Aug 23, 2017
Highways England has announced its next series of major road improvements, with £19.9 million being invested as part of the Growth and Housing Fund. The road improvements are focused into three schemes, which could lead to as many as 10,000 houses being built and 6,000 jobs created. PetrolPrices takes a look to see if your area will benefit from any of the newly announced improvements.
The three new schemes
The first scheme involves an expansion of the M27 at Junction 9, Whitley Way, which lies around 10 miles from Southampton. The project could see up to 3,500 new homes built and 250 jobs created. It is funded by £9.9 million from the Growth and Housing Fund, as well as a further £3 million from Highways England’s Congestion Relief fund.
The second project is the expansion of Gloucestershire’s A46 at Anstey Lane. The scheme could result in the creation of 2,300 homes and 260 jobs, with £5 million funded by the Growth and Housing Fund. A further £2.8 million would come from private investors.
In the East Midlands, the third project is the expansion of Junction 23 on the M1. The plans will involve £5 million from the Growth and Housing Fund, £3.2 million from local growth funding and a further £10 million worth of private funding.
The Growth and Housing Fund
The government and Highways England created the Growth and Housing Fund to help boost the economy by creating safe, efficient and reliable roads for journeys around the country. It is one of the five objectives of their Strategic Business Plan and involves a total investment of £15 billion. It covers major roads and motorways spread over 100 schemes.
Most of the projects, like those above, are funded in part by the scheme, along with private contributors and local authority investment. This allows for major works to be undertaken to improve the road system, as well as the building of more homes to deal with the country’s housing shortage.
Other schemes being funded
As well as these large projects, a number of smaller regional schemes have already been announced. Some are already taking place, with many due to be finished in the next 12 months.
The A589 Greyhound Bridge in Lancashire is being refurbished in order to allow HGVs to cross it. Improving access for larger vehicles to the area should boost businesses, helping them to thrive and continue employing local people.
The A361 in Devon will see regeneration to the dual carriage stretch, which will support local businesses and tourism in the area, as well as enhancing access to the M5. The project will also include improvements to the drainage system.
Meanwhile, around £5 million is earmarked for works on rural and regional roads in Northumberland, making it easier for people to reach top tourist destinations such as Hadrian’s Wall and the Northumberland National Park.
Major program
These projects are all part of the biggest investment in the road network since the 1970s. The government realises that this is a key part of boosting the country’s economy, which is a priority in these politically and financially sensitive times. Not only will the infrastructure improvements make for better experiences for people who use the roads regularly, and for those visiting nearby attractions, but they will also make business deliveries easier.
Since April 2015, Highways England has delivered £4 billion worth of investment in motorways and main trunk roads. 16 schemes are currently underway. The projects have added 175 miles of capacity to the country’s roads, including work on smart motorways to help the flow of traffic on the busiest roads.
Will this investment ensure that the UK’s road network is truly fit for purpose, or is congestion increasing at such a pace that improvements just can’t keep up? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.
Aug 17, 2017
The new September ’67’ plate is here and with it, some outstanding opportunities to source a unique plate that is both lewd and crude. Well, there would be if it wasn’t for those hawk-eyed folk at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). As ever, they’ve been culling the worst offenders to ensure that the sensibilities of UK drivers aren’t offended while out on the road.
Cover your eyes now!
According to AutoExpress Magazine, some of the ‘highlights’ from the ’67’ plate batch include OR67 ASM, DO67 SHT, DO67 GER, NO67 HED, AR67 OLE and BA67 ARD. These are but a handful of those detailed in an epic, ten-page document that the DVLA gave to the publication.
The agency conducts the culling process twice a year. Its remit is not just to stop smutty plates making it out into the wild, but also to stop anything that could be deemed potentially offensive on racial, religious or political grounds. Examples include JE55 US and U16 OUT (the latter in relation to the then-impending Brexit referendum).
