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The Government is being urged to review the way that drug driving is tackled in a new report, published by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS).

The report, ‘Drink driving – the tip of an iceberg?’, shows that enforcement of the drug driving laws varies dramatically across the country.

Forces with better procedures, contract and training are convicting ten times more drug drivers than others, when controlling for population size.

Meanwhile, high costs and delays with blood testing mean that some police forces are rationing what should be a routine roadside test.

Reoffending is also a major concern with 44% of recorded offences being committed by reoffenders.

One person committed the offence ‘driving or attempting to drive with drug level above the specified limit’ when they had 18 previous drink and drug driving offences.

PACTS says that a new drug drive rehabilitation course and high risk offender scheme should be introduced, modelled broadly on the existing drink drive programmes, but with better screening for drug and mental health problems and with clear pathways to treatment.

David Davies, executive director of PACTS, said: “This report by PACTS shows we still lack answers to vital questions on drug driving.

“The number of offences and deaths detected so far may be only the tip of the iceberg.”

Davies says that the police have made “big strides” in catching drug drivers over the past five years, but it remains a “postcode lottery”.

“While some forces are testing hundreds of drivers, others are rationing patrols to a single test,” he continued. “These disparities cannot be explained by differences in drug driving and the danger it creates. A more consistent approach is badly needed, with all forces testing for drug driving where it is suspected.”

In total, 12,391 people were convicted of a drug driving offence in 2019, but PACTS says that these numbers are rising fast.

Drug drivers are much more likely to have a criminal history than the general public. An analysis in 2017 of those convicted of drug driving found 67% of those convicted of drug driving offences had one or more previous conviction. Typically, these offences were for theft/burglary or drug-related.

Drivers who combine alcohol and drugs are likely to be significantly more impaired than those who consume only one. However, those who combine drink and drugs do not receive a longer sentence.

PACTS is recommending introducing a new combined drink and drug driving, with a lower drink drive limit, that recognises the risk drivers who combine alcohol and drugs pose.

The PACTS report recommends that the Department for Transport (DfT), in collaboration with the Department for Health, the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the National Police Chiefs’ Council, should undertake a review of policy on drug driving

The Government, it says, should also introduce a new combined drink and drug driving offence, with a lower blood alcohol limit.

Meanwhile, levels of drug driving enforcement should be increased in the UK, particularly in those police force areas where levels are low, and the Home Office should review the blood testing process and seek ways to reduce costs and increase the efficiency of laboratory testing by increasing capacity, improved procurement, or other means.

It should also consider the possibility of reclaiming costs from those who are found guilty.

Furthermore, PACTS wants a new drug drive rehabilitation course, based on the current drink drive course, to be introduced in the UK, while the DfT should publish robust offence and casualty data on drug driving using coroner data and other sources, as they do for drink driving.

Davies said: “Driving under the influence of a combination of drink and drugs, even at relatively low levels, is particularly dangerous. This is not widely understood and there is no specific offence for drink and drug driving. This needs to change.

“There are significant problems with the speed and capacity of laboratories to process blood tests for drugs. This is hampering enforcement of driving offences and drivers are escaping prosecution. We need a Covid-style response to improving lab capacity.”

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Transport Committee has launched an inquiry into the benefits and safety of Smart Motorways in response to numerous calls for them to be scrapped.

It comes less than a year after the publication of an 18-point action plan to improve safety, in March 2020, following a previous review of Smart Motorways by the Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps.

Shapps told MPs earlier last month that he did not want to carry on with the system of Smart Motorways.

“What I commit to is making sure that the motorways we have in this country are safer than the motorways that came before them. That is the commitment I make. To be robust and clear from the evidence of, sadly, how many people die on our motorways, they are the safest form of road, but they should be safer,” he said.

Campaigners against Smart Motorways have labelled them as ‘death traps’. One coroner concluded that smart motorways ‘present an ongoing risk of future deaths’ while another has referred Highways England to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider if corporate manslaughter charges are appropriate following the 2018 death of a grandmother on the M1 in South Yorkshire.

Recent media coverage reported 14 fatalities on smart motorways in 2019 compared to 11 deaths in 2018 and five the year before.

