Month: June 2023

A 1972 Reliant Regal believed to be one of only half a dozen ‘star cars’ to feature in the hit comedy show ‘Only Fools and Horses’ has sold for £19,350 at auction.

The Regal Supervan III was sold without reserve yet kept climbing when it went under the hammer, with many attending the Classic Car Auctions sale on June 17 keen to get their hands on the iconic three-wheeler.

The car in question came from a private collector who had owned it since 2021, though it had also been previously owned by John Mansfield from the BBC. The eye-catching yellow paintwork is present and correct, as is the iconic Trotters Independent Trading Company logo on the side.

Classic Car Auctions says that the Regal underwent recent recommissioning works in preparation for the auction, with new tyres fitted and the braking system overhauled. Plus, the fuel system was completely checked through to ensure that it was in proper working order.

It came complete with roof rack, suitcase, fluffy dice and even an inflatable doll which made an appearance in Series 6 of Only Fools and Horses, during the second episode ‘Danger UXD’.

The interior also features leather seating and original wood finishing for the dashboard. With 97,000 miles on the clock, the Regal is just shy of the famous 100,000-mile marker for any classic car.

A number of other classics also jumped to high prices during the auction, including a 1990 Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth 4×4 which sold for £39.375 and a 1993 Toyota Supra which fetched £26,550.

Jeremy Clarkson has hand-delivered crates of his beer to the Alpine F1 team following a social media challenge.

The Grand Tour presenter tweeted halfway through last month’s Monaco Grand Prix to pledge his support for the racing team, stating: “Come on Alpine. I’ll buy you all a pint if you get a podium here.”

Soon after, team driver Esteban Ocon crossed the line in third place, arriving just behind pole-position Max Verstappen and second-place Fernando Alonso. At the time, Clarkson followed up on his initial tweet with a post stating: “Well done Alpine. I owe you many Hawkstones.”

He has now delivered on his promise, turning up at the Alpine F1 HQ in Enstone, Oxfordshire, alongside Clarkson’s Farm co-star Kaleb Cooper and a trailer full of his own Hawkstone Beer. The beer brand was launched in 2021, with its primary ingredients coming directly from Clarkson’s Diddly Squat farm in Chipping Norton, only around 20 minutes from the Alpine F1 team base.

Clarkson appeared on his Lamborghini tractor, which plays a starring role in Clarkson’s Farm, and handed out beers to members of the Alpine F1 team.

Alpine tweeted following the delivery, saying: “Delivering on his word. Cheers for the beers, Jeremy Clarkson.”

The Alpine F1 team couldn’t quite live up to its podium-placing drive in Monaco at the recent Spanish Grand Prix, however, with Ocon coming in eighth and teammate Pierre Gasly taking 10th position.

Speed limits of 20mph should be imposed on all roads near schools to reduce the number of child crash deaths, according to a charity.

Brake, which campaigns to boost road safety, said cutting speed limits “saves lives”.

Department for Transport figures show 2,456 children aged under 16 were killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads last year.

Many councils have introduced 20mph zones around schools.

But Brake said nearly two-thirds of parents reported that some roads near their children’s schools have higher limits.

The charity cited the example of Dropmore Infant School in Buckinghamshire where the limit on nearby roads is up to 60mph, and there are areas with no pavements.

Headteacher Gitta Streete, who has called for the speed limit on surrounding roads to be reduced to 20mph for several years, said: “What we often hear back is that because no-one has been seriously hurt or killed on that road, there is no need to make any changes.

“One parent had their car door taken off by a passing car. That could easily have been a child, parent or carer being hit.

“What we need is a proper, phased speed reduction system: a reduction to 20mph outside the school and safe areas for everyone to walk along and cross the road.”

Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for transport, insisted the local authority takes road safety “incredibly seriously” and is “very much aware of the concerns that have been raised” in relation to Dropmore.

He went on: “We want to continue working as closely as possible with them and all schools to ensure all students have safe passage to and from school.”

