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Petrol and diesel pump prices could rise by 10p per litre as the price of oil hits a 13-month high.

Analysts are predicting dramatic fuel price hike as the price of a barrel of oil is set to soar from $64 to $80.

The RAC is warning that UK drivers need to brace themselves for further potentially dramatic pump price increases.

Having dropped to just $13 last April, the price of a barrel of oil has now recovered, jumping by $20 in three months. Some analysts are now predicting oil could reach $80 a barrel this year, a price last seen in October 2018, and petrol prices could rise to around 130p and diesel to 134.5p based on today’s exchange rate.

At $100 a barrel – a price that JPMorgan has said is a possibility next year – petrol and diesel could hit records high of 143p and 148p respectively.

RAC Fuel Watch data shows that petrol prices have already been rising for 13 straight weeks, with a litre now 8.03p more expensive than November 22, 2020, at 121.84p per litre.

The situation with diesel is even more pronounced, with prices now having risen for 14 weeks (up 7.68p since November 15, 2020) at 124.91p per litre.

RAC fuel spokesman Simon Williams said: “When the pandemic hit last year, the effect on forecourt prices was nothing if not dramatic – those still driving through March and April paid less to fill up than they had done since mid-2016, when the price of oil plummeted as a result of deliberate over production.

“But by the summer the oil price had rebounded and today is at a level not seen since the start of 2020, meaning storm clouds are once again gathering over UK forecourts. Ironically and rather unfortunately, as economic confidence grows as measures to combat the coronavirus take effect, it’s likely to mean drivers end up paying more to fill up in the coming weeks.

“The last thing drivers, and possibly the economy, need is a fuel duty increase – not least as petrol prices have now been rising for 13 consecutive weeks. A hike in duty at a time of rising fuel prices could put unprecedented pressure on lower-income households and might have the negative effect of forcing everyone who depends on their cars to consider cutting back on other spending.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers can pay more than four times as much for the same amount of electricity when they use different public chargers, new research reveals.

A study carried out by What Car? has highlighted that charging a BMW iX3, with an 80kWh battery, from 10%-80% could cost between £9.32 and £40.66, as a result of the different tariffs and charges offered across the UK charging network.

BP’s Pulse 7.4kW pay-as-you-go tariff was the cheapest found, with a charge costing £9.32 for the iX3, at a cost of £0.18 per kWh.

While other providers were found to offer cheaper kWh rates, they often required a subscription fee or one-off payment, which inflated prices.

With a subscription, these networks would help owners save money in the long run. However, charging up at home is still the cheapest option, with the 10-80% boost for the iX3’s batteries costing £7.25.

Source London Flexi (7.4kW) delivered the most expensive charge in the study, costing £40.66 – despite providing the same 7.4kW charging speed as BP Pulse.

Available to London residents in Camden, Kensington & Chelsea, and Westminster, the charge included a £10 one-off sign-up fee and £0.073 per minute tariff.

The network’s 7.4kW chargers automatically stop charging a fee after four hours for cars being charged up between 8pm and 7pm, so an overnight charge for the iX3 on the Flexi tariff would cost £27.52, including the initial £10 fee.

The one-off fee also makes the first daytime charge on a 22kW Source London Flexi subscription expensive at £38.79. That said, subsequent charges are more affordable and frequent users will recoup the cost of the initial fee. It’s also important to note that Source London only charges its highest rates in the three London boroughs listed above; prices are lower elsewhere and many of its chargers are free to use.

A spokesperson for the company said: “Source London is the only network to include on-street parking in its usage fees. This gives our members the ability to park anywhere in London, including Central London, without having to pay any additional on-street parking fees which would often have to be paid separately at other locations.”

Outside London, Ionity’s rapid 350kW network proved most expensive, with a £0.69 per kWh fee to use its rapid chargers. The 80% charge would take just 35 minutes, though, compared with more than seven hours using a slower 7.4kW charger.

What Car? editor Steve Huntingford said: “Unlike petrol and diesel prices, which are relatively stable across the country, tariffs for the UK’s public charging network can vary wildly due to different electricity and subscription fees. Our research highlights the importance of doing your research before you leave home to find the most cost-effective way to make your journey.”

The findings follow the launch of a Government consultation to investigate ways to improve the public charging experience for drivers.

Among the key points is a proposal that charge point operators have to make pricing information more readily available, along with location and power output data.

The Government says that this is essential for ensuring costs are fair, for driving competition, and for increasing the confidence of both existing EV drivers and those considering making the switch.

