The cheapest new cars on sale

July 24, 2020

A lot can change in 12 months. When we last updated the list of Britain’s cheapest new cars, all 20 of the budget motors cost less than £12,000.

Thirteen of them even cost less than £10,000.

Today, all but one cost more than £10,000 – and the upper limit has crept up to nearly £14,500. A sign of the times?

Read on to discover the 20 cheapest new cars on sale, including the all-new 2021 Dacia Sandero, with the results presented in reverse order.

Cheapest new cars on sale

Skoda Fabia – £14,365
Suzuki Swift – £14,299
Suzuki Ignis – £14,249
SsangYong Tivoli – £13,995
Kia Rio – £13,395
Fiat 500 – £13,020
Hyundai i10 – £12,820
Peugeot 108 – £12,785
Volkswagen Up – £12,705
Toyota Aygo – £12,690
MG3 – £12,195
Dacia Duster – £11,745
Renault Twizy – £11,695
Dacia Sandero Stepway – £10,995
Kia Picanto – £10,745
Fiat Panda – £10,580
Mitsubishi Mirage – £10,575
Citroen C1 – £10,315
Dacia Sandero – £7,995

Skoda Fabia – £14,365

With the petrol version of the Citigo consigned to the history books, it’s left to the Fabia to play the budget card for Skoda. It has a few aces up its sleeve, including a spacious interior, efficient engines and some of Skoda’s ‘Simply Clever’ features. The Fabia is also one of only a few small cars to offer an estate variant, but you’ll need to find at least £17,060 for the Fabia wagon.

Suzuki Swift – £14,299

This time last year, the £9,000 Suzuki Celerio was one of the country’s cheapest new cars. With the Celerio and Baleno no longer available, it’s left to the Swift and the Ignis to carry the budget baton for Suzuki. The entry-level Swift SZ3 features air conditioning, DAB digital radio, Bluetooth, a leather steering wheel and LED daytime running lights. Power is sourced from a 1.2-litre mild hybrid engine with the potential to deliver 56.4mpg on a combined cycle.

Suzuki Ignis – £14,249

Spoiler alert: the majority of Britain’s cheapest cars are devoid of charm, lacking in style and are as cheery as a Belarusian bus station. But the Suzuki Ignis bucks the trend, with a design that’s quite unlike anything else on the road – further enhanced in revised 2020 guise with a more rugged SUV look and a fuel-saving mild hybrid engine. In £14,249 SZ3 trim, the Ignis features digital radio, Bluetooth and air conditioning, but you’ll need to upgrade to the £15,749 SZ-T for 16-inch alloy wheels, sliding rear seats, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, roof rails, wheel arch extensions and side mouldings.

SsangYong Tivoli – £13,995

The SsangYong Tivoli is a compact crossover that’s backed by a seven-year warranty. The basic EX trim isn’t overloaded with equipment, but you do get keyless entry, front and rear electric windows, air conditioning, steering wheel audio controls, rear parking sensors and a suite of safety systems. Upgrading to the Ventura trim requires an extra £3,000, but it still costs around the same price as a new Ford Fiesta. Speaking of which, neither the Fiesta or the Vauxhall Corsa make the list of the cheapest new cars in 2021.

Kia Rio – £13,395

In most cases, the lowest price is designed to tempt you into a car showroom, where the dealer will attempt to upgrade you to a more expensive model. Take the Kia Rio. In ‘1’ trim, you get a pretty basic specification, including air conditioning, Bluetooth, a 3.8-inch radio display and electric front windows. For an extra £2,200, the Rio ‘2’ adds 15-inch alloy wheels, a seven-inch colour display, cruise control, reversing camera, rear parking sensors and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. We think it’s worth the upgrade.

Fiat 500 – £13,020

How badly do you want to own a Fiat 500? In £13,000 Pop guise, the fashionable city car features 14-inch steel wheels, manual air conditioning, DAB digital radio, steering wheel audio controls and… that’s about it. The £14,750 Lounge trim adds 15-inch alloy wheels, a seven-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, rear parking sensors, leather steering wheel and a fixed glass roof to the mix. List prices are almost irrelevant in 2021 – monthly payments are king. Upgrading from Pop to Lounge won’t break the bank.

