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Only one in 10 new car sales could be diesel in as little as five years, says a leading academic.

 

Currently, one-in-four of new cars sold is powered by the fuel, a dramatic decline from the parity with petrol it enjoyed just a few years ago.

 

Its popularity is also on the wane in the company car market, where it has traditionally dominated thanks to its tax-friendly CO2 performance.

 

New figures show that the proportion of diesel cars on the FN50 fleet – the UK’s top 50 leasing companies by risk fleet size – fell from almost two-thirds (63.4%) to close to half (50.5%) over the past 12 months.

 

In terms of vehicles they had ordered in the past year, the flight from diesel was still more pronounced. Almost half of the cars ordered in 2019 were petrol (47.6%), while only two-fifths (38.8%) were diesel.

 

David Bailey, Professor of Business Economics at the Birmingham Business School, said: “There seems to be no end to the decline in diesels.”

 

Overall, diesel new car sales are down by more than a fifth in the past year. Some 515,000 units have been sold year-to-date, compared with 650,000 during the previous 12 months, data from the UK automotive trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), shows.

 

Forecasters say that, with the sharp falls seen in the sale of new diesel cars since 2017, it could lead to an undersupply of used vehicles in 2020 and 2021, which would help sustain residual values. However, it’s unclear whether the decline in new diesel car sales will be mirrored in the used car market. The most recent figures from the SMMT show that demand for used diesels grew by 1.4% in the third quarter, with some 858,442 changing hands.

 

“A big shift away from diesel is still taking place,” said Bailey. “In late 2015, diesel accounted for more than 50% of the market, by March last year it was down to 32% and it has fallen further since then.”

 

The UK is not alone in turning its back on the fuel; its decline is being seen across Europe. In the key market of Germany, diesel’s share has fallen below 30% from having accounted for half the market and to a similar level in France, where three-quarters of new car sales were once diesel.

 

Bailey said: “We are seeing this continuing decline and, while I originally thought the market share for diesel by 2025 would be down to 15%, I now think that’s quite optimistic – it may be as low as 10%.”

 

Despite its popularity in Europe, diesel has not enjoyed similar market penetration in other countries. “It’s negligible in North America, it’s only 4% at best in China and virtually insignificant elsewhere,” he said.

 

“If you go back to the turn of the century, diesel as a share of the market in Europe was only 10-15%. We then gave (the fuel) loads of tax breaks, because we thought it was good for the environment.”

 

Dieselgate followed however, and concerns over the fuel’s impact on air quality has put its market share on a downward trajectory.

 

Bailey told delegates at a recent Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA) seminar the trouble is “people are completely freaked out over diesels”.

 

He said: “They are concerned about falling resale values, they are worried about tighter regulations in cities, higher taxes and its impact on the environment.”

 

He says Government policy has not helped either, labelling it a “complete shambles”.

 

“One part of Government has been saying ‘clean diesels are good’, while another part whacks a load of tax on them.”

 

Government has, however, introduced tax breaks for diesel company cars, which meet strict emissions limits defined by the RDE2 standard.

 

Company car drivers are exempt from the 4% benefit-in-kind (BIK) diesel surcharge, while fleets benefit from not having to pay the higher first-year rate of VED on new diesel cars.

 

The NOx limit for the RDE2 standard, which is measured on the road, 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.

 

Cars achieving RDE1, which allows for a margin of error two times the actual limit, are classified as Euro 6d-temp.

 

RDE2 will apply to all new registrations from January 1, 2021, before the margin for error – the conformity factor – is removed by 2023.

 

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, believes that 2020 could turn out to be a make or break year for diesel, with the success of Euro 6d cars key. However, he acknowledges the outlook is not promising when Bristol’s proposed diesel city centre car ban will not apply to older petrol vehicles, with potentially worse emissions than the latest RDE2 diesels.

 

“RDE2, effectively, puts diesel on a roughly equal footing with petrol from an emissions point of view,” he said. “The question is whether everyone from legislators to the general public are willing or able to make that distinction.”  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News.

Car thieves are stealing some of the most desirable cars and selling them on the black market for as little as £1,000, according to vehicle protection and management technology provider AX.

 

The most sought-after vehicles – usually those with a higher street value – include models from prestige brands such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes.

