Author: PA Media

An amphibious all-terrain vehicle once owned by Jeremy Clarkson is to be sold at auction.

The 2005 Argo Avenger 8×8 was bought new by the journalist and former Top Gear host, before it was sold around 2010, according to auctioneers Cheffins.

It is estimated it will fetch between £2,000 to £4,000 when it goes under the hammer in Cambridge on April 22.

Cheffins described the vehicle as a utility task vehicle (UTV), which is a larger type of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) designed for off-roading.

A UTV is designed to haul heavier loads and perhaps allow additional passengers, rather than an ATV built for one rider.

Tom Godsmark, an associate at Cheffins, said: “UTVs are all-round good fun, but this one with its previous life of having been owned by one of TV’s most popular personalities certainly gives it a whole new level of desirability.

“A true boy’s toy, the Argo Avenger is one of the most iconic amphibious vehicles on the market, and we expect this to do well at our sale.

“Unfortunately this UTV never lived at Diddly Squat Farm; however, Mr Clarkson has an army of fans out there, and, with the recent release of the latest season of Clarkson’s Farm, I am confident this will appeal to a number of buyers.”

The vehicle comes with an operation manual, service manual and safety video.

It is being sold by a machinery dealer based in Oxfordshire, and is part of the Cheffins Cambridge Vintage Sale.

A grandmother has won a Porsche worth £100,000, but has decided to stick with her Vauxhall Corsa.

Joanne McGuigan, from Fife in Scotland, won the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Coupe in the Omaze Million Pound House Draw, which is raising money for Marie Curie.

The 49-year-old and her husband plan to sell the sports car to pay off their mortgage and treat their six children and four grandchildren.

Mrs McGuigan said she does not want to part with her beloved Corsa, which has 44,000 miles on the clock and is worth about £10,000.

She said her husband Iain, a car mechanic, did not believe her at first when she said she had won a Porsche.

“I’d just come in from work and saw an email from Omaze saying I’d won something,” she said.

“I thought it sounded too good to be true so didn’t even mention it to my husband when he came home.

“Later that night I decided to check it again and was flabbergasted to find that my entry code did indeed match – and I’d genuinely won a Porsche!

“My husband was still dubious though and told me not to get my hopes up, but now the car is actually here I think he’s finally convinced!

“I have never won anything before this so I’m still in shock, to be honest.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever been inside a Porsche and the car is absolutely stunning – after going for a spin I can safely say it’s definitely quicker than my Vauxhall!

“As much as my husband would love to keep it, the money we’ll get from selling it is life-changing – so we’re going to sell it and use the money to pay off our mortgage and treat our children and grandchildren.”

Full-size, self-driving buses will begin public services next month in what is believed to be a world first.

Stagecoach announced the ground-breaking scheme over Scotland’s Forth Road Bridge will launch on May 15.

It will cover a 14-mile route between the Ferrytoll park and ride in Fife and the Edinburgh Park train and tram interchange.

Five single-decker autonomous buses will run to a frequent timetable with capacity for about 10,000 passenger journeys per week.

The vehicles have sensors enabling them to travel on pre-selected roads at up to 50mph.

They will have two members of staff on board.

A safety driver will sit in the driver’s seat to monitor the technology, and a so-called bus captain will help passengers with boarding, buying tickets and queries.

The UK Government believes this will be the world’s first, full-size, self-driving, public bus service.

Kevin Stewart, transport minister for the Scottish Government, said: “This is an exciting milestone for this innovative and ambitious project, and I very much look forward to seeing Project CAVForth take to the roads next month.

“Our trunk road network can provide a wide range of environments as a diverse testing ground, and the ground-breaking and globally significant Project CAVForth will really help Scotland establish its credentials on the world stage.”

Stagecoach UK managing director Carla Stockton-Jones said: “We are excited to introduce the UK’s first autonomous bus fleet in east Scotland which is also home to our headquarters and where it all began over 40 years ago.

“We are proud to be at the forefront of transport innovation with this project that marks a significant milestone for public transport and we look forward to welcoming our customers on board in the coming months.”

Drivers are being warned to expect severe queues on the roads with up to 17 million leisure trips by car predicted to be made over the Easter bank holiday weekend.

Major roads in south-west England and some in the Home Counties are likely to experience the worst congestion on Good Friday, according to the RAC and transport analytics company Inrix.

More than double the normal traffic levels are predicted for the A303 westbound near Stonehenge in Wiltshire, the M5 south between Bristol and Bridgwater, and the M25 anticlockwise between Hertfordshire and Surrey.

Queues are likely to be increased by engineering work on the railways, including the closure of London Euston station.

A survey of 2,400 UK drivers commissioned by the RAC suggested 2.7 million car journeys have been planned for Good Friday and Easter Sunday by drivers embarking on day trips or overnight stays.

