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News in brief
publication date: Jul 1, 2009
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author/source: Robin Roberts
Motorists caught without a seatbelt or using illegal number plates face on-the-spot fines of £60 in a major road safety crackdown launched by the Government. The increase follows a public consultation seeking views on how to tackle the fact that many motorists persist in failing to comply with seatbelt laws, despite repeated warnings that they are risking serious injury or death to themselves and others. The increase in fixed penalties also covers misrepresentation of vehicle registration marks. This includes failure to conform with rules on font, size and colour of number plates. The use of illegal number plates can have a significant impact on criminal investigations and crime detection. Fleet vehicle order times are now beginning to rocket due to the scrappage scheme and car makers cutting back production and vehicle stocks. Fleets are now being forced to wait as long as 18 weeks for cars, according to Grosvenor Contracts Leasing. Car supermarket Motorpoint has criticised Ford for its latest price hike, claiming it made a "mockery" of the car scrappage scheme. Motorpoint managing director David Shelton said, "While Ford may blame the weakness of sterling for the latest price hike, the fact remains that the increases in its list prices cancel out the savings available through the car scrappage scheme. As a consequence, some people going to their local Ford dealer with a 10 year-old car are likely to find themselves paying them for the privilege of scrapping it, making an absolute mockery of the scheme." Sainsbury's Finance is offering motorists 12 months' car insurance for the price of 10 months if they purchase a policy between the 30June and the 31 August 2009. Sainsbury's car insurance is competitively priced and provides cover for road rage, vandalism, and replacement child car seats in the event of an accident as standard. As well as only paying for 10 months' cover but receiving 12, customers also benefit from a 10pc discount if they purchase their cover online. TyreSafe is advising motorists to check the condition of their tyres prior to a driving holiday to help reduce the risk of causing an accident. With an increased volume of traffic expected on the roads this summer as more families opt for a UK-based holiday, TyreSafe is encouraging all motorists to check their tyre pressure, tread depth and general tyre condition before they set off on holiday. Ford customers can continue to collect Nectar points from participating Ford dealers after the company extended its contract in a multi-year deal with the UK's largest loyalty card programme. Ford joined the Nectar scheme in 2003 and remains the only car company to offer customers value through the opportunity to collect points on routine servicing, non-warranty repairs and MoTs at participating dealers. smart has launched of a new social community website, www. destinationsmart.co.uk. This exciting new website gives smart owners, enthusiasts and fans the opportunity to register and interact with each other in a dedicated, smart-branded online space. Royal College of Art students, Hong K. Yeo and Magdalena Schmid have been awarded the prestigious Pilkington Automotive Vehicle Design Award titles for Best Design Interpretation and Best Use of Glazing respectively. The winners, who were competing against 13 other entries from students across nine countries, were praised by judges for the exceptional quality of their designs and exhibiting high levels of innovation and creativity. |
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