Cost of charging a BMW iX3 (80kWh), according to What Car?’s study:

Cost of charging a BMW iX3 (80kWh), according to What Car?’s study:

Network and tariff	Monthly fee (£)	Fee per charge (£)	Cost per kWh (£/kWh)	Total 10-80% charge cost (£)
Source London Flexi (7.4kW)*	0.00	0.00	0.073 per min	40.66
Source London Flexi (22kW)*	0.00	0.00	0.13 per min	38.79
Ionity (350kW)	0.00	0.00	0.69	35.74
Source London PAYG (7.4kW)	0.00	0.00	0.084 per min	35.28
Source London Full (7.4kW)	4.00	0.00	0.05 per min	25.00
Source London PAYG (22kW)	0.00	0.00	0.157 per min	22.18
BP Pulse subscription (150kW)	7.85	0.00	0.27	21.84
BP Pulse PAYG (150kW)	0.00	0.00	0.42	21.76
BP Pulse PAYG contactless (150kW)	0.00	0.00	0.42	21.76
Shell Recharge (43kW, 50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.39	20.20
ESB subscription London (50kW)	4.99	0.00	0.28	19.49
Source London Full (22kW)	4.00	0.00	0.109 per min	19.40
Osprey (22kW to 50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.36	18.65
Instavolt (50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.35	18.13
Geniepoint London (43kW, 50kW)	0.00	1.80	0.30	17.34
Char.gy PAYG (7kW)	0.00	0.00	0.33	17.09
Ubitricity SmartCable Membership (7.4kW)	7.99	0.19	0.16	16.57
Geniepoint Rapid (43kW, 50kW)	0.00	1.00	0.30	16.54
ESB contactless London (50kW)	0.00	0.50	0.30	16.04
Geniepoint (7kW, 22kW)	0.00	0.50	0.30	16.04
BP Pulse subscription (50kW)	7.85	0.00	0.15	15.62
BP Pulse PAYG contactless (50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.30	15.54
Ecotricity (43kW, 50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.30	15.54
ESB PAYG London (50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.30	15.54
BP Pulse subscription (7kW)	7.85	0.00	0.12	14.07
BP Pulse PAYG (50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.25	12.95
Ubitricity PAYG (7.4kW)	0.00	0.00	0.24	12.43
Pod Point (43kW, 50kW)	0.00	0.00	0.23	11.91
BP Pulse PAYG (7.4kW)	0.00	0.00	0.18	9.32

*£10 sign-up fee, the cost per minute on 7.4kW chargers is capped at four hours between 8pm and 7am, making overnight charging cheaper

A warning has been issued to fleet operators who are turning to Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) cars without instructing their drivers as to how to get the most out of them. Some advice is the same for drivers of PHEV’s generally so I thought it would benefit all my readers by including here.

It reminded me of a very early case whereby a large company, having read of the benefits to the environment and seeing fuel consumption figures of over 140mpg they moved most of their company car fleet over to the newly launched Mitsubishi Outlander.

Their fleet manager was astonished to see average MPG figures of 27, much less than they had achieved with their diesel fleet. They had overlooked the fact that drivers needed the facilities at home or at work to plug-in the cars to an electric supply in order to achieve the high numbers of miles per gallon. Most cars were not being plugged in at all with drivers believing that the cars would self-charge anyway.

Here is what Fleet News says:

Employers need to undertake due diligence on driver charging facilities as electric vehicles (EVs) start to make their way onto fleets in larger numbers, says the Association of Fleet Operators (AFP).

Chair Paul Hollick said that this was especially important for drivers of petrol hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) who could potentially choose not to charge them and instead continually fuel up at the pump.

He explained: “Our members are rapidly gaining practical experience of operating EVs and one of the things that is becoming clear is that you can’t just have a short chat with a driver about the fact that they want to adopt an EV as their company car and then hand them the keys.

“Fleets need to ensure that drivers have a good understanding of their charging options, have their own charging facilities that are not just a standard socket and, in the case of PHEVs, will always charge the car even when there is option to avoid doing so.

“It’s a case of carrying out some basic due diligence so that you are gaining the maximum operational and environmental benefit from EVs and PHEVs, while minimising some of the potential pitfalls.”

In most cases drivers are paying for their own home charger although, in some cases with larger employers, a third party will provide installation on some kind of preferential terms.

However, there is a different picture for drivers of electric vans, where most employers are paying for the charger to be installed on the basis that it is a job-need requirement that they are effectively stipulating.

Sometimes, the fitting of the charger is being added to the monthly lease rate in order to provide a higher degree of affordability.

Hollick added that some fleets were stipulating that EV and PHEV drivers should sign a declaration covering basic points of vehicle operation.

“These employers are asking their drivers to ensure that they keep their vehicle adequately charged, that they have a charger available on their drive and even, where there is only on-street parking, that some form of charger is easily available.

“The conditions for PHEVs are tighter. We’ve all come across a few instances in recent years where drivers have chosen these vehicles to minimise personal taxation and then used them purely as an internal combustion engined car. This makes them extremely expensive to operate and destroys any environmental advantage. Analysis shows that a poorly used PHEV is more expensive to operate than a petrol of diesel equivalent.