 

Despite costing from between £18,000-£100,000 to buy new, the vehicles are stolen and quickly sold on for a fraction of their retail or used value – sometimes for just £1,000.

 

The investigation by AX further exposes the activities of car theft gangs as Home Office figures show the number of vehicles stolen in Britain has almost doubled in the last five years.

 

According to an AX source, criminals have put a black-market value of just £1,000 on an Audi A1, while a Range Rover, which costs upwards of £80,000 when new, will go for £1,500-2,000. Once the theft has occurred, the vehicles are typically sold rapidly to a known network which then exports or dismantles them for parts.

 

The BMW 3 Series, a popular model for fleets, was given a  black market value of just £1,500-£1,800.

 

Director of Investigative Services at AX Neil Thomas said: “The list is quite shocking, despite my 30 years working in the police force. We know how the criminals operate but, with the UK theft figures in mind, it’s a sharp reminder of the problem car owners and the industry faces.

 

“Rather than the cars that are stolen most in the UK, this list represents the criminals’ wish list of preferred targets. A typical, current Ford Fiesta, for example, would change hands for little more than £200.

 

“Business and private owners alike are affected by the increase in thefts, so it’s paramount to take precautions to avoid being targeted, or ensure vehicles have robust covert technology so that they can be recovered. Most tracking devices are simply removed after being stolen.”

 

Last month, AX revealed that criminals are using WhatsApp groups to plan and execute car thefts as the UK vehicle crime wave continues, while further research also indicates the growing use of messaging application Telegram for organised vehicle theft.

 

In 2017-18, nearly 112,000 cars were taken illegally, up from 75,308 in the 2013-14 financial year.  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) dominate the landscape of zero emission motoring.

 

Government, manufacturers and suppliers are spending billions of pounds to develop and introduce the technology, with more BEVs being launched and more charge points being installed on a weekly basis.

 

However, BEVs aren’t the only zero-emission option – and, for some, they aren’t even the best option either.

 

Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have been sitting in the background for many years. Hyundai brought the first commercially available model – the ix35 – to market in 2013. But the manufacturer has been developing FCEV systems since 1998 when it opened a dedicated R&D centre.

 

While the technology is lagging far behind BEVs in terms of vehicle availability and infrastructure, analysts such as KPMG believe they have a significant role to play in the future of road transport.

 

Like BEVs, the technology produces zero tailpipe emissions but also offers much faster refuelling times: a hydrogen station can deliver around 300 miles of range in five minutes, while it would take a 150kW rapid charger one hour to do the same.

 

The general opinion among transport industry experts is that FCEV technology works better in larger vehicles, such as lorries and buses, while BEVs will suit the majority of passenger car users.

 

Current market trends support this. There are just two FCEVs currently available to buy in the UK – the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo – while the Go Ultra Low campaign says there are 30 BEVs, with this number set to expand rapidly.

 

Nevertheless, the FCEV’s potential has attracted the attention of the Government as it looks to reduce transport emissions: the Office for Low Emission Vehicles has a £23 million fund to accelerate the take-up of hydrogen vehicles and the roll-out of infrastructure.

 

One beneficiary is the Liverpool City Region combined authority, which was awarded £6.4m earlier this year for a bus project which will see a new hydrogen refuelling station and potentially up to 25 hydrogen buses on the area’s roads.

 

Meanwhile, London has placed an order for 20 FCEV buses due to start work next year.

 

‘The larger the vehicle, the more hydrogen makes sense’

 

“The larger the vehicle, the more hydrogen makes sense,” says Callum Smith, business development officer at ITM Power, which operates seven hydrogen refuelling stations in the UK, with a further six under construction.

 

“You can fill up a hydrogen bus in roughly 10 minutes. In a battery electric bus you can use almost half of the battery on the heater alone, while there’s no distance compromise with the fuel cell. These will get 250 miles while you are looking at a 100-mile range with the battery electric bus.”

 

While examples such as this show why it is clear hydrogen is suited to larger vehicles, it may be less obvious why the fuel is relevant for passenger cars.

 

“I think hydrogen will be really important in heavier vehicles and non-automotive applications, such as shipping,” says Tom Callow, director of communication and strategy at BP Chargemaster.