Brake campaigns manager Lucy Straker said: “Dropmore’s situation is being replicated across the country.

“We speak to lots of schools where teachers are doing everything they can to make the roads near their school safe, but ultimately they need support from their local council and decision-makers.

“Why do we have to wait until a child is killed before we act?”

“We know that excess speed is a factor in about a quarter of fatal crashes, and the physics is pretty straightforward: the faster a vehicle is travelling, the harder it hits and the greater the impact.

“A crash at 30mph has twice the amount of kinetic energy as a crash at 20mph. Reducing speed saves lives.

“We’re calling for roads around every school to have 20mph speed limits – and other measures to effectively reduce traffic speed – so children and their families can travel safely to and from school every day.”

Children from more than 700 schools and nurseries are expected to participate in Brake’s Kids Walk on Wednesday, which involves walking in groups and calling for safe and healthy journeys without fear from traffic.

From September 17, the Welsh Government is introducing a default 20mph limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets.

It said Wales will be “one of the first countries in the world, and the first nation in the UK” to introduce such legislation.

Linda Taylor, transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said: “It is up to each individual council to introduce measures based on their own local needs, taking into account the views of the school, police and local residents.

“Speed limits exist for a reason and road users must observe them to keep children and parents safe.”

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “Local authorities in England decide speed limits on their roads but we always encourage road designs that prioritise safety.

“There are no plans to introduce default or national 20mph speed limits in urban environments.”

Learner drivers in the UK are spending over £45.5 million on retaking tests each year, new research has suggested.

Government driving data – reviewed by comparison site Go Compare – found 722,192 repeat driving test attempts were conducted between April 2021 and March 2022, with more than 50,000 drivers being on ‘at least’ their sixth attempt at the test. With each test costing £62.90, millions are spent on re-taking practical examinations.

Ryan Fulthorpe, a motoring expert at Go Compare, said: “Our estimates show that retaking driving tests is costing the nation’s learners a fortune, especially for those who have multiple attempts. Plus, with the announcement of a longer wait before rebooking a test, today’s learners are facing a pricey ‘cost of failing.’

“While it might be tempting to take your test as soon as possible, taking your time and ensuring you’re fully prepared will minimise the chances of you having to stump up for another one.”

It comes as learners face having to wait 28 working days before rebooking their test if they fail, rising from the 10-working-day period that was required beforehand.

Learners could also be facing a larger wait to get licences if they do pass, with DVLA workers launching two weeks of strikes over a dispute over pay, pensions, jobs and conditions. Members of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) have said that the strike could lead to backlogs for licences and tachographs.

A collection of 20 ‘barn find’ Ferrari models is set to go under the hammer in California this August.

‘The Lost and Found Collection’ offered by RM Sotheby’s will be presented in Monterey, California during Monterey Car Week on August 17 It’s a set of 20 cars found in Speedway, Arizona, having been left untouched for years.

However, despite their dusty home, some of the 20 models have featured in motoring’s greatest spectacles including races at Le Mans, the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia. They had all been kept in a large warehouse until 2004’s hurricane Charley exposed the Ferraris to sunlight for the first time in over a decade when the building partly collapsed.

Though some of the cars were ‘bearing the scars of debris’, they were moved to a secure warehouse in Indianapolis where they have remained ever since.

Rob Myers, RM Sotheby’s, said: “While a select group of Ferrari collectors knew about the existence of these extraordinary cars, the rest of the world remained unaware. This represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for enthusiasts to acquire these iconic Ferraris, some of which have participated in renowned races.

Most of these lost Ferraris remain untouched, preserving their purity and original condition since the day they were acquired—a true embodiment of the ‘barn find’ concept. It is the first time that RM Sotheby’s has presented a barn find collection of this magnitude to the market.”

