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Electric vehicles produce less non-exhaust particulate than ICEs
Tookapic; PixabayMotoring organisation RAC has moved to “set record straight” following controversial remarks from Environment Secretary George Eustice that electric vehicles (EV) may not be as green as people think. In order to do that the RAC, which wants to speed up EV take-up, commissioned battery electrochemist Dr Euan McTurk to address the suggestion that EVs produce more particulate from brake and tyre wear than their petrol and diesel counterparts.
AFCAR formed to champion independent automotive aftermarket rights
Tim Samuel; PexelsA coalition of trade associations (including the NTDA) and commercial organisations (including Halfords and Kwik Fit) has been formed to lobby the UK government to uphold “the rights of the independent aftermarket and consumers in the post-Brexit era.” The UK Alliance for the Freedom of Car Repair (AFCAR), which derives its name from the European group of the same name, will primarily lobby on the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulations (MV-BER), Vehicle Type Approval (including access to Repair & Maintenance Information) and Cybersecurity.
Allstar ServicePoint offers fleet tyres with Colewood Automotive
FleetcorThe Allstar ServicePoint online service maintenance and repair (SMR) portal through is offering fleet tyres in conjunction with Colewood Automotive, which builds and operates a number of tyre retail websites in the UK, partnering with well-known brands such as ASDA, RAC and etyres.
Number of privately licensed battery electric vehicles in the UK rises 53 per cent in a year – RAC
RAC analysis of the latest official Government data shows that the number of battery electric vehicles (‘BEVs’) in private hands in the UK rose by nearly 30,000 in the 12 months to September 2020, an increase of 53 per cent on the year before, with more than a third of these (36 per cent) in London and the South East of England.
Driver attitudes towards 6-month MOT exemption revealed in new survey
Around 40 per cent of drivers won’t be making use of the current six-month MOT exemption, a survey of 2,200 UK drivers has suggested. Just one-in-seven drivers (14 per cent) who responded to the RAC survey said they will make full use of the extra six months added to MOT due dates, with three times that proportion (44 per cent) planning on getting their car checked as normal, despite the impact of the coronavirus.
Roads minister announces ‘evidence review’ of red lights for recovery operators
In a significant win for the roadside rescue and recovery industry, Roads Minister Michael Ellis MP today announced that the Department for Transport would be reviewing the evidence base for the benefits of recovery operators being permitted to use red flashing warning beacons, instead of the amber warning beacons current legislation allows. The announcement occurred during a Westminster Hall debate led by Tracey Crouch MP.
RAC and Euro Car Parts form 500 branch-strong independent garage network
The RAC has joined forces with Euro Car Parts to create the biggest independent garage network in the country. Formed from existing RAC Approved Garages and Autofirst Network members, along with new sign ups, the newly created ‘RAC Approved Garages powered by Autofirst Network’ already has 500 garages on board and is expected to exceed 650 by April this year.
Pothole-related breakdowns on the increase, says RAC
RAC patrols attended 11 per cent more breakdowns that could be attributed to potholes in the last quarter of 2017 than in the same period in 2016, according to new data used to compile the RAC’s Pothole Index.
‘Scrapping hard shoulder will risk lives’ – RAC
The RAC has announced that scrapping the hard shoulder on busy motorways will put more motorist’s lives at risk.
According to the RAC, more than half (55 per cent) of drivers do not know where to go if they break down on stretches of the new ‘smart’ motorways and 52 per cent did not know what an emergency refuge area was.
Driving Test changes meet with general approval
Changes to the driving test will help save lives and improve road safety, said transport minister Andrew Jones. Learner drivers will need to pass a modern test that will include new manoeuvres and a longer independent driving section to make sure drivers have the skills, knowledge and confidence to drive on their own. The changes will also include a section where drivers use satellite navigation to find their way.
Government launches plans to improve driver and motorcyclist training
Plans to improve driver and motorcyclist training to improve safety on roads in Great Britain were announced by Transport minister, Andrew Jones on Friday 30 December 2016. The proposed changes will see competent learner drivers able to have lessons on motorways with an approved driving instructor in a dual controlled car. Allowing learners on a motorway will improve the awareness and experience of new drivers which is aimed at boosting safety on roads in Great Britain.
LeasePlan urges drivers to carry out simple checks
LeasePlan UK has reacted to the RAC’s 2016 Report on Motoring that revealed car maintenance was the second biggest concern for motorists. Jennifer Gradden, fleet risk management account director at LeasePlan UK, part of the world’s largest vehicle management group, comments, “There is a worrying level of motorists in the UK who are baffled by car maintenance. It’s hugely important to maintain the upkeep of a vehicle, not only to conserve its value and improve fuel economy, but also because poor maintenance can be dangerous and potentially cause an accident.
Nebula Systems call on independent garages to ‘connect with the future’
Nebula Systems says independent garages can “connect with the future of diagnostics” by employing its new MECH5 diagnostics system. MECH5 is a new cloud-based vehicle data analytics platform that can help garages access the wealth of data within the ECUs of modern vehicles. The system is due to be launched commercially in September.
RAC’s Nebula Systems to launch MECH5 diagnostics platform in September
Following its acquisition by the RAC, Nebula Systems is preparing to launch commercially its MECH5 diagnostics platform for independent garages. The platform will initially offer the functionality of Superscan 3 on a pay-as-you-go basis. With the help of the RAC investment, Nebula says it will use the flexibility of scalable cloud-based IT infrastructure to develop MECH5 rapidly.