 

“What I can’t quite get my head around is how a hydrogen passenger car will end up being a more compelling proposition that a pure EV, other than as a real niche – a 3% type niche – product. The EV charging infrastructure, battery capacity and everything else is accelerating at such a pace I can’t see it stacking up economically.”

 

However, the argument is not that FCEV should replace BEV in all applications, but should complement it, dependent on user requirements.

 

“For smaller vehicles and lower distances travelled, BEVs are perfect,” says Paul Marchment, senior business manager at leasing company Arval, which has carried out a series of hydrogen roadshows to raise awareness of the technology.

 

“You plug them in, drive to the office, and as most people only do 20 miles a day, electric cars will suit them. For the occasional longer trip, they might consider a plug-in hybrid.

 

“When you get to the drive cycles that demand a lot of distance and a lot of time, that’s where hydrogen works because it’s so easy to fill up.

 

“I can fill my Toyota Mirai from empty in about four minutes, that 4.5kg of hydrogen gets me about 300 miles and the only emission is water, so what’s not to like?”

 

Obvious answers are the current lack of availability and cost of FCEVs and the limited refuelling infrastructure.

 

However, both scenarios will change in the future, according to Jon Hunt, manager alternative fuel at Toyota.

 

“By 2025, you will start to see all the main carmakers having a fuel cell in the market,” he says. “Between 2025 and 2030 is when you will start to see an acceleration. Again, it won’t be commonplace everywhere but in certain areas: California has mandates, but also the desire, to change and so do markets like the UK.

 

“Post 2030 is when you will start to see that real push, and that will be driven not only by the adoption of new cars, but simply because you won’t be able to achieve the average emission requirements with any other solution.”

 

Toyota and Hyundai lead the way

 

Toyota and Hyundai are leading the development of FCEVs, while Honda also has experience of the technology with its FCX Clarity.

 

BMW is expected to launch an FCEV in 2022, while Hyundai last year entered a cross-licensing agreement with Audi for fuel cell technology, with the German manufacturer announcing it would intensify its development of hydrogen fuel cell technology by re-establishing its h-tron programme.

 

It says a limited-volume Audi FCEV could be offered as part of a lease programme by 2021, with volume production of models during the second half of the next decade.

 

Audi cited concerns over the sourcing of natural resources for battery production and doubts over electric cars being able to deliver on ever-more-demanding customer expectations to explain why it was investing in hydrogen technology.

 

Renault will launch FCEV versions of its Kangoo ZE and Master ZE battery electric vans next year, providing up to three times the range of the BEV models while taking a fraction of the time to refuel.

 

The technology will see the Master ZE’s range increase from 75 miles to 218 miles in the Master ZE Hydrogen, with the Kangoo ZE Hydrogen offering 230 miles, a rise of 87 miles.

 

“These vehicles provide professionals with all the range they require for their long-distance journeys as well as record charging times,” says Denis Le Vot, Alliance SVP of the Renault-Nissan LCV Business Unit.

 

Vehicle costs will also fall. The two FCEVs available in the UK retail at almost £70,000, but it will not be long until the price of hydrogen cars falls more in line with conventional vehicles.

 

“It’s difficult to forecast because it is dependent on volumes, but we pretty clearly indicated that around the mid-2020s, you will have price parity with conventional cars,” says Hunt.

 

This is because the cost of the components is no more than the material cost for a conventional car. FCEVs don’t require the same emissions control systems, the amount of platinum in the fuel stack is not much different than in a diesel catalyst, and there are no oils.

 

“Overall, at scale you could achieve a lower price point – but it’s that scale you need,” Hunt says.

 

“We do get a bit too hung up, generally, on the purchase price. In the fleet market, the cost of ownership is more important and the vehicle’s residual value (RV) is the biggest part of that.

 

“The interesting thing with fuel cells is that your operational costs can be low because in the fuel cell system there is just one maintenance part which is a de-ionising filter like you have at home on your hot water system, which needs replacing every 30,000 miles.

 

“So, when you look at the maintenance and you consider your RV, the fuel cell system will hold an intrinsic value because the components in the fuel stack itself are designed not to wear out and will still do the same job as it did when made.