“Creating a declaration that electric power will be used as often as possible for PHEVs is a potentially effective solution to this issue and something that we have seen a number of fleets now adopt. It makes the driver aware of their responsibilities and that shows them that their employer takes these matters seriously.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Buy a new car, and it’ll come with a warranty. Here we explain what it covers and what it doesn’t, and for how long.

If you’ve recently bought a new car then it will have come with a warranty. And with new cars becoming increasingly complex – just look at the number of vehicles that feature hybrid technology these days – it’s never been more important to be familiar with the cover your warranty provides.

Used cars bought from dealers usually have a warranty of some kind too but the original manufacturer’s warranty that comes with all cars from new is the most comprehensive.

So what is a warranty? It’s a written guarantee that your new car won’t suffer any major mechanical problems over a certain period of time, and that if it does, the cost of repairs will be met by the manufacturer or dealer.

The warranty will outline exactly what parts of the car are covered, and for how long. This either takes the form of a time limit, a mileage limit, or both. All manufacturers have their own variations for the vehicles they sell.

In any case, your car’s warranty is a legal document that means you don’t need to worry about footing the bill for any big problems that might occur in your first few years of ownership.

The majority of new car warranties will last for three years, although some carmakers cover the first two years and leave the dealer to provide the remaining twelve months.

New car warranties are usually issued automatically, meaning you don’t have to negotiate to get one. But if you intend to keep your car longer than is covered by the warranty, most manufacturers and dealers will let you buy an extended warranty.

This will cost you a bit more money, but in most cases you should still get a similar degree of cover as provided by the existing warranty.

What will your car warranty cover?

The whole car will be covered by a warranty, but there will be different warranties covering different parts of the car, such as for the car’s paintwork and a guarantee against corrosion, too.

If you’re buying an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid, you’ll find that the battery and drive system will usually be covered by a second guarantee that runs alongside the standard warranty.

If you’re buying a used car, there are warranties available to you, too. Buy a pre-owned car from a franchise dealer, and there is likely to be a warranty available, depending on the car’s age – indeed, if the car is new enough, it’ll still be covered by the original guarantee, as the warranty coverage on a new car is transferable between owners.

Breakdown firms such as the AA and RAC also offer warranty coverage on used cars, which some non-franchise car dealers use to help give their business a higher profile and their customers extra peace of mind.

Even if you buy privately, companies such as Warrantywise can supply you with warranty cover to help you out in the event of something going wrong with a used car.

Much like car insurance, these companies will take into consideration the age and condition of the car before offering you a quote for 12 months of cover. Taking out a used car warranty can be a useful safety net, especially if you’re running an expensive car that has been bought used for a bargain amount, and gives added peace of mind if a used car doesn’t come up to scratch. 

Below we run down the different types of warranty that are associated with new and used cars, from the standard new car warranty to paint and battery cover in EVs, through to extended warranties and used car cover.

What is a new car warranty?

A new car warranty is the guarantee that car manufacturers issue when they sell a new car. Each car maker will have a set warranty that applies to all of the cars that it sells in the UK. The majority of car makers offer a three-year warranty, although the main exceptions to this are Hyundai, Mitsubishi (both five years) and Kia (seven years).

Some makers have offered longer warranty periods in the past than they do now, the last being Renault, which offered a four-year warranty until recently. Vauxhall also offered a lifetime warranty for a while. This was limited to the first registered owner of the car, and also had caveats that meant the car must be serviced at a Vauxhall franchise.

However, with very little uptake on such cover and an increasing number of buyers now running cars for three years on finance, the three-year warranty has held out, and both Renault and Vauxhall stick with the standard three-year cover.

While three years is a fairly standard time period for a new car warranty, manufacturers also add a mileage limit to the warranty to ensure the vehicle is covered for what it determines to be a fair amount of time. So the warranty will last for the time period or the distance quoted, whichever comes first.

The amount of miles you can cover varies according to which manufacturer you choose. Some offer a 36,000-mile limit, while others offer unlimited mileage. As an example of the differences, Mitsubishi’s five-year cover has a 62,500-mile limit, while Hyundai, which also offers a five-year warranty, has unlimited mileage for private buyers.

Likewise, Kia’s seven-year warranty has a mileage limit of 100,000 miles, so for some high-mileage drivers, the Hyundai warranty could be more attractive.

The wording of the new car warranty will provide a general overview that gives a new car buyer an idea of what is covered, but more importantly, there will be a lot of small print that will explain what isn’t covered.

The overall objective of the new car warranty is to ensure that a car’s major mechanical components (the engine, gearbox, suspension, electrical system and safety systems) work as they should throughout the duration of the warranty. And if anything should go wrong, then the manufacturer will cover the cost of rectifying the fault.

