A target response time for reaching drivers stranded on smart motorways has been met more than a year later than originally planned.

National Highways figures seen by the PA news agency show it took traffic officers an average of nine minutes and 49 seconds to attend to stopped vehicles on smart motorways without a hard shoulder in September.

The Government-owned company responsible for motorways and major A roads in England initially committed to reducing its average response time from 17 minutes in 2020 to 10 minutes by July 2021.

After failing to accomplish the goal by that deadline, in May it pledged to hit the target by the end of September.

The response time relates to stretches of all lane running (ALR) smart motorways where emergency areas are more than a mile apart.

National Highways said it is reaching stranded drivers more quickly after buying extra patrol vehicles and recruiting additional traffic officers.

It has also introduced satellite “outstations” and “park-up points” around the busiest smart motorway sections to make it easier for traffic officers to react to incidents.

National Highways executive director of operations Duncan Smith said: “We have made considerable progress cutting the average time it takes us to attend incidents on all lane running motorways, where emergency areas are more than a mile apart.

“In September, the national average attendance time was nine minutes and 49 seconds, greatly reduced from the original 17 minutes in 2020.

“We will continue to work hard to keep average attendance times to 10 minutes on these sections.”

Three other smart motorway safety improvements were also implemented by the end of September.

Stopped vehicle detection technology was retrofitted to all smart motorways without a hard shoulder.

Installation of additional signs showing the distance to the next emergency stopping area was completed, and all enforcement cameras were upgraded to enable detection of closed lane violations.

Around 10% of the motorway network is made up of smart motorways.

They involve various methods to manage the flow of traffic, such as converting the hard shoulder into a live running lane.

These ALR smart motorways boost capacity at a lower cost than widening roads.

But there have been long-standing fears about their safety following fatal incidents in which vehicles stopped in live lanes were hit from behind.

National Highways has insisted they are safer than conventional motorways.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Breaking down on a motorway can be a traumatic experience; however, if it happens in a live lane it can be truly terrifying.

“While much progress has been made on hitting other targets originally outlined following the Government’s evidence stocktake and average wait times are now down, it’s vital drivers are protected as quickly as possible.

“For anyone stranded in a live lane even a few minutes with fast-moving traffic going past must seem like a very long time.”

Jaguar Land Rover recorded a pre-tax loss of £173m in the second quarter of the 2022 financial year, though the result was better than expected.

The brand was boosted by production ramping up for its two most profitable models – the new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport – and was a stark improvement on the £302m lost in the third quarter of 2021.

Revenue was up to £5.2bn in the quarter, up 36 per cent year-on-year, with a wholesale volume of 75,307 recorded between July and September – a 17.6 per cent improvement and 4.9 per cent up on the prior quarter.

Jaguar Land Rover ramped up production of its new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport in the period, with these models accounting for 13,537 units in the quarter – up from the 5,790 made between April and June.

The brand recorded 88,121 retail sales in the third quarter, with the most growth coming from China where sales were 38 per cent higher, though European volumes were down seven per cent.

Thierry Bollore, chief executive officer of Jaguar Land Rover, said: “We delivered a stronger financial performance in the second quarter as production of our new Range Rover and Range Rover Sport ramped up, improving revenue, margins and cash flow, despite continuing semiconductor constraints.

“Demand for our most profitable and desired vehicles remains strong and we expect to continue to improve our performance in the second half of the year, as new agreements with semiconductor partners take effect, enabling us to build and deliver more vehicles to our clients.”

The brand added that ‘demand for Jaguar Land Rover Products remains very strong’, with the two firms now having 205,000 pending orders. The firm’s three most profitable models – the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender – account for over 70 per cent of these orders.

The electric SUV segment is continuing to hotten up, and now there’s a new entry from Milan-based Aehra.

The brand was only launched earlier in the year, but has already revealed the exterior design of its new SUV, which will be launched unnamed. Set to rival the new Lotus Eletre, the new model is based around a specific EV platform.

The large SUV boasts a generous three-metre wheelbase, and stands out with its striking styling.

There are Lamborghini-style scissor doors at both the front and rear that open outwards and upwards, a low and aggressive front end and a low roofline. There’s fancy LED lighting at the front and rear to emphasise the model’s key details.

