More than 900,000 drivers risk a £1,000 fine after failing to renew photocard licences which expired in the past year, an investigation has found.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) figures obtained by the PA news agency following a Freedom of Information request, show 926,000 people entitled to drive in Britain held cards on September 3 which became out of date in the 12 months to the end of August.

That represents 2% of all drivers.

A small proportion of the 926,000 are likely to have stopped driving without notifying the DVLA.

Some 2.5 million drivers renewed their photocard after it had expired or within 56 days of the expiry date in the past year.

Driving entitlement normally remains until someone reaches 70, after which they must renew their licence every three years to stay on the road.

But Photocards must be renewed every 10 years to ensure the image is a true likeness of the driver.

Expiry dates are displayed in section 4b on the front of cards.

Failing to return an expired licence to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is an offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and can be punished with a fine of up to £1,000.

The DVLA says it writes to people 56 days before their licence ends to remind them to renew, but many drivers miss the letters as they do not update the agency when their address changes.

Renewing late does not lead to a fine being issued.

If a licence expires while the DVLA is processing a renewal application, the person can continue to drive as long as they meet criteria such as following the rules of their previous licence.

After a photocard is surrendered, someone who drives without renewing their licence could be prosecuted for driving otherwise in accordance with a licence.

Philip Gomm of the RAC Foundation said: “There are good reasons to keep licences up to date, beyond the basic legal requirement.

“They are also a widely accepted form of ID and will certainly be required if you are ever stopped by police.

“Renewal also provides an opportunity for people to assess whether they are still fit to drive, and we think there is an argument for linking a compulsory eye test to the process to make sure we all remain safe on the road, though Government should help keep costs as low as possible for motorists.

“When you do renew beware of private web sites which offer to help with the application but charge an extra fee for doing so.”

The DVLA advises people to renew on its official website as it is the quickest and cheapest method.

Applications cost £14 and are usually processed within five days.

Third party websites charge additional fees.

Postal renewals cost £17, while doing it at a Post Office has a £21.50 fee.

A DVLA spokeswoman said: “We encourage customers to use GOV.UK as applying online is the quickest and cheapest way to renew their photocard driving licence.

“If you stop driving altogether, you should inform DVLA and return your licence rather keeping it as a form of out of date photo ID.”

Sophisticated criminals are targeting London used car buyers with adverts for cheap used cars, a Car Dealer Magazine investigation has found.

The car dealers, purporting to be based in Scotland, are geo targeting social media adverts to London and Home Counties car buyers, knowing it’s unlikely they will travel to check the cars out.

The used cars for sale and the car dealer don’t actually exist, but the conmen try to convince car buyers to pay for the cars over the phone.

Using fake websites, sometimes cloning the names and details of legitimate car dealerships, the criminals use a confidence con to part unsuspecting buyers with their cash.

One buyer told Car Dealer Magazine that the criminals said they had to pay for the used car in full before they would deliver it to London.

‘I saw the advert on social media for a car that was incredibly cheap so I wanted to snap up the deal,’ said one buyer, who contacted Car Dealer after seeing our video.

‘They asked for a full payment and said they would deliver it to me. The salesman I spoke to said there was “no need to see it” as all the details were in the advert.

‘It was only because he was so pushy about me paying the money in advance that I got suspicious and googled their name.’

The car dealer in question was Miller Car Sales Limited and its website is still active today. 

Car Dealer reported the firm to fraud investigators and the Police when reports of the con first surfaced at the start of October.

Fraud investigators told Car Dealer that it was clear the conmen were targeting ‘the other end of the country’ to avoid buyers turning up at the used car dealership that doesn’t actually exist.

Sandy Burgess, chief executive of the Scottish Motor Trade Association, said: ‘From what I understand, it’s clear these criminals are targeting London because they know it is unlikely for buyers to travel to see the car first.’

Miller Car Sales is the second scam car dealer to be set up in six weeks. 

The first, AD Car Sales, was uncovered by Car Dealer Magazine and then shut down after investigations by the authorities.

Businesses near where the conmen claim both fake car dealers are based reported ‘hundreds’ of car buyers turning up from the south who had paid for cars that didn’t exist.

Michael Addison of MA Body Shop, based on Millie Road, Kirkcaldy – the same road sham dealer AD Car Sales was supposedly located on – said he was often dealing with London car buyers who had been caught out.

‘We’ve had dozens of people turn up at our body shop looking for the car dealership,’ he told Car Dealer.

