Damning of diesel continues – but is there light at the end of the tunnel?

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.

Are you up to date with the dangers of Britain’s roads?

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.

Petition for compulsory driving test at the age of 70 gathers momentum

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.