Hyundai i10 – £12,820

Hyundai was one of the companies to gain the most out of the original ‘scrappage’ scheme of 2009, with many motorists ‘trading up’ to an i10. Today’s i10 isn’t the bargain city car it once was and the entry-level SE model is a little short of toys. That said, the SE Connect is only £1,000 more expensive and will be a lot easier to live with. You can even buy an N Line version, with styling inspired by the i30 N hot hatchback.

Peugeot 108 – £12,785

This time last year, you could buy a Peugeot 108 in Active trim for less than £10,000. Today, you’ll need closer to £13,000 for the entry-level 108. In fairness, the spec is a little more generous than before, with the 108 Active boasting air conditioning, a seven-inch touchscreen display, DAB digital radio, steering wheel controls and a height adjustable driver’s seat.

Volkswagen Up – £12,705

Because the Skoda Citigo and Seat Mii have gone down electric avenue, the Volkswagen Up is the only one of the tiny trio to be available for an affordable price. The basic three-door Up features 15-inch alloy wheels, a five-inch colour touchscreen display, DAB digital radio, air conditioning and a smartphone navigation interface. Adding an extra couple of doors adds £400 to the price.

Toyota Aygo – £12,690

The Toyota Aygo is based on the same platform as the Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108, but it has a snazzier face. In basic X-play trim, the Aygo comes with 15-inch steel wheels, smartphone integration, a reversing camera and solid red paint. We’d recommend the X-trend. It might cost an extra £1,165, but you get 15-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning and rear privacy glass.

MG3 – £12,195

We like the MG3, even if the nod to the brand’s heritage feels a bit disingenuous. The bargain Explore trim has been discontinued, which explains why the entry-level price has increased from £9,500 to £12,000. The specification is impressive and includes air conditioning, leather steering wheel, an eight-inch colour display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, DAB digital radio, 16-inch alloy wheels and reversing camera.

Dacia Duster – £11,745

Perhaps predictably, Dacia dominates the latter part of this feature – the Renault-owned company has cornered the market formerly occupied by the likes of Kia and Hyundai. In Access trim, the Duster is lacking in glamour, but even the flagship Prestige trim costs less than the price of an entry-level Corsa. The cheapest four-wheel-drive variant costs around £19,00.

Renault Twizy – £11,695

Technically, the Renault Twizy is a quadricycle, but given the shortage of genuinely cheap cars, we’re happy to include it here. It’s interesting to note that the price of an entry-level Twizy has gone up from around £7,000 to £11,700 in a little over 12 months. There’s a good reason for the inflated price. In the past, you had to lease the batteries at a cost of around £50 a month. Today, the cost is included in the price of the car.

Dacia Sandero Stepway – £10,995

We’re cheating a little here. Although Dacia positions the all-new Sandero Stepway as a separate model, in reality, it’s a Sandero with quasi-SUV styling and a raised ride height. Having said that, it does look more premium than the Sandero, and the £12,595 Comfort trim offers excellent value for money.

Kia Picanto – £10,745

Kia secured a foothold in the UK thanks to a range of budget-led hatchbacks and SUVs, but the Korean company has its eyes on the premium establishment. The Rio costs upwards of £13,395, while the cheapest Picanto city car sits just under the £11k mark. There are no fewer than seven different versions of the Picanto, including a rugged X-Line and a sporty GT-Line.

Fiat Panda – £10,580

We love the Fiat Panda. It’s the car we’d like to hire when in Rome. And it puts us in mind of Giugiaro’s classic. But this isn’t Rome and a lot of acqua has passed under the ponte since the Italian maestro penned the original. The zero-star Euro NCAP rating makes it hard to recommend the Panda, especially in light of more contemporary rivals. On the plus side, the price has gone up just £500 in 12 months.