As a result, you will find that so-called ‘wear and tear’ items and consumables, such as the tyres, brakes, belts, fluids and lubricants, wipers, bulbs and fuses won’t be covered by the warranty. It won’t cover damage to wheels from kerbing, either, or if the interior trim has squeaks or rattles. There will also be wording within the warranty that puts the onus on the car’s owner to drive it normally and treat the car properly, as misuse could invalidate the warranty.

This can include using a sports car on a race track, or an SUV for severe off-roading, or even an MPV or family car that has seen use as a taxi or for private hire.

If the manufacturer can find the car has been modified – such as the ECU being reprogrammed, a non-standard exhaust system has been fitted, or if the odometer has been tampered with – then these modifications are likely to invalidate the car’s warranty, too.

What is an extended warranty?

An extended warranty isn’t the five- or seven-year guarantees dished out by makers such as Hyundai, Mitsubishi or Kia. Instead, an extended warranty refers to the extra cover that new car buyers can pay for to give added peace of mind.

The extended warranty will be an option that some car manufacturers offer as an optional extra when you spec up a new car, while many manufacturers also offer existing owners the option to extend their car’s warranty before the standard warranty expires.

Manufacturers offer this longer warranty because there isn’t as much stress put on an EV’s battery as there would be in a conventional combustion-engined car. Again, the usual small print about tampering and modification of the battery pack applies, and just like the standard warranty for the rest of the car, the battery warranty is transferable when the car is sold on.

What is a paintwork or perforation warranty?

Paintwork warranties are designed to guarantee the quality and finish of a vehicle’s bodywork. They are usually accompanied by a perforation warranty, which guarantees the bodywork against any rust or corrosion that may occur because of faults in the vehicle building process.

The paintwork warranty usually lasts for the same length of time as the standard warranty, so normally three years, because the paintwork is the first form of defence against the elements. That means the paint is prone to damage from stone chips, scratches, bird lime and tree sap, which can have a deteriorating effect on paint.

After three years it will be hard to determine whether paint damage is a result of poor production or wear and tear, which is why the paintwork warranty is only as long as the vehicle’s overall warranty.

A perforation warranty will last for a longer period, and it guarantees against rust and corrosion that are the result of poor manufacture. A perforation warranty will be clearly worded to guarantee against corrosion that comes from a source within the bodywork, ie: not caused by external damage. Some warranties explicitly state that the bodywork has to have a hole all the way through it before the manufacturer will take action.

The duration of the perforation warranty will vary between manufacturers, and it may also vary between models, depending on where each model is built. On the whole, anti-perforation warranties last for 12 years, although some makers sometimes have models that are an exception to the general rule, when they are built at a different plant, for example.

What is an approved used car warranty?

An approved used car warranty will be a level of cover that is offered on approved used cars sold via a franchised dealer. Usually, the used cars that a manufacturer approved dealer has on sale will be less than three years old, so most will have some of their existing warranty cover still to run.

But to give used car buyers added peace of mind, a used car warranty will be offered to anybody buying a used car from the franchise.

The used car warranty will be included on an approved used car once it has been given a full inspection to make sure it meets the standards expected by the manufacturer.

Usually the used car warranty will be valid for 12 months, and there will be small print to say if there’s a mileage limit that you need to stick to so that you get the full year of cover.

In general terms, the used car warranty will offer the same amount of cover as a new car warranty, because the cars it is issued against will be nearly new, so there is a low risk of a warranty claim being made against such a car. However, it’s always worth checking the small print to see what the used car warranty covers because not all manufacturer cover will be the same.

What is a used car warranty?

If you’re buying a used car outside of the UK’s franchise dealer network or want warranty cover for an older car then you still can. However the warranty cover will be entirely dependent on where you buy your used car from.

Second-hand car dealers don’t have to offer warranty cover of any description, but those that want to raise their profile and trade on a good reputation will offer a used car warranty to keep their customers happy.

One of the favourite ways of doing this is by offering a warranty provided by the AA or RAC. The breakdown firms will carry out a multi-point inspection on a used vehicle before providing warranty cover, while the cover will last for at least six months. And as you would expect, these warranties will also be accompanied by breakdown cover for the same period.

What is private warranty cover?

If you’re buying privately, there is still warranty cover that you can take out so that your new purchase won’t leave you out of pocket. Again, the AA and RAC provide warranty cover direct to buyers, and it can be tailored to suit any car, irrespective of age, mileage or condition.

Of course, the older the car, the amount you pay is likely to rise, and what is covered is also likely to be limited to the major mechanical components.

Another option is the aftermarket warranty, provided by companies such as Warrantywise and Warranty Direct. These firms offer warranty coverage on older cars up to a certain age and mileage, and you buy the warranty in a similar way to car insurance.