Saturday and Easter Monday are expected to be slightly less busy, with 2.3 million separate getaway trips on each day.

Many people may be waiting to see what the weather has in store as there is potential for another seven million trips to be staggered throughout the long weekend.

RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: “With many people keen to make the most of the double bank holiday this Easter weekend, we’re expecting the customary jams across parts of the road network to make this Good Friday a bad Friday for drivers, especially those who are planning on covering longer distances.

“Traffic volumes could be even higher if the sun chooses to make a welcome appearance.

“The South and West are the areas to watch as they’re home to some vital roads responsible for carrying vast numbers of people to the holiday destinations of the West Country.

“Our advice to anyone heading that way is to get on the road as early as possible on Good Friday, or travel on a different day entirely.”

Inrix transportation analyst Bob Pishue said: “We expect a large jump in holiday driving, with most congestion occurring on major roads around urban areas and popular destinations.

“Nationwide, we anticipate travel times during the holiday weekend to increase about 25% compared to normal.

“Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic.”

Mr Dennis urged motorists to give their vehicles “a bit of TLC before setting out”, such as ensuring tyres are properly inflated and checking levels of oil, coolant and screenwash.

National Highways will temporarily remove more than 1,400 miles of roadworks on England’s motorways and major A-roads by 6am on Thursday until Tuesday April 11.

That means more than 98% of its road network will be free from roadworks.

Network Rail is carrying out more than 600 engineering projects on Britain’s railways over the Easter weekend.

No trains will run to or from London Euston between Good Friday and Easter Monday as the West Coast Main Line will be closed up to Milton Keynes Central.

This will disrupt Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway services, and Caledonian Sleeper trains will use London King’s Cross.

Track and signalling modernisation work on some lines into London Victoria means Southern and Gatwick Express services will not call at the station during the bank holiday weekend.

Some trains will be diverted to London Bridge.

Network Rail said it often schedules major engineering work for bank holidays to minimise disruption for passengers as fewer people travel during those periods.

Learner drivers should soon be able to access tests more easily following changes to the booking system which aim to tackle the backlog.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) said it is altering the system to discourage drivers from booking tests before they are ready, which will free up slots for those who are.

Tests were banned over lockdown, with the resulting backlog forcing drivers to wait months before getting the chance to lose their L-plates.

According to the DVSA’s data from February 2023, around 53% of tests are failed, and examiners are having to physically intervene in more than 12% of tests for safety reasons.

The DVSA plans to extend the period that those who fail their test have to wait before booking another test from 10 to 28 days, and extend the notice period during which a cancelled car test will result in a lost fee from three to 10 days.

The measures aim to discourage learner drivers who are not ready to take a test from booking one, and will come into effect in the summer.

Loveday Ryder, chief executive of the DVSA, urged learner drivers to check the agency’s website for advice before booking a test.

She said: “With more than half of people failing their driving test, it is clear more needs to be done to make sure learner drivers only take their test when they are fully prepared.

“These new measures will help make sure test-ready learners find appointments and give those who fail more time for more practice.

“I also urge learners to check out our Ready to Pass? website to make sure they’re ready – and delay their test if they’re not.

“This will help make more tests available and prevent them having to pay to retest.”

Cuts to off-peak ultra-rapid charging costs have made electric cars cheaper to “fuel” than a petrol vehicle for some drivers, according to figures from the AA.

The time of day and the charging provider are the key factors which determine whether the driver can get the lower prices, it added.

The February 2023 AA EV Recharge Report shows an 8p/kWh reduction in off-peak ultra-rapid charging makes electric cars cheaper to fuel but notes that some are available outside 6pm to 8pm while other chargers switch to off-peak only after 8pm.

The charging of electric vehicles (EVs) away from homes had sometimes been seen as more expensive per mile than driving with petrol, but lower electricity costs could be reversing that trend, according to the AA motoring organisation.

It found the average cost of off-peak charging has dropped from 60p/kWh to 52p/kWh, while peak charging for these speeds is also cheaper, having fallen from 74p/kWh to 67p/kWh.

The AA also found that the cost of slow charging has gone up with flat-rate fixed prices rising from 34p/kWh to 37p/kWh.

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy, said: “EV owners are still reaping the benefits of cheaper per mile motoring, and this could improve further if energy costs are to fall later in the year.

“The recent shift in peak and off-peak charging prices for ultra-rapid devices provides brilliant value for money, especially with Easter just around the corner.”

The AA is calling for investment to improve the public charging network.

It fears the UK will miss an aim to have 300,000 publicly available charging units to be installed by 2030 without more action to help local councils, EV charging companies and energy providers to deliver the infrastructure.

Public charging carries a VAT rate of 20%, but domestic energy use is 5%.