Consumer experts said car buyers should think very carefully before paying a deposit for a car they hadn’t seen. 

Checking out a business on a variety of platforms and not just trusting their website was also crucial.

Legitimate car dealerships will have reviews on sites like Auto Trader and Google from previous customers and those without them should be treated with extra caution.

The winter weather can really have an effect on your car, with colder temperatures often ‘shocking’ vehicle components. Features such as batteries, wipers and tyres can all take a hammering during the darker months, which is why checking them over beforehand is so vital.

Fortunately, road safety and breakdown recovery organisation GEM Motoring Assist has released some basic tips on what you can check on your vehicle before the winter hits.

Get your battery checked

Cold weather can put extra strain on an older battery, which would make it less able to get a car started. GEM says that a number of winter breakdown calls that it attends relate to flat batteries, too.

So, if your engine seems to be turning over more slowly than usual, it’s best to get it checked out by a professional. It might mean that the battery needs replacing.

Make sure your car has the right amount of anti-freeze

As you might imagine, anti-freeze is pretty important when the temperatures fall. It’s added to the water in your engine’s cooling system to prevent it from freezing and doing damage to the system.

GEM recommends that you contact a local dealer or mechanic to ensure that the levels are topped up correctly.

Check your lights

Your lights are so important during winter and the darker days that it brings. Not only are they crucial for illuminating the road ahead, but they’re also vital for making sure that you’re visible to other road users.

So make sure that they’re all working as they should be and clean them regularly to keep them clear of dirt, too.

Make sure your tyres have plenty of tread

GEM says that you should be checking the tread depth and pressures weekly throughout the winter. Properly maintained tyres will make sure that the safety systems on your car are working as effectively as possible, while also helping to deliver the best possible fuel economy.

GEM recommends a minimum tread depth of 3mm – over the 1.6mm legal limit – as this will help to disperse more water and reduce the chance of a skid.

Replace windscreen wipers if needed

A heavy downpour can see your windscreen wipers become a key component of your car. It’s why checking them – both front and rear – is so important. Make sure that they’re not smearing when in use and, if they are, it’s a good idea to replace them.

Make sure that you’ve got plenty of screenwash, too, and top it up if required. Remember, wipers can’t clear ice, so if your windscreen is frosted up avoid using them to prevent damage.

A noise-detecting traffic camera is being trialled to catch so-called boy racers.

The camera has been deployed in the Keighley area of Bradford, West Yorkshire, the Department for Transport (DfT) announced.

It will be moved to Birmingham, Bristol and the Norfolk town of Great Yarmouth over the next two months.

The DfT held a competition to select the four areas where the £300,000 trial will take place.

This comes amid concerns about the impact on residents from motorists revving engines and using illegal exhausts.

The technology involves a camera and several microphones which can detect noisy vehicles.

The camera records an image of the vehicle and its noise level, creating a “digital package of evidence” which can be used by police to issue fines, according to the DfT.

It was developed at a private test track to prove its accuracy.

The DfT said road noise can contribute to health problems such as heart attacks, strokes and dementia.

It added that the annual cost of urban road noise including lost productivity from sleep disturbance and the impact on health is estimated at up to £10 billion.

Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said: “Rowdy road drivers beware – these new cameras will help the police clampdown on those who break the legal noise limits or use illegal modified exhausts to make excessive noise in our communities.

“We’ll be working closely with the local authorities and police to share any findings, and I hope that this technology paves the way for quieter, peaceful streets across the country.”

Vehicle exhausts and silencers are required to be properly maintained, and not altered to increase noise.

Non-compliance can lead to a £50 on-the-spot fine.

Noise Abatement Society chief executive Gloria Elliott said: “Excessively noisy vehicles and antisocial driving causes disturbance, stress, anxiety and pain to many.

“It is unsafe and disrupts the environment and people’s peaceful enjoyment of their homes and public places.

“Communities across the UK are increasingly suffering from this entirely avoidable blight.

“The Noise Abatement Society applauds rigorous, effective, evidence-based solutions to address this issue and protect the public.”

A collaboration between professional services firms Atkins and Jacobs is acting as a technical consultant for the trial.

Andrew Pearce, practice director of Atkins-Jacobs Joint Venture, said: “We are fully expecting the trial in these four chosen locations to confirm what we have seen in testing, which is a highly targeted use of technology to ensure only those motorists making excessive noise will be subject to enforcement.”

London’s Westminster Council is already using noise cameras in the areas around Waterloo Place and Exhibition Road.