That means you can pay in a lump sum or monthly repayments for your convenience. Again, these warranties are flexible, so you can pick how long the warranty lasts (it should be transferable with the car if you sell it on), and there are different levels of cover depending on the car’s age, mileage and previous history. By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

The UK’s departure from the EU means British drivers snared by speed cameras on roads in Europe will no longer be sent fines. And those Britons, resident in the EU, who return to the UK in foreign registered cars will also avoid fines.

As a member of the EU, Britain had signed up to a directive that allowed member states to share the contact details of those caught by speed cameras.

The directive was introduced because data revealed that a high percentage of speeding offences were committed by foreign drivers who were escaping the financial penalties.

Naturally Britain’s departure from the EU on January 1st meant that for the foreseeable future British holidaymakers and second-home owners driving in EU countries will not be issued fines if they are snared.

The same goes for drivers of EU-registered cars travelling on roads in the UK who are caught speeding or committing other driving offences caught on camera.

Since Britain signed up to the directive and began the data sharing in 2019, hundreds of thousands of British holidaymakers have been fined.

In France alone some 444,378 fines were sent to British drivers in 2019 which according to French driving site Caradisiac was the equivalent of between €30 to €60 million.

With such big sums of money at stake it’s no surprise some EU countries are intent on negotiating bilateral agreements with the UK to ensure contact details are shared in future.

“We will initiate bilateral negotiations with the UK, in order to reach an agreement like we have with Switzerland,” a French Interior Ministry spokesperson told Caradisiac.

But the UK is unlikely to be a in rush to enter into those talks, not least because of the ongoing pandemic that has crippled travel to and from the EU, but also because it just might not be worth it financially.

The UK avoided signing up to the cross-border directive for many years because it believed it just wasn’t profitable to process the fines abroad given the relatively small number of European-based drivers caught speeding in the UK.

But Beware: For certain EU countries like Spain and France where British holidaymakers and second-home owners often travel by car, it’s a different matter.

British drivers who are pulled over by local police in the EU for speeding or other offences will still have to pay their fines, however.

It is also the case that in the UK British police have the right to take a ‘Roadside Deposit’ if the driver doesn’t have a UK address. But with the vast majority of speeders being caught by cameras with so few police on our roads we could lose some substantial fine income.

France’s ministry of interior lamented the fact that Britain was no longer in the EU. In a statement to The Local a spokesperson said: “The purpose of the directive is to put an end to the impunity of motorists who commit offences in a Member State other than that of their residence, to improve road safety throughout the EU and to guarantee the equal treatment between drivers whether or not they are residents of the Member State where the offence was committed.

Through this exchange system, Member States can identify the owners of vehicles with which the infringement has been committed in their territory and send them notifications of infringements.”

Reminder

The 2015 European Directive, nicknamed Cross-Border Directive does not only target drivers caught on camera speeding or running red lights.

It covers six other offences:

1. failure to wear a seat belt
2. driving while intoxicated
3. driving under drugs
4. the non-wearing of a helmet by two-wheeler drivers
5. driving on a prohibited lane
6. mobile phone use while driving

By Graham Hill thanks to The Local

Local councils across England have been handed £500 million to fill millions of potholes over the course of the next financial year.

In the 2020 Budget, the Chancellor announced a £2.5 billion Potholes Fund for the 2020/21 to 2024/25 financial years. The Department for Transport has confirmed that the 2021/22 money has now been allocated. With potholes costing an average of £50 to fill, it’s expected that around 10 million craters on thousands of roads will be repaired.

The South-West received £90,031,000 – more than any other region. The South-East has been allocated £82,693,000, the East of England has been given £68,534,000 and the North-West has received £66,467,000.

The East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber have been allocated £57,358,000, £54,486,000 and £51,940,000 respectively. Finally, the North-East has received £28,492,000.

The £500 million allocated for just one year of the Potholes Fund is more than the entire £296 million Pothole Action Fund that covered 2015/16 to 2020/21.

Transport minister Baroness Vere said: “The funding allocated today will help councils ensure roads in their area are kept up to standard, and that the potholes that blight road users can be dealt with promptly.”

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, said the UK’s local road network is “in desperate need of repair”.

“Last month, just 15 per cent of our members told us that residential roads were in a good condition,” he added. “However, studies show that residential roads in England get resurfaced on average every 119 years. If your street is lucky enough to be chosen we’d recommend a socially distanced celebration, as it will probably be a once in a lifetime event!”

How To Claim For Pothole Damage

Thinking about a claim for pothole damage compensation? Read our handy pothole claims guide for the key dos and don’ts.

Potholes, and the damage they can cause, is a growing problem for motorists in the UK. Local councils point to years of underinvestment and squeezed resources as reasons for cutting spending on essential pothole repair work, but that doesn’t help when you’re facing a hefty bill for pothole damage to your car. But is there any way of gaining compensation? This is our guide to making pothole claims.

