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Seven-in-10 drivers would like lower motorway speed limits in wet weather, according to new research from the RAC.

Road accident statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) show that 246 people were killed or seriously injured on UK motorways in 2019 when the road surface was damp, wet or flooded

An RAC survey of more than 2,000 drivers suggest that 72% would like to see the standard 70mph speed limit on motorways reduced in wet weather to improve road safety and encourage better driving habits.

A third (33%) said the limit should be reduced to 60mph in the wet, less than one in 10 (7%) think it should be cut to 65mph, while almost one in six (17%) said they would like an even lower limit of 55mph or even 50mph. One in seven (14%) would like to see the limit cut but were not sure by how much.

France cuts its speed limits during inclement weather, with the 130km/h (80mph) limit reduced to 110km/h (68mph – a reduction of around 12mph).

Rod Dennis, from the RAC, said: “Statistically, the UK has some of the safest motorways in Europe but it’s also the case that there hasn’t been a reduction in casualties of all severities on these roads since 2012, so perhaps th

ere’s an argument for looking at different measures to help bring the number of casualties down.

“Overall, our research suggests drivers are broadly supportive of lower motorway speed limits in wet conditions, as is already the case across the Channel in France. And, while most drivers already adjust their speed when the weather turns unpleasant, figures show that ‘driving too fast for the conditions’ and ‘slippery roads’ are still among the top 10 reasons for motorway collisions and contribute to significant numbers of serious injuries and even deaths every year.”

Of the reasons given by drivers who advocate lower motorway speed limits in the wet, 78% said they felt lower limits would encourage some drivers to slow down, while 72% believed it might save lives, so is worth trying.

Two-thirds (65%) said slower speeds might improve visibility with less spray from moving vehicles, and half (53%) felt it would reduce overall vehicle speeds, even if some people ignored the lower limit.

Among the fifth of drivers (21%) who are against the idea of a lower motorway speed limit in bad weather, a majority said it was because most drivers already adjust their speed to the conditions (54%), or because there would be difficulty in defining when the new limit should apply (60%).

Four in 10 (42%) said many drivers choose to ignore existing speed limits anyway and a similar proportion (41%) thought drivers wouldn’t obey a lower motorway limit.

When asked whether a lower speed limit in the wet should be posted on stretches of motorway that already feature variable speed limit signage, including smart motorways, 73% of drivers were in favour, with 15% against the idea and 11% unsure.

“The overall success of any scheme would of course depend on sufficient numbers of motorists reducing their speed, but even just a proportion reducing their speed in the wet would be likely to improve the safety of the UK’s motorways,” continued Dennis.

“There would also be a number of practical hurdles to be overcome such as deciding what that lower limit would be, updating the Highway Code and fitting roadside signage to inform drivers of the new limits.

“Finally, it’s worth remembering that an increasing number of stretches of motorway no longer have permanent 70mph limits, as all smart motorways feature speed limits which are automatically adjusted to ease congestion based on traffic flow.

“With digital signs now so commonplace, arguably the means exist to conduct a trial to see whether there are safety benefits of setting different speed limits in inclement weather.”

Highway Code Rule 227 states that stopping distances in wet weather are at least double those required for stopping on dry roads.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced a new version of The Highway Code will be published in the autumn.

Changes will include: a hierarchy of road users that aims to ensure road users who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger they may pose to others; and a strengthened pedestrian priority on pavements and when crossing or waiting to cross the road.

It will also contain guidance on safe passing distances and speeds and ensuring that cyclists have priority at junctions when travelling straight ahead.

The overhaul of The Highway Code is part of a £338 million package to fuel active travel, announced on Friday (July 30).

Infrastructure upgrades, the changes to The Highway Code and new requirements to ensure that active travel schemes’ effects are properly assessed are among the raft of measures included in a new Summer of Cycling and Walking document.

Independent opinion polling and new research also published by the DfT shows that active travel schemes are supported, on average, by a ratio of two-to-one.

As the UK prepares to host COP26 later this year, these initiatives will play a key role in the Government’s drive to build back greener from the pandemic and achieve net zero emissions by 2050, says DfT.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps explained: “Millions of us have found over the past year how cycling and walking are great ways to stay fit, ease congestion on the roads and do your bit for the environment.

“As we build back greener from the pandemic, we’re determined to keep that trend going by making active travel easier and safer for everyone.

“This £338m package marks the start of what promises to be a great summer of cycling and walking, enabling more people to make those sustainable travel choices that make our air cleaner and cities greener.”