 

“You can put it in another powertrain, you can use it for stationary power, you can recycle 100% of it, so you’ve got a value in the component which is maintained and that means your RV has a bottom because it always has a market.

 

“You will dispose of your internal combustion engine car when it becomes too expensive to maintain the engine, transmission or other components; you will do the same with a BEV when the battery degrades to a point when it is not usable.

 

“This simply won’t happen with an FCEV.”

 

While future launches will increase the number of FCEVs in the UK, the number is currently tiny – combined, 150 Mirai, Nexo and Hyundai ix35 hydrogen-powered cars, and a handful of buses.

 

Chicken and egg situation

 

This creates a chicken and egg situation when it comes to providing and expanding the refuelling infrastructure, says Smith. At the moment there are just 17 publically-accessible refuelling stations.

 

Phil Killingley, deputy head of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, adds: “You can take different approaches to the roll-out of hydrogen refuelling stations. You can scatter the country and hope the vehicles come along, or, given that the vehicle supply is relatively limited, you can seek to achieve high utilisation of stations with captive fleets and it is the latter approach we have gone for in the UK.”

 

Hydrogen has the advantage that stations can use renewable energy on site to create hydrogen through electrolysis, meaning that as well as the process being eco-friendly, they do not have to be connected to a wider refuelling network or grid.

 

However, the infrastructure will never be able to match that of BEVs, with home and work-based charging accounting for a large proportion of its refill requirements.

 

Alternatively, hydrogen can be created through industrial processes and transported to the stations.

 

Five of ITM’s stations are in the London area and are used by fleets including private hire firm Green Tomato Cars (see case study, page 30), which is operating around 50 Mirai models, and the Metropolitan Police which has 21.

 

“Our stations are based on who has got a fleet that wants them,” says Smith. “For example, there is a gap in the network between Sheffield and Aberdeen and we could easily put a station in there, but if there is not a fleet to use it, then it wouldn’t be a project we would go ahead with.”

 

Smith says a great example of how it can roll-out hydrogen refuelling stations is its Birmingham bus project, which will open in Q1 next year to provide fuel for 20 hydrogen buses.

 

“The reason our project in Birmingham is so key is that it concentrates on that fleet of buses, and we can then say let’s put a public refuelling station on it as well,” he adds.

 

“That’s how I think the refuelling infrastructure will initially be expanded.”

 

How safe are fuel cell vehicles?

 

“A lot of people say ‘hydrogen, it’s going to explode’ and hydrogen does have a high energy density, but if you manage it safely then it does a good job and is super safe,” says Sylvie Childs, senior product manager at Hyundai.

 

Its Nexo was the first FCEV crash-tested by Euro NCAP and achieved the maximum five-star safety rating.

 

“Its rating should dispel concerns around how hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles perform in a crash,” says Matthew Avery, director of research at Thatcham Research.

 

“With the Nexo, Hyundai has successfully demonstrated that alternative fuelled vehicles need not

pose a risk to car safety.”

 

Toyota has taken a similarly thorough approach to safety for Mirai: each of the materials chosen for its hydrogen tank has been selected to contain the fuel safely. Its carbon fibre-wrapped polymer-lined tanks absorb five times the crash energy of steel.

 

In a collision, the hydrogen system shuts off to prevent the gas from travelling to potentially damaged systems outside of the tank. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

A robot is saving drivers on England’s busiest roads from hundreds of hours of disruption, according to Highways England.

 

The machine uses precise positioning technology to mark out where white lines need to be painted on new or resurfaced roads.

 

It has already saved hundreds of hours of working time on various Highways England projects across the country, including Britain’s biggest road upgrade, the £1.5 billion A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement.

 

It also recently pre-marked eight miles of the M6 in Staffordshire in four hours. This work would usually take two engineers over a week to complete.

 

Savings elsewhere include saving 27 hours of working time marking three miles of hard shoulder on the M4 in Berkshire, 77 hours covering five miles of the M6 in Warwickshire, and six hours working on two miles of the M1 in Leicestershire, with further work done on the M60 smart motorway at Manchester.

 

Besides helping drivers, it also has safety benefits for roadworkers and enables them to focus on completing other essential work on each project.

