Drivers leasing new electric cars are being overcharged by hundreds of pounds each month, according to a report.

Clean transport campaign group Transport & Environment (T&E) accused leasing companies of failing to reflect the strong resale value of cleaner cars when setting their prices.

Charges are typically based on a vehicle’s expected depreciation over the period of the contract, which is often three or four years.

The T&E report said leasing offers for new battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in the UK are 51% more expensive on average than equivalent petrol models.

It gave the example of leasing an electric VW ID.3, which costs about £605 a month, while a petrol Golf is offered at £376.

This is despite analysis of 2.7 million used car prices revealing BEVs do not depreciate faster than traditionally-fuelled cars.

The report found that leasing companies still consider electric cars to be “new and uncertain products”, which is an “outdated” approach.

T&E electric fleets lead Ralph Palmer said: “Customers are being overcharged by leasing companies if they want to switch to an electric car.

“Leasing firms are too conservative when setting their monthly prices.

“Their rates reflect the state of play from five years ago.

“With this pricing strategy, their profits are obviously high and consumers are overpaying to go electric.

“If leasing companies’ prices reflected the realities of the market, more consumers would have access to affordable new EVs (electric vehicles).”

Leasing businesses – such as Lex Autolease, Arval, ALD and Leaseplan – account for a fifth of new car purchases.

Sales of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned in the UK from 2030.

A report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit published on Monday said the Government’s approach to electric cars means motorists risk missing out on a total of £9 billion of savings by 2043 by continuing to run petrol cars.

Drivers are being charged 20p per litre more for diesel than petrol despite there being little difference in the fuels’ wholesale prices, according to new analysis.

The RAC urged retailers to cut diesel pump prices to “fairer levels” which reflect costs.

It found that diesel’s wholesale price – the amount that retailers pay for fuel – was just 6p per litre more than petrol last week.

But a litre of diesel is being sold at an average of around 168p while petrol is just 148p.

RAC analysis found that retailers are “subsidising” cheaper petrol by taking a margin of 20p on every litre of diesel they sell.

Latest Government figures show 17.6 million vehicles licensed in the UK are diesel-powered, including the vast majority of vans.

That represents 43% of all vehicles on the road.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Drivers of the country’s diesel vehicles have every right to feel hard done by as they’re paying a huge premium for the fuel which in no way reflects its lower wholesale cost.

“For nearly a month, the gap between wholesale petrol and diesel prices has been less than 10p a litre and in recent days it has reduced to just 3.5p, yet average diesel prices at the pumps remain stubbornly high having fallen by only 2p since the start of February.

“The fact membership-only retailer Costco has been able to cut the average price of a litre of diesel by 4p last week shows what’s possible, but we badly need other fuel retailers to treat drivers of diesel vehicles fairly.”

Almost two-thirds (65%) of drivers believe aggressive cyclists are a threat to their safety, a new survey suggests.

The poll of 2,010 UK motorists, commissioned by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, also indicated that 60% believe aggressive cyclists are a bigger problem compared with three years ago.

A similar proportion of respondents (61%) said they would not support a law assuming drivers are always responsible for collisions with cyclists or pedestrians in urban areas.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show four car occupants were killed in crashes involving a bicycle and a car on Britain’s roads between 2012 and 2021.

That is compared with 494 fatalities of cyclists in such incidents over the same period.

IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research Neil Greig said: “The Government has introduced a range of laws in recent years in an effort to fix the daily conflicts we see between motorists and cyclists.

“However, if our research is anything to go by, this has largely been to no avail, with the majority of respondents still reporting aggression and conflict among road users.

“There is no quick-fix to this issue, but our research sheds light on the urgent need for the Government to maintain its education campaigns on the new Highway Code, and continue to invest in safe road markings for more vulnerable road users to minimise the chance of conflict wherever possible.

“In the meantime, all road users, whether on two or four wheels, should exercise calmness and restraint to help us all use Britain’s roads safely.”

New rules came into force in June 2022 meaning judges in Britain can hand down life sentences to dangerous drivers who kill and careless drivers who kill while under the influence of drink or drugs.

Two months later, then-transport secretary Grant Shapps pledged to create a “death by dangerous cycling” law that would treat killer cyclists the same as motorists.

Nearly four out of five (78%) respondents to the IAM RoadSmart survey said people driving motor vehicles aggressively are putting their safety at risk.

Some 108 people were killed in 2021 in crashes where aggressive driving was a contributory factor, equivalent to 8% of all road deaths.

Duncan Dollimore, heading of campaigns at charity Cycling, said: “There’s no excuse for aggressive behaviour – people can behave badly no matter what mode of transport they’re using.

“The consequences are however disproportionate, with statistics showing poor driving far more likely to lead to a fatality or serious injury.

“The Highway Code changed last year to emphasise the additional responsibility those in charge of larger vehicles, because they were more likely to cause harm if there is a collision.

“Cycling UK has repeatedly called for a long-term well-funded public awareness campaign by the Government to ensure that the changes are better communicated and understood, which in turn will make our roads safer for everyone.”

The amendments to the Highway Code included the creation of a hierarchy of road users based on vulnerability.

It means someone driving has more responsibility to watch out for people cycling, walking or riding a horse.

Another change involved motorists being told they should leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists at up to 30mph, and leave more space at higher speeds.

The survey for IAM RoadSmart was conducted by research company Cint in December 2022.

Electric cars dominated the list of cars that depreciated the most last month.

Used car prices bucked the usual downward February trend by increasing one per cent in the month.

According to car valuation company Cap HPI, which revealed its data to automotive industry publication Car Dealer, the rise was for the benchmark of a three-year-old car with an average of 60,000 miles – only the third time that’s happened in February in 15 years.

But while petrol and diesel car prices went up by an average of 1.5 and 1.1 per cent respectively, comparable electric cars lost 7.7 per cent in the same period, with EVs accounting for all 10 of the biggest depreciating cars.

Here are the used cars that dropped the most in price in February.

1. Volkswagen e-Golf

The e-Golf was one of Volkswagen’s first electric cars and arrived before the firm started its ‘ID’ sub-brand for electric models.

Although it still offers a classy look and well-built interior, its claimed 144-mile range means the e-Golf is now showing its age, with used prices falling by a steep 15.1 per cent, or £2,300, in February.

2. Tesla Model S

Tesla prices have dropped sharply in recent months, not helped by the oversaturation of the market. It was the Model 3 that bore the brunt of the losses, but these seem to have plateaued now.

However, values of Tesla’s larger Model S saloon have continued to plummet, with this EV’s average price for a second-hand specimen dropping by 14.3 per cent in February – the equivalent of £5,617.

3. Tesla Model X

It’s another Tesla in third place, with the Model X SUV’s prices falling by 12.5 per cent, or a steep £6,178, in February. That latter figure is the biggest price loss of any car in the top 10, according to Cap HPI’s data.

Tesla is, however, making this large SUV an increasingly attractive proposition on the used market, with a Model X now available from £40,000. It also remains one of the only electric SUVs with seven seats.

4. Renault Zoe

Renault’s Zoe was an EV that helped to bring electric cars to the masses, and the new model is still an attractive option, particularly with its claimed 239-mile range.

It’s known for its steep depreciation, though, with used prices falling by 10.6 per cent (£1,192) in February. But while still an attractive proposition, it lacks the technology and excitement of many newer rivals.

5. Nissan Leaf

It’s a similar story with the Nissan Leaf, which while remaining perfectly credible, doesn’t have the emotive design and tech-laden interior of rivals such as the Volkswagen ID.3 and Renault Megane E-Tech Electric.

And it meant that used Leaf prices also fell by 10.6 per cent in February, equating to a drop of £1,469.

6. Hyundai Ioniq

Hyundai’s Ioniq remains one of very few cars sold as a hybrid, plug-in hybrid and an EV, but after a successful few years, the firm discontinued it last year to make way for its new line-up of electric-only Ioniq models.

While prices remained firm for quite a while, they’re now starting to drop, with a used Ioniq of this age falling by 10.1 per cent (£1,475) in February.