Mitsubishi Mirage – £10,575

Mitsubishi has revamped the Mirage. We think it looks rather good, and with many rivals upping their prices, it’s now one of Britain’s cheapest new cars. The entry-level Verve trim is a miserly in terms of spec, but you do get air conditioning, automatic wipers, Bluetooth and a leather steering wheel. We’d recommend spending an extra £2,000 on the Design trim, which adds 15-inch alloy wheels, a 6.5-inch colour display, smartphone connectivity, faux leather and fabric seats, plus keyless start.

Citroen C1 – £10,315

You could buy a new Citroen C1 Live for £10,315, but we wouldn’t recommend it. The black bumpers, 14-inch steel wheels and a heater in lieu of air conditioning all hark back to the 80s or 90s. And if you want to relive the 80s or 90s dream in a Citroen, may we suggest buying a ZX or Xsara? Both are cheap as chips and unlikely to depreciate.

Dacia Sandero – £7,995

The Sandero arrived in the UK with a headline-grabbing £5,995 price tag, helping the Dacia to corner the budget end of the market. Today, you’ll pay £7,995 for the basic Access version of the brand-new model, meaning it still tops the list of cheapest new cars on sale in the UK. The question is: could you live without a radio and air conditioning? At the time of writing, it’s still possible to buy the outgoing Dacia Sandero. The entry price is the same, but you might be able to bag a great deal as dealers clear old stock.

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New contactless touchscreen could help combat Covid-19

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

July 23, 2020

Jaguar Land Rover has developed a new contactless touchscreen to improve driver safety. It could also help reduce the spread of bacteria and viruses.

The system uses so-called ‘predictive touch’ technology to anticipate a user’s intended target on the touchscreen. This is done via artificial intelligence (AI) and sensors. In theory, drivers will be able to control the sat-nav, climate control and media without touching a button.

Laboratory tests and on-road trials suggest that predictive touch tech could reduce a driver’s touchscreen interaction effort and time by up to 50 percent.

There’s an increasing reliance on touchscreens to control primary functions in car cabins. While such systems help to simplify a car’s dashboard – not to mention add a certain ‘wow factor’ – some touchscreens are difficult to use on the move. This is especially true if some functions are ‘hidden’ in sub-menus.

The new Volkswagen Golf takes the concept of a digitalised cabin to the next level. In his review, MR’s Tim Pitt said he wasn’t “fully convinced” by the new approach, arguing that “the minimalist design and deference to touch controls may not be perceived as progress”.

A touchscreen that reduces the amount of time a driver takes their eyes off the road will be a welcome development. Not touching the screen will have other benefits, especially in a post-coronavirus world. Indeed, it’s not difficult to see how the technology could be used beyond the automobile.

‘Reducing the cognitive load on drivers’

Lee Skrypchuk, human-machine interface technical specialist at Jaguar Land Rover, said: “As countries around the world exit lockdown, we notice how many everyday consumer transactions are conducted using touchscreens: railway or cinema tickets, ATMs, airport check-ins and supermarket self-service checkouts, as well as many industrial and manufacturing applications. Predictive touch technology eliminates the need to touch an interactive display and could therefore reduce the risk of spreading bacteria or viruses on surfaces.

“The technology also offers us the chance to make vehicles safer by reducing the cognitive load on drivers and increasing the amount of time they can spend focused on the road ahead. This is a key part of our Destination Zero journey.”

Destination Zero is Jaguar Land Rover’s desire to make its vehicles safer and the environment cleaner and healthier. Alongside the contactless touchscreen, the company has developed a ‘Driver Condition Monitor’, engine noise cancellation and cabin air ionisation with PM2.5 filtration to capture ultra fine particles and allergens.

Professor Simon Godsill from Cambridge University’s Department of Engineering led the contactless touchscreen project. He said: “Touchscreens and other interactive displays are something most people use multiple times per day, but they can be difficult to use while in motion, whether that’s driving a car or changing the music on your phone while you’re running.

“We also know that certain pathogens can be transmitted via surfaces, so this technology could help reduce the risk for that type of transmission.”

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Revealed: the cities with the world’s most expensive car parking

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

July 23, 2020

London is the world’s fourth most expensive place to park a car. That’s according to a recently published Parking Price Index.

The study looked at 65 cities to highlight the differences in the cost of parking around the world. Five parking locations were considered: airport, shopping district (car park), shopping district (street parking), stadium and city hall.