This was in response to long-term problems with noise and dangerous driving, such as cars performing loud doughnut manoeuvres in the early hours of the morning.

For most Formula 1 fans the idea of owning their very own World Championship-winning car is little more than a pipe dream.

Michael Schumacher’s 2003 title-winning car recently went on sale for an eye-watering £8.4m – putting it way beyond the reach of most motorsport lovers.

However, a cheaper alternative has now emerged via an auction house in the Midlands.

Silverstone Auctions has consigned for sale a detailed replica of James Hunt’s 1976 McLaren M23 that was built for use in the 2013 blockbuster, Rush.

The movie, directed by Ron Howard, chronicled the rivalry between Hunt and Ferrari’s Niki Lauda as they battled for the world title.

It was the flamboyant Hunt, played by Chris Hemsworth, that took the crown, and F1 fans can now get their hands on the car that took him to victory – albeit only in the film.

The replica was one of two built for the movie and is being tipped to sell for between £50,000 and £80,000.

While by no means cheap, the lower estimate is a full 16,700 per cent cheaper than Schumacher’s Ferrari – making it something of a bargain!

It has been with its current owner, who has kept it on static display, since the film wrapped almost a decade ago, and displays a very convincing patina.

The car is not eligible for competitive racing but Silverstone says it comes with a ‘myriad of possibilities for promotion’.

Lionel Abbott, who consigned the car for Silverstone Auctions, said: “When asked if anything was wrong with the film after its premier, Niki Lauda famously quoted, ‘Yes, just one thing, I can’t have a piss-up with James afterwards’.

“He also said that he knew Peter Morgan as a scriptwriter was the only person he trusted to deliver a ‘non Hollywood’ production.”

“The result was a highly acclaimed, reasonably accurate and totally charged depiction of one of Formula One’s most closely fought World Championship deciders, although maybe 2021 is a contender.”

The sale takes place on November 12 at Birmingham’s NEC.

Expanding London’s pollution charge zone for older vehicles boosted Transport for London’s (TfL) income by almost £100 million, according to new research.

RAC analysis of TfL figures found the move to make the ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) 18 times larger generated an estimated £93.6 million of additional revenue from drivers.

The data was published ahead of the first anniversary of the expansion on Tuesday.

The Ulez was first launched in April 2019 but initially only covered the same area of central London as the congestion charge.

Since October 25 last year it has included all areas within the North and South Circular roads as part of efforts to boost air quality.

Drivers of most vehicles which do not comply with minimum emissions standards are charged a daily fee of £12.50 for entering the Ulez.

Failing to pay can result in a penalty charge notice of £160, reduced to £80 for early payment.

The analysis by the RAC found that between the start of November 2021 and the end of June 2022, an average of 1.9 million journeys were made into the zone every month, resulting in £112.5 million of revenue from those required to pay.

That is compared with revenue of less than £19 million between February and September 2022, before the Ulez was expanded.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has proposed to make the zone even bigger – covering the whole of the city – from August 2023.

TfL has consulted on the measure and Mr Khan is expected to announce his decision on what will happen by the end of the year.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said last year’s expansion meant drivers of non-compliant vehicles faced a “stark choice” of either replacing their vehicle or paying the daily charge.

He went on: “Londoners living outside the current Ulez will now be worrying about the prospect of further expansion, mooted to be at the end of August 2023.

“While we accept that action is needed to reduce toxic emissions from vehicles, the cost-of-living crisis is hurting drivers in the pocket and there is a risk that further enlarging the zone will be hugely costly for those with older vehicles who can least afford to change them for something newer.

“As it is, RAC research suggests drivers are holding on to their vehicles for longer, so there is a real risk that more people with non-compliant vehicles will be forced to pay a charge they can ill afford to.

“We would encourage the mayor to take a pragmatic approach and redouble his efforts to support lower-income families and businesses with non-compliant vehicles with a targeted scrappage scheme ahead of any expansion plans.”

Speaking to the PA news agency earlier this week, Mr Khan insisted “the status quo in relation to the poor quality of air in London is just not on”.

He said: “There has been no single policy that’s improved the air as much as the Ulez.

“In central London and inner London, we’ve managed to reduce toxic air by almost a half.

“I think clean air is a human right. Why can’t those in outer London who suffer the worst air pollution, have the worst numbers of premature deaths, also benefit from clean air?”

Alex Williams, TfL’s chief customer and strategy officer, said: “The Ulez is not about making money, but about improving the health and wellbeing of millions of Londoners.