7. Kia Soul EV

Kia has established itself as a major player in the electric car market, and so far its vehicles have mainly managed to avoid the massive price drops of competitor models. That said, the firm’s Soul EV is listed as one of the biggest-falling cars in February, dropping by 9.7 per cent (£1,400).

The Soul EV does, however, have plenty to offer, including a funky design plus a long 280-mile range, while many used models will still have the remainder of Kia’s seven-year warranty.

8. Peugeot e-2008

Peugeot has dramatically expanded its line-up of electric models in recent years, and one of the most stylish choices is the e-2008 crossover.

But despite the chic design, decent amount of space inside and high-quality interior, used models still dropped by an average of £1,615 in February, mirroring the Soul’s 9.7 per cent fall.

9. MG ZS EV

MG has really made a name for itself when it comes to affordable electric cars, and the ZS EV has proved particularly popular with money-savvy shoppers wanting to go electric.

That said, prices for the ZS EV did fall by more than the average for electric cars in February, tumbling by 8.9 per cent, or £1,275.

10. Audi e-tron Sportback

Audi recently refreshed its e-tron and sleeker Sportback model, addressing two of the weaknesses of the older car – its inefficiency and quite disappointing range.

It’s likely those were the factors that also brought the price of this electric coupe-SUV down by 8.9 per cent (£3,713) in February.

Ford has announced it is returning to the Pikes Peak hill climb in Colorado in 2023, and that it will be competing in a van.

But it won’t be a normal van, rather Ford’s wild electric Transit-based ‘SuperVan 4’. Revealed last year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, it’s the latest execution of Ford’s ‘SuperVan’ concept, and the first EV.

Built by Ford Performance and rally specialists STARD, its four electric motors generate an enormous 1,973bhp, and means this heavily-modified Transit can accelerate from 0-60mph in just two seconds.

Ford has been competing at Pikes Peak for more than 100 years, and was present with its Model T at the first ever event, with the classic model taking 28 minutes and three seconds to reach the top of the 12.42-mile hill climb, which ends 14,115ft above sea level.

Ford hasn’t confirmed that it is hoping to break the overall record with the van, but has jokingly said it is ‘looking to shave more than a few minutes from the Model T’s time’.

At the wheel of the SuperVan will be Romain Dumas, who is the current record holder at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, getting to the top in a fraction under eight minutes at the 2018 event with the electric Volkswagen ID.R race car.

Dumas said: “Ford’s latest generation of electric vehicle technology is the perfect match for America’s Mountain. With high altitudes cutting power in traditional ICE-powered vehicles, the electric powertrain of SuperVan 4 has no loss at elevation and will be a healthy competitor in this year’s race.”

This year’s Pikes Peak Hillclimb takes place on June 25.

Rishi Sunak has been urged by Sadiq Khan to fund a scrappage scheme for the home counties ahead of the planned expansion of London’s ultra low emission zone (Ulez).

The Mayor of London wrote to the Prime Minister asking him to provide financial support for people in locations such as Surrey and Kent who drive into the capital with the most polluting vehicles to scrap or retrofit them.

He also called on Mr Sunak to match the £110 million he has allocated for London’s scrappage scheme.

Mr Khan is planning to expand the Ulez to cover the whole of London from August 29 to boost air quality, with a £12.50 daily fee for vehicles not meeting minimum standards.

This has met fierce resistance from several councils, with five mounting a legal challenge partly based on the scrappage scheme.

In a letter, Mr Khan urged the Prime Minister to “become a doer, rather than a delayer, when it comes to climate action”.

He explained that several areas introducing clean air zones have received Government funding for scrapping non-compliant vehicles – such as Greater Manchester (£120 million), Bristol (£42 million), Birmingham (£38 million) and Bradford (£30 million) – but London and the home counties “have not received even a penny of support”.

The mayor wrote: “I urge you to use some of the unexpected £30 billion windfall in the public finances to not only match the funding allocated for scrappage in London, but to introduce a targeted scrappage scheme that provides help to those based in the home counties.”

He went on: “London, the South East and the East of England make net contributions to the Treasury every year, and Londoners pay £500 million of vehicle excise yearly, which is then spent on maintaining roads in other parts of the country.