Despite the DVLA’s diligent work, out-of-order number plates have been known to slip through its net. Sassy drivers though shouldn’t rest on their laurels if they do manage to bag a rude plate – the agency has the power to recall them whenever it wants. Even those who try the personalised plate route can expect to be pulled up if they dream up something that crosses the line.
Why punters pay to personalise
The big question is why people want such plates on their cars in the first place. Unique and personalised number plates are big business. We’re buying more and more of them, with 335,000 of us buying personalised plates in 2015 alone. The trend generated a whopping £102 million for the government over the course of the year.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Angela Bahn of Regtransfers magazine revealed that such plates were seen as distinctly downmarket in the 80s and 90s. However, that snobbery all but vanished in the Noughties. Bahn cites several reasons for the increasing popularity of personalised plates, from the old tactic of trying to hide the age of your car, through to promoting your business. Of course, some personalised plates act as nothing more than a source of enjoyment for the driver.
How much would you pay for personalisation?
For some people, it’s not rude words that are the most offensive thing about unique or personalised plates, but how much people are prepared to pay for them! Here’s Autocar’s top ten list of the most expensive plates ever bought in the UK and what they cost their spend-happy owners:
10. D 1 – £300,096
9. GB 1 – £325,000
8. M 1 – £331,500
7. 1 S – £340,000
6. 1 D – £352,411
5. S 1 – £404,063
4. F 1 – £440,625
3. G 1 – £500,000
2. X 1 – £502,500
1. 25 O – £518,480.
According to Regtransfers Magazine, such illustrious plates also accrue value over time. ’25 O’ can currently found on a 1961 Ferrari 250 SWB and is now worth an eye-watering £750,000.
Even the runner-ups are doing well – the ‘F 1’ plate currently attached to the bumper of a Bugatti Veyron (after being rescued from a Volvo S80, no less!) can be bought for a cool £10 million according to its owner. If your budget can’t quite stretch to that, fret not, because the DVLA’s searchable database reveals that ‘WB67 KER’ is still available for a far more reasonable £399…
Are personalised plates the ultimate display of vanity? Or are they important for expressing a driver’s individuality? Let us know your opinions below.
Aug 17, 2017
According to the latest figures from police constabularies, drivers committed more than two million speeding offences in the UK in 2016. This is a new record for a twelve-month period. In total, 2,293,228 speeding offences were recorded during the year.
Are we all speeding more? Or is there simply an increasing number of ways that we can be caught?
Speeding around the UK
The information revealed some interesting trends. For example, Avon and Somerset police recorded the highest number of offences during 2016, followed by Thames Valley and Greater Manchester. Part of the reason for this increase is that Avon and Somerset is one of the forces that are enforcing the 70mph speed limit on motorways, along stretches of new smart motorway. This relatively new step is catching out plenty of motorists and resulting in a boom in speeding fines.
Speeding in the UK is a serious problem. According to the RAC, 222 people died in accidents where speed was a contributing factor in 2015 – that’s around 15% of the total deaths on the road. Worryingly, the figures indicate that, despite awareness of the dangers of speeding, more drivers are doing it than ever. Or could it be that the increase is actually due to new and increased ways to be caught?
Top earning speed cameras
Speed cameras are big earners for local governments. The top ten highest-earning cameras across the UK brought in over £3 million in fines in 2016. The year before, one camera alone, on the A1 northbound near Great Ponton, Lincolnshire, caught 6,000 motorists, earning a staggering £1,661 a day.
In second place was the camera near Scunthorpe on the M180, which caught over 5,800 motorists in the same year. Three of the top ten highest-earning cameras are located around the M25, including one on a 50mph zone where motorists travel an average of 62mph.
Avoiding the fines
A surprising figure from the 2015 speeding fines stats was the number of people who avoided fines. While 800,000 speeding fines were issued during the year, a total of 1.3 million individuals managed to avoid a fine. Figures haven’t been released for 2016 to compare yet, but should make for interesting reading once available.
