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Sep 3 2024

Chancellor Rachel Reeves urged to impose ‘pay-per-mile’ scheme on electric cars | UK News

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been urged to impose a pay-per-mile scheme on British drivers to avoid a “black hole” from lost fuel duty revenue.

Public transport charity Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) is proposing that drivers of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), such as electric cars, should be charged based on how far they travel, claiming it would have public support.

Under the plan, drivers with a ZEV before the implementation date would be exempt, incentivising the switch to electric vehicles.

Duties levied on petrol, diesel and other fuels generate around £25bn a year in revenue for the Treasury.

This figure is expected to reduce as more drivers transition from traditionally-fuelled cars to ZEVs.

But previous governments have found the prospect of introducing per-mile charges – known as road pricing – to be too politically toxic.

Silviya Barrett, CBT director of policy and campaigns, said: “The new Chancellor faces a looming black hole. She can avoid it, in a way which is fair and which garners broad public support. But she should start now, as this issue will only get more pressing.

“It should be cheaper to drive a zero-emission vehicle than a more polluting vehicle, but it’s only fair that these drivers should pay a share, and a pay-as-you-drive model can achieve this.”

Ms Barrett wrote a letter to Ms Reeves stating that “ZEV drivers should fairly contribute towards vehicle taxation” and calling for a “simple charge” based on “regular odometer readings”.

“We fully appreciate that such a change would be perceived as difficult and criticised by the opposition and by certain representative groups,” she added.

“However, our research demonstrated the general public supports such a move.”

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Labour has committed to reverse then-prime minister Rishi Sunak‘s decision in September last year to delay banning the sale of conventionally fuelled new cars from 2030 until 2035.

Ms Reeves will deliver her first budget on 30 October.

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Apr 9 2024

Parked drivers struggling to get out of their vehicle as cars get wider, says survey | UK News

Drivers are having trouble getting in and out of their cars because vehicles have become wider but parking spaces haven’t grown, according to research.

Most spaces in car parks are still based on guidelines from the 1970s, but analysis of 10 popular family motors shows they’ve crept up in size.

Churchill Motor Insurance said their average width had increased from 168cm to 180cm.

The British Parking Association recommends a 240cm-wide space – in theory leaving just 30cm (1ft) on each side.

That could be especially tricky if the car next door isn’t in the centre of their own space.

A Ford Fiesta, for example, was 155cm when first launched in 1976 but has grown to 174cm wide.

Another UK favourite, the Vauxhall Corsa, has grown 24cm to 177cm.

Even more modern vehicles such as the Nissan Qashqai, released in 2007, have grown – from 178cm to 184cm.

Churchill estimates damage caused by struggling with parking bays and hitting a wall, another vehicle or a bollard costs UK drivers £424m every year.

Two in five of the 2,000 people surveyed said they had struggled getting in or out their car when parked up at least once a month.

Some 22% had even been forced to clamber through the boot at least once, according to the survey.

A third (32%) said they owned a bigger car than five years ago.

Common reasons were wanting more comfort, needing space for work or leisure gear, or just because they liked the design of a larger vehicle.

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“Widening cars combined with parking bays that haven’t been redesigned to accommodate today’s models means motorists all over the country are at risk of damaging their cars, through no fault of their own,” said Churchill boss Nicholas Mantel.

The RAC said a common reason for cars becoming wider was the introduction of side impact protection technology.

“Operators are faced with the dilemma of having to repaint spaces to accommodate these larger vehicles, which is especially difficult at some older multi-storey car parks where space is already restricted,” said RAC head of policy Simon Williams.

“Unfortunately, this would lead to an overall reduction in the total number of spaces available and an inevitable increase in charges to compensate for the loss of revenue.”

Mr Williams said the problem of tighter spaces was especially frustrating for wheelchair users or people with mobility issues.

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Nov 3 2023

‘Terrifying’ Storm Ciaran leaves cars smashed and homes damaged on Jersey | UK News

It has been a wild 36 hours and everyone on Jersey is talking about it.

They all experienced a storm they were all warned of – but they could never have imagined the scale.

Wandering down a side street, some 200 metres from the coast, there are crumbled remnants of family homes.

Tiles have been blown off roofs, a playground is a mangled mess of bent lamp posts, twisted fences and collapsed bricks from the neighbouring houses.

We count more than 20 windows of homes that’ve been shattered by flying roof tiles and the gale force winds.

Cars with punctured windscreens line the road as if they’ve been deliberately vandalised. The wind did this.