This announcement aims to build on the Prime Minister’s £2 billion gear change cycling and walking programme, which was announced one year ago.

As well as improving safety for cyclists, the Government is also aiming to make cycling easier and more accessible through a new scheme aiming to increase awareness of e-cycles and tackle barriers to their use.

An e-cycle support programme will be launched later this year and comes after the government has already provided funding to help 9 local authorities deliver e-cycle initiatives.

Other key measures included in the Summer of Cycling and Walking include plans to publish a new road safety strategic framework.

The Government has also recently announced that the new Active Travel England (ATE) commissioning body, which will hold the national cycling and walking budget, will begin work later this year. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Software experts have discovered numerous security flaws with a range of smart electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

They were able to remotely switch the chargers on and off, remove the owner’s access and lock or unlock the charging cable.

Devices from Wallbox and Project EV – both approved for sale in the UK by the Department for Transport – were found to be “lacking adequate security” by researchers at Pen Test Partners.

Speaking to the BBC, Vangelis Stykas, a cyber-security researcher, said: “On Wallbox you could take full control of the charger, you could gain full access and remove the usual owner’s access on the charger. You could stop them from charging their own vehicles, and provide free charging to an attacker’s vehicle.

“Project EV had a really bad implementation on their back end. Their authentication where it existed was pretty primitive, so an attacker could easily escalate themselves to being an administrator and change the firmware of all the chargers.”

He says changing the programming on the device would allow an attacker to permanently disable the charger, or use it to attack other chargers or servers.

Hackers could also infiltrate a home network, in cases where the chargers were connected by Wi-Fi.

Pen Test Partners believes that multiple chargers could also be controlled at the same time using some of the vulnerabilities it found, which could potentially be used by an attacker to overload the electricity grid in some areas and cause blackouts.

The company assessed charging units from Project EV, Wallbox, EVBox, EO Hub, Rolec and Hypervolt.

Most of the faults have now been addressed, however charge point owners are advised to install the latest software updates to the devices. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Software experts have discovered numerous security flaws with a range of smart electric vehicle (EV) chargers.

They were able to remotely switch the chargers on and off, remove the owner’s access and lock or unlock the charging cable.

Devices from Wallbox and Project EV – both approved for sale in the UK by the Department for Transport – were found to be “lacking adequate security” by researchers at Pen Test Partners.

Speaking to the BBC, Vangelis Stykas, a cyber-security researcher, said: “On Wallbox you could take full control of the charger, you could gain full access and remove the usual owner’s access on the charger. You could stop them from charging their own vehicles, and provide free charging to an attacker’s vehicle.

“Project EV had a really bad implementation on their back end. Their authentication where it existed was pretty primitive, so an attacker could easily escalate themselves to being an administrator and change the firmware of all the chargers.”

He says changing the programming on the device would allow an attacker to permanently disable the charger, or use it to attack other chargers or servers.

Hackers could also infiltrate a home network, in cases where the chargers were connected by Wi-Fi.

Pen Test Partners believes that multiple chargers could also be controlled at the same time using some of the vulnerabilities it found, which could potentially be used by an attacker to overload the electricity grid in some areas and cause blackouts.

The company assessed charging units from Project EV, Wallbox, EVBox, EO Hub, Rolec and Hypervolt.

Most of the faults have now been addressed, however charge point owners are advised to install the latest software updates to the devices.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

MPs on the transport committee are warning that unless charging habits change, or the National Grid is strengthened, the charging needs from millions of new electric vehicles (EVs) will cause blackouts to parts of the country.

In Zero emission vehicles, published in July, the MPs have set out a series of recommendations to Government to boost the production and purchase of EVs.

The report questions whether the Government’s current plans are enough to deliver the public charging infrastructure needed across all regions of the UK and whether it will benefit everyone.

Drivers who live in rural or remote areas or who do not have off-street parking, for example, are at risk of being left behind, it says.

The MPs warn that a clear policy framework is essential to ensure that industry can deliver the vehicles and charging infrastructure required to deliver the Government’s net zero ambition.

Huw Merriman MP, chair of the transport committee, said: “Putting guarantees in place on infrastructure is crucial, but one report after another flags concerns to Government about the provision of electric car charging infrastructure.

“Let ours be the last; it’s time that ministers set out the route map to delivering a network of services for everyone across the UK.”

