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Drivers repeatedly caught leaving their car engine running while parked could be hit with instant fines in a bid to curb pollution, according to reports.

Environment secretary Michael Gove has backed Westminster City Council’s call to be granted powers which could see drivers who are caught idling to be fined without warning, the Times says.

The existing arrangement sees officers issue a warning, followed by a fine if a driver keeps the car running for at least a minute – depending on which regulation is used by an authority fines can either be £20 or £80.

Experts claim idling engines are harmful to the environment as they can produce greater emissions than one which is in motion.

Westminster City Council issued just 20 fines last year but other councils – including City of London, Camden, Croydon, Reading, Norwich and Canterbury did not issue fines for idling.

Nickie Aiken, Westminster Council leader, said: “Fines are our last resort but when we establish a pattern of persistent idling we need to be able to send a message.”

And she argued the likes of supermarket delivery vans should be hit with a four-figure sum to be “sufficient deterrent”

Mr Gove said that instant fines for repeat offenders should be considered as a solution to the problem.

It was important to ensure that the new powers would be used proportionately by councils, he added.

Camden council, which wants to be able to issue instant fines, has warned more than 400 drivers but has issued no fines since it was granted the powers last year

The Department for Transport said: “We are determined to reduce the damaging environmental impacts of drivers who keep their engines running while stationary, especially those in school zones.

“This is why we are making guidance for local authorities clearer, so that they know how and when to target drivers falling foul of the law. We will be polling local authorities to understand how any potential review of these powers may look in the future.” By Graham Hill & AOL News

Did you know that some insurers reduce their premiums by up to 20% if you have a dash cam fitted in your car? I personally believe that fitting a dash cam as standard in a car should be a legal requirement and could be fitted into the rear of the rear view mirror.

Years ago cars didn’t have immobilisers fitted but they are now a statutory requirement along with a car alarm. And it would cost considerably less than the cost of fitting an aftermarket unit.

Dash cams can be incredibly useful in the event of an accident in order to help the driver prove his case and the incidents of ‘Cash For Crash’, where a driver pulls in front of an innocent driver and brakes hard causing the car behind to hit the car in front, then every person in the car in front making a whiplash claim, has reduced as a result of dashcams.

Dashcam footage has also helped police to apprehend dangerous drivers and drunk drivers following erratic and dangerous driving. But for the cameras to be effective they must be capable of creating clear footage with easy transfer to a mobile device.

With this in mind AutoExpress have tested out some of the popular brands and come up with their top 3 cameras.

Their Best Buy was the Nextbase 612GW, priced at £249.99. It has a 150 degree lens capture with recording in 4K Ultra HD. In the tests number plates were easy to read as were road signs and pedestrians could be seen I a low light. A polarised filter enhanced colour quality and settings were easily adjusted on the move. The BlackVue had better picture quality but the price difference gave the Nextbase the edge.

Recommended was the Blackvue DR900S-1CH with the best picture quality but priced at £399.95. It has a 162 degree lens capture with recording in 4K Ultra HD at 30 frames per second making it the most accurate. In the tests this cam recorded pedestrians and number plates well even in low light as a result of the 8megapixel camera. Settings are changed via a downloadable app. It is WiFi enabled so recordings can be uploaded from the camera to Cloud Storage. In summary the cam and the features justify the high cost – loved by the testers.

Also recommended was the Thinkware Q800 Pro at a cost of £269. The unit looks a little messy as it comes with a hardwire lead powered by a plug and play 12v unit. There is no screen and and footage is accessed by the Thinkware app. The unit comes with a Sony Exmor R Starvis sensor to record 1440p quad HD quality footage at 30 frames per second. The review describes the quality as good but behind the first two. Lowlight conditions are the strength of the Thinkware with Night Vision 2.0 is excellent.

If you want to see all of the reviews you need to get your hands on the 1^st May edition of Auto Express. By Graham Hill

Following a BBC Freedom Of Information request it was found that the DVLA had mishandled the personal data of 2,000 drivers over the last 12 months.  During a ten-month period in 2018 and 2019, the DVLA reported 439 data breaches, which affected 2,018 people.

These data breaches saw the DVLA send important documents – including driving licenses, passports and marriage certificates – to incorrect addresses, affecting the equivalent of around seven people per day. For comparison, the Passport Office had five data breaches over the same time period, while HM Revenue & Customs had 10.

All of the breaches were reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office, between 25 May 2018 and 18 March 2019, following the introduction of tougher data protection laws. Royal Mail advised that important or sensitive documents should be sent via a tracked special delivery. The DVLA said the data breaches were the result of “human error” by staff at their headquarters in Swansea.