The total damage caused by hitting potholes costs unfortunate UK motorists an incredible £730 million every year, with the average individual pothole repair bill totting up to almost £110 per motorist. Potholes can cause damage to tyres, wheels, the suspension, exhaust and even the bodywork, while drivers of low-slung sporty models with expensive low-profile tyres on big alloy wheels can fare much worse than the average car, too. The number of potholes could also be a factor in the growing popularity of high-riding crossovers and SUVs.

However, according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance it would take councils 14 years just to catch up with all the backlog of pothole repairs needed to UK roads if they carry on fixing them at the current rate. One council has even attempted to skirt the pothole problem by increasing the minimum ‘official depth’ of a pothole from 40mm to 60mm in an attempt to defer essential pothole repairs until the problems worsen.

Making your claim for pothole damage

Given the amount of money raised by government on road tax and fuel tax, it’s perfectly understandable when damage caused by the pothole menace makes motorists want to hold authorities to account.

However while it is possible in some cases to hold a local council (or the Highways Agency when main roads are affected) responsible for car damage caused by unrepaired potholes, it’s not as straightforward as many would like.

Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980

Local authorities typically refuse all claims as a first step, quoting Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980. Section 58 offers a ‘catch all’ defence, and means the council is saying it took all reasonable steps to maintain the road, and that potholes were dealt with in a timely manner.

Unfortunately council officers use Section 58 routinely in rejecting claims, even when they know this isn’t true. They do so on legal advice, as lawyers know most pothole damage claimants will give up at the first hurdle.

From then on, it’s down to you to do the detective work to determine whether the council has indeed carried out its inspections and maintenance to the required standard – which generally means in accordance with the Well-Maintained Highways Code of Practice.

This may be time-consuming and difficult, as you’ll probably need to use Freedom of Information requests to determine whether the council has failed in its statutory obligations. Specialist websites like the warranty industry-funded Potholes.co.uk can offer detailed help and support, but meanwhile here’s what you need to do if you fall foul of a damaging pothole on the road:

Pothole damage – essential steps to make a successful claim

1. Take notes and photographs at the scene

When it’s safe to do so, pull over to make a note of the exact location of the pothole that damaged your car. You should also record its size, depth and shape, and contact details for any witnesses. It may help a later claim if you can take supporting photographs on your mobile phone to record as much of the information as possible. Never take chances with safety at the scene of the incident though, or things could get very much worse when the next car comes around the corner!

2. Repair the damage

If you need immediate roadside repairs then you can’t do much else but follow the advice of your breakdown service or the garage you’ve called out. If repairs can wait, then it’s worthwhile getting several quotes from different repairers so you can show as part of any subsequent claim that you’ve acted to achieve the best price.

3. Report the pothole

Be a good citizen and do your bit to help make sure fellow motorists don’t fall into the same trap by alerting the council (or Highways Agency). There’s an easy way to do that by using the official online pothole reporting service.

4. Submit your claim

Write a calm letter to the local council (or Highways Agency) outlining the incident where damage was caused, the extent of the damage, and that you hold the council liable. They should respond within a couple of weeks, most likely with a Section 58 defence – but you never know, and might be lucky!

5. Decide whether to pursue your claim

Now for the tricky bit. You will have to use your investigative powers to determine whether the council has indeed fulfilled its statutory Section 58 obligations. You are entitled to ask relevant questions about the scheduling and quality of inspections and repairs on the road in question. You must subsequently determine whether you have a realistic case for pursuing your claim.

If so, write again to the council outlining your grounds for argument. It may be that the council agrees to pay up on receipt of your evidence, but if they don’t you are then faced with a choice of court action. A small claims court action is very cheap and easy via the latest web-based system called Money Claim Online, but whether it’s worth pursuing or not will depend on the cost of repairs, the amount of time you can afford, and the level of your moral outrage.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

Sales of internal combustion engine (ICE) petrol and diesel cars could be curtailed ahead of the Government’s planned 2030 ban, when it publishes the finer details of its strategy in the spring.

Since announcing it would end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in 2030, with a five-year grace period for some hybrids, the Government has yet to provide clarity on how it will be achieved.

Speaking at the Westminster Energy, Environment & Transport Forum policy conference for low emission vehicles in December, Katie Black, joint head of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) at the Department for Transport (DfT), indicated that the Government wants to avoid a situation where car makers are “selling the maximum amount of petrol and diesel cars right up to the 2030 milestone”.

She said: “We do see it as a risk, and we will be looking publicly at ways to mitigate that. What you probably want is a gradual phase out, a gradual shift across the fleet. And we’re looking at how a regulatory regime could support that.”

No further details were given as to how sales might be restricted, but a key part of Government strategy will be to promote and encourage private buyers and fleets to opt for electric vehicles (EVs) as soon as they can.

This includes an investment of £1.3 billion to strengthen the UK’s charging infrastructure and to extend the plug-in car grant.