City hall was chosen as these buildings are generally located in the centre of the town, where parking can command a premium. The cities were ranked in terms of average percentage deviation.

The study suggests that London is the second most expensive city when it comes to parking at a stadium. A cost of £30 per hour is just 75p behind Philadelphia.

At £7.80 per hour, London is ranked fifth for airport parking costs. Meanwhile, a cost of £4.90 per hour puts London second behind Amsterdam for street parking.

Find cheap or free parking spaces in advance

Seven out of the ten top most expensive places to park are in the United States, with New York and Boston proving to be more expensive than London. The UK capital is sandwiched between two Australian cities: Sydney and Brisbane.

Fixter, the company behind the research, claims that major hubs like London “stand to lose an estimated £449 million due to the [coronavirus] pandemic”.

This is based on the £727 million parking revenue collected by Greater London boroughs in 2019. After expenses, this gives a surplus of £454 million.

The most expensive places to park

Here are the ten most expensive places to park, along with the UK cities included in the Fixter study. Click here to see the full data and methodology.

Ranking and global city	Airport (per hour)	Shopping Car park (per hour)	Shopping Street (per hour	Stadium (per hour)	City hall (per hour)	Average deviation
1. New York	£6.15	£23.06	£3.46	£25.37	£19.22	354.75%
2. Boston	£6.15	£19.22	£2.88	£23.06	£15.38	282.85%
3. Sydney	£10.00	£14.95	£3.81	£15.47	£9.79	210.98%
4. London	£7.80	£8.00	£4.90	£30.00	£10.00	191.07%
5. Brisbane	£9.79	£9.28	£2.58	£25.52	£9.28	173.62%
6. Philadelphia	£4.61	£9.23	£1.54	£30.75	£9.23	269.20%
7. Chicago	£2.31	£7.69	£3.46	£26.91	£7.69	126.40%
8. Minneapolis	£3.84	£8.46	£2.31	£19.22	£9.23	123.51%
9. San Francisco	£6.15	£7.69	£2.88	£26.91	£4.61	113.51%
10. Washington	£4.61	£6.92	£1.77	£23.06	£7.69	106.59%
13. Leeds	£10.00	£6.60	£2.80	£18.00	£2.50	83.06%
19. Liverpool	£7.50	£1.00	£2.00	£30.00	£3.00	52.66%
20. Manchester	£7.00	£3.20	£3.00	£21.00	£2.00	47.55%
23. Edinburgh	£7.00	£2.70	£4.60	£14.00	£2.00	40.94%
24. Birmingham	£5.70	£2.00	£3.50	£15.00	£4.00	38.49%
29. Glasgow	£5.99	£2.00	£4.00	£8.50	£3.00	20.79%
34. Cardiff	£3.00	£2.00	£2.10	£10.00	£4.50	6.81%
37. Sheffield	£5.00	£2.50	£2.60	£7.00	£2.50	0.82%
53. Belfast	£5.00	£2.50	£1.20	£2.30	£0.60	-37.56%

Earlier this year, we revealed how you can save money on car parking. You might also be interested in the places you’re not allowed to park.

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Blanket motorway tolls planned for Europe

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

July 22, 2020

Drivers in Europe could face blanket motorway tolls within eight years. This is according to a document seen by Reuters.

Under the EU toll directive, almost all motorists would have to pay a fee for using a motorway. Ministers in Germany could approve the draft document today (22 July).

German transport minister, Andreas Scheuer, said: “As regards member states that have already established a charging system, tolls or user charges shall be levied upon all vehicles expect coaches and buses.” It is thought that Germany will push for the blanket tolls as part of the country’s presidency of the European Union.

Although tolls are viewed as a way of tackling climate change, the plans are likely to be met with fierce opposition from some quarters. Autobahns, and the freedom to drive on some sections without a limit on speed, are ingrained in German culture.

A blanket fee would likely be as well received as the Green Party’s plans to impose a 130kph (80mph) speed limit on the autobahns.