A DVLA spokesperson said: “Last year, we dealt with more than one billion customer interactions. We received more than 16 million items of mail and sent out more than 93 million, including 10.6 million driving licences.

“However, we take our duties to protect data extremely seriously and have an open and transparent culture where staff report any potential breaches.

“We ensure we review all reports to identify what more can be done. While these figures are a very small percentage of our overall transaction volumes, we take these seriously and have apologised to those concerned.”

Whilst one could argue that in the scale of things 2,000 is a very small number, that’s fine unless you are one of the 2,000 affected. Not one piece of data should go astray so sort your systems out DVLA. By Graham Hill with thanks to Auto Express.

Andy Eastlake, managing director of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP), says the “overriding aim” must be to accelerate the drive to “truly, low pollution vehicles” and to rapidly increase the number of zero emission miles driven.

However, he told Fleet News: “While combustion fuels still predominate, we need to use all the tools in the box to deliver lower CO2 and cleaner air, and the efficiency of diesel engines should be captured where possible.

“The latest diesels must, and with RDE2 can now be shown to, deliver emissions as low as petrol.”

Indeed, tests conducted by German automobile club ADAC on some of the latest models, not officially classified as RDE2, suggest they are as clean as their petrol counterparts.

The conformity factor for RDE2 gives an actual on-the-road limit of 114mg/km for diesel and 86mg/km for petrol.

Nearly all the cars tested by ADAC emitted less than 50mg/km

The Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDI SCR performed exactly the same as its petrol counterpart, emitting 14mg/km of NOx.

ADAC performed the tests using a portable emissions measurement device (PEMS), in the same way as the official test.

Erik Jonnaert, secretary general of the ACEA, the European trade association for carmakers, believes modern diesel cars can play a strong role in helping cities move towards compliance with air quality targets.

“It is important we stop demonising diesel technology as a whole,” he said. “Instead, we need to differentiate between the old diesel fleet and the latest generation of vehicles.”

The second stage of Real Driving Emissions testing (RDE2) calls for no more than 114 mg/km of nitrogen oxides (NOx) over a wide envelope of real-world driving conditions. This requires an impressive clean emissions performance from diesel vehicles. But should we trust the system this time?

We can be more confident now, yes. RDE2 is very similar to what has been in place in the USA for more than 10 years. The US test is easier, but the limit is lower and the engineering task overall is similar.

RDE2 vehicles are typically delivering emissions in the 20-40mg/km range on the Emissions Analytics’ test cycle, compared with the average of pre-RDE diesels in Europe of around 400mg/km. So, at least an order of magnitude reduction.

Further, the imminent introduction of in-service conformity testing, which can be carried out by third parties, will make it risky to cheat, meaning confidence in RDE2 results should be higher.

Good though they are, these RDE2 vehicles will not be enough to solve urban air quality problems.

Why? At the same time as these RDE2 vehicles are on sale, for the next six months there will still be new diesels available legally emitting 400mg/km and more – all labelled Euro 6.

As Euro 6 has been in place since 2014, the number of pre-RDE Euro 6 diesels on the road will dwarf the number of RDE2 vehicles for years to come. Even some of the early RDE1 vehicles skate close to the emissions limit and will never be subject to in-service conformity testing.

Action is needed on these pre-RDE vehicles to solve urban air quality and rebuild trust in diesel technology – whether or not that is wanted by policymakers. It may prove necessary to meet climate change goals.

Making the regulations for future vehicles ever harder is burdening manufacturers – and ultimately buyers – with unnecessary cost, when the more efficient solution is to address the dirty Euro 6s already on the road. To enable this, genuinely independent ratings are required to compare vehicles of all types and ages, not just piecemeal self-certification by manufacturers. In that way, more targeted and efficient procurement and city access policies can be set.

Rebuilding trust and evidencing the low emissions of their current vehicles are key reasons why Jaguar Land Rover submitted a range of its latest diesel vehicles to the independent AIR Index test (www.airindex.com). These are ratings based on the new European standard methodology CWA17379 and conducted for the independent AIR Alliance (www.allowAIR.org).

The ratings apply to vehicles of any age and are controlled by neither governments nor manufacturers so, for once, the results, can truly be trusted. By Graham Hill (Thanks To Fleet News)

Brexit will not diminish the emissions rules either, given the Government has said they will apply when the UK leaves the EU.

The rules have been called into question in the courts, however, with three cities – Brussels, Madrid and Paris – successfully challenging the provision allowing on-the-road emission limits to vary from those required in the laboratory.