Roger Iddon has lived here for almost 10 years. His family of five and pet dog are safe but he is in awe of what they survived.

“I thought I was going to die” he says.

He watched Storm Ciaran approach from his bedroom window – and it took seconds to cause damage.

“(At one point) the wind stopped blowing and it went calm – but then all of a sudden I saw this wall of debris come at the house and it was like the sound of a jet engine,” Roger says.

“(There was) just a loud deafening roar and then the window started to break in front of me and smash.

“I stood away from it and I could hear the whole house shake and the roof lifting, all the cars getting smashed up. It was just a terrifying 30 seconds.

“I thought that’s it, we’re all going to die.”

Roger’s terrifying experience is shared by those on his street. Many have been offered hotel rooms as temporary accommodation but his family and another four have decided to stay in their homes.

The community is rallying together to help those displaced from their homes and to revive streets that are littered in debris.

The Salvation Army has already been helping those caught up in the damage.

Husband and wife Alice and Richard lead the team here.

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“I think as an island we’ve been through a lot,” Alice says.

“I really feel for our island, it’s sad and it’s hard and everyone just wants to feel safe and many people just don’t right now.

“I think we’ve all been affected. I’ve spoken to some people and thankfully their homes and stuff are fine, but they’re really worried about their neighbours.

“I’ve got some people who can’t work today because their place of work is not in a good state.”

Richard says they’ve already seen first hand the impact it’s had on people here.

“We know there are people that haven’t been able financially… of buy enough food and stuff for their homes to ride the storm out and so they’re short now,” he adds.

“Our food banks (are) open and we’re deliberately targeting anyone who’s been unable to bulk buy.

“We’re also really aware that a lot of people haven’t got a warm, safe space, or perhaps they feel really anxious about being in their homes after a really difficult night.

“So again, we’re providing a warm, safe space here.”

The need for them and other support groups will only grow as this island rebuilds with fierce determination – something this storm certainly hasn’t hampered.

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Sep 28 2023

New petrol and diesel cars face gradual phasing out under production guidelines | Business News

Up to 20% of new cars on Britain’s roads could still be petrol and diesel models in 2030, after the government published guidelines for phasing out new internal combustion engine cars and vans by its new extended deadline of 2035.

Under the terms of the so-called zero-emissions mandate published by the Department for Transport, 22% of new cars will have to be zero-emission from January next year.

This figure will rise gradually to 52% in 2028, 80% in 2030 when the original total ban was due to apply, and 100% by 2035.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a five-year delay to the ban on new petrol and diesel cars and vans earlier this month, calling it a “pragmatic” approach to achieving the UK’s net zero goals.

The mandate has been anticipated by industry for two years, with some manufacturers privately frustrated that it has only been published three months before it applies.

The target of 22% for next year is the same as originally planned however and industry is confident it can be achieved, with 20% of new cars sold last year classified as zero emission.

Despite the relaxation of the deadline, many manufacturers remain committed to producing only fully electric vehicles from 2030 or earlier, with Nissan the latest to confirm that deadline.

The timetable for introducing electric vans has been watered down, however, with fines for missing the 10% target reduced next year.

If companies exceed the mandate levels they can bank, trade or sell their allowance, while those that miss the targets can buy allowances to offset fines.

Even after 2035 there will be no outright ban on owning a petrol or diesel car and there are likely to be millions still on the road for years afterwards.

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The car industry still faces uncertainty over EU rules due to apply from next year governing how much of a vehicle has to be produced in Europe or the UK to avoid 10% tariffs.

The “rules of origin” require 45% of a vehicle’s total value must be derived from home-produced components from 1 January, a target that is harder to achieve for electric vehicles because the battery comprises so much of the value.

Most manufacturers in the UK and EU rely on batteries produced in Asia, putting the entire European industry under pressure. The UK is pushing for a relaxation of the rules, with backing from Germany.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of industry group the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said: “The automotive industry is investing billions in decarbonisation and recognises the importance of the zero-emission vehicle mandate as the single most important measure to deliver net zero.

“We welcome the clarity the mandate’s publication provides for the next 6 years and the flexibilities it contains to support pragmatic, equitable delivery across this diverse sector.”

Ford, which was highly critical of the delay to 2035, saying it undermined confidence in British industry, welcomed the mandate, which it said it had helped inform.

“Alongside the SMMT, Ford has provided input to the Department for Transport to help shape the mandate in the early years and it is very welcome to see some of those ideas reflected.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “The path to zero-emission vehicles announced today makes sure the route to get there is proportionate, pragmatic and realistic for families.”

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