 

Julian Lamb, construction director on the A14 where the robot has been used, said: “We’re always looking at innovative new ways of working, which can help road users, and make our projects more efficient while supporting improved engineering.

 

“With safety our top priority, the time savings the robot can provide, coupled with removing our operatives from a potentially hazardous situation, make it a great solution.

 

“We’ve also been working with a self-driving dumper truck on the project, completing trials of these new technologies to help Highways England more deliver its ambitious programme of roads improvement quickly, safely and efficiently.

 

“These technologies are also supporting new jobs, with the engineers of tomorrow needing to learn new skills such as programming this autonomous equipment.”

 

Ordinarily, pre-marking road markings is a time-consuming job, calculating the positioning of the markings and walking several miles to spray or chalk them on the road.

 

By using the robot, road workers spend far less time in the road and are at less risk of an accident – around 250 drivers illegally drive into roadworks every month, putting workers’ lives at risk. Bending down to pre-mark roads by hand can also raise the risk of back injuries. The robot also boasts improved accuracy and can mark the road faster. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Thousands of cars left unused over the holiday period are in danger of not starting when the majority of fleet drivers return to work, says the RAC.

 

This year the RAC is expecting to be called out to around 12,000 breakdowns on Monday 6 January with nearly a third of those call-outs likely to be flat batteries, it said.

 

on Monday 7 January 2019, RAC patrols dealt with 3,600 battery-related breakdowns, which represented 31% of all its call-outs that day. Wednesday 2nd January 2019 was also busy a day for flat batteries with 2,422, or 26% of all RAC breakdowns.

 

New research carried out with 3,480 members of the RAC Opinion Panel shows 6% of drivers have suffered a post-Christmas flat battery. Of those, 58% say it was due to the vehicle not being used for several days and 13% claim to have fallen victim twice.

 

As many as 40% who have suffered this problem say the last time it happened they were on the way to work, and 17% say it “caused a big problem for them”.

 

The RAC has published a list of tips to minimise the chance of battery-related issues:

 

• Park your vehicle in a garage whenever possible
• Ensure everything is switched off when you finish your journey including lights, heater, fan, heated rear windscreen, and the radio. Sat-navs and other devices can also drain the battery if left connected
• Check the battery connections, ensuring that they are tight and free from any corrosion
• It’s worth getting your battery tested, particularly if it is over four years old
• Take your vehicle for a decent drive to get your battery well charged, and get the engine to its proper operating temperature, before you really need it – ideally several days before. Don’t just check that it starts as this is likely to drain the battery more

 

By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Only one in 10 new car sales could be diesel in as little as five years, says a leading academic.

 

Currently, one-in-four of new cars sold is powered by the fuel, a dramatic decline from the parity with petrol it enjoyed just a few years ago.

 

Its popularity is also on the wane in the company car market, where it has traditionally dominated thanks to its tax-friendly CO2 performance.

 

New figures show that the proportion of diesel cars on the FN50 fleet – the UK’s top 50 leasing companies by risk fleet size – fell from almost two-thirds (63.4%) to close to half (50.5%) over the past 12 months.

 

In terms of vehicles they had ordered in the past year, the flight from diesel was still more pronounced. Almost half of the cars ordered in 2019 were petrol (47.6%), while only two-fifths (38.8%) were diesel.

 

David Bailey, Professor of Business Economics at the Birmingham Business School, said: “There seems to be no end to the decline in diesels.”

 

Overall, diesel new car sales are down by more than a fifth in the past year. Some 515,000 units have been sold year-to-date, compared with 650,000 during the previous 12 months, data from the UK automotive trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), shows.

 

Forecasters say that, with the sharp falls seen in the sale of new diesel cars since 2017, it could lead to an undersupply of used vehicles in 2020 and 2021, which would help sustain residual values. However, it’s unclear whether the decline in new diesel car sales will be mirrored in the used car market. The most recent figures from the SMMT show that demand for used diesels grew by 1.4% in the third quarter, with some 858,442 changing hands.

 

“A big shift away from diesel is still taking place,” said Bailey. “In late 2015, diesel accounted for more than 50% of the market, by March last year it was down to 32% and it has fallen further since then.”