‘A very emotional topic’

In an article in the New York Times, Stefan Gerwens, head of transport and mobility at the automobile club ADAC, said: “It’s a very emotional topic.” Cars account for 11 percent of total emissions in Germany – a speed limit of 75mph could cover a fifth of the gap to reach the 2020 emissions targets for the transport sector, it’s claimed.

European toll roads aren’t a new concept. Holidaymakers in France, Portugal and Spain will be familiar with paying a few Euros to drive on sections of motorways. In France, paying a toll is almost unavoidable if you want to make swift progress through the country.

Other countries take a different approach. In Austria, drivers must buy a vignette to use the motorways, with prices ranging from €8.50 for ten days, to €82.70 for an annual pass. Meanwhile, in Switzerland, the vignette costs €40, which includes the use of the Gotthard and San Bernardino tunnels.

In the UK, the most famous toll road is arguably the M6 Toll in the West Midlands. Drivers also have to pay to use the likes of the Dartford, Tamar and Humber bridges.

German ministers will discuss the plans to impose a blanket motorway toll. If approved, the scheme is likely to be Germany’s official proposal for its presidency of the EU, which runs until the end of the year.

The M11 is named England’s best motorway

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

July 22, 2020

The M11 has been named England’s best motorway in a survey of 8,000 motorists. More surprising is the news that the M25 isn’t the least favourite.

Transport Focus asked road users about their last journey on a motorway or A-road managed by Highways England. The independent watchdog was seeking views on journey times, road surface quality and safety.

The M11, which stretches 51 miles from London to Cambridge, was built in the 1970s to transport people to Stansted Airport. One respondent to the survey said: “Easy way to go, everything went well, no roadworks or holdups.”

With a score of 92 percent, the M11 finishes just ahead of the M40 (91 percent), the M61 (89 percent) and the M3 (88 percent).

In the battle of the A-roads, it’s a victory for the A66. The major road runs from Middlesbrough to Workington and is one of the most important routes in the North. In part, it follows the course of the Roman road from Scotch Corner to Penrith.

In a report, Transport Focus said that 81 percent of road users are satisfied with their last journey on a road managed by Highways England. Meanwhile, 79 percent are happy with the journey time and 92 percent feel safe on the roads.

‘Some roads score much better’

Transport Focus chief executive said: “In the 12 months before the coronavirus lockdown, more than three out of the four drivers were satisfied with their journey on England’s motorways and major A-roads – but some roads score much better.”

Indeed, the M20, which connects London with the ferry ports and Channel Tunnel, is named England’s worst motorway. The M23 (64 percent), M4 (70 percent), M27 (74 percent) and M25 (75 percent) were the other motorways to finish in the bottom five.

The M20 finishes bottom for the second year in a row. One road user slammed the motorway, saying: “Get the roadworks done – it’s been 50mph for too long – must be two years possibly…”

England’s motorways – best to worst

Motorway	Score (percent)
1. M11	92
2. M40	91
3. M61	89
4. M3	88
5. A1(M)	87
6. M56	86
7. M65	83
8. M62	83
9. M6	82
10. M1	82
11. M5	82
12. M25	75
13. M27	74
14. M4	70
15. M23	64
16. M20	63

England’s A-roads – best to worst

Major A-roads	Score (percent)
1. A66	90
2. A5	89
3. A38	86
4. A12	85
5. A47	85
6. A3	84
7. A1	84
8. A19	82
10. A46	82
11. A13	81
12. A2	81
13. A27	81
14. A23	80
15. A14	78
16. A30	67
17. A34	66

The full report can be downloaded via the Transport Focus website.

Used car price rises accelerate since lockdown lifted

Richard Aucock

July 22, 2020

Used car prices have risen consistently since lockdown began to lift in May – and the rate of growth has accelerated in recent weeks.

Auto Trader says the average price of a used car in early July was 4.4 percent higher than a year ago.

It means the average price has now edged up over the £15,000 mark, standing at £15,025 in early July.

This, Auto Trader says, is down to simple supply and demand: there are more customers than there are used cars in the marketplace, which is pushing prices up.

Surprisingly, it is volume brands – such as Ford and Vauxhall – that are leading the growth, with an 8.2 percent year-on-year increase.