“For our regions to pay in so much and not be helped to reduce carbon emissions and make our air safer to breathe is unfair and doesn’t make sense.”

For diesel cars and vans to avoid the Ulez charge they must generally have been registered from September 2015, while most petrol models registered after 2005 are exempt.

London’s scrappage scheme for vehicles that do not comply with the emissions standards includes payments of up to £2,000 for eligible drivers such as those on low incomes or the disabled scrapping a car, and up to £9,500 for charities, sole traders and small businesses scrapping or retrofitting vans and minibuses.

Home counties residents are not eligible for the initiative.

Mr Khan wrote that London is “in the grip of a deadly public health crisis”, with toxic air “causing the premature deaths of an estimated 4,000 Londoners every year”.

He continued: “It is abundantly clear then that the cost of inaction is far too high and that further action is needed to safeguard public health and spare people unnecessary suffering.

“I’m simply not prepared to stand idly by while toxic fumes from highly polluting vehicles choke our communities and leave our children reaching for inhalers and gasping for air.

“That’s why I’ve chosen to expand the ultra low emission zone London-wide.”

A motorist who received a fine after driving through Gatwick Airport’s drop-off area challenged it using ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) and won a much-reduced penalty.

Shaun Bosley, from Brighton, was dropping off a work colleague at Gatwick last November, and received a £100 ‘final notice’ drive-through fine from NCP several months later, despite receiving ‘no previous correspondence’.

Mr Bosley, a sales consultant for Phyron, a Swedish company which produces videos for car dealerships using AI, turned to ChatGPT, which generates human-like conversations. Users simply type a request into a chat box and the system can generate a response almost instantly.

“In the end, I just typed ‘write an appeal to a penalty charge notice for driving through Gatwick airport. I have received final notice, but never received first notice of the penalty’ and straight away it came back with a great response,” Mr Bosley told the PA news agency.

ChatGPT helped him create the appeal which referenced the ‘undue stress and hardship’ that the final notice had caused and also requested that NCP provide ‘information regarding the circumstances’ as to why Mr Bosley had failed to receive a first notice.

In the appeal letter, ChatGPT wrote: “I understand that it is my responsibility as a driver to be aware of the rules and regulations regarding driving through an airport. However, I never received the first notice of the penalty and therefore, did not have the opportunity to contest the charge or pay the fine in a timely manner.

“I believe that the debt collection process has been premature and I request that you reconsider the penalties imposed.”

Motorists dropping off passengers at Gatwick Airport must pay £5 and get a maximum of 10 minutes. They are charged an additional £1 for every minute they stay after that up to a maximum of 20 minutes.

Mr Bosley said NCP replied ‘the next day’ and reduced the fine to £15, which was the original amount.

He added: “It’s insane how it writes like a human. I didn’t have to look at it and think ‘that sounds like a robot, I need to change some of it’, it was so conversational.”

NCP told the PA news agency that it “takes appeals on their own individual merit”.

The ChatGPT written appeal in full:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing in regards to a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) I have received for driving through Gatwick airport. I have received a final notice but have not received the first notice of the penalty. I was shocked to receive the final notice and am appealing the penalty on the grounds that I was not aware of the violation until this final notice.

I understand that it is my responsibility as a driver to be aware of the rules and regulations regarding driving through an airport. However, I never received the first notice of the penalty and therefore, did not have the opportunity to contest the charge or pay the fine in a timely manner.

The sudden receipt of the final notice, without having received the first notice, has caused me undue stress and hardship. I believe that the debt collection process has been premature and I request that you reconsider the penalties imposed.

I would be grateful if you could review the case and take into consideration my request for a waiver of the penalties.

I would also appreciate it if you could provide me with information regarding the circumstances surrounding my failure to receive the first notice of the penalty.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my appeal. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

A Jaguar previously owned and driven by Queen Elizabeth II has been donated by Chris Evans’ CarFest as a prize for Red Nose Day.

The 2009 Jaguar X-Type Estate was first owned by the late monarch, with its original vehicle handbook confirming its registration as ‘PYN 1F’, belonging to the Queen. She was widely photographed using the car too, including at Windsor Castle.

