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Glove box guide
publication date: Nov 11, 2008
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Britain's carmakers will hold talks with Business Secretary Lord Mandelson to win a package of measures including fleet renewal subsidies.
To boost sales and safeguard manufacturing jobs motor industry leaders want ministers to scrap controversial Vehicle Excise Duty plans to be introduced in April next year that will see the road fund licence for some models double.
Hundreds of cameras that monitor drivers' average speed are set to be introduced by recently appointed Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon.
The move will come following his admission that traditional fixed roadside speed cameras are ‘arbitrary' and ‘unfair'
Mr Hoon says that many of the existing roadside cameras, which measure speed at a fixed point, could be replaced by the average speed cameras, which he says are fairer and encourage safer driving. Average speed cameras measures speed of a certain distance and can typically be found at roadworks sites on motorways.
About 80pc of drivers believe the Chancellor will do nothing in his pre-Budget Report to ease the burden of higher fuel costs on consumer spending, an AA Populus survey reveals.
Although the Government has been urging fuel suppliers and retailers to help reduce pump prices as quickly as possible, more than half of drivers (56pc) think the Chancellor will not continue to freeze fuel duty now that pump prices have come down.
The number of rogue drivers on Britain's roads has dropped significantly, the results of a joint police and Government operation indicated today.
Compared with a similar operation in 2006, fewer motorists were found to be driving without a valid licence, insurance or MOT. Jim Fitzpatrick, Road Safety Minister, said: "Unlicensed and uninsured drivers are a menace on our roads so I am delighted that this operation found that significantly fewer people were committing these serious offences.
The credit crunch may result in a rise in the type of insurance fraud known as 'fronting' as cash-strapped parents attempt to reduce the high cost of their driving-age children's car insurance, according to esure car insurance.
This month the company launches a new internal drive to detect and tackle the problem. Fronting is the practice of a parent insuring a car that is primarily - or solely used - by a son or daughter in order to obtain a cheaper premium. Often, the parent uses their address knowing that the son or daughter is actually using the car in a different location such as college or university.
Fifty per cent of road users would continue with a journey after hearing a severe weather warning; and around a third of road users would not carry out any checks on their vehicles before heading out, according to research by the Highways Agency.
After an early October cold snap across the country and as we head towards the winter, the Highways Agency is asking drivers and passengers to be prepared for severe weather. It's not just snow and ice, but also strong winds, heavy rain and thick fog than can affect journeys on the roads. Young women aged 18-24 are least likely to have roadside breakdown cover to help them get mobile again this winter. RAC data shows that 40% risk being stranded at the roadside.
Ford posted a net loss of $129 million (€100 million) for the third quarter of2008, an improvement on the $380 million (€295 million) loss in the same quarter last year.
Revenue plunged 22pc to $32 billion. Lower volume, the sale of the Jaguar and Land Rover brands, a changing product mix and lower pricing were partly offset by favourable exchange rates. Ford of Europe's pretax profit plunged 76pc to $69 million (€64 million) in the third quarter. Revenue rose nearly 17pc to $9.7 billion (€75 billion).
Formula One teams have unanimously agreed to reduce engine costs by more than £12m within three years.
Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo recently presided over a meeting of the newly founded Formula One Teams Association and afterwards said, "We're working with all the teams to reduce costs even more for 2010 and 2011.
"We unanimously decided that by 2011 an engine will cost £4m, compared to the more than £16m they used to cost."
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