 

The UK is not alone in turning its back on the fuel; its decline is being seen across Europe. In the key market of Germany, diesel’s share has fallen below 30% from having accounted for half the market and to a similar level in France, where three-quarters of new car sales were once diesel.

 

Bailey said: “We are seeing this continuing decline and, while I originally thought the market share for diesel by 2025 would be down to 15%, I now think that’s quite optimistic – it may be as low as 10%.”

 

Despite its popularity in Europe, diesel has not enjoyed similar market penetration in other countries. “It’s negligible in North America, it’s only 4% at best in China and virtually insignificant elsewhere,” he said.

 

“If you go back to the turn of the century, diesel as a share of the market in Europe was only 10-15%. We then gave (the fuel) loads of tax breaks, because we thought it was good for the environment.”

 

Dieselgate followed however, and concerns over the fuel’s impact on air quality has put its market share on a downward trajectory.

 

Bailey told delegates at a recent Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA) seminar the trouble is “people are completely freaked out over diesels”.

 

He said: “They are concerned about falling resale values, they are worried about tighter regulations in cities, higher taxes and its impact on the environment.”

 

He says Government policy has not helped either, labelling it a “complete shambles”.

 

“One part of Government has been saying ‘clean diesels are good’, while another part whacks a load of tax on them.”

 

Government has, however, introduced tax breaks for diesel company cars, which meet strict emissions limits defined by the RDE2 standard.

 

Company car drivers are exempt from the 4% benefit-in-kind (BIK) diesel surcharge, while fleets benefit from not having to pay the higher first-year rate of VED on new diesel cars.

 

The NOx limit for the RDE2 standard, which is measured on the road, 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.

 

Cars achieving RDE1, which allows for a margin of error two times the actual limit, are classified as Euro 6d-temp.

 

RDE2 will apply to all new registrations from January 1, 2021, before the margin for error – the conformity factor – is removed by 2023.

 

Peter Golding, managing director at FleetCheck, believes that 2020 could turn out to be a make or break year for diesel, with the success of Euro 6d cars key. However, he acknowledges the outlook is not promising when Bristol’s proposed diesel city centre car ban will not apply to older petrol vehicles, with potentially worse emissions than the latest RDE2 diesels.

 

“RDE2, effectively, puts diesel on a roughly equal footing with petrol from an emissions point of view,” he said. “The question is whether everyone from legislators to the general public are willing or able to make that distinction.”  By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Drivers are planning more than 31 million getaway trips by car before Christmas Eve bringing gridlock to UK roads, according to the RAC.

 

The roadside recovery company says 31.2 million separate leisure journeys will be taken between today (Tuesday, December 17) and Christmas Eve – the highest number since drivers were first asked about their festive travel plans in 2013.

 

As a result, the RAC is warning of pre-Christmas panic on the roads as many drivers look to complete their journeys to see family and friends well ahead of the big day.

 

It says that 25 million leisure trips by car are predicted to be taken between today and the end of Sunday, with Wednesday and Thursday set to be the worst for traffic delays as leisure and everyday commuter traffic combine.

 

Looking forward to the start of next week, an estimated 5.6 million getaway trips are planned for December 23 and Christmas Eve, and, with fewer commuters on the roads these days, motorists will be hoping for trouble-free journeys as they drive home for Christmas.

 

Data provided by transportation analytics specialists Inrix indicates the M1 in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, the northern and western sections of the clockwise M25 and M6 in the West Midlands are set to bear the brunt of the festive traffic.

 

Two of the longest delays are expected on Sunday, with drivers facing queues of more than an hour and a half northbound between Flitwick and Daventry, and nearly an hour on the M25 clockwise between the junctions for the M23 and M40.

 

RAC patrol of the year Ben Aldous said: “Our figures suggest many more drivers are planning leisure trips by car in the run-up to this Christmas this year, so bumper-to-bumper traffic on some motorways and major A-roads is going to be near-guaranteed.

 

“While Christmas Day is still a little way off, it looks as though millions of drivers are planning to complete their getaway trips this week.

 

“Unfortunately, when you add in the prospect of unsettled weather, with heavy rain and strong winds in some parts, these are likely to be pretty unpleasant drives for many of us.”