Dylan Setterfield, head of forecast strategy at Cap HPI, said: “It is hard to see how volume restrictions in ICE cars could work from a practical perspective, given the range of customers, routes to market and complex factors impacting vehicle lead times.

“In any case, the industry is already doing this independent of government. Diesel availability has already declined as manufacturers discontinue diesel in their smaller cars and, given they will be under ever-stricter emissions targets, it is also in their interest to move customers into EVs by removing the competing fuel types.

“The weighty cost of research and development is likely to result in some hard choices now between investment in ICE or EV, with petrol and diesel the likely losers in many cases.”

Black confirmed the Government is planning to publish a delivery plan, setting out the steps that need to be taken to meet the phase out dates.

But, she admitted there were still many factors that needed to be considered, including on-street charging solutions and supporting the used car market.

Green Paper Planned

To ensure the phases are met, and to support interim carbon budgets, the DfT will publish a Green Paper in the coming months on the post-EU regulatory regime for CO2 emissions from new vehicles. This, according to Black, will cover both overall fleet efficiency and delivering the move to 100% zero emission vehicle sales for cars and vans.

There will also be a consultation to define the meaning of “significant zero emission capabilities” in order to outline what vehicles may be sold between 2030 and 2035.

These are likely to be limited to range-extender EVs, which feature a small petrol engine to charge the battery while the vehicle is driven exclusively by its electric motor, or plug-in hybrids.

Nick Molden, founder and CEO of Emissions Analytics, believes regular hybrid vehicles, which have a limited zero-emission range, actually have a lower environmental impact than plug-in hybrids.

With all new cars already exceeding the Government’s air quality targets, introduced as part of the Real Driving Emissions (RDE) test, Molden believes the issue now lies in the poorer CO2 emissions performance of most new cars against the EU’s 95g/km target.

He said electrification is the best way to reduce CO2 emissions, but it has to be deployed “effectively” to make the most of “scarce” battery resources.

“In our strong opinion, full hybrids, for a good period forward, is the sweet spot while the supply chain issues around batteries are sorted out,” Molden stated.

Following a recommendation by the National Infrastructure Commission that the sale of new diesel HGV lorries should be banned by 2040, Black confirmed a consultation will be launched this year on the phase-out of diesel HGVs.

She said: “HGVs are at a much earlier much an earlier stage than cars and vans. We can see what the technological solutions are for those, but, with HGVs, the picture is a lot less clear.

“As we look at the roll-out of charging infrastructure, we really need to make sure that we’re taking into account HGV requirements there and not thinking about cars and vans exclusively.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The vast majority of mechanics are not yet qualified to work on EVs as the 2030 deadline looms, experts are warning.

Only five per cent of mechanics working in dealerships and garages across the UK are qualified to work on electric vehicles, according to a leading industry body.

In response to the Government’s announcement that a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is to be accelerated from 2040 to 2030, the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) has pointed out that 95 per cent of the country’s mechanics have yet to complete the necessary qualifications to safely work on electric vehicles.

This means at present, there are between 13,000 and 20,000 qualified technicians working on 380,000 plug-in vehicles across the UK. The IMI is concerned that as EV and PHEV adoption increases, the number of vehicles will further outweigh the number of mechanics who can work on them. The organisation issued a similar warning in 2018, when only three per cent of mechanics were trained to work on EVs.

Covid-19 has only exacerbated the issue, the IMI says. In 2019, 6,500 certificates for working on EVs were issued in the UK. In Q2 2020, though, the number of certificates issued was down 85 per cent on the same period last year.

The organisation is now calling for support and incentives to be given to automotive firms to increase the number of technicians being trained to work on EVs, as well as improve and implement recruitment and apprenticeship schemes.

The organisation also warned that year that the existing Electricity at Work regulations weren’t comprehensive enough for automotive mechanics, merely referencing “systems in vehicles”.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

In the UK we are constantly talking about EV’s and how we will only be able to buy an electric vehicle from 2030 and therefore, along with the rest of the developed countries, save the planet! But what about India and Africa and even America where some people travel hundreds of miles to buy a loaf of bread? Will charge points be available in the middle of a desert or jungle?

Porsche believe that this will be a problem and are developing a solution that keeps the internal combustion engine (ICE). Here’s a report on what they are doing.

Research into replacing fossil fuels with synthetic efuels could mean there’s life in the combustion engine yet.

Batteries are the main power source that vehicle manufacturers and governments around the world consider feasible for new cars in the future, but Porsche is to build a factory producing eFuels, hinting that carbon-neutral synthetic petrol and diesel have a role to play, too.

Synthetic fuels, or eFuels, are compatible with conventional internal combustion engines, and can be produced via carbon-neutral processes that potentially offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated when the fuels are burnt.