Just last week, a Competition and Markets Authority investigation found that some areas of the development of the UK’s charging infrastructure are facing problems which will hinder the roll-out of electric vehicles (EVs).

It says that this could impact the Government’s plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and its wider commitment to make the UK net zero by 2050.

EV infrastructure strategy

The Government’s transport decarbonisation plan promises an EV infrastructure strategy by the end of the year, which will set out the its vision for infrastructure rollout, and roles for the public and private sectors in achieving it.

By 2030, it expects to have 2,500 rapid charge points across the strategic road network, and 6,000 by 2035.

It says it is also working with Ofgem on the deployment of the Energy Networks Association’s £300 million Green Recovery Scheme, announced in May, to accelerate motorway service area and wider EV charging infrastructure investment.

The UK has around 25,000 charge points currently and, while there is still uncertainty, forecasts suggest more than 10 times this amount will be needed by 2030.

The transport committee report says that the Government must work with the National Grid to map national coverage to eradicate ‘not-spot’ areas and identify locations where the Grid will not cope with additional usage.

It should also make public charging provision a requirement of local development and provide funding for local planning and transport bodies to hire staff with a mandate to deliver charging infrastructure.

Furthermore, it suggests that it needs to protect the consumer from excessive charges and multiple accounts when charging in public and address the discrepancy between the 5% VAT incurred for home charging and 20% VAT for on-street.

The report insists that industry uses price to change consumer charging behaviour to a ‘little but often’ approach and at times when the National Grid can meet total demand.

17 electric vehicle charging tariffs

Research from Cornwall Insight shows around 17 EV tariffs are available, with some of the tariffs still in testing phases and not available to all customers. On top of this number, there are 11 Time of Use (ToU) EV tariffs on offer.

Katie Hickford, an analyst at Cornwall Insight, said: “EV tariffs can provide households with savings compared to a standard tariff offering, but there is reduced choice currently, with comparisons between the different offerings challenging, although improvements are being made for consumers.

“As EV sales continue to rise, we would expect more innovative tariff offerings to cater for this section of customers, especially as the uptake of EVs moves to mass adoption.”

The transport committee report notes that with charging at home substantially cheaper than on-street charging, pricing must be fair for people who charge their EVs in public spaces.

It welcomes the Government’s commitment to regulate interoperability between charge points and pricing transparency for public charge points later this year. However, mandating industry to use pricing to move consumer behaviour towards a ‘little and often’ refuelling habit will also help, it says.

Zero-emission vehicle mandate

The MPs are also calling on the Government to introduce a zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate as a matter of priority if it is to hit its target of 100% ZEVs by 2035.

A ZEV mandate would incentivise car manufacturers to steadily increase sales of zero emission vehicles towards the 2030 target for all new vehicles to have ‘significant zero emission capability’.

This, it says, would bring ZEV vehicles within reach of more consumers encouraged by cost-effective ways to support purchases compared to taxpayer-funded incentives.

Merriman says that the Government’s inclusion of a ZEV mandate in a recent consultation is welcome but not enough on its own.

He continued: “Charging electric vehicles should be convenient, straightforward and inexpensive and drivers must not be disadvantaged by where they live or how they charge their vehicles.

“Shifting the subsidy from the taxpayer to the manufacturer will incentivise those who deliver the fewest electric vehicles in our showrooms to up their game.

“Unless the National Grid gains more capacity, consumer behaviour will have to alter so that charging takes place when supply can meet the additional demand. The alternative will be blackouts in parts of the country.

“We also cannot have a repeat of the broadband and mobile ‘not spot’ lottery which would mean those in remote parts cannot join the electric vehicle revolution.”

Jack Cousens, head of roads policy for the AA, says that for most drivers, the opportunity to charge an EV in their garage, on their driveway or in a dedicated parking space offers cheaper running costs.

However, he said: “For the 30% of homeowners with no access to dedicated off-street parking or workplace charging, they have no choice but to pay the rates set on the public charging network.

“On the road to electrification, we cannot allow one group of drivers to benefit while others struggle – in effect, a two-tier system of have and have-nots.

“An independent body overseeing the fees being charged on the public network would help reassure drivers that they are paying a fair price.

“Rather than focusing on tying manufacturers up in red tape to meet EV sales targets, we need to improve the incentives offered to consumers to buy electric vehicles. Scrapping VAT would be the most influential policy to help spark the electric revolution.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Transport for London (TfL) has invested in 50 new cameras to enforce banned turns, bus lanes, yellow box junctions and weight restrictions.