Premium brand prices, in contrast, only grew 2.2 percent.

Prices for older cars also outpaced the average, with motors aged between 10-15 years growing 6.6 percent.

“Used car prices have seen sustained growth for more than 10 weeks and it’s clear this growth is accelerating,” said Auto Trader data director Richard Walker.

“Consumer confidence seems relatively robust too, with 82 percent saying they are ‘as confident’ or ‘more confident’ in being able to afford their next car than they were a year ago.”

Even though auction houses are starting to get back to business, enabling car dealers to restock, Mr Walker said there is no sign of consumer demand tailing off.

The marketplace is therefore encouraging retailers not to reduce prices just yet. Although as the figures show, many have already heeded this and are actually raising used car prices…

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Gordon Murray T.50 hypercar has ‘lightest, highest revving V12 ever’

Tim Pitt

July 21, 2020

Gordon Murray T.50 supercar McLaren F1 successor

Ahead of its world debut on 4 August, Gordon Murray Automotive has revealed more details of the T.50 hypercar – including its incredible V12 engine.

With the brief to create ‘a Formula One engine for the road’, famed engineering firm Cosworth has created a 3.9-litre 65-degree V12 that revs from idle to its 12,100rpm redline in just 0.3 seconds. Maximum power of 663hp arrives at 11,500rpm.

With 166hp per litre, the T.50 boasts the most power-dense naturally aspirated engine ever. And the engine weighs just 178kg – another record for a road car.

‘Phenomenal engine sound’

As it that wasn’t enough, Gordon Murray promises the “best V12 sound ever”. The man with the McLaren F1 on his CV doesn’t do hyperbole.

“You can never get a great sound from a turbocharged engine,” says Murray. “The T.50 engine sound is going to be phenomenal. The intoxicating growl that drivers love is introduced as the throttle angle increases… then as you push towards the upper end of the rev range the V12 will sing like nothing else on the road.”

Oh, did we mention the T.50 has a six-speed, H-pattern manual gearbox? Start buying those lottery tickets now…

Taking on the Valkyrie

A statement from Cosworth reads: ‘Cosworth first worked with Gordon Murray during his time as technical director at the Brabham Formula 1 team. For the T.50, the UK-based firm has engineered the greatest naturally-aspirated engine ever designed for the road.’

That’s a curious statement, given that Cosworth also completed work on the 6.5-litre 11,000rpm V12 that powers the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Either way, hypercar buyers have never had it so good.

Aside from that engine, the T.50’s other defining feature is a large fan out-back, much like on his famous Brabham F1 car. Spanning 400mm, it will accelerate air from the underside of the T.50 and suck it to the ground. In theory, like the Brabham, it could also handle some of the engine cooling.

The technology has been refined with help from the Racing Point F1 team. The plan is to create the ‘most advanced and most effective aerodynamics ever seen on a road car’.

Inspired by the McLaren F1

GMA says the car will have six distinct aerodynamic modes, which optimise the fan as well as the performance of other active devices and underbody aero.

Aside from that, the T.50 is set to take everything that makes Murray’s 1992 McLaren F1, considered by many as the greatest supercar of all time, to the next level. This means the high-revving V12, a manual transmission, central driving position and a kerb weight of ‘less than 1,000kg’ thanks to carbon construction.

The engine will benefit from ram-air effect, which means the faster the car goes, the more power it can generate. In combination with a 48-volt integrated starter-generator system, it’ll put out 663hp in ‘Vmax Mode’.

Given the F1 held the road car speed record at 240.1mph for a number of years, we like the sound of that.

‘The purest possible form’

So what about the styling? If you look past the fan, it’s a refreshingly subtle thing. The silhouette and footprint is immediately reminiscent of the F1. As is the ram air duct up-top, flanking engine bay windows and wraparound cockpit. The fan means there’s no need for jutting spoilers, ailerons and slashed bodywork.

There’s a whiff of Ferrari in the rear lights and exhaust placement, and that’s no bad thing. We like what we see so far. Yes, even the fan.

“We were highly focused on achieving the purest possible form for the T.50, an objective we’ve achieved through world-first engineering innