Bloodhound nearly reached the 500mph milestone yesterday, hitting a top speed of 491mph in the South African desert.
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FCA-PSA Merger Could Put European Factories In Danger
Despite Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group saying that their merger will not affect any manufacturing facilities, a report surfaced saying that factories in Europe are likely to come under heavy strain.
(more…)Government
New parking code could give motorists 10-minute grace period in private car parks
Private parking firms may have to offer motorists a 10-minute grace period when they overstay their ticket, according to new government proposals.
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Vauxhall’s British-built Vivaro was the UK’s best-selling van in October
Vauxhall’s British-built Vivaro was the UK’s best-selling van in October.
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Government to Close Mobile Phone Filming While Driving Loophole
A legal loophole which allows motorists to use mobile phones behind the wheel to film or take photographs to escape prosecution is set ‘to be closed’ by the government.
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PSA and FCA agree 50/50 merger that will create the world’s fourth-largest automaker
Groupe PSA and FCA have agreed to work on a 50:50 merger that will effectively lead to the creation of the fourth-largest automaker in the world, with 8.7 million cars sold annually.
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Fiat Chrysler confirms merger talks with PSA group
Italian-American firm Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has confirmed that it is in talks with French rival PSA – which owns Vauxhall – over a tie-up to create one of the world’s biggest carmaker.
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DfT calls for long-term local road funding to battle potholes
The Department for Transport is pushing the Treasury to guarantee local road funding for several years at a time instead of annually.
Blog Post
German Parliament Rejects Plans for Speed Limits On Autobahn
The German parliament has rejected a proposal by the country’s Green Party to introduce a 130 km/h (80 mph) speed limit on unrestricted sections of the Autobahn.
(more…)Motoring
Price of petrol is 7p a litre too expensive at the pumps
The RAC is urging fuel retailers big and small to reflect the drop in the wholesale price of unleaded with a significant cut at the pumps.
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Safety organisation slams ‘out-of-date’ eyesight test for driving
GEM Motoring Assist says the current eyesight test for drivers is long out of date and not fit for purpose. GEM is calling for a detailed check of every driver’s visual acuity and field of view every 10 years.
(more…)Motoring
CRACKDOWN ON THE CAR FINANCING INDUSTRY TO SAVE DRIVERS £165M
Car financing is set to face a crackdown saving drivers £165m, the UK’s financial regulator has announced.
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Pollution cut at Hopsots after reduction in speed limit
Lower speed limits in five poor air quality hotspots has reduced air pollution, says the Welsh government.
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Governmentconsider pay-as-you-go road pricing to fill car tax black hole
Drivers could be charged on a pay-as-you-go basis in the future as the Government looks to fill a £40 billion hole in motoring taxes.
(more…)Combo
Vauxhall helps create giant fruit and veg stall
Vauxhall Motors has teamed up with Local giant veg grower Kevin Fortey to create the UK’s biggest fruit and veg stall.
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LEGO Team Up With Top Gear For New 2020 Sets
BBC Studios has signed a deal with The LEGO Group to launch the first-ever LEGO Technic set inspired by the series “Top Gear.”
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Motorway speed limit could be raised to 80mph thanks to electric cars
The speed limit on British motorways could be raised to 80mph thanks to the growing adoption of electric vehicles, according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.
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Petrol prices fall in September despite Saudi Arabia oil refinery fires
Petrol prices fell in September despite fears that refinery fires in Saudi Arabia would cause costs to soar.
(more…)Motoring
Drivers risking accidents and fines because they can’t afford repairs
Drivers are risking their safety by putting off essential work on their car, with some resorting to DIY fixes to keep themselves on the road.
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You could lose your private number plate if you don’t act soon
Drivers with private registrations are being warned that they could lose the right to use them if they don’t ensure their paperwork is up to date by the end of this year.
Millions of motorists have private number plates on their cars but many hold the rights to use them without actually having them on a vehicle – known as keeping them on retention.
If you hold a plate on retention you must renew the certificate of entitlement every 10 years, which can be done for free.
Currently, if you fail to do this you buy back the right to use it from the DVLA as long as you obtained the relevant V750 or V778 certificate before 9th March 2015 and it expired on or after 1st May 2011. The reapplication process costs £25 for each year that the certificate has expired.
However, from 18th December 2019, the DVLA will no longer accept applications to renew expired retention certificates. This means if you don’t renew before then you’ll lose the right to use the registration.
The DVLA has said that if entitlement to a plate is allowed to lapse after 18th December that plate will not be reissued to the previous keeper or anyone else and will simply disappear from use.
A spokesman told HonestJohn: “DVLA only sells previously unissued registration marks and there are no plans to sell the rights to previously issued marks where the rights have been lost.”
Renewing a retention certificate is straightforward. You can do it by filling in the V750 or V778 certificate and sending it to the DVLA at the address on the form along with the fee.
Each portion of a year counts as a full year, so if it expired 13 months ago you’ll have to pay £50.
If you have lost the certificate you can still reapply to retain the right to the registration. You’ll need to write to DVLA explaining why you do not have your V750 or V778. You will also need to include the fee, your private number and proof of your name and address, for example, your driving licence or both your passport and a utility bill.