Highlights include one of four 240 GT Coupes built by Pininfarina in 1956, a 1965 275 GTB/6C Alloy by Scaglietti which could fetch up to $2.5m (circa £1.98m) and a 1978 Ferrari 512 BB Competizione prepared for the 24 Hours of Le Mans of the same year. Raced as #87, the 512 BB managed a stint of 19 hours before it retired.

Electric bikes must have number plates and insurance in order for pedestrians to be safe, Conservative MPs and the industry have said.

They want them to be regulated in the same way as other vehicles given the damage they can do if they hit someone.

E-bikes can weigh twice as much as a conventional bicycle and, while most cannot travel faster than 15.5mph by law, some have been modified to go much faster.

Children are allowed to ride them from the age of 14.

Ian Stewart, chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee, told the Mail on Sunday: “There is a case for looking at insurance arrangements.

“I don’t think the regulations are a good fit for new technologies.

“It’s not just e-bikes, there are issues with e-scooters and driver-assist/self-driving technology increasingly embedded in cars.”

Fellow committee member Greg Smith told the newspaper: “With more types of vehicle competing for road space, it is only fair that all users are treated equally.

“E-bikes and e-scooters can achieve considerable speeds and cause damage to other vehicles and injure people, so should have to carry the same insurance requirements and tax liabilities as users of motor cars.”

Tony Campbell, chief executive of the Motor Cycle Industry Association, which represents the sector, called for new laws to include anti-tampering measures to outlaw e-bikes being modified for faster speeds, telling the paper: “We are in favour of reviewing regulation as it is clear it is outdated.”

The calls come after Saul Cookson, 15, died when his e-bike crashed into an ambulance shortly after being followed by police in Salford, Greater Manchester, on Thursday.

Last month, Kyrees Sullivan, 16, and Harvey Evans, 15, were killed in Cardiff when riding a Sur-Ron electric bicycle through the Ely area of the city.

Claims they were being pursued by police sparked a riot in the area.

The potential danger of e-bikes were raised in a court case in 2020 following the death of 56-year-old pedestrian Sakine Cihan in August 2018, after she was knocked down and killed by a rider in Dalston, east London.

Thomas Hanlon was bought before the Old Bailey accused of causing her death by careless driving in what was believed to be the first case of its kind, but was cleared by a jury.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “There are strict laws in place around dangerous cycling and police have the power to prosecute if these are broken.

“While it is heavier vehicles that lead to increased maintenance costs by damaging roads, local highways are funded through general taxation which falls on all taxpayers, including those who cycle.”

A record £2.4 billion was paid out in motor claims in the first quarter of this year as firms find surging costs increasingly challenging to absorb, according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

More expensive vehicle repairs, rising second-hand car costs and longer repair times are among the challenges faced by insurers, although there are some signs that cost pressures from whiplash-related claims are easing.

The new quarterly total marked a 14% increase compared with the same quarter in 2022 as well as being the highest quarterly payout since the ABI started collecting data in 2013.

The latest figure, covering January 1 to March 31 2023, includes motor insurance claims for theft, vehicle repairs, replacement vehicles and personal injury.

The overall number of claims settled, at 599,000, was also up by 14% compared with the same quarter in 2022.

The cost of vehicle repairs jumped by a third (33%) annually to reach £1.5 billion in the first quarter of this year, which was also the highest figure since the ABI started collecting the data in 2013.

This reflects rising costs, including energy inflation, and more expensive repairs, the association said.

Costs associated with providing replacement cars have also increased, reflecting longer repair times, the ABI said.

Payouts for vehicle theft, at £152 million, have increased by 29% since the first quarter of 2022, partly reflecting increases in second-hand car prices, it added.

Insurers paid out £642 million on personal injury claims in the first quarter of 2023, which was 11% down compared with the same quarter in 2022.

Early indications are that the whiplash reforms introduced in 2021 to create a simplified, fairer, more efficient and cost-effective compensation system are having an impact, the ABI said.