There are several ways to avoid paying a fine if you’re caught speeding. One of the top methods is to take a speed awareness course. Around a third of those caught speeding choose to attend a course rather than pay a fine. However, there are also some more creative ways to avoid paying speeding fines. Recorded reasons include speeding drivers lying to say they were speeding due to an emergency, claiming they no longer owned the car and lying about who was driving the car at the time.
Changes to speed fines
April 2017 saw the introduction of new tiers and costs of speeding fines in the UK. The changes were aimed at slowing people down, so time will tell if they achieve their intended purpose. The new fines can be up to 50% higher than the previous ones. Fines used to be up to 100% of a driver’s weekly earnings. That figure has now increased to 150% for excessive speeding offences. The maximum fine that can be issued for speeding is £1,000 – or £2,500 if the offence was on a motorway. Offenders can also receive six points on their licence and be banned from driving for a brief period (up to 56 days). The minimum fine and number of points issued for speeding remain at £100 and three points respectively.
Only time will tell if the new, harsher penalties bring speeding numbers in the UK down over the course of 2017.
Will harsher fines and higher numbers of speed cameras finally start to curb our tendency to speed? Or is speeding simply an inevitable result of the congestion that delays us on other parts of the road network? Leave a comment below to let us know your views.
Aug 17, 2017
The government has announced new rules that will allow learner drivers in England, Scotland and Wales to have driving lessons on motorways from 2018. The Department of Transport (DoT) said the lessons would need to be in a dual controlled car and with an approved instructor.
At the moment, only drivers who have passed their test are allowed to drive on the motorway. However, back in 2015 the DoT announced that it would consider changing the law. Now, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has said that he is confident that the move will make our roads safer. The idea is that lessons on the motorway will create a supportive environment that will help learner drivers to “develop a practical understanding of how to use motorways safely” before they are able to drive on them independently.
A scary experience
Mr Grayling added that young drivers were more likely to be seriously injured or killed while driving on Britain’s roads. One of the big factors behind this is a lack of experience. The UK has some of the safest roads in the world. The DoT wants to do everything it can to preserve that reputation and to make our roads safer still.
Speaking to BBC News, one new driver admitted that it was a scary experience to have passed her test and then go on the motorway for the first time. Reading up on the theory of driving on the motorway, she admitted, didn’t really prepare her for the real thing.
The newly qualified driver said that motorway lessons would have helped with those nerves. She was keen that motorway instruction be part of learning to drive in the future. Her view, like that of Mr Grayling, was that it would help drivers feel more confident and experienced while on the motorways, thus contributing to making our roads safer.
Connection to road deaths
Figures from the DoT show that there were 1,810 deaths on the country’s roads between September 2015 and September 2016. After the 2015 figures were reported, documents were published suggesting steps to help reduce the number of deaths. These included higher fines for drivers using mobile phones and a new research program to look at improving safety for inexperienced drivers.
The latest DoT announcement – that learner drivers will be allowed to have lessons on motorways – has certainly been greeted with enthusiasm.
RAC spokesman Pete Williams backed the move, saying that while motorways are statistically the safest roads, they can also be daunting for those using them for the first time after passing their test.
Edmund King of the AA likewise backed the new announcement. He described motorway driving as the Achilles’ heel of learning to drive. King added that almost half of motorists know someone, such as a friend or family member, who avoids driving on motorways.
Motorway rules
Learners will have to get the hang of some of the basic rules of motorway driving prior to their lessons, including giving priority to traffic already ahead when joining the road and learning to match their speed to fit in with the flow before considering overtaking.
Other rules include only overtaking on the right-hand side when it is safe and legal to do so – although in congested conditions you can keep up with traffic in your lane, even if this means breaking this rule. However, you shouldn’t weave between lanes just to try and get to your destination faster. Learners should also be aware that drivers should always drive in the left-hand lane when the conditions are good, maintaining a steady speed within the speed limit.
First-time motorway users are advised to keep calm and plan ahead. They need to learn to ease off the accelerator to create a gap when required or speed up quickly when joining the road. Of course, learners also need to remember to watch the speed limits – while most are 70mph, there are plenty of areas with 50mph limits featuring average speed cameras.