The European Court of Justice ruled in their favour, saying that the European Commission (EC) had no power to weaken the emission limits.

The ruling meant the Commission needed to amend the RDE regulation to ensure that diesel vehicles actually emit less than 80mg/km during the on-the-road test.

The EC subsequently lodged an appeal against the ruling and is also preparing new legislation that will have the same effect as the law declared illegal by the courts in December.

Elzbieta Bienkowska, European Commissioner for industry, says that if the new legislation is adopted in time, the commission will withdraw the appeal. By Graham Hill (Thanks To Fleet News)

Fleets and some consumers are taking delivery of the first RDE2 diesel cars, cutting vehicle excise duty (VED) and company car tax, with manufacturers promising that more models will follow.

Mercedes-Benz stole a march late last year, when it added two new diesel engines to the A-Class range – the A 200d and the A 220d – which met stricter emissions limits, well before they become the legal requirement.

The new units have been tested to the RDE2 standard, meaning company car drivers will benefit from tax savings thanks to the removal of the 4% benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax diesel surcharge.

Fleets will also benefit from not having to pay the higher first-year rate of VED on new diesel cars not meeting the RDE2 standard.

The German carmaker says it now has eight RDE2-compliant cars available to order: A200d, A220d (both available as saloon or hatch), B200d, B220d, GLE 350d and GLE 400d. The first deliveries were made in February.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has also been quick out of the blocks, announcing in January that the all-new XF 2.0-litre diesel 163PS and 180PS rear-wheel drive variants had been certified as RDE2-compliant.

It says this could save 40% taxpayers up to £2,304 in company car tax over three years compared with models which are subject to the 4% diesel surcharge.

JLR subsequently announced that the revised XE would also be available with an RDE2-compliant 180PS diesel engine, as well as 163PS and 180PS XF Sportbrake models and the new 150PS Evoque.

The manufacturer told Fleet News that further announcements on RDE2-compliant cars are “imminent” and deliveries of the first tax-busting models would be made by the end of this month.

It says its latest diesel engines offer approximately 25% better fuel economy than their petrol equivalents, produce around 15% less CO2 and emit around the same amount of NOx.

Rawdon Glover, managing director of JLR UK, attributed its success to “significant investment” in advanced engine technology.

“These new diesel engines meet the demanding target, set by the latest European standards, well ahead of schedule,” he said. “The test results reflect their performance in real-world driving conditions.”

BMW told Fleet News that the new 1 Series will be its first model that is classified as RDE2. A spokesman said: “We will introduce RDE2 technology into the BMW range from the middle of this year, with the first customer deliveries in Q3.

“There will be a staggered roll-out of this technology across the range but the full model range will, of course, be compliant ahead of the required deadline.”

Vauxhall is also advanced with its plans, with the new Astra, due for launch this summer (first deliveries Q4), the first of its RDE2-compliant models. “Then it comes model by model,” said the company.

However, Audi admitted it was still in the “preparatory phase” after dealing with re-homologation under the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP).

A spokesman said: “We continue to work at full speed on this to close the remaining gaps in our product range and to minimise delays.” By Graham Hill (Thanks to Fleet News)

The hope is these latest diesel engines could offer some respite to the beleaguered fuel, turning the tide on the anti-diesel rhetoric.

However, EU law-makers, who decided to subdivide the Euro 6 standard, rather than call RDE2-compliant cars Euro 7, have not helped that cause.

When the new vehicle emissions test, WLTP, replaced NEDC for all new type approvals in September 2017, the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test was also introduced to offer an on-the-road measurement.

The limits for emissions remained the same but the testing regime changed and was reflected in a new standard – Euro 6b became Euro 6c.

Under the RDE test, the car is fitted with a portable emission-measuring system (PEMS) before being driven for 90 minutes on public roads in different conditions, with both uphill and downhill driving, and a mix of urban and rural roads and motorways.

It is being introduced in two stages, the step 1 test – RDE1 – became compulsory for all new type approvals from September 1, 2017, when WLTP was also introduced.

RDE1 will become mandatory for all new registrations from September 1.

WLTP testing, which takes place in the lab, has been mandatory for all new registrations since September 2018, with diesel cars having to meet the NOx limit of 80mg/km and petrol 60mg/km, with cars achieving the limit labelled Euro 6c.

New type approvals, however, have also had to meet the limits on-the-road from September 2017.

The EU has cut manufacturers some initial slack, allowing for a margin of error two times the actual limit. Cars achieving RDE1 are classified as Euro 6d-temp.

