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Department for Transport (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

An issue that gets talked about a lot without a lot of perceived action is driving whilst under the influence of drugs, both illegal and prescription. Yet again the Government has announced a crackdown (excuse the pun) on those driving whilst under the influence of drugs.

The new rules will make it easier for the police to prosecute and target eight drugs including cocaine and cannabis as well as some drugs used in medicines. However, in the case of the latter the levels will be set sufficiently high so that people using them legitimately won’t get caught.

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The Department for Transport believes the likely increase in enforcement could see the number of annual casualties drop by 6%. The rules do not allow the police to pull over a driver for a random test, as they can do with drink driving, so the driver must have committed a traffic offence before he can be stopped and tested.

Transport Minister, Stephen Hammond, said ‘Drug driving ruins lives, so we are proposing a zero tolerance approach with those who drive under the influence of illegal drugs.’

Related articles

• Press release: Tackling the menace of drug driving (gov.uk)
• Drug-driving proposals unveiled (bbc.co.uk)
• One spliff and you’re off the road: crackdown on drug driving (standard.co.uk)

Highways Agency Traffic Officers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It would seem that the Government is being a little bit sly. There is a bit of a hole into which the Government is going to have to pour a ton of cash before too long. In fact there isn’t just one hole there are thousands of them and not just any hole but pot holes.

It is a real headache for the Government but it will have to be addressed if the whole of the roads infrastructure isn’t to come to a halt or it causes a major catastrophe. The Government seems to have a solution because many of the delays don’t seem to be the lack of funds but unworkable civil service rules.

So Stephen Hammond, Transport Minister, announced that the Highways Agency will become a publically owned corporation. This move will free it from red tape and ensure funding going forward.

As a publically owned company it can be scrutinised more effectively. It can also offer better incentives to staff. The move is part of £28bn funding for UK roads and accounts for 8 years of funding up to 2021 ensuring at least 6 years of financial certainty.

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In the past funding has been on an annual basis, not good for making plans into the future, so this will allow them to plan ahead. The funding will also be protected against future governments wanting to cut this allocation.

There are fears that this could ultimately lead to the further privatisation of the Highways Agency and eventually lead to toll roads and other road charges so we need to keep an eye on this one!

Oh and in order to sort out the pot holes £12bn of the funding is set aside for re-surfacing and maintenance, half of which will be spent on Motorways and A Roads. It sounds good but as always the proof is in the eating. By Graham Hill Car Finance

Related articles

• RAY MASSEY: How the Government is teeing up the Highways Agency for future privatisation… just not before the election (thisismoney.co.uk)

Peugeot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If the financial problems weren’t enough it would seem that Citroen and Peugeot need to sort their cars out, or more importantly their electrics, according to a new report prepared by BBA Reman – a specialist in remanufacturing problematic electrical components (no I don’t know what that means either), based in Rochester, Kent.

Thinking of a change but unsure as to the best way to finance your car? Then you need a copy of my car finance book, Car Finance – A Simple Guide by Graham Hill. Click on the link below to buy the best car finance book on the market, available as a Kindle Book and Paper Back.

They say that they dealt with more Citroens than any other make of car among its 43,500 UK customers. The most common fault was within the ECU’s fitted mainly to C4’s and C5’s.

The same issue caused Peugeot to fall into 2^nd place with the same problem occurring in 206, 307 and 407. Whilst some would say that this isn’t surprising given the difficulties faced by the manufacturers, they may be surprised to learn that contrary to belief that Germans are the most reliable VW and Audi were 3^rd and 4^th respectively. Maybe a bit of a wakeup call there! By Graham Hill Car Finance

Related articles

• Peugeot: European car sales will continue to fall (inautonews.com)

Thanks to all these old people deciding to stay in work till they fall over the cost of business insurance is set to increase year on year.

The aging workforce will have an effect on many of the costs affecting businesses including the cost of their fleet insurance. According to Punter Southall Health and Protection Consulting for every year that the average age of the workforce rises, insurance will increase by between 7-10%.

It is estimated that two million people will be in work beyond 65 by 2022 which is more than double what it is now at 870,000. Other insurances will also be affected with income protection rising by an estimated 20% if it extends from 65 – 70!

Did you know that it’s illegal to drive a car if you have a cold or flu? The same applies to hay fever, in fact any condition that affects your driving makes it illegal to drive whilst suffering. According to the Central Motorway Police Group, ‘A heavy cold or flu causing sneezing and streaming eyes clearly affects fitness to drive and medicine that can Read more »

What is wrong with car insurers? Lots as it goes but one of the headings I’d lop a few under is daft. Let’s take the case of bogus smashes. The ones we read about all the time, known now as ‘cash for crash’ incidents, whereby an accident is staged by drivers resulting in a fraudulent claim. Now if you found a fraudulent claim occurring at say a roundabout or Read more »

If someone does a particular job for a living and you need some advice related to the work he or she does would it not be a good idea to ask them for advice? For example if you weren’t sure how to record expenses in your books would you ask an accountant? Changing some taps in the bathroom, it might be a good idea to get some advice from a Read more »

After a series of sad cases where people have been badly injured and the driver has walked away with a minimal fine and a couple of months in prison the government is about to crack down on those driving dangerously resulting in serious injury. A new offence – causing serious injury by dangerous driving has been recommended by Justice Read more »

As a consultant I have often advised companies on their car policies and driver handbooks. With more stringent health and safety laws it is important that even with just one or two employees that drive on company business you have a driver handbook or incorporate certain items within the employee’s contract of employment. If you are an employer Read more »

Should eye tests be mandatory for drivers? A major insurer thinks so linking eye tests to licence renewals making them mandatory every 10 years. RSA’s ‘Fit to Drive’ campaign examines the link between drivers’ eyesight and road safety and has also asked that new drivers should have an eyesight test when applying for their provisional licence. At the Read more »