The Chair of the Transport Committee, Huw Merriman MP, said: “The Department for Transport says Smart Motorways help us cope with a 23% rise in traffic since 2000, helping congestion. The Department’s own Stocktake report points to lower fatal casualty rates for smart motorways without a permanent hard shoulder than on motorways with a hard shoulder. The serious casualty rate is slightly higher.

“This message isn’t reaching the public, whose confidence in smart motorways has been dented by increasing fatalities on these roads. Road safety charities are also expressing concerns. Will enhanced safety measures help? Will the public accept them following an awareness campaign? Or should there be a rethink of government policy?

“There are genuine worries about this element of the motorway network and we want to investigate how we got to this point.”

Smart motorways were introduced as a technology-driven approach to deal with congestion through increasing capacity on motorways and controlling the flow and speed of traffic. They can be divided into three different designs, of which the most common is All Lane Running (ALR) introduced in 2014. These are the type that cause the most concern for campaigners as broken down vehicles can end up stranded in live lanes.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “Coroners, and indeed police and crime commissioners, have voiced serious safety concerns with ‘smart’ motorways, which makes this inquiry very timely.

“For more than a decade the AA has campaigned to improve the safety of smart motorways*. Tragically, too many people have died on these roads in the interim.

“Hopefully this inquiry will concentrate minds to stress the urgency of safety improvements.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A logistics company has proved it was not liable for a collision with a Lamborghini using dashcam footage.

The crash, involving a Leicestershire-based Crouch Logistics vehicle working on a UPS contract, occurred in Northampton on November 27.

Amio Talio, the Lamborghini Driver, claimed the UPS vehicle “came out of nowhere” and crashed into his £180,000 Huracan.

His car collided with the Crouch Transport vehicle and then hit another parked car.

The Camera Telematics’ Street Angel device fitted to the Crouch Logistics van captured the incident and the footage was able to prove that the driver was not at fault and therefore not liable for what could have been a very expensive insurance settlement.

Chris Crouch, managing director of Crouch Logistics, said: “Our decision to install Street Angel on our fleet of vehicles has been completely vindicated by the performance of the Camera Telematics’ kit in determining who was liable for the accident – particularly as the Lamborghini driver contested that the UPS driver was at fault. Having accurate footage from Street Angel proved in court that the Lamborghini driver was liable for the accident. and that the UPS driver was in the clear.”

Street Angel works by using 4G connectivity to continually record video evidence of the journey and the vehicle’s surroundings on to the internal memory. It uses accelerometers to measure g-force in all directions to detect any impact or harsh event, such as braking or cornering.

When the g-force parameter is breached the device instantly uploads a video clip of the event to the cloud while generating an instant email alert to the fleet manager notifying them of the event.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Winter conditions can reduce the range of a battery electric vehicle by up to 40%, participants in the Optimise Prime EV trial have reported.

The Ofgem-funded programme is the world’s largest commercial EV project and aims to discover how the UK’s electricity infrastructure will cope with the mass adoption of EVs, as well as how businesses can accelerate their transition.

It features three fleet partners – Royal Mail, Centrica and Uber – who each have different operating modes, as well as Hitachi and electricity distribution networks UK Power Network and Scottish and Southern Electricity networks.

James Rooney, fleet engineer at Centrica, said: “In 2014, we took on some Nissan eNV200s and they were a really good van in the summer, not so good in the winter.

““Bearing in mind this is old tech, we could get 70 miles out of them in the summer but in winter that could be down to 40 miles with a mix of what the cold does to the battery in terms of potency as  well as the driver using the heaters.

“It’s less of a problem now with battery preconditioning and liquid-cooled batteries, but we certainly see a seasonal disparity.”

Royal Mail has had a similar experience. “We introduced our first 100 EVs throughout 2018/19 so we’ve had them for a couple of winters now,” says Anna Pearson, fleet innovation and environment manager at Royal Mail.

“The colder and darker conditions means we have to use the heaters and lights more, and we have seen a drop in range.

“We’ve probably seen a drop of about 25% to 30%, definitely. That obviously depends on how the vehicle is being driven as well.” By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Van drivers are risking a fine of up to £5,000 and potentially invalidating their insurance for not safely securing their dogs while driving to work, according to research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

The study revealed that two-in-five 41% of van drivers who own dogs prefer to take them to work, but a third admitted to not restraining them securely, which can lead to distractions.

Rule 57 of the Highway Code states that pets must be “suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or injure you, or themselves, if you stop quickly”.

The punishment for failing to secure a dog safely can range from up to £1,000 for driving without proper control but can be increased to £5,000 and nine points for careless driving, says Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Kate Thompson, head of marketing at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, explained: “After such an extended period at home last year, we know that, now more than ever, van drivers don’t want to leave their dogs at home or with dogsitters when they go to work.

“It is important to be aware, however, of the risks attached whether it is distractions while driving and near misses or the possible fines attached to driving with unrestrained pets.”

There are a number of ways to safely secure your pet in the van including a comfortably sized seat-belt harness, pet carrier, dog cage or in the boot behind a dog-guard.

The Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles research found men are more likely to take their pets to work than women, while those working in London and Northern Ireland are most likely to bring their pets to work in their vans.

Van drivers in East Anglia are more inclined to leave their dogs at home than any other region.  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

A record number of vehicles – almost 1.3 million – failed their MOT last year, because of faults relating to exhaust emissions, new data suggests.

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the DVSA found more cars have failed on emissions in the past two years than any other before it.

Overall failures last year were up by more than 70% compared to 2017/18 levels – the final year before the new regulations were introduced.

Diesel vehicles have seen the greatest surge in failures due to emissions, with a rise of 240% compared to just 37% for petrol vehicles, says BookMyGarage.com, which tabled the FOI.

In May 2018, the Government introduced tougher MOT regulations to clamp down on vehicles producing excessive emissions which led to a significant rise in failures.

Jessica Potts, head of marketing at BookMyGarage.com, said: “The regulations have mostly impacted diesel cars, causing more than triple the number to fail, compared to petrol car failures which have only increased by a third.”

The large increase in diesel failures was caused by a change to rules for cars equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF).

Any car equipped with a DPF will fail an MOT if there is either evidence it has been tampered with or if smoke of any colour can be seen coming from the exhaust.

DPFs became standard on all diesel cars in 2009 to comply with Euro 5 emissions standards, though a few cars older than this may also be equipped with a DPF. Its purpose is to trap soot particles from exhaust emissions which are toxic to humans.

DVSA also introduced new fault categories, with ‘Major’ or ‘Dangerous’ faults resulting in a failed test.

Almost all petrol emissions failures were classed as ‘Major’ last year. By comparison, around 5% of all diesel emissions failures were classed as ‘Dangerous’, meaning the car should not be driven until the fault is rectified.

Potts said: “Since the Volkswagen ‘dieselgate’ scandal in 2015, diesel cars have earned a bad reputation for producing harmful exhaust emissions.”

According to the SMMT, the market share of diesel cars accounted for just 16% of new car sales last year. In 2015, about 50% of new cars sold were diesel.

“That’s not to say all diesels are bad,” continued Potts. “The latest diesel cars are equipped with emissions control systems such as particulate filters and selective catalytic reduction (AdBlue) to reduce or eliminate harmful emissions.

“What this data tells us though, is that an increasing number of relatively modern diesels are struggling to pass the MOT test as their emissions control systems face tougher scrutiny. It’s important these systems function correctly to protect the environment but putting them right can also cost owners thousands of pounds.”

Although diesels have seen a much larger failure rate increase in recent years, petrol cars are actually still more likely to fail, with 4.5% of the total number licenced failing annually due to emissions, compared to 3.3% for diesels.

Financial Year	Diesel	Petrol	Total
2015-2016	118,302	748,465	868,115
2016-2017	122,838	690,247	814,684
2017-2018	123,596	620,247	745,308
2018-2019*	397,991	910,620	1,311,841
2019-2020	420,537	849,740	1,273,771

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Following on from the last post the latest cameras are not the only one’s you should be wary of as speed cameras become more important as fewer police are seen on our roads catching speedsters.

In this report, prepared last year, there is everything you need to know about UK speed cameras, the types, how they work and what to look out for.

Speed cameras are unavoidably part of the UK motoring map, whether you think they’re a good thing or not. Those that use them would prefer they were known as safety cameras, as they’re designed to make UK roads safer, but whatever you want to call them, recent fake news reports about cameras on motorways like the M1 and M25 being set so they snap more motorists breaking the speed limit, show that they can still be misunderstood.

This guide helps you to know what to look out for where UK speed cameras are concerned. With police forces battling reduced funding, especially for road policing, speed cameras play a vital role in keeping a watchful eye on UK roads. Combined with local safety camera partnerships, they are a good visual deterrent and a reminder to check your speed when driving.

Some motorists see them as a revenue earner, though, as they can only catch speeders and are unable to spot unlicensed drivers, uninsured cars, drink and drug-drivers or general bad driving like road traffic officers are able to.

History of the speed camera

The first speed camera appeared in the UK in 1991 on the M40 motorway in West London. The cameras used rolls of film, which had to be developed and processed, and this also meant that there was a limit on how many speeders they could catch – it’s thought that the first camera used up its 400-exposure roll in 40 minutes after it was first switched on.

Over the years, new tech has been introduced, including forward-facing cameras and digital technology – so there’s no more need to change rolls of film, and means live cameras can be operated 24/7, uploading images directly to a central control room. Average speed cameras have also been introduced to monitor vehicle speed over longer distances, rather than just in one location, while traffic light and wrong-turn cameras have also been introduced.

We’ve also seen the introduction of cameras that no longer need a flash to snap speeding vehicles at night, while the latest mobile cameras operate over far longer distances than before. In this instance, if you’re speeding, the mobile camera could well have spotted you long before you’ve spotted it.

UK speed camera types explained

Here’s our guide to the different types of camera used on UK roads, and later we tell you what to expect if you think you’ve been caught speeding. The most common cameras in the UK are Gatso and Truvelo speed cameras, but there are more than a dozen different types of speed camera in use on UK roads in total. So without further ado, here’s what you should be looking for.

Gatso speed cameras

The Gatso was the first type of speed camera seen in the UK, and it’s still the most common type you’ll find. First introduced in 1991, the Gatso – short for Gatsometer, the name of the Dutch company that makes them – is a rear-facing camera.

That means it faces up the road and takes a picture of the rear of a speeding vehicle, so it can catch motorcycles as well as cars, vans and trucks.

A Gatso camera is easy to spot, as speed cameras must be painted yellow by law (in Scotland they have yellow and red diagonal stripes), although they can be obscured by road signs, street furniture and poorly maintained hedgerows.

Gatsos are usually mounted at the side of the road on a pole, although they can also be used in mobile units or on overhead gantries, such as you’ll find on the motorway.

Gatsos use radar to measure a vehicle’s speed, but the law says that there needs to be secondary proof of speeding. This is why all Gatso locations have dashed lines painted on the road in front of them.

These dashes are spaced evenly and are used to measure distance over time, so when a Gatso is activated it takes two pictures a fraction of a second apart, which can then be checked to see if an offence has been committed. The camera features a flash, and this goes off with each photo that’s taken.

On single carriageway roads, two sets of dashed lines are usually painted at a Gatso location. That means vehicles using either side of the road can be measured for speeding, but only in the direction that the Gatso is pointing. That means a camera site can only catch vehicles travelling away from it – if you are speeding towards one and it flashes, a ticket can’t be issued. Gatsos are also reliant on the dashed lines in the road – if the lines aren’t present, then the photos alone cannot be used to prosecute speeders.

While the first Gatso cameras used photographic film to record speeders, a new generation of digital camera arrived on 2007. These use a hard drive to store images and can be run 24/7 with a direct link to a control centre where the images are stored.

Truvelo speed cameras

The other common type of speed camera in the UK is the Truvelo, which is named after the South African company that makes it. While Truvelo cameras look similar to a Gatso because they are painted yellow and mounted on a pole, the chief difference between a Truvelo and a Gatso is that most Truvelo sites are forward facing.

As with a Gatso, a Truvelo camera uses a flash to get a clear image of a speeding vehicle’s number plate, but it also has a special filter on the flash that stops it from dazzling drivers. While this means that motorcycles (which lack front number plates) are harder to identify when speeding, the Truvelo can be used to identify the driver of a speeding vehicle.