Cutting the VAT on public charging to 5% could help the 40% of households that do not have any form of off-street parking and rely on the public charging network, according to the AA, which said that “a golden opportunity to boost the EV revolution” was missed in the Budget.

Mr Cousens believes that new EV sales are “only increasing” and an expansion of the EV charging network needs to occur.

He added that “with around 40,000 devices currently in the ground, we will need so see a monumental shift in installations over the coming years”.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We‘ve put more than £2bn into accelerating the transition to electric vehicles and, alongside industry, have supported the installation of over 37,000 publicly available chargepoints – and we expect the network to expand tenfold by the end of the decade.

“Today a driver is never more than 25 miles away from a rapid chargepoint anywhere along England’s motorways major A roads.”

Nearly 700,000 car drivers in London will face a daily £12.50 ultra low emission zone (Ulez) fee when the scheme expands, according to new analysis.

The RAC, which carried out the research, said the expansion of the zone from August 29 will have a “massive financial impact on motorists and businesses”.

It comes a day after Transport for London (TfL) claimed that nine out of 10 cars seen driving in outer London on an average day meet the Ulez standards, so will not be liable for the charge.

It also said that many drivers are switching from older, more polluting vehicles ahead of the expansion.

The zone is currently limited to the area within London’s North and South Circular roads, but Mayor Sadiq Khan has decided to expand it to cover the whole of the capital, claiming this will boost air quality.

Most diesel cars registered before September 2015 and petrol cars registered prior to January 2006 are liable for the charge.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency figures obtained by the RAC show that 691,559 licensed cars in the whole of London fall into one of those categories.

This does not take into account other vehicles such as vans and lorries, or vehicles which enter London from neighbouring counties such as Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and Kent.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Cleaning up London’s air should undoubtedly be a priority, but the sheer number of vehicles that don’t meet Ulez emissions standards in Greater London suggests there will be a massive financial impact on motorists and businesses through having to fork out £12.50 every day they drive in the zone.

“We desperately need more co-ordination between the mayor and the Government to help small businesses, tradespeople, NHS staff and carers who have no choice but to drive into the expanded Ulez for work purposes from outside Greater London.

“Consideration should also be given to those who work at night when public transport is greatly reduced in the outer boroughs.”

TfL is running a scrappage scheme for vehicles that do not comply with the Ulez standards.

It 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.

Mr Lyes urged Mr Khan to consider delaying charges by a year for certain key workers, or a scheme where TfL partners with a leasing company to provide discounted Ulez-compliant vehicles to small businesses and traders.

He went on: “Changing to a compliant vehicle at such short notice simply won’t be something many will be able to afford, especially during a cost-of-living crisis and at a time when second-hand car prices are so high.

“We need more creativity from London’s mayor and his team to help people out as the current scrappage scheme is akin to using a plughole to drain an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

“It’s simply not big enough for the scale of the job.”

Mr Khan said on Thursday that the aim of the Ulez is to “get the most polluting vehicles off our roads in order to protect both the health of Londoners and our environment”.

He went on: “People, businesses and charities understand the impact of air pollution on health and are preparing for the change.

“It’s now just one in 10 cars seen driving in outer London that aren’t Ulez compliant – a fantastic result.

“We expect the number of compliant vehicles to go up even more as people prepare for the expansion, but we know there is more to do to ensure every Londoner can breathe cleaner air.

“For drivers of the very few non-compliant vehicles, I have launched the biggest scrappage scheme ever.”

A fifth more drivers caught committing road offences were allowed to take retraining courses to avoid prosecution last year.

Some 1.8 million motorists completed a course in 2022 as an alternative to fines and possible penalty points, according to figures from UK Road Offender Education seen by the PA news agency.

That is up from 1.5 million during the previous year and represents the highest annual total in records dating back to 2014.

Motoring research charity the RAC Foundation said it is “vital” the courses lower reoffending rates.

More than four out of five (83%) of last year’s attendees went on speed awareness courses, which aim to help people identify speed limits and recognise the potential consequences of driving too fast.

The courses – which can be taken at a venue or online – cost up to £95 and last two hours and 45 minutes.

Department for Transport figures show speed was a contributory factor in one in six fatal crashes on Britain’s roads in 2021.

The second most attended course in 2022 focuses on motorway driving, with a 49% increase in participants from 113,000 in 2021 to 169,000 last year.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “The long-term rise in course attendees has coincided with an increase in the total number of speeding offences detected in England and Wales, up from 1.9 million in 2013 to nearly 2.9 million in 2021.

“Research has suggested reoffending rates are lower amongst people who have attended a speed awareness course than those who have been prosecuted.

“It is vital the same holds true for the wide array of courses now being run for other offences.

“That is something those running the scheme should be monitoring.”

UK Road Offender Education is a private not-for-profit company which administers the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (Ndors) on behalf of police forces.