The cameras, which can be moved around the road network to where they are most needed, can be adapted for each new location.

A trial of the cameras carried out in 2020 saw an improvement in compliance of up to 60% in six months, says TfL.

The ability to relocate the cameras also means that they can be used to target non-compliance ‘hot-spots’. This capability ensures that TfL can target junctions with the most dangerous driver behaviour and can remove cameras from locations where enforcement activity has been successful in cutting danger and making drivers’ behaviour safer, it said.

Improving enforcement at junctions on the TfL road network will also help to cut congestion on the capital’s roads, by keeping junctions clear and ensuring traffic can move through them as intended.

A contract has been awarded to P Ducker Systems (PDS) for the new enforcement cameras.

Will Norman, London’s walking and cycling commissioner, said: “Most collisions on London’s roads happen at junctions and it’s absolutely vital for everybody’s safety that we can enforce effectively against the minority of drivers who break the rules.

“We’re determined to meet our Vision Zero goal of eliminating death and serious injury and our partnership with PDS to deliver these innovative new cameras will give us much-needed extra capability to tackle danger hot-spots on our road network.

“We’ll be closely monitoring the success of this new technology and will continue to work closely with the police and others to keep our road network safe, efficient and sustainable for everybody in the capital.”

The new cameras will be introduced to the TfL road network from this autumn and it will be closely monitoring how successful the cameras have been at cutting road danger, reducing congestion and improving bus journey reliability.

All money recovered by drivers being penalised is reinvested in maintaining a safe and efficient road network for everyone travelling in the capital, it said.

The cameras will be used for enforcement of civil traffic rules only and will be fully compliant with data protection legislation. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Police driving an unmarked HGV cab have caught motorists on the motorway breaking the law, with 85 offences detected during a week-long operation.

West Mercia Police teamed up with Highways England for Operation Tramline, a joint national operation aimed at changing driver behaviour.

It involves roads policing officers driving an unmarked HGV cab which offers an elevated position allowing police officers to film risky behaviour, such as mobile phone use and seatbelt use, within passing vehicles.

The plain white HGV tractor unit loaned to West Mercia Police by Highways England has been used across the country enabling officers to crack down on motorists who break the law, first taking to the road in 2018.

Superintendent Gareth Morgan of West Mercia Police said: “During this operation officers have witnessed a number of drivers not wearing seatbelts and using their phones behind the wheel.

“There have been various education campaigns highlighting these particular issues so there really is no excuse for people not to know what the law states or the penalties they can receive when they are caught.”

He continued: “This Operation is a great demonstration of joint partnership working with Highways England where the ultimate aim is to improve road safety for all and reduce the amount of people that are killed or seriously injured on our roads.”

Highways England assistant regional safety coordinator, Marie Biddulph, added: “We know that the majority of drivers who use our roads every day are sensible and safe behind the wheel but it is disappointing so see how many people are still putting themselves and others at risk by simply ignoring the law.

“Operation Tramline could not operate without our police partners and we are very grateful to West Mercia Police for helping us to tackle such dangerous driving on our roads.

“We hope that through our continuing partnership and use of the supercabs we can encourage all motorists to think about their driving behaviour.”

During the week-long operation in West Mercia, 85 offences were detected on the motorway, such as non-seatbelt use, mobile phone use and driving without due care.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New tyre label regulations from the EU are expected to be introduced in the UK before the end of the year.

The new rules, which are designed to improve awareness of tyre characteristics, were introduced in Ireland and Northern Ireland on May 1.

The new EU tyre label must be applied to heavy-duty commercial vehicle tyres including trucks and buses (Class C3) with all tyre suppliers – including commercial vehicle suppliers – now required to inform buyers of the label values during the sales process.

It now rates wet braking distances and fuel efficiency from A to E, with A being the best performing, and ranks external noise of the tyre from A to C, with A the quietest.

It also includes winter performance data, via the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) symbol, which determines whether a tyre meets tough snow performance requirements, as stipulated when driving across many European countries during colder seasons.

For C1 and C2 tyres, for cars and vans respectively, those previously in class E for fuel efficiency and wet grip will now be assigned to Class D which was previously empty, while those formerly in classes F and G will be assigned to class E. This makes the label clearer and easier to interpret.

Another addition to the EU tyre label is the stipulation that it must include a unique QR code, both on the on actual label and in the tyre manufacturers’ information that links the tyre to the European Product Database for Energy Labelling (EPREL) database, where additional tyre label information can be obtained.