 

INRIX transportation analyst Trevor Reed added: “It does look as though this week is going to see a marked rise in traffic volumes on major roads in the UK, with Thursday expected to see the largest increase in vehicles compared to a normal December day.

 

“Drivers desperate to get away for Christmas are going to find themselves competing with commuters and shoppers for road space, so we recommend keeping tuned in to the changing traffic conditions on local radio and via in-car apps.”

 

Highways England says that more than 800 miles of roadworks will be completed or lifted for the festive period.

 

The vast majority of roadworks will be removed from the motorway and major A-road network from 6am on Friday (December 20) until 12.01am on Thursday, January 2.

 

Highways England’s customer service director Melanie Clarke said: “We’re doing everything we can to make journeys as smooth as possible and that’s why we’re keeping around 98% of the road network we manage, free from roadworks.”

 

Looking ahead to traffic between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

 

A separate RAC survey of drivers’ intentions suggests as many as 33 million separate leisure journeys will be taken by car between Christmas Day and the last day of the year, as people criss-cross the country to meet up with friends and family members, wherever they happen to live.

 

Boxing Day and December 27 look to be the busiest, with nearly 6m trips by car expected each day, followed by Saturday with 5.6 million and Sunday with 5.3 million journeys.

 

Check for delays by going online or downloading the various congestion apps. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

One in four drivers have had their car damaged by a speedhump or pothole, according to new research by Insurethegap.com.

 

In urban areas the damage rate was even higher, with one in three of those surveyed stating that their car had suffered damage.

 

Ben Wooltorton, COO at InsuretheGap.com, said, “Damage to cars caused by speedhumps and potholes, in particular, is becoming a big problem as councils struggle with the cost of repairing them. This cold snap will see more potholes and, as we can see from the research, repairs can run into hundreds of pounds. It really is worth avoiding them if possible, and going a different way if the road is particularly bad.”

 

More than a quarter (26%) said the average cost of repairing the damage ranged from £51 to £100. A third (35%) paid between £101 and £250 to rectify damage and 8% said it cost more than £250.

 

Two fifths (39%) of affected drivers complained to the council about the potholes or speedhumps and more than half of them (55%) said their compliant was ignored, but 39% said action was taken as a result. One in ten (10%) went so far as to send their bill to the council.

 

A fifth (21%) said they had considered complaining “but didn’t see the point as nothing would change”, and 12% complained to Highways England/Transport Scotland/Traffic Wales or the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure.

 

Instead of complaining, one in six (17%) now take a longer route to avoid potholes.

 

In 2017 – 2019, more than 905,000 potholes were reported on UK roads according to Confused.com.

 

The Transport Select Committee’s latest report, Local roads funding and maintenance: filling the gap, addresses ‘the extreme state of disrepair of the English local road network’. It identifies a drop in local government revenue funding of around 25% since 2010, resulting in funds for local roads no longer being ring-fenced. As a result ‘cash-strapped authorities have diverted their highways and transport budgets to fund core services’.

 

The findings state that a deteriorating local road network undermines local economic performance, results in direct costs to taxpayers, damages vehicles and causes injuries to passengers, ‘particularly those with existing medical conditions’. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Venson Automotive Solutions is offering fleet managers advice on how to help their drivers maintain a healthy winter-ready electric vehicle (EV) battery.

 

Alison Bell, marketing director at Venson Automotive Solutions, said: “With weather forecasts predicting freezing conditions this winter, EV drivers face a different set of challenges to keep their vehicles in tip-top condition.

 

“For example, the batteries that power EVs are very temperature sensitive, so bad weather can reduce a car’s range and increase the length of time needed to recharge the battery. However, there are many steps that drivers can take to maximise range if a big freeze sets in.

 

“Whatever powertrain vehicle you are driving this winter, it is important to prepare your vehicle, so it functions efficiently in adverse driving conditions.

 

“Not only does it reduce wear and tear, it also helps mitigate against the chances of having an accident due to driving a poorly maintained vehicle.”