The huge windscreen also extends way beyond the front wheel arches, while invisible door handles complement the sleek focus. Conventional door mirrors are also replaced by small cameras.

Aehra says it wants to ‘defy modernism mass-market automotive convention’, with its cabin said to ‘effortlessly accommodate four NBA-size players in complete comfort’.

The Italian firm has bold figures in mind for performance and range, with a huge 120kWh battery set to be offered, allowing for an electric range of close to 500 miles. Three electric motors – two on the rear axle and one on the front – also produce up to 794bhp.

Filippo Perini, Aehra chief design officer, said: “With the Aehra SUV, we have shunned the conservative constraints that have encumbered all other car manufacturers in their approach to designing EV vehicles to date.

“Instead, we have taken a highly courageous approach. And at Aehra, this mindset drives not just the design of our vehicles, but every aspect, including engineering, the layout of the interior, the state-of-the-art sustainable materials we use and how we are redefining the entire customer journey.”

The Aehra SUV will be followed by a saloon model, which will be revealed in February 2023. The firm hopes for both vehicles to be on sale in 2025.

A senior Metropolitan Police officer has said the force is “determined to bring to justice” Just Stop Oil protesters who cause disruption on the M25 after 16 arrests were made on Tuesday.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said operations launched in response to the activists “come at a cost”, and police officers could otherwise be dealing with violent crime and safeguarding.

Just Stop Oil said “approximately 15” of its supporters climbed on to overhead gantries in “multiple locations” on the UK’s busiest motorway from 7am on Tuesday, causing police to halt traffic.

The Metropolitan Police said 16 protesters were arrested in a joint operation with neighbouring forces – including Essex Police, Surrey Police and Kent Police.

Meanwhile, eight people charged with conspiracy to cause a public nuisance following protest action on Monday are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

On Tuesday, Essex Police said a protester climbed on to the gantry at junction 31, causing the Dartford Tunnel to be closed.

In a statement following Tuesday’s arrests, Mr Twist said: “The Met, in a joint operation with neighbouring police forces, has again responded swiftly and robustly to today’s attempts by Just Stop Oil activists to disrupt the M25.

“We are all absolutely committed to providing a quick and effective response to those activists who continue to significantly disrupt people’s daily lives.

“Operations like these come at a cost. Since the start of October we have used more than 11,000 officer shifts to police Just Stop Oil protests. These are officers who would otherwise be dealing with issues that matter to local communities such as knife crime, safeguarding and responding to burglaries.

“We are determined to bring to justice all those who conspire to cause significant and unreasonable disruption to London and the motorway network and we’ll work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts to make sure this happens.”

National Highways said earlier in the day there were delays of an hour, with congestion for five miles.

Just Stop Oil also targeted at least six other locations on the M25.

The Met said earlier: “We know how disruptive and distressing these road closures caused by protesters are to the traveling public.

“Please rest assured that when they occur, police will arrive quickly and deal quickly with the situation and get roads open again as soon as possible.”

The force said it deployed “specialist removal teams” to deal with the protesters.

It urged members of the public stuck in traffic to “stay in their cars and refrain from using the hard shoulder”.

Protests took place at 13 locations on the M25 on Monday.

Police believe some of those involved in the demonstrations could have breached a High Court injunction obtained by National Highways.

Just Stop Oil said in a statement: “We will not be intimidated by changes to the law, we will not be stopped by private injunctions sought to silence peaceful people.

“Our supporters understand that these are irrelevant when set against mass starvation, slaughter, the loss of our rights, freedoms and communities.”

The Met is conducting an operation to foil the protests in conjunction with the National Police Coordination Centre.

Just Stop Oil staged 32 days of disruption from the end of September and throughout October, which the Met said resulted in 677 arrests with 111 people charged, and officers working a total of 9,438 additional shifts.

According to the group, Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested nearly 2,000 times since its campaign began on April 1, and five are currently in prison.

It warned the Government’s refusal to halt North Sea oil and gas extraction will contribute to global warming, which “will result in the collapse of ordered civil society, the loss of our rights and freedoms and the death of countless millions of people”.

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said Just Stop Oil protesters do have a point “in (a) sense”.

He told Sky News: “I do think there’s a major issue when individuals can go on to motorways or even just outside Parliament, in fact, periodically, at will, just sit down in the middle of the road and disrupt the traffic – sometimes, indeed, emergency services get caught up in that as well.”

But when it was put to him that the environmental activists have a point, he said: “Well, they do in (a) sense. Couple of points… one is, absolutely, we are all determined, and this Government above all else is absolutely determined, to bear down on the use of fossil fuels.

“Second point I would make is that we do have to strike the right balance between the right of individuals to express their opinion and protest, which is absolutely fundamental to a civilised democracy – which is what we have in our country – and, at the other time, making sure that we don’t inconvenience the public or indeed endanger the public in some circumstances.”

Porsche has revealed new images of its new 911 Dakar undergoing testing in various off-road settings.

The long-awaited model is the next in Porsche’s limited-edition series, following on from the 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition and the 911 Sport Classic.

The German firm says it will be the ‘first two-door sports car to offer outstanding off-road capabilities’, with the model set to arrive just a month before Lamborghini shows off a rugged version of its Huracan supercar.

The 911 Dakar is inspired by Porsche’s first overall victory in the Paris-Dakar rally in 1984 when Porsche took a modified 911 to the gruelling rally.

Porsche says that 300,000 miles of testing have been carried out for the 911 Dakar, with more than 6,000 of those being off-road. The firm visited the Chateau de Lastours test track in Southern France, where European Dakar teams come to trial their vehicles.

The 911 Dakar has also been tested in the desert in Morocco and Dubai at temperatures of up to 45 degrees Celsius, and – at the other end of the spectrum – in Arjeplog, Sweden, which is where manufacturers put their vehicles through their paces in the toughest wintery conditions.

Though the 911 Dakar’s design is still camouflaged, the images show the model’s tough-looking bodykit, while the suspension has also been raised and off-road tyres have been fitted. Thick underbody protection is also present, though it’s unclear if customers will be able to choose the off-road roof rack, including a spare tyre and LED light bar.

The Porsche 911 Dakar will be revealed on November 17 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Aston Martin has unveiled a powerful new track-only superbike inspired by one of the brand’s flagship racing models.

The British supercar brand has recently been working with Brough Superior Motorcycles to produce the ‘AMB 001’ superbike.

However, following a similar pattern to Aston Martin’s supercars, there’s now a new ‘Pro’ version.

Unveiled today at the Milan Motorcycle Show, the new bike has been inspired by Aston Martin’s Valkyrie AMR Pro track hypercar. The AMB 001 Pro gets a 25 per cent boost in power compared to its predecessor, now putting out 222bhp from its new 997cc engine. Changes include new materials being used in the engine, while the cylinders have been revised to improve cooling.

Design changes include a front spoiler and side wings to increase downforce, while a ‘tunnel effect air blade’ directs air over the rider.

A single specification is available that combines Aston Martin’s Verdant Jade colour with satin carbon fibre. Lime-coloured accents are also a nod to the brand’s racing cars.

The AMB 001 Pro will be produced at Brough Superior’s factory in Toulouse, France, with first deliveries set to take place by the end of 2023. Just 88 will be produced, too.

Thierry Henriette, chief executive officer of Brough Superior, said: “We are excited to reveal the AMB 001 Pro today. The success of its predecessor, coupled with the incredible Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR Pro, inspired us to get together again to create a new superbike; one that we know will excite our customers.

“We are particularly proud of the new engine type, with a crankcase fully machined from solid billet aluminium, which is a unique feature for a production motorcycle. With the marked increase in power this takes AMB 001 Pro into the hyperbike sector.”

No prices have been announced, but given the non-Pro versions started from £92,000, expect a price well in excess of £100,000 for the more powerful version.

Ford recently announced the shock news that it was going to stop making its best-selling Fiesta by the end of next year.

Considering the model was the UK’s most popular new car in October, the news might seem baffling. However, Ford said it came as a result of the model ‘accelerating its efforts’ to go all-electric, with a Fiesta EV playing no part in its future as the firm abandons traditional nameplates – including the Focus and Mondeo.