The Truvelo only takes one picture, because the speeding offence is registered by sensors in the road which activate the camera. However, as with a Gatso, the photographic evidence needs backup, so small white squares are painted on the road where the sensors are to act as secondary evidence that a vehicle is speeding.

In recent years, the Truvelo has evolved into the Truvelo D-Cam. This is a digital version of the Truvelo that can be mounted forward or rear facing, can also be used at traffic lights, and can even be set up to watch up to 3 lanes at a time.

The D-Cam comes in a distinctive housing, while some have a flash unit separate from the camera itself – which again makes no visible light.

HADCES speed cameras

HADECS 3 stands for Highways Agency Digital Enforcement Camera System 3, which is the name given to the speed camera system that is being used on smart motorways across the country.

Hadecs units come in two small housings that are mounted on the side of motorway gantries. Thanks to their limited use of yellow to give away their location, and the fact they are about half the size of a Gatso or Truvelo camera unit, some people have called them stealth speed cameras, as they can be difficult to spot when travelling at 70mph.

Like other speed cameras, there are lines painted on the road that are used as secondary proof of speeding. And like a Gatso, Hadecs is a rear-facing radar camera, and it flashes when it picks up a vehicle travelling at more than the speed limit.

The innovation that allows Hadecs to be used on a smart motorway is its ability to adjust its detection speed according to the variable speed limit that’s posted. It does this by receiving information from sensors further along the carriageway, so when you see a lower limit posted on a smart motorway, the Hades cameras ahead can catch you for breaking it.

As well as speeding, Hadecs cameras can be set up to monitor up to five lanes, and they can detect vehicles that are using closed motorway lanes. As they are radar-based, they are able to work in all weather conditions, too.

SPECS speed cameras

The SPECS camera system works differently because it measures vehicle speed over a far greater distance than a Gatso or Truvelo camera. You’ll see two or more sets of cameras to monitor vehicle speed for an extended distance, and this can be for as little as 200 yards or up to 99 miles – as the SPECS cameras on the A9 in Scotland do. SPECS cameras are often referred to as average speed cameras and are popular for use in roadworks where a lower speed limit than usual needs to be enforced.

SPECS uses Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) tech to register vehicles as they pass. The first camera logs the vehicle with a time and date stamp. Once the vehicle has passed the second camera, the time stamps on the two images are compared, and if the time taken to cover the distance means the average speed is higher than the posted limit, then a ticket is issued.

You will usually find SPECS camera systems on motorways, especially in roadworks. And while some people think that weaving between lanes can help you pass them undetected, the truth is that the SPECS system can monitor multiple lanes. It’s also no use slowing for the cameras and then speeding between them, because the system measures your average speed between the two locations, not just how fast you’re going as you pass either camera.

Mobile speed camera vans

As well as these fixed speed cameras, many regions use mobile cameras to provide temporary coverage in areas where speeding is known to occur. Mobile units are usually located in vans that are marked as a safety camera vehicle with a bright livery, and they feature opening windows or panels to point the cameras through.

You will usually find them parked at the side of the road, in laybys (although not where parking restrictions apply) and also on bridges over roads.

The kind of cameras these mobile units use include mini Gatso cameras that use radar technology but there are also handheld radar or laser gun cameras. A laser gun uses a narrow laser beam that is reflected off a vehicle to measure its speed. These devices are quick and effective, being able to register a vehicle’s speed in as little as half a second and up to a distance of a mile away.

A radar gun works similarly to a laser gun. It has a wider beam and only works up to around 300 yards, while it will only come back with a reading after around 3 seconds, but it’s still an accurate way of registering a car’s speed.

Mobile camera vans can be set up in any direction to catch speeders, and can just as easily be set up to catch speeders approaching the camera site as going away from the site. As with fixed camera locations, a mobile camera site must have road signs indicating its presence, but apart from that, mobile cameras can be set up at any time.

In terms of location, mobile units are usually found in places notorious for accidents or speeding in the past, and are not normally pitched up in random places. Some local speed camera operators have been known to issue information on radio and social media to inform road users of where mobile camera units are operating on particular days.