However, the rules will begin tightening from January 2020, starting with new type approvals.

This next stage, RDE step two (RDE2), is the measure now being achieved early by some manufacturers, giving fleets and company car drivers the benefit of a tax cut first announced in Budget 2017.

The NOx limit for the RDE2 standard is up to 1.43 times the Euro 6 lab limit of 80mg/km for diesel and 60mg/km for petrol. Cars achieving this limit are labelled Euro 6d.

RDE2 will apply to all new registrations from January 1, 2021, before the margin for error – the conformity factor – will be removed by 2023. By Graham Hill (Thanks to Fleet News)

It’s that time of year when sap starts falling from the trees, birds feel the need to leave a present on your windscreen and bugs start committing suicide by throwing themselves on your windscreen. The net result is a difficult to see through windscreen.

If this happens you need to clean it as quickly as possible because it’s illegal to drive your car when the screen is difficult to see through with some hefty penalties.

Car owners have a responsibility to make sure their driving doesn’t negatively impact other motorists.

One way this could happen is by having a dirty windscreen or another glass surface which is required to be clear while on the road, such as the side mirrors or rear windscreen.

Having a filthy windscreen could impair your vision and similarly your decision making and reaction times and could lead to an accident.

Regulation 30 of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, says that drivers are required to keep class surfaces clean and clear.

“All glass or other transparent material fitted to a motor vehicle shall be maintained in such condition that it does not obscure the vision of the driver while the vehicle is being driven on a road,” the law states.

If you were to have an accident as a result of having a dirty windscreen then you could be fined and charged for careless driving.

Punishments for careless driving range from an on-the-spot fine of £100 and three penalty points.

However, if your case was to go to court then you could see that fine increase to a massive £5,000 and receive up to nine penalty points.

Serious offences could also see you lose your driving licence.

Neil Greig, Policy and Research Director at IAM RoadSmart, said: “Careless driving is all about penalising the negative impact you have on other drivers.

“If a dirty windscreen is stopping you from driving safely then you should expect to be caught and charged.

“Not having clear vision in low sun situations is a really serious issue.

“In 2016 ‘dazzling sun’ was recorded by the police as a factor in 28 fatal crashes, 463 serious injury crashes, and just over 2,100 slight injury crashes.

“The best solution is to keep your windscreen clean, inside and out, and to carry a pair of sunglasses all year round.”

In order to keep your screen clear AutoExpress have tested a number of windscreen washes. Their Best Buy for 2019 was Dirtex Aquaphobic Screen Wash as a cost of £13.95 for a litre. Visit www.chipex.co.uk . Their Recommended award went to Angelwax Clarity at a cost of 7.95 per litre. Both were evenly matched but Dirtex edged out Angelwax as the dilution ratios actually made Dirtex cheaper.

So don’t risk a fine and up to 9 points on your licence.   By Graham Hill

New mobile phone detection warning signs are being rolled out by Thames Valley and Hampshire police forces.

The system, developed by Westcotec, comprises a sensor capable of detecting vehicles where there are active 2G, 3G and 4G phone signals, and an LED warning sign located a short distance along the road.

As long as the activation meets certain pre-determined parameters, the sensor will pick up that a driver is using a phone for calling, text or data purposes and will activate the warning sign. This shows an illuminated mobile phone icon within a bright red circle and diagonal red line.

The device is purely about education, warning drivers and being able to identify when the driver was on the phone. It is the first such system to have a direct interaction with a mobile phone offender.

The technology can detect if a driver is using Bluetooth, and will therefore not trigger the warning sign. However, the manufacturer accepts that some activations might be triggered by non-driving occupants.

Norfolk County Council was the first to trial the road signs last year, but this is the first time that the police has decided to deploy the technology.

The forces say the two detectors, which cost £6,000 each, will be located on the A34 in Oxfordshire but will be posted at different locations throughout the Thames Valley and Hampshire to start – but more could be rolled out.

Matt Barber, deputy police and crime commissioner for Thames Valley, told the BBC that the system was “not fool-proof”, but said that the police needed to “make it as socially unacceptable to use your mobile whilst driving as it is to drink and drive”.

PC Liz Johnson, a roads safety officer, said research suggested a driver was four times more likely to crash if they were using a phone and twice as likely to be involved in a fatal collision when texting compared with drink-driving.

“It is vital that people take notice and stop using their mobile phones whilst driving,” she added.

Drivers caught using a mobile phone while driving are currently fined £200 and given six points on their licence. By Graham Hill