It begs the question of whether a number of other, well-loved models will make it into an electrical age. Let’s take a look at their chances.

Volkswagen Golf

The Volkswagen Golf will soon be turning 50 years old, with this popular hatchback spanning eight generations, with the most recent arriving in 2020. More than 35 million have been produced to date, and it’s historically been VW’s most popular car, though has more recently been overtaken by the Tiguan SUV.

While the firm did offer the electric e-Golf for a number of years, production ended in 2020 to make way for the ID.3 – Volkswagen’s bespoke EV hatchback, though occupying a similar footprint as the Golf. All of Volkswagen’s current and future focus appears to be on its bespoke electric ‘ID’ range of EVs, with the brand yet to confirm a new generation of Golf. It means a replacement electric model seems unlikely.

Range Rover

In the SUV segment, the Range Rover is an icon – a model with brand awareness and desirability that other car companies can only dream of. Land Rover has spun Range Rover off as its own sub-brand, reaping the benefits as a result.

But it’s the full-fat Range Rover that remains the one at the top of the pile, with the latest fifth-generation model only arriving in dealers earlier this year. The future of the Range Rover looks to be in safe hands, too. Not only is it already offered with a choice of hybrid powertrains, but an EV version has been confirmed for a 2024 launch, arriving as Land Rover’s first electric model.

Honda Civic

The Honda Civic might not be an icon in the same ilk as a Range Rover, but this popular hatchback remains a huge deal for this Japanese manufacturer and has now been around for an impressive 50 years and 11 generations.

The latest version only arrived earlier this year, but in Europe Honda introduced it purely as a hybrid model. However, other overseas markets can still get it as a conventional petrol. While the next generation of Civic is unlikely to arrive much before the end of the decade, the fact all of Honda’s EVs to date have been bespoke EVs doesn’t bode well for the future of the Civic.

Mini Hatch

Mini’s iconic hatchback is a model ripe for electrification, with the British brand introducing the ‘Electric’ in 2020. It’s gone on to account for a significant proportion of this brand’s sales, and though Mini might be increasingly looking at larger vehicles, this dinky model will remain a part of the brand for many years to come.

A new generation Mini Hatch is due to arrive in 2023, boasting smaller dimensions and a simplified dashboard – and the good news is that an electric model will be launched too. The bad news? Mini is set to move production of the EV models away from its factory near Oxford to China.

Vauxhall Astra

While the Astra might not sell in the droves it once did, this family hatchback remains an important model for both Vauxhall, and sibling company Opel. That was shown with the introduction of the latest generation earlier in the year, which brought a big uplift in terms of design and quality.

You can already get the new Vauxhall Astra with a choice of plug-in hybrid powertrain, but the British brand will go a step further in 2023 by introducing the Astra Electric. An estate version is also planned and helps to future-proof this important model.

Porsche 911

There’s not a more coveted sports car than the Porsche 911, which has been the star of this German brand’s line-up for almost 60 years, Porsche is currently committing heavily to electrification, as its Taycan EV is proving hugely successful, and an electric Macan is due in 2024 too.

While Porsche has so far not confirmed or denied an EV, the brand is already exploring what electric sports cars will look like. It may prove challenging in the 911, though, because the model is renowned for its rear-engined layout. But as the 911 remains so important for Porsche, we’d be highly surprised if it didn’t continue as an EV in the future. Just expect it to look quite different to how it does now.

BMW 3 Series

Arguably BMW’s best-known model, the 3 Series saloon and estate continue to be hugely successful models, even in the face of SUV popularity. You can buy the models with a choice of plug-in hybrid powertrains, with these now being the best-selling versions in the UK.

BMW is already offering an electric 3 Series (called the i3), but currently, it’s produced and sold exclusively in China. However, a new i3 for Europe is on the way, though it likely won’t be until the next generation model launches in 2025 or 2026. It’s likely to use a bespoke platform developed under what BMW calls ‘Neue Klasse’, which will essentially be its next-generation EVs.

More than one in three motorists have struggled to afford the cost of driving in the past month, a new survey has found.

The research, from Comparethemarket, found that four in ten motorists are worried that they will no longer be able to stay on the road if costs keep increasing.