“We would rather no one needed to pay the charge, and we expect income to fall over time as even more people switch to more sustainable alternatives.

“Any money received from the Ulez is reinvested into walking, cycling and public transport.”

A motorway services in West Yorkshire has been ranked the worst in Britain.

Hartshead Moor East is the least popular out of 119 services analysed, according to a survey of 31,000 visitors by watchdog Transport Focus.

The Welcome Break-owned site on the M62 near Huddersfield received an overall satisfaction rating of just 80%.

Only three out of four (75%) visitors were satisfied with the toilets.

The services is on the busiest route across the Pennines from Lancashire to Yorkshire.

This includes the UK’s highest motorway section, when the M62 reaches 1,221ft (372m) near Denshaw, Greater Manchester.

Hartshead Moor also has a section for westbound traffic, which received a score of 87%.

Welcome Break said in a statement: “We are very disappointed with the results from our site at Hartshead Moor East.

“We have received the detailed comments from Transport Focus and we will be working closely with our teams to address the feedback from the report as well as prioritising the site for future investment.”

The ranking was topped by Moto’s Rugby services on the M6 in Warwickshire.

This was the only location to score 100%.

The average satisfaction score given by all users of services was 93%, including 61% who said they were very satisfied.

Just 3% said they were very or fairly dissatisfied.

Value for money of refreshments was a key area of concern, with only 63% of respondents describing it as fairly or very good.

In contrast, some 88% of visitors were satisfied with the toilets.

Meanwhile, 31% said they felt tired, stressed or frustrated when they arrived at a services, but just 7% had those feelings when they left.

Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “As many people gear up for a half-term getaway, motorway services provide a great place to stop and take a break.

“Many of us, when we think services, think about stopping for a toilet break – it’s reassuring to see that these are consistently highly rated.

“Our survey shows motorway service operators deliver good overall customer experience and facilities, but visitors don’t always feel they get value for money.

“Services continue to do a good job of their most important safety function – allowing drivers to rest and relax before getting back on the road.”

Visitors to services were asked for their views on the toilets, staff, value of the food and drink, electric vehicle charging, and the impact their visit had on their mood.

The survey was carried out between May 25 and July 17.

AA president Edmund King said the high-quality provision of electric vehicle chargers at Rugby is “the sort of facilities all motorway service areas should have”.

He added: “In terms of road safety, it is essential that drivers take a break at least every two-and-a-half hours, so it is vital that attractive service areas with all the facilities encourage drivers to stop.”

– Here are Britain’s top five motorway services based on their overall satisfaction score, according to a Transport Focus survey:

1. Rugby (M6): 100%

2. Donington Park (M1): 99%

3. Blackburn with Darwen (M65): 99%

4. Strensham North (M5): 99%

5. Medway East (M2): 99%

– Here are the worst five:

1. Hartshead Moor East (M62): 80%

2. Lancaster South (M6): 83%

3. Charnock Richard South (M6): 83%

4. Birchanger Green (M11): 83%

5. Warwick South (M40): 84%

BMW is set to introduce hydrogen-powered models before the end of the decade.

That’s according to chairman Oliver Zipse, who said that all future models will be designed with adaptability in mind, allowing them to be driven by a number of different powertrains.

FCEVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles) convert the hydrogen – traditionally stored in tanks – into electricity which is used to drive electric motors. The only by-product from this process is water. However, there are currently only a few hydrogen filling stations in the world, with the UK having just 11.

Zipse believes that as electric vehicle charging infrastructure struggles to keep up with the growing appetite for electric cars on the road, there will be a larger space for hydrogen-powered cars.

He said: “If you have an architecture package [that is ready for] hydrogen, it is exactly the same size of your battery pack. It’s not a problem at all.

“That’s why architectures are so important. Flexible architectures are the key to everything. And if you have not thought about that, you will not be able to offer your products in specific regions in the future.

“We will launch a hydrogen car before this decade ends, that’s not that far away. Just over eight years.”

Zipse also said BMW will target areas that do not have sufficient charging infrastructure and where hydrogen will prove ideal.

“That’s already visible today,” he said.

“And at the same time, you will get local regulations where you have to be emission-free. The only option in these markets is hydrogen, especially for larger cars.”

Currently, only Honda and Hyundai have launched hydrogen-powered cars. However back in March, BMW put an iX5 Hydrogen through testing in the Arctic Circle ahead of a ‘small series’ of vehicles being released for testing.