Laura Hughes, the ABI’s manager, general insurance, said: “Motor insurers continue to deliver when motorists and personal injury claimants need them the most.

“Like most other business sectors, motor insurers face sustained cost pressures which they are finding increasingly challenging to absorb.

“Despite this they are doing all they can to ensure competitively priced motor insurance, as well as offering the best possible claims service.”

Earlier this week, insurance industry representatives appearing before the Treasury Committee pushed back at perceptions that firms are “profiteering” during the cost-of-living crisis.

During the hearing, Charlotte Clark, director of regulation at the ABI highlighted “significant cost pressures” including costs related to cars.

Cristina Nestares, chief executive of Admiral UK, told the hearing on Wednesday: “The average of when you pay the claim could be two years.

“First, because the accident can happen in the next 12 months, secondly because when the claim is paid depends on the complexity, if it’s a damage claim, windscreen or maybe if it’s a large bodily injury claim. So on average, it could take two years.”

She said two years of inflation “is what you actually need to apply to every policy. Actually you see that we’re not profiteering.”

Recent figures from the ABI showed that motorists typically paid £478 for private comprehensive cover in the first three months of 2023, which was a 16% increase compared with the first quarter of 2022 and the highest figure recorded since premiums cost £483 on average in the final quarter of 2019.

Breakdowns caused by pothole damage fell by just four per cent during May, according to new figures released by the RAC.

The breakdown company attended 49,801 incidents – more than 1,600 per day – caused by potholes. This figure was second only to the 53,984 pothole-related incidents recorded in May 2018. During April 2023, the RAC went out to 52,070 pothole-related breakdowns.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said: “Such has been extent of damage to UK roads, caused by winter’s ravages and poor road maintenance over many years, that the May bank holiday road travellers ran the risk of major damage and repair bills – particularly if they ventured off the main roads into the country.

“The big concern is the extra risk posed for the increased number of cyclists and bikers on to the road. Yes, the drier weather might have made the potholes easier to spot, but the sheer number of potholes means the odds are stacked against road users.”

Though the RAC says that local authorities have ‘started to get a grip’ on the ‘plague’ of potholes caused by winter and ‘patchy maintenance’, it adds that the state of the roads means that motorists on two wheels are more at risk. The RAC adds that drier conditions do tend to mean that there are more motorcyclists and cyclists on the road, too, meaning that more people are in danger of pothole-related accidents.

All Uber Eats couriers will use zero emission vehicles by 2040, the company has announced.

Deliveries are currently made by people using cars, motorbikes and bicycles.

Uber Eats also plans for all restaurants providing food for the service to use sustainable packaging by 2030.

At an event in central London, Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said: “Driving emissions to zero, I believe, is the defining challenge of our generation.”

He added that London is “the leader in electrification” but “the world is absolutely not making the transition to green fast enough”.

Uber previously announced it wants all its minicab drivers in London to use electric cars by the end of 2025.

The company said on Thursday that Heathrow will be among several global airports which will provide drop-off points in preferential locations for Uber electric vehicles (EVs).

Mr Khosrowshahi said: “Our London riders experience the greenest ways to use Uber in the world, by electric car, by bike, by scooter, hybrid boat, coach and now even the Eurostar.

“That’s no accident. World-leading policies in London and the UK to lower emissions and clean up transportation have had a significant impact, and are having a significant impact as we speak today.”

Uber’s UK users can book train and coach tickets through the app.

Mr Khosrowshahi said Uber has taken a series of steps to reach the “awesome” figure of 10,000 drivers using EVs in London.

He went on: “Our experience in London has set the stage for us now to begin to scale electrification on a global basis.”

Uber has made a series of modifications to its app to make it easier for drivers to use EVs.

These include showing options for switching from conventionally-fuelled cars, and offering journeys based on when an EV will need to recharge.

Uber has also started showing passengers the carbon emissions savings from riding in EVs, and gives them the ability to choose those vehicles at no extra cost.