Finished in Emerald Fire green paintwork with a ‘Barley’ leather interior, the car also comes with a Jaguar Heritage Trust Certificate confirming its authenticity.

The Jaguar has now been donated by the X-Type’s current owner, radio DJ and presenter Chris Evans, and his CarFest motoring event as a competition prize for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day.

Evans said: “I’m so grateful CarFest is able to support Comic Relief and I’m thrilled that we are able to donate this very special historic car, and so pleased to be able to share it with another enthusiast, especially for such an important cause.”

The 2009 Jaguar, which has covered around 73,000 miles, was sold at auction in November 2022 by Historics, with the iconic estate car making £43,000, more than four times what an example without its provenance would go for.

Samir Patel, chief executive of Comic Relief, said: “We are enormously grateful to Chris Evans and CarFest for this generous donation for Red Nose Day – this truly is a prize like no other we have ever been able to offer our supporters. This is an extraordinary opportunity to own a real piece of history and will be such a special prize for the lucky winner.”

CarFest is a motoring event that is the brainchild of Chris Evans, a huge petrolhead. It takes place on the last weekend of August at Laverstoke Park Farm near Basingstoke, Hampshire.

The prize draw is now open, with entries set to close on March 31.

A main road in North Yorkshire frequently closed due to landslides is set to be replaced with a new route.

Announced today (February 23), the A59 at Kex Gill, which is the main route between towns Harrogate and Skipton, is set to benefit from a £68m project that will see a new road put in its place.

The area surrounding Kex Gill has a history of landslips that have caused a ‘number of costly unplanned road closures’. The new route’s location hasn’t been detailed, but the Department for Transport has said that the route has been designed to ‘minimise the impact on the environment and those residing in nearby towns and villages’.

The government is providing £56m of funding towards the project that will replace this section of the A59, with the remainder of the £68m project to be paid for by North Yorkshire County Council.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: “It is welcome news that the Government has given us the final go-ahead to begin construction. The re-alignment of Kex Gill will undoubtedly be one of the council’s most ambitious ever highways projects.

“The A59 provides a very important east-west connection in North Yorkshire and is of national significance. We remain committed to completing the scheme as quickly as possible and in the most cost-effective way.”

“Investing in projects like this to provide long-term improvements shows how the government is committed to levelling up transport links with long-term sustainable solutions.”

Work on the new section of road is set to start later this year, with the route set to open in 2025.

The green light for this section of road closely follows last week’s announcement from the Welsh government that it was scrapping all major road-building projects in the country over environmental concerns.

A smart motorway safety system failed across much of England on Wednesday, National Highways has admitted.

The Dynac system – which includes signs, signals and stopped vehicle detection technology – stopped working at around 8.30am on Wednesday.

The fault occurred across the whole of England’s smart motorway network except in the East and South East.

It was not resolved until approximately 10.30am.

The cause of the problem is under investigation.

There have been long-standing safety fears following fatal incidents in which vehicles stopped in live lanes on smart motorways without a hard shoulder were hit from behind.

National Highways operational control director Andrew Page-Dove said: “We are urgently investigating an unplanned outage of our traffic management system that took place this morning.

“Engineers worked hard to get the system back online as soon as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“We have well-rehearsed procedures to deal with issues which arise.

“We rapidly took steps to help ensure the safety of road users such as increased patrols and CCTV monitoring.”

Smart motorway safety systems reportedly suffered a seven-hour outage on October 26.

Edmund Kind, AA president, said: “So called ‘smart’ motorways cease to be ‘smart’ when the technology fails, and drivers in dangerous live-lane situations are left as sitting ducks.

“Road users can only have confidence in the systems if the technology works. That’s clearly not the case with the outage today. Some 38% of breakdowns on ‘smart’ motorways occur in live lanes as often there is nowhere to go and these situations, with or without technology, are terrifying.

“While somewhat ironic that the systems should fail on the day their safety is debated in Parliament, perhaps it is now time to go back to the drawing board and totally redesign these roads as drivers have lost faith in their safety.”