Courses are run by a combination of private companies, councils and police forces across the UK.

A driver who has committed what is deemed a minor offence may be given the opportunity to participate at the discretion of the local chief constable.

Reoffending drivers cannot complete the same course again within three years.

A record one in 25 driving licence holders in Britain is aged 80 or above, leading to renewed calls for regular eye tests for motorists.

Some 1.6 million people with a licence are in that age category, according to PA news agency analysis of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures.

That is up from 1.4 million two years ago and accounts for 4% of all drivers with a full licence, the most in records dating back to 2012.

Responding to the increase, motoring research charity the RAC Foundation urged the Government to introduce “compulsory eye tests for all drivers” during licence renewals.

A recent YouGov survey indicated that 65% of British adults would support drivers aged 70 or above having to retake a practical test every three years to keep their licence.

Drivers are not subjected to mandatory tests or health checks after obtaining their licence no matter how old they become, although they are required to inform the DVLA if they are no longer fit to drive.

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show older drivers involved in serious crashes are more likely to have failed to look properly than younger motorists.

The error contributed to 30% of incidents in which at least one person was killed or seriously injured on Britain’s roads between 2016 and 2021 involving drivers aged over 70.

That is compared with 22% for younger drivers.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said he does not support people being required to take another full driving test when they reach a certain age.

But he believes there is a “strong case” for introducing a fitness to drive assessment for older motorists which focuses on “the visual, mental and physical skills needed to carry on driving safely”.

He added: “We do back compulsory eye tests for all drivers when they renew their photocard licences.”

Licences must be renewed every three years once the holder reaches 70, compared with every 10 years up to that point.

The process does not involve any tests.

Mr Gooding said older drivers tend to “know their limitations” and are good at “self-regulating” when they take to the road, such as avoiding driving at night or during the busiest times of day.

He went on: “Many families can and do play their part by having that difficult discussion with an elderly loved one who might need to vacate the driver’s seat.

“Hanging up the keys is a huge decision for anyone who relies on the independence driving brings but it is something that will face all of us lucky to live to a ripe old age.”

Earlier this month, a coroner called for mandatory checks on older drivers to be considered after a woman using a pedestrian crossing was struck and killed by a car driven by a 95-year-old man who had passed a red light.

Kathleen Fancourt, 89, was using a mobility scooter when the incident happened in Chichester, West Sussex, in September 2021.

West Sussex senior coroner Penelope Schofield sent a report to Transport Secretary Mark Harper and DVLA chief executive Julie Lennard which stated: “In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken… at present there is no upper legal limit for drivers.”

She added: “There is a concern that if no checks are carried out a driver may be oblivious to their enduring medical condition.”

Drivers aged 70 or above were behind the wheel of cars involved in 2,410 crashes on Britain’s roads in 2021 in which at least one person was killed or seriously injured.

That represents 10% of all such crashes where drivers’ ages is known.

Drivers aged 70 or above make up 14% of all licence holders.

Funding to fix potholes across England will be boosted by £200 million, Jeremy Hunt has announced.

The Chancellor said the Government’s Potholes Fund – which previously provided £500 million a year to councils – will be increased to £700 million in the 2023/24 financial year.

The cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to scratch has been estimated at £12.6 billion.

Recent analysis by the Local Government Association showed Government funding for maintaining England’s motorways and major A roads was 31 times higher per mile than for repairing local roads last year.

Delivering his Budget speech, Mr Hunt said the “wet then cold winter” resulted in him receiving “strong representations” from MPs and councillors about “the curse of potholes”.

Potholes are often formed when water that has entered cracks in the road surface freezes and expands.

RAC Foundation director Steve Gooding said: “There won’t be a road user in the country who doesn’t dodge a pothole on a daily basis, so any extra money to help fill them in is welcome.

“However, it is worth remembering there are 190,000 miles of road in England alone so the additional £200 million is going to be thinly spread.

“We mustn’t forget that road maintenance extends beyond the road surface to things like bridges.

“Councils also need the money to shore up the thousands of sub-standard crossings our research has shown are out there.”

Rick Green, who chairs the Asphalt Industry Alliance, welcomed the additional £200 million, but described it as “a fraction of the amount” local authorities need to fix potholes.

He said: “The Chancellor is right to recognise that potholes on our local roads are a curse, but the key thing is they are not inevitable, they are the symptom of a network underfunded for many years.

“Unlike other transport networks, there is no visible long-term investment plan for local roads and, without one, road users won’t see any real improvement in structural conditions on the roads they use every day and on which all other locally-provided services rely.”

Martin Milliner, claims director at LV= General Insurance, said: “We’ve seen pothole claims rise by 11% in the last year, so investment of an extra £200 million to tackle this is welcomed.

“It will help reduce disruption on our roads and cut compensation payments.”