Month: December 2023

Councils in London collected nearly £8.5 million through pavement parking fines in the 12 months up to November this year.

New research by Autocar found that 22 London councils generated a total of £8,442,068 from Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) issued to drivers who had parked on the pavement. However, the research also found that of the 167,066 PCNs issued, only 111,495 had been paid meaning that close to a third of the charges had yet to be resolved.

Parking contravention code 62 – or rule 244 in the Highway Code – prohibits vehicles from being parked with one or more wheels on the pavement. Earlier this month, the Scottish government introduced a new law banning pavement parking with drivers slapped with a £100 fine if they were found to be flouting the rules.

However, in London, it was the borough of Newham which proved to be a flashpoint for pavement parking fines with more than 21,000 PCNs issued in this area alone. Despite a high proportion of unpaid fines, Newham earned £936,391 during the same period.

Mark Tisshaw, Autocar editor, said: “Scotland is following London’s lead by clamping down on pavement parking, which can have serious consequences for pedestrians – especially those with reduced mobility. Drivers across the country – in both rural and urban areas – need to understand the rules to avoid being fined.”

By law, any profit made from parking penalties must be used to fund off-street parking, help public transport services or highway maintenance.

Mercedes will use turquoise-coloured lights in its self-driving cars when they go on the road in America.

Becoming the world’s first car maker to do so, Mercedes has gained permits for the use of turquoise-coloured ‘market lights’ in California and Nevada, allowing vehicles in both states to use these lights as a way of highlighting their self-driving nature to other road users.

The California permit applies to testing vehicles over a two-year period, while in Nevada it covers 2026 production-year vehicles and will remain ‘valid until a statutory modification is achieved with the state legislature.’

Markus Schäfer, member of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, chief technology officer, development & purchasing, said: “With the development of automated driving marker lights, Mercedes-Benz is once again setting new industry standards. We are the first automaker in the world to receive such approvals in the U.S., specifically in California and Nevada. The more automated driving vehicles populate the road, the more important communication and interaction between the vehicle and the environment become.”

Mercedes says that both permits allow the brand to ‘gain important insights into the interaction of automated vehicles and other road users’ with the distinctive marker light colour introduced to help ‘substantially enhance’ public acceptance of automated driving.

The turquoise colour was selected as it provides ‘reliable and fast detection for other road users’ but is still easy to differentiate from other existing lighting colours, such as those on emergency service vehicles or within traffic lights.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has launched its own insurance product after customers of its vehicles struggled to get cover following a spate of keyless Range Rover thefts.

Autocar reported earlier in the year that owners of Range Rovers in London – a hot spot for thefts – were struggling to insure their vehicles or facing soaring premiums if they could. Vehicles such as the previous-generation Range Rover and Range Rover Sports are among the UK’s most stolen cars.

JLR is now launching its own insurance with the firm saying it has been ‘developed to help alleviate recent challenges clients have faced when seeking insurance’.

Targeted primarily at Range Rover owners, but also available to Jaguar and Land Rover Defender and Discovery drivers, the firm says it has provided more than 4,000 quotes to owners since October, with an average ‘monthly premium of less than £200’, though this is considerably more than the average monthly premium of £74, according to Compare the Market’s data.

JLR has been rolling out a security update on various Range Rover models made since 2018 to help reduce the likelihood of keyless theft, and says it has ‘proactively shared’ its latest data that is said to demonstrate their improved security ‘to help increase the range of insurance options on the open market’.

The firm also says its own insurance makes sure that repairs are completed by a JLR-authorised bodyshop.

A JLR spokesperson said: “Customers of luxury cars and other luxury items are experiencing an increase in thefts due to organised criminal activity in the UK. The desirability of our luxury vehicles, coupled with concerns around thefts, has recently led to challenges in obtaining insurance cover for some clients.

“We are fully committed to doing everything we can to address this by adopting a multifaceted approach: from our significant investment in vehicle security, to now providing our own insurance.”

Parking your car in a garage overnight could make it more expensive to insure than leaving it outside your home, new data has shown.

Comparison site Go Compare reviewed car insurance policies bought through it between May and July of this year and found that the average insurance premium for drivers who kept their cars in a locked garage was £710, compared with £656 for vehicles left in other areas of the home.

According to the research, the difference was more obvious in ‘fire and theft’ policies. The average third-party fire and theft policy came in at £1,053 for those who parked their car in a locked garage, contrasting the £875 someone who parked their car elsewhere around the house would pay.

While keeping a car on the drive is better for insurance premiums than using a locked garage – costing £627 on average, or £85 less than a garage-user would pay – it’s still better to keep a car in a garage compared with parking on the public road outside your home. Drivers will pay £729 to keep their car on the road outside their house or £741 in a residential car park.

Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go Compare, said: “There are various reasons why keeping your car in a garage may result in a more expensive premium. Some insurers may feel garages can pose their own security risks. If the garage is connected to your property, your car could get taken in the event of a home break-in, while if the garage is unconnected, you may be unable to hear the thief entering your car.

“Insurers may also feel the car is more likely to be damaged if you keep it in a garage. For instance, there could be a greater chance of bumps and scrapes when trying to fit today’s larger cars into small garages. Items being stored in the garage, like a toolbox, could also fall onto the vehicle and damage it.”

However, Go.Compare’s data shows a falling number of people using their garages for parking, dropping by 28 per cent between 2018 and 2022. In contrast, the number of policies for people keeping their car in a work car park overnight has doubled in the same period, with a 38 per cent increase being seen for drivers keeping their vehicles in a secure car park. However, the most popular parking space remains a home driveway, with 60 per cent of policies covering this area overnight.

McLaren has revealed the new GTS which arrives as an updated version of the previous GT model.

The 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 now produces 626bhp in total, up by 14bhp over the previous GT. McLaren has also managed to shave 10kg off the GT’s weight, too, taking the total kerb weight for the GTS to 1,520kg. The GTS comes with a claimed 0-60mph time of just three seconds – 0.1 seconds less than the GT.

McLaren has also upgraded the nose-lift system in the GTS, which means that it can now raise the nose of the car in half the time of the original GT. The exterior design of the GTS remains much the same as the GT’s, with a sharp front nose section sitting between slim headlights. It’s a similar story at the rear, where the ultra-thin rear lights sit above twin exhaust outlets.

As standard the GTS gets a gloss black finish on the exhaust tips, mirror caps and window surrounds while new GTS badges feature on the side of the car. As with other McLaren models, a number of elements can be replaced for carbon fibre alternatives such as the front splitter and side skirts via a full carbon pack.

The new McLaren GTS. Supercar dynamics. Maximum driver engagement.

Discover: https://t.co/cscguyHaZe#McLarenGTS #McLaren #McLarenAuto pic.twitter.com/09Oft8chYA

— McLaren Automotive (@McLarenAuto) December 19, 2023

Inside, the GTS features the same driver-focused setup as before with a button-free steering wheel. McLaren has equipped the GTS with more luxurious materials inside, while the seven-inch infotainment system is the same one you’d find in the previous GT.

Prices for the new McLaren GTS are expected to be announced shortly.

Workers at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency have voted overwhelmingly to take industrial action in a row over plans to reduce a backlog of driving tests.

More than 1,900 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union in England, Wales and Scotland backed action by 90.5% on a turnout of 59.21%.

Strike dates will be announced in due course.

The union said its members, who carry out driving tests and approve people to be driving instructors, are in dispute with management over plans to reduce the tests backlog.

A programme being driven by Transport Secretary Mark Harper poses “significant safety risks” to test candidates and examiners, as well as an erosion of staff’s terms and conditions, the union claimed.

Mark Serwotka, PCS general secretary, said: “To recover a backlog of tests that was their own making, Mark Harper and management in the DVSA have demonstrated that they are willing not only to jeopardise our members’ safety and attack their terms and conditions.

“They are also showing scant regard for safety standards for driving test candidates.

“This huge ballot result for PCS members at the DVSA indicates that that they are prepared to take highly disruptive strike action across England, Wales and Scotland to protect the integrity of the driving test and their existing terms and conditions.

“Although they desperately want to see a reduction in waiting times, our members will not tolerate paying the price for political stunts and managerial failings that threaten to further undermine this vital public service.”

DVSA chief executive Loveday Ryder said: “DVSA colleagues do an outstanding job in helping to keep our roads safe.

“We are working hard to reduce waiting times, which includes employing new driving examiners on flexible contracts with weekend hours.

“The safety of driving examiners, customers and all road users is hugely important, and we always assess and reduce any risks. We will not tolerate any form of abuse.

“It is disappointing that the PCS ballot supports industrial action. We remain open to talks with PCS to find a resolution.

“We will update customers on any impact as soon as we have more information.”

Chris Rea’s Driving Home for Christmas is one of the most popular festive songs, but you could be playing it out of the speakers of the musician’s own Ferrari.

A 1995 Ferrari F355 Berlinetta originally owned by Chris Rea is now up for sale just in time to drive home for Christmas. Described as the ‘world’s finest example’ of this particular Ferrari, it is said to be in the ‘holy grail’ collector specification and is one of the earliest examples of the F355 Berlinetta.

Painted in ‘Blu Scuro Micaalizzato’ with a cream interior, it’s powered by a rare 2.7-litre engine and manual gearbox combination.

It was ordered new by Chris Rea, who is said to be a ‘highly-regarded Ferrari enthusiast’, and has now covered 25,500 miles. Now up for sale with Bell Sport & Classic, based in Markyate, Hertfordshire, the firm says it has been subject to a ‘comprehensive refresh’ by its team of Ferrari experts.

