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As local authorities look at ways to raise money, in order to fill the deepening hole in their finances, it’s the motorists who are about to get another kicking. After this coalition government said they wouldn’t use motorists as a cash cow, as had been seen previously, when things have been tight for local authorities. In the Surrey towns of Epsom and Ewell disabled blue badge holders are now being charged for their Read more »

Have you seen one of the new CCTV Smart cars in your travels? If you have then they have probably been spying on you. It’s the latest idea to catch motorists doing illegal things like parking. Known as ‘Drive by spies’ these cars have raised £8 million in fines over the last 12 months from 188,000 motorists. There are 54 CCTV equipped Smart ForTwo cars operating in different towns and cities. In Essex the units Read more »

I can’t remember writing about the emissions based parking charges introduced by Richmond council in South West London although I seem to remember reading about it somewhere. Anyway, forget it as it’s just been scrapped. The scrapping of the scheme flies in the face of those that argue that local authorities and central Government use the ‘green argument’ as a means to screw more money out of the motorist when Read more »

A rather strange type of crime has emerged around the country putting drivers lives at risk – the stealing of manhole covers. The thefts have left gaping holes in the roads and local authorities with big bills to pay. The covers cost up to £400 to replace. Surry County Council has had 536 stolen costing £160,000 to replace. This has hurt councils even more as hundreds of millions of pounds have already been slashed from Read more »

As I’ve reported on several occasions following the particularly bad winter the roads of Britain are covered in potholes. Our local authority was quick to act and I’m pleased to say that the roads of West Sussex appear to be in pretty good order now which has probably avoided a lot of claims for damaged vehicles. Which is just as well because it seems that getting a payout, as a result of pothole damage, isn’t easy Read more »

Are we slowing down on our roads? The number of drivers being issued with speeding tickets generated by speed cameras suggests that we are. In 2008 the number of tickets dropped to 1.2 million compared to 1.9 million in 2004 and it is being predicted that the 2009 figures will be down to below the 2001 figure of 1.1 million. There are a number of reasons being suggested for this sharp fall. First of all the way the Read more »

You would no doubt have followed my reporting of the major pot hole problem that local authorities face following the harsh winter with no money to spend. But it wasn’t just the bad weather that led to the problems, it was the increase in Johnny Foreigner trucks covering 600 million miles on our roads last year. The problem, according to the Department for Transport, is that these trucks use our public roads but Read more »

According to tyre provider, Protyre, pothole damage is increasing whilst local authorities are unwilling to carry out repair work until the bad weather is over, for fear that any work done now will be wasted if the cold weather continues and re-pops out the filler. Protyre suggest that 300 new potholes are being identified in Britain every day with hundreds of pounds of damage being caused to tyres and suspension. Read more »

According to tyre provider, Protyre, pothole damage is increasing whilst local authorities are unwilling to carry out repair work until the bad weather is over, for fear that any work done now will be wasted if the cold weather continues and re-pops out the filler. Protyre suggest that 300 new potholes are being identified in Britain every day with hundreds of pounds of damage being caused to tyres and suspension. Read more »

Following the bad weather there have been reports from all over the country that pot holes, some the size of a small cave, have opened up on not just minor and B roads but also on A roads. Even some motorways have some nasty craters on them as I experienced a few evenings ago on the M25. This is clearly the result of budget cuts and either Bodgit and co – road workers carrying out the work or those gentle folk that Read more »