Other speed cameras

Gatsos, Truvelos, SPECs and Hadecs 3 are the most common types of speed camera on UK roads, while other cameras that are available do a similar job. These are in addition to cameras which are used for traffic monitoring, catching vehicles that jump traffic lights (which incidentally aren’t required by law to be painted yellow) and cameras used by government agencies to check road tax and other ANPR-based activities.

Whichever way you look at it, the best way to ensure you’re not caught speeding is to remain aware of the speed limit and stick to it.

The big Speed camera questions answered

How do I know if a speed camera caught me?

If you have passed a speed camera that has flashed, the only way you will know for certain that you have been caught is when the registered keeper of the vehicle receives a Note of Intended Prosecution (NIP). This will arrive within 14 days of the offence taking place and will explain what happens next. This 14-day rule is in place so that companies, such as vehicle lease firms and car hire firms, can determine who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence.

If you are the one that was caught speeding, then you will face a minimum fine of £100 and three points on your licence. If your driving licence is clean, then you may be offered the option of taking a speed awareness course instead of the penalty points.

As of 2017, the maximum fine for a speeding offence is up to £2,500 on the motorway. The amount you pay and the number of points you could face will depend on how much you were exceeding the speed limit by, as well as your level of income.

Do all speed cameras flash?

Most speed cameras flash when they capture an image, but you might not see the flash of a Truvelo forward-facing camera. That’s because forward-facing Truvelo cameras have a special filter over the flash to prevent dazzling oncoming drivers. If a camera is operating in good light conditions, the flash may not necessarily go off, either.

How do mobile speed cameras work?

Mobile speed camera units must be parked legally, either at the side of the road, in a layby or on a bridge, and operators must make motorists aware of their presence with the use of speed camera warning signs. That means they can operate in areas where the signs are already fixed, or they need to put up temporary signs nearby.

A speed camera van usually has openings at the rear or the side of the van for the cameras to have a clear line of sight of the road they are checking. Depending on the camera being used, the speed camera van can detect speeding vehicles up to two miles away on a clear day, especially with the latest camera technology being used.

The camera is operated either by a police officer or by a certified camera operator associated with a local speed camera partnership.

How can I avoid a speeding fine?

Of course, the easiest way of avoiding points and a fine is to check your speed at all times and keep within the speed limit. But with so much street furniture and so many distractions bombarding the average motorist, it’s not too hard to get caught out by a change in speed limit.

If you want added security, then a speed camera locator is the best piece of kit to use. We tested a batch of speed camera locators in 2018, with products from Road Angel and Snooper performing well, while apps from TomTom and Sygic were also well received.

Speed camera detectors use GPS location technology to warn you of fixed camera locations. In addition, the best units also feature laser and radar detecting technology to warn you of mobile speed camera sites, as well as those fixed locations that aren’t logged on to the device’s database. The best speed camera locators can show you your speed, as well as calculating your average speed within a SPECS average speed camera location.  By Graham Hill with a big thanks to Auto Express

The latest TruCam ll speed cameras can read a number plate from 1.5km away but UK police forces who are currently being equipped with them are calibrating theirs to 750 metres.

Constabularies across the country have confirmed trials of the TruCam II Speed Enforcement Laser, each of which costs around £10,000. The devices work both in the daytime and in the dark thanks to a new night-mode feature.

The TruCam can automatically focus on a car approaching from half a mile away, with vehicle data uploaded to a database, after which a penalty charge notice is sent to the registered keeper. This means police don’t need to pursue and pull over speeding drivers.

Using an integrated laser, the TruCam measures the time and distance between vehicles. It contains a digital camera that can collect and store HD video evidence of a speeding offence. The device itself is actually capable of reading number plates from up to 1.5km away, but UK police are calibrating theirs to 750 metres, in line with tolerances set by the UK Government.

Various police forces – including Gloucstershire, Northumbria and Warwickshire constabularies – have begun using the TruCam II. Macclesfield South Police – part of Cheshire Police – reported on Twitter that it had deployed the device multiple times without catching anyone, but on a recent outing someone was caught in excess of 35mph in a 30mph zone.

The TruCam II was approved for use by UK police forces back in June, with the rollout now underway. The previous generation TruCam – which could only be used during daylight hours – has been used by some forces in the country for more than six years.  By Graham Hill thanks to Auto Express

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

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