or alcohol as a cause. They are more likely to be involved in a right of way violation.”
Should regular testing be compulsory for older drivers?
The Older Drivers Task Force reports that self-regulation is common among older drivers. Many choose to make fewer journeys and avoid more challenging conditions, such as driving at night or travelling on the motorway. However, self-regulation does not work for all. As the judge sentencing the driver who killed Desreen Brooks observed,
“An elderly driver who knows, or should acknowledge, that he or she is losing his or her faculties is no less a danger than a drunken driver who knows the same.”
Driving refresher courses are widely available and provide an option for older drivers to hone their skills. These are voluntary courses, though, and only available to those who can afford to take them.
The idea behind mandatory testing for older drivers is that it would catch those drivers whose faculties are no longer sharp enough that they should be behind the wheel, but who are not self-aware enough to realise this. One must query, however, why it is only older drivers who should be subjected to re-testing. Drivers aged 17-19 are disproportionately involved in car accidents according to DVLA figures. They account for just 1.6% of drivers, but are involved in 6% of accidents. Older drivers, meanwhile, account for 10% of drivers but are involved in just 6% of accidents.
Based on the statistics, wouldn’t it be a better road safety investment to annually re-test those who have just qualified to drive, rather than homing in on those who have decades of experience under their belts?
Do you think older drivers should undergo mandatory re-testing in order to keep their driving licenses? Or is the risk posed by elderly drivers being blow out of proportion? Leave a comment below to let us know your view.
Aug 2, 2017
As we revealed last week, car crime is on the up ,with a 20% spike in vehicles stolen in 2016/17. The rise means that, more than ever, motorists need all the help they can get in protecting their vehicles from thieves.
Enter your postcode into the Co-op Insurance’s new interactive map, which reveals the level of car crime in your area.
Check your street
Simply enter your postcode/location in England or Wales and the map displays the number of car crimes that have occurred on your street and in the surrounding area (based on Home Office data). If car crime has occurred in the past six months, the map will display one of three circles: a red circle indicates six or more incidents; an orange circle between three and five instances; and a yellow circle between zero and two crimes.
You can zoom out to check the overall car crime rate in a particular area. It means you can quickly check before heading out where the safest – and unsafest – areas are to park when you arrive at your destination.
For instance, according to Daily Mail research, the area surrounding Bridge Street in Manchester is a hotbed of car crime. Over in Cardiff, Walker Road and the surrounding area is a particular magnet for thieves. The Sun newspaper found that Broad Street and the surrounding area in Birmingham saw high car crime figures as well.
Of course, if your own street is marked as an area with a car crime issue, the map makes for cold comfort. However, according to several experts, including Co-op Insurance, there are several techniques that can be deployed to reduce the chance of car thieves targeting your vehicle:
Protect your vehicle at home
• Don’t reverse into your driveway or garage; instead, drive in nose-first. This makes it more difficult for thieves to make a quick and tidy getaway.
• Park in front of your home if possible, ideally in front of your living room window. This can deter thieves from making an opportunistic theft because they risk you spotting them.
• Ensure your car is locked and its alarm activated. This might sound like stating the obvious, but car thieves are using jammers to block cars’ systems from being activated by their key fobs – so double check your doors are actually locked before walking away.
• Consider additional security equipment for your car, such as a steering wheel lock. While these can be removed by thieves given enough time, they act as a deterrent because they represent a time-consuming challenge.
• Fit a CCTV camera overlooking your driveway or the immediate area outside your home if you park on the street. Such technology is reasonably priced and simple to install.
• Install a tracker device. That way, if your car disappears from your driveway, there’s a very good chance you can track and recover it.
• Never leave your car running on your driveway, even to defrost it on a cold morning! Firstly, it is illegal to do so. Secondly, you can wave your car insurance goodbye if the vehicle is stolen.
Protect your vehicle while out and about
• Always park your car under a streetlight if possible. When using a carpark, park near or next to other cars. Don’t leave your vehicle tucked away in the corner of an under-populated carpark. That gives thieves more time to make off with it, as they are less likely to be seen.
• Park outside restaurants, bars and pubs wherever possible if using street parking. The threat of a customer inside spotting someone interfering with a car’s locks is enough of a deterrent for many thieves to move on to a vehicle that is parked down a dark side street.
• Finally, ensure all valuables are out of sight or removed when leaving your car. From mobiles and sat navs to bags and jackets, shove everything into the boot or take it with you.
There were 250,000 car break-ins last year – don’t end up with your car being featured in next year’s statistics.
What else can you do?
The most obvious thing to do is take action and protect yourself, as mentioned earlier there are a few ways you can do this that works in concert with your car alarm, sadly just relying on a car alarm is not enough to deter the modern car criminal. Stealing and mobilising a car is hard work these days which is why most car thieves break into your house to simply get your keys instead. You can monitor both your driveway and the entrance to your home with a high quality HD video camera. We have the perfect offer from Y-cam, with a HUGE 30% off (£54 RRP) the retail price this week.
The Y-cam Outdoor HD Pro can monitor your driveway and the entrance to your home. Its controlled by a free app and can be viewed at any time, day or night, from anywhere in the world. FREE rolling 7 day cloud storage for 3 years. Sends automatic motion notifications if anyone comes your driveway or entrance to home, watch the clip of who has triggered the notification. Simple to set up, just mount the camera to the wall, turn on and connect to your Wi-Fi router and start protecting your vehicle as well as your home.
Just click on find out more to see the offer and how to get it – Y-CAM offer ends Weds 9th August 2017.
Apply code PP30OFF in promo code box in checkout
Find out more
What techniques do you use to ensure your vehicle remains safe when parked up? Or do you feel that if thieves are determined enough to take your car, they’ll steal it whatever you try and do? Let us know your thoughts below.