Here at PetrolPrices, we welcome the move to give learner drivers lessons on the UK’s motorways. The new arrangement will allow learners to get to grips with motorway driving safely, in dual controlled cars and with approved instructors – rather than on their own with nobody there to guide them should they need advice!
Do you think that it’s right to allow learners onto our motorways? Will the move improve the safety of our roads or not? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Aug 16, 2017
Buying a car is soon to become “as easy as buying a can of Coke.” Chinese ecommerce company Alibaba is due to launch its first car vending machine next year.
This new development will allow potential customers to browse available cars on their smartphones. Pressing ‘buy now’ will release the car that they’re interested in.
Can anyone buy one?
Unfortunately not… the system will be connected to financial information so that Alibaba can access data on the interested customer’s credit rating. If their score is high enough, the customer will be able to pay a 10% deposit and drive the car away.
Following this, the new owner will be required to pay monthly instalments, as with any finance plan. What they won’t have to do is sit through a variety of conversations in a car showroom and fill out reams of paperwork in order to get their new vehicle.
Successful trials
Similar car vending machines have already been trialled. For example, Autobahn Motors recently opened a futuristic, 15-storey showroom in Singapore, which holds cars in 60 slots. Potential customers can release them by selecting their favourite on a touchscreen on the ground floor. The car arrives within two minutes, so that the customer can view it.
Meanwhile, US company Carvana uses an eight-floor tower to sell cars in San Antonio, Texas. This also resembles a giant car vending machine.
This method of selling cars is becoming increasingly popular. It reduces both staff and storage costs, thus saving companies money. It also gives those brave enough to innovate a very interesting selling approach to market to their target audience!
(Vending in trial in Singapore – Autobahn Motors/Facebook)
The history of car buying
Until the late 1990s, people could only buy cars through dealerships, or from a private seller. Both processes come with their fair share of pressure for customers, as you’re dealing directly with the people who stand to make money out of your decision to buy.
Then along came the internet. People began to advertise and sell cars online. Dealers had to start being a little more competitive with their pricing, as it was easier for people to get more than one quote. Buyers suddenly became less prepared to put up with being worn down by inescapable sales patter.
Now, the internet allows car buyers to see all of the options available to them just by clicking buttons or tapping a screen. There are also reviews to read and watch online for almost every model of car – a far cry from our former reliance on specialist motoring magazines and recommendations from family and friends.
For people who find negotiating prices face-to-face awkward, the developments in car buying have been most welcome. You can negotiate prices online and consider your options privately and at your own pace, with offers made through emails and messages, especially through auction sites like eBay.
Changing the customer experience
BMW has sought to change with the times in terms of the car buying experience. The company now employs ‘car geniuses,’ who know all there is to know about its collection of vehicles. These staff members aren’t motivated by sales – their role is simply to give potential customers all of the information they need to make a decision.
This removes the pressure of customers having to talk about their finances or possible contract terms. Instead, they can focus on finding the model that is perfect for them and fall for it at their own pace.
Meanwhile, Volvo is taking an alternative – and far more futuristic – approach to progressing the car buying experience. The firm is working with Microsoft on ‘HoloLens.’ This will allow people to interact with Volvo’s cars and brand using holograms, while still being connected with the world around them.
Volvo is the only automotive company currently working with Microsoft on this project. It hopes that it will help people to see specific features, and choose cars’ finer details, as they create them to their own specifications in holographic form.
Car companies are constantly looking at ways in which they can make the car buying process easier for their customers. Many are seeking to embrace new technology in order to do this, thus opening up many possibilities for the future of car buying. PetrolPrices believes that car vending machines and holograms are just the tip of the iceberg – watch this space for further updates!
Would you buy a car from a vending machine? Or do you prefer face-to-face contact when it comes to purchasing a vehicle? Leave a comment to let us know.
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.
