Category Archives: Motoring News

Car tax reforms under discussion


The way your car’s tax is calculated could soon change, as the Treasury has announced it is considering alternatives to Vehicle Excise Duty. VED in its current form was introduced in 2005, replacing road tax and banding cars based on their CO2 emissions, the idea being to incentivise the purchase of ‘greener’ cars.However, cars are becoming so fuel efficient (CO2 emissions are linked to fuel consumption) that the Government has started to panic about its VED revenue tanking.

Charity, Brake welcomes lower drink drive limit for Scotland


Road safety charity Brake has welcomed the plan to lower the drink drive limit in Scotland – and called for the British Government to follow suit. Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced that proposals to lower the drink drive limit in Scotland will be discussed this year, “with a view to the change taking effect as soon as possible”. It will reduce the limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.But while Brake has welcomed the move, it is still pressing for a 20mg limit – a de facto zero tolerance approach.

Tips from the experts: cornering properly


The latest installment from the Institute of Advanced Motorists’ Drive & Survive series, on vital driving tips has arrived. This week it’s called Driving Around Bends, and it’s focused specifically on an advanced driving technique called IPSGA. Here it is:

£113m green transport initiative launched

The Government will pour £113m into 30 carbon-cutting local transport schemes, Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced.The schemes, which cover eight regions across the UK, are aimed at providing sustainable, CO2-reducing transport alternatives. They include public transport hubs, improved cycling infrastructures and a brand new ferry service at the Isle of Wight.

The Government explains how the money will be spent thus:

Warning other drivers of a speed trap is a constitutional right


A man has won his court case, claiming he cannot be fined for flashing his lights to warn other motorists of a speed trap, but unfortunately, he won the case in Texas. According to the Orlando Sentinel, a Circuit Court judge said that the officer who gave Ryan Kintner a ticket had misapplied a state law banning aftermarket flashing emergency lights. That seems pretty sensible, as headlights are not exactly aftermarket items. However the judge also ruled that flashing your lights to communicate with other drivers is protected by the right to free speech.