As it stands, the regulation underpinning the new EU tyre labels only applies to new tyres, with revised legislation relating to retread tyres expected in 2023.

Importantly for commercial vehicle operators, mileage performance is not yet incorporated into the label, on the basis that suitable test methods are not currently available.

The label values are also based on the tyre’s performance when new and do not take into account the performance characteristics of the tyre across its lifetime.

Tony Stapleton, head of group fleet sales at Continental Tyres, said: “The new EU tyre label is designed to help people choose safer, more fuel-efficient tyres, factors which are vitally important whether you drive a car, a van or are responsible for choosing tyres for a commercial vehicle fleet.

 “However commercial vehicle customers should view the labelling as just one part of their discussions with tyre suppliers, to ensure performance factors not included in the labelling, such as the opposing requirements of mileage and durability, are factored into their choice.

Most fleets need to make sure their tyres offer a balance between these contrasting drivers, and this will greatly differ fleet to fleet depending on the type of operation and vehicles.

“For example, for construction and waste disposal fleets, tyre durability is critical, with fuel efficiency taking a secondary role, whereas in general haulage such as retail distribution, the fuel efficiency capabilities of a tyre will likely play a far greater role.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A potential four million drivers have fallen asleep at the wheel at some point, a new study has revealed.

Issued by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, the findings show that one in ten of the 1,000 motorists surveyed admitted to momentarily closing their eyes because they were so tired.

In addition, more than half of drivers also said that they were very concerned about fatigue when driving long distances. Applied to the more than 40 million licence holders registered in the UK, this equates to more than 20 million drivers.

Neil Greig, IAM RoadSmart director of policy and research, said: “Fatigue behind the wheel is a very serious problem, perhaps more concerning than previously thought of.

“It is shocking to think a potential four million drivers have closed their eyes behind the wheel because they were so tired, even if it was just for a short time. The potential carnage that could result from even one accident doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Other areas of the research highlighted further issues, with one in ten drivers admitting that they had hit the rumble strip of a road, while four in ten had turned down the heating or lowered the windows in order to prevent themselves from feeling tired.

Greig added: “Driving a long distance needs pre-planning to ensure there are plenty of available rest places and to make sure there’s enough time to complete the journey if delays are encountered.

Never drive for longer than two hours without a break and take particular care if driving when you would normally be asleep. This is even more important as the country reopens after the pandemic and not all facilities may be available yet.

“Drivers can then concentrate on staying alert behind the wheel rather than staving off tiredness by trying to reach their end destination without adequate rest breaks.” By Graham Hill thanks to Yahoo News

Nearly one is seven vehicles that passed their MOT test last year should have failed, according to a new study.

Analysis of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA’s) MOT Compliance Survey (2019 – 2020) by What Car?, found 13.58% of vehicles that passed an MOT test should have failed.

A team of DVSA vehicle examiners retested a randomly selected sample of 1,671 vehicles, which had undergone an MOT test at test stations across the UK. It disagreed with the test outcomes in 16.82% of cases.

In 70.1% of cases, the DVSA found at least one defect which the MOT test station missed or had incorrectly recorded, while the DVSA experts disagreed with three or more defects in 56.5% of vehicles.

The DVSA examiners also felt that 3.23% of failures deemed to be worthy of a pass certificate.

Safety critical features such as the brakes and suspension were subject to the biggest discrepancy between the DVSA and MOT testers. Brakes had the highest number of misdiagnosed defects, at 17.74%, followed by the suspension (14.56%), tyres (13.22%), and lights, reflectors and electrical equipment (11.51%). 

Following its investigation, the DVSA issued 24 disciplinary action recordings and 179 advisory warning letters to the vehicle test sites it visited. Between them, they were responsible for 12.1% of all vehicles re-tested by the Government agency.

What Car? surveyed 1,425 used car buyers as part of its investigation, with 11.9% stating they knew of a local garage that has a reputation for passing cars for their MOT. For 76.8% of buyers, a prospective car’s MOT record was either ‘very important’ or ‘important’ when deciding on whether to buy.

Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?, said: “Our investigation has shown the significant differences between the DVSA’s own testing standards and those upheld by some in the industry. This poses a serious concern, with potentially hazardous vehicles being allowed to remain on the road, putting their drivers and other road users at risk. It also complicates matters for used buyers who often rely on a vehicle’s MOT history as an indicator for a car’s safety and reliability.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News