 

Here’s Venson’s safety and risk management EV winter-wear tips:

 

1. Use the vehicle’s precondition function. This allows the driver to heat or cool the battery and cabin as needed, allowing the stored energy in the battery to be used as its main purpose, to power the vehicle.
2. Be Battery Kind. Batteries like consistency, so when possible, avoid running your battery super low. Aim to stay between 20 and 80 percent charged whenever you can to maximise battery efficiency and longevity.
3. Plug-in. By making sure the car is plugged in while preconditioning means you are not draining the battery. Tesla and the new Jaguar I-Pace electric for example, will let you do this remotely via an app.
4. Regenerative Braking. When the battery is very cold using the regenerative braking system will be less effective. Therefore, friction brakes will need to be used more until the battery warms up.
5. Use the Eco Mode. Eco Mode generally reduces the amount of power supplied to the drive motor and features, like the cabin heater. Used in the winter, it can reduce the power to the motor, so the car accelerates more slowly – not a bad thing as it reduces the possibility of wheel spin.
6. Properly inflated tyres. As the temperature drops, tyre pressure falls and under-inflated tyres create more road friction, which impacts on the vehicle’s efficiency. Drivers need to check tyre pressure and general tyre health regularly as properly inflated and safe tyres are an easy way to help maximise winter range.

 

Last year, Venson urged van operators to consider adopting electric vehicles, saying that fears over a lack of charging points is misplaced. By Graham Hill Thanks To Fleet News

Road tolls, clean air zones (CAZs) and a scrappage scheme could be employed by the Welsh Government to improve air quality.

 

Launching a 12-week consultation on its Clean Air Plan for Wales, the Welsh Government says that it is committed to promoting the transition to ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs).

 

It said it was working on a proposal for all new cars and light goods vehicles (LGVs) in public sector fleets to be ultra-low emission by 2025 and where practicably possible, all heavy goods to be ultra-low emission by 2030.

 

Furthermore, it said it was considering potential access restrictions for certain vehicles in urban areas, introducing toll roads and reviewing the feasibility of a scrappage scheme with credits for public transport.

 

A review of the effectiveness of anti-idling legislation to protect those most vulnerable from harmful transport emissions will also be carried out.

 

Public Health Wales estimates air pollution has contributed to up to 1,400 deaths in 2017.

 

Lesley Griffiths, minister for environment, energy and rural affairs at the Welsh Government, said: “Everyone in Wales should be able to breathe healthy air, access healthy and protected natural resources and enjoy sustainable and clean economic growth.

 

“The Clean Air Plan for Wales: Healthy Air, Healthy Wales provides a national framework within which all areas of society can work together towards these objectives.”

 

The plan brings together work across government and the public sector. It consolidates progress already made and proposes a range of new actions and commitments. These include funding new infrastructure, tightening existing regulations and acting as a stepping stone to a new Clean Air Act for Wales.

 

It also includes ambitions to meet and, where possible, exceed requirements set out in UK and international guidance and legislation. Furthermore, it commits the Welsh Government to publish a white paper this Assembly term on a Clean Air Act for Wales.

 

Griffiths said: “We have made good progress but we must continue to improve. We must improve air quality, not just in the most polluted hotspots, but across all of Wales.”

 

The 12-week consultation seeks views on existing commitments and proposed new actions in the plan including: increasing air quality monitoring outside areas such as schools and hospitals to protect those most vulnerable from transport emissions; reviewing powers local authorities have to tackle emissions from the indoor burning of solid fuels such as wood and coal; and assessing the contribution bonfires and fireworks make to levels of harmful emissions.

 

However, it is the Welsh Government’s announcement it is investigating measures aimed at reducing vehicle use such as road pricing that will be of most interest to fleet operators.

 

The House of Commons Transport Committee recently announced it intends to launch a formal inquiry into road pricing next year.

 

It said it wants to start a national debate about road pricing – something that has been lacking for more than a decade since the then Labour Government’s road pricing plans were abandoned.

 

Road pricing is seen as a potential replacement for dwindling fuel duty revenues. They are down by £19 billion since 2000 and the £40bn annual income from fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is likely to decline sharply in the future, and may end entirely if the UK Government keeps its pledge to fully decarbonise road transport within two decades.

 

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has also said that the UK Government needs to design new taxes which can gradually replace fuel duties.

 

The consultation on the Welsh Government’s plans will close on March 10, 2020. By Graham Hill With Thanks To Fleet News