Tim Kearns, managing director of Bell Sport & Classic, said: “We’re proud to offer this ultra-desirable example of the Ferrari F355. This sale represents a rare opportunity to acquire the 355 everyone wants: an early right-hand drive, ‘2.7 Motronic’, non-airbag, manual Berlinetta in a timeless specification. The model also has a compelling backstory, purchased new by noted Ferrari collector, Chris Rea.

“This 355 represents the ‘holy grail’ for Ferrari collectors – a useable example of Maranello’s mid-engined masterpiece, in its purest, most intoxicating form. As the F355 reaches its 30th anniversary, it also represents an astute investment.”

There’s no word on pricing, but it’s likely to be for sale for around £200,000 given the specification and provenance.

Most drivers put themselves in danger during motorway breakdowns, a survey suggests.

Nearly two-thirds (65%) of motorists said they would stand in front of or next to their car, an RAC poll indicated.

One in 10 (11%) respondents said they would stay in their vehicle.

The RAC warned that these actions put people at risk in the event of another driver colliding with their broken-down vehicle.

Only a fifth (22%) of those surveyed said they would follow safety guidance, which is to stand to the rear of their vehicle and as far as possible from traffic, ideally behind a barrier.

If someone cannot easily get out, they should keep their seatbelt on and call 999.

Reports from nearly 200 RAC patrols revealed that 78% of drivers they have assisted on motorways were still in their vehicles when they arrived.

RAC patrols James Pallister and Glen Johnson have created a video to demonstrate what people should do when they break down on a motorway.

Mr Pallister, who is based in North East, said: “Increasingly, when we arrive at the scene of a motorway breakdown we find members still inside their vehicles, or standing next to or in front of them – two of the most dangerous places to be with vehicles approaching at fast speeds.”

Mr Johnson, who works in north-west England, said: “Standing in the wrong place can be the difference between staying safe and being seriously injured, or worse.

“Our number one priority is ensuring our members stay safe on the roads, so we’re always looking for new ways to communicate the right thing to do after breaking down.”

RAC spokeswoman Alice Simpson said: “In cold wet weather, it’s very tempting for anyone who breaks down on a motorway to stay in their cars.

“Sadly, we know from experience this is absolutely the wrong thing to do unless for some reason you aren’t able to get out of the vehicle.

“This is why we are always reminding people to pack plenty of layers, good waterproof clothing and sturdy footwear so they can keep warm while they wait for help.”

Drivers who get into difficulties on motorways are advised to pull over onto the hard shoulder, or an emergency refuge area if on a smart motorway without a hard shoulder.

The safety of people whose vehicles have broken down has been central to the debate over smart motorways.

Derek Jacobs, 83, died when his van was hit by a car on the M1 near Sheffield in March 2019 after he had stopped in the live inside lane following a tyre blow-out and got out of his vehicle.

The front seat passenger in the Ford Ka that hit the van, Charles Scripps, 78, died in hospital two months after the collision.

– The survey of 1,900 UK drivers was carried out for the RAC by research company Online95 between October 18 and 29. The figures were weighted to be nationally representative.

Mercedes has revealed the SL63 S E-Performance as its new sports car flagship.

Joining existing V6 and V8 versions of the new Mercedes SL, the E-Performance uses the firm’s latest sporty plug-in hybrid powertrain, as seen in the AMG GT.

Packing a mighty 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine on the front axle and a rear electric motor, it develops a significant 805bhp – 240bhp more than the previous range-topping SL, and is the joint most powerful car that Mercedes has ever made.

It allows for a 0-60mph time of just 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 198mph, where permitted. It’s also equipped with four-wheel-drive and a nine-speed automatic gearbox. Mercedes says the electric motor ‘provides an extra boost’ when setting off, accelerating and overtaking.

The battery storage of this new SL is said to be ‘inspired’ by Formula 1, with Mercedes saying it’s ‘designed for fast power delivery, and not the longest possible range’. As a result, the small 6.1kWh battery only allows for around eight miles of electric-only running ability, though the electrical power is ‘always available’.

Despite the performance, Mercedes claims a fuel economy figure of 36.7mpg, along with 175g/km CO2 emissions – considerably better than the other SL models.

There are eight different driving modes available, including ‘Electric’ and ‘Battery Hold’, which are exclusive to this hybrid version. Despite the car usually starting in electric mode an ‘AMG-typical sound’ is pushed through the speakers, Mercedes says.

Four levels of brake recuperation can be selected to recharge the battery, though the car can also be plugged in to charge the battery.

The only visual differences to the standard Mercedes SL are the grooved exhausts, a rear charging flap and red logos.

There’s no word on pricing, but the Mercedes SL63 S E-Performance is likely to cost close to £200,000 when sales start in 2024.