Porsche is teaming up with German industrial giant Siemens, energy firms Enel and AME, and petroleum company ENAP to build a pilot factory in Magallanes, southern Chile.

The plant will initially produce just 130,000 litres of eFuel by 2022, with a target of 55 million litres a year by 2024, and 550 million litres by 2026. Those amounts are minuscule, given that figures from the Petrol Retailers’ Association show that the UK alone uses 46.5 billion litres of petrol and diesel every year.

But Porsche’s project indicates that reports of the death of internal combustion-engined cars may be exaggerated. Synthetic fuels are often talked about as an alternative for aircraft, ships, heavy goods and construction vehicles, where batteries, which lack the energy density of conventional fuel, are not currently viable. Porsche’s Chilean eFuels will be used in motorsports, at Porsche Experience Centres and in production cars.

The Haru Oni plant in Chile will take advantage of the region’s strong winds to generate clean electricity from turbines built by Siemens. Fuel will be made at the plant by using wind power to dissociate hydrogen and oxygen molecules from water, with CO2 filtered from the air being combined with the hydrogen to make synthetic fuel.

The factory is being funded with an initial 20 million Euros (£18m) from Porsche, plus eight million Euros (£7.2m) from the German government. Porsche’s chief executive, Oliver Blume, said eFuels are a “worthwhile complement” to electric cars, and “an additional element on the road to decarbonisation”.

“As a maker of efficient, high-performance engines, we have broad technical expertise,” Blume added. “We know what fuel characteristics our engines need in order to operate with minimal impact on the climate.”

Christian Bruch, CEO of Siemens Energy, called the German government’s support for the project “an important signal”.

What are efuels?

Petrol and diesel are hydrocarbons – they are composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms. But while conventional fuels are derived from oil, eFuels get their hydrogen from water and carbon from the air, with these elements then combined to mimic the structure of petrol, diesel and other oil-derived fuels.

The energy used to create synthetic fuels can be renewable, and while burning them generates carbon dioxide (CO2), capturing carbon from the atmosphere during synthesis can offset this. eFuels can also be a good way of storing energy generated by renewable sources during times of low demand.

Synthesising eFuels is expensive, though. A single litre of diesel eFuel costs £4 before taxes, according to the Royal Society scientific institute. While such fuels have been around for a century or so, producing them on a meaningful scale globally is also a challenge.

Costs could be reduced with further development and economies of scale, but critics highlight that in addition to the significant expense they bring, the cleanliness and carbon neutrality of eFuels relies on several assumptions being made about their production, as well as how and where they are burnt.  By Graham Hill Thanks To Auto Express.

According to EV information website Zap-Map, there are 21,068 public chargers in the UK, of which 3908 are rapid chargers and 11 are ultra-rapid. If you don’t mind using one of the slower options, you should still be able to charge for free or a minimal fee.

Pod Point and Source London are among the larger companies that offer free charging (in some cases after a small initial fee) at certain locations.

It’s also worth investigating which smaller public charging companies are operating in your area. The Energise network only has a small number of charging points in southeast England, but once you’ve paid a £1 connection fee, its units are free to use.

Kent County Council also has a small number of chargers available on the same basis. There are similar options in many parts of the UK.

Another low-cost option is the ZeroNet network, which is run by the Zero Carbon World charity. Chargers are mostly in the car parks of hotels, restaurants and other hospitality industry locations, and many businesses offer free charging for customers, although parking charges might be payable while the charger is in use.

Potentially the cheapest way to charge away from home is to use the Zap-Home and Zap-Work network of chargers; the former are at EV owners’ homes and the latter on the premises of small businesses. Coverage is good all over the UK and the chargers can be used by anyone who’s registered with Zap-Map. Many are free, and those that aren’t free cost £3 to £5 per charge.

New code of practice for home charger installers

The Electric Vehicle Consumer Code for Home Chargepoints (EVCC) is a code of practice that’s been introduced for companies installing EV chargers to consumers. It has been designed to ensure that manufacturers, suppliers and installers of home chargers meet specific high standards so that consumers can have the confidence to use them for installation.

Companies signing up to the EVCC commit to no-pressure selling techniques and a high level of customer service and aftersales care. If a customer has a problem with an EVCC-registered company, they can go through a formal complaint process and use a free mediation service provided by Renewable Energy Assurance Ltd, which is a non-profit organisation with experience in operating codes of conduct for renewable energy companies.

Car insurance for electric cars

LV is the first mainstream car insurer to offer a policy specifically for owners of electric vehicles.

The policy includes a roadside recharging service in case your car runs out of juice anywhere in the UK (courtesy of a tie-up with specialist assistance provider AFF) or free recovery to the nearest charging point. Using these services won’t affect your no-claims discount.

The policy also provides accidental damage, fire and theft cover for your car’s battery pack, plus your charging cables, wallbox and adapters. By Graham Hill thanks to What Car