The survey of 2,000 drivers found that nearly nine in ten are worried about being able to pay for their car and its associated costs due to increases in other household bills, with energy bills and food bills coming out as top concerns.

Comparethemarket’s Money Action Index found that households which are worried about the rising cost of lying believe they’ll need an extra £224 per month on average in order to cover their rising bills. As a knock-on effect, nine in ten drivers are worried about petrol and diesel prices. In addition, four in ten motorists believe they’ll need to take on additional debt to be able to stay on the road.

Separate figures from Comparethemarket show that the annual cost of running a petrol-powered car has jumped £272 year-on-year in September to reach £1,866, with the increasing price of petrol having the biggest impact on these costs.

Julie Daniels, director at Comparethemarket, said: “The cost of petrol is still considerably more expensive than last year, and other household bills have surged even higher in recent weeks.

“As a result, many drivers are finding it difficult to afford staying on the road and are being forced to make fewer journeys or cut back on seeing friends and family. Worryingly, some are going deeper into debt to keep driving.”

A 92-year-old care home resident relived “happy memories” of his time as a racing driver after he was surprised with a trip around his local town in the latest Aston Martin.

The team at Care UK’s Weald Heights in Sevenoaks, Kent, gave John Morrell a day to remember as he found himself back behind the wheel of a sports car.

Mr Morrell, who lived in Singapore when he was younger, pursued his dream after being inspired by the country’s passion for motorsports and participated in racing tournaments, driving an Austin-Healey 100 and the Jaguar XK150.

“I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon,” Mr Morrell said.

“It was a wonderful surprise and brought back so many happy memories from my racing days.”

After sharing stories about his time as a racing driver in the 1950s, he was taken for a whirl around the town as well as to Aston Martin Sevenoaks by a member of the dealership’s team to learn more about the history of the brand.

The home manager at Weald Heights said she was “delighted” to recreate the racing magic for Mr Morrell.

“We were delighted to create a memorable afternoon for John, which fulfilled his passion for motoring while providing an opportunity to reminisce on his time spent as a racing driver,” Maria Covington said.

“At Weald Heights, we regularly create thoughtful activities and events that promote positive wellbeing among the residents.

“The whole team look forward to learning more about the wonderful experiences the residents have enjoyed throughout their lives and creating imaginative activities that build on their talents.

“It was wonderful to see the smile on John’s face as he was chauffeured around Sevenoaks in true James Bond style.

“Step aside Daniel Craig, I think we may have found the next 007!”

Green NCAP has released a new set of results for some of the latest electric vehicles on the market.

The tests looked at the efficiency and sustainability of electric vehicles and focused on three vehicles during this latest round – the Tesla Model 3, NIO eT7 and Renault Megane E-Tech.

All three achieved ‘nearly maximum’ scores due to the high energy efficiency of their electric powertrains which ‘far’ exceeded those of conventional petrol and diesel cars.

The Tesla Model 3 achieved high energy efficiency both in cold and warm tests and in the Highway Test, which sees cars subjected to higher speeds.

Green NCAP said that the Tesla’s small frontal area and aerodynamic shape helped with its efficiency, though in a test cycle at colder temperatures did show that when the cabin heating, comfort and battery protection management was activated consumption shot up by 72 per cent.

NIO – a relative newcomer to the European EV scene – did well with its eT7, with lab tests allowing the dual-motor vehicle to match its claimed range of 211 miles. It received a 9.6 out of 10 and a total of five Green stars, narrowly missing out on the Tesla’s respective 9.8.

Dr. Michiel van Ratingen, secretary general of Euro NCAP and Green NCAP, said: “This latest round of Green NCAP testing clearly proves that electric vehicles are an excellent consumer choice in the quest for ensuring a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

“They score far higher than those with conventional powertrains. However, affordability is still a challenge. We call on manufacturers to further improve the efficiency of cabin heating in winter conditions, as this is shown to have a significant impact on driving range.”

Green NCAP also tested the new Renault Megane E-Tech, which impressed with its low energy consumption figures. It did well in both cold and warm tests too, but did struggle with the demand brought on by dynamic high-power phases during the Highway Test.

It managed a 9.6 out of 10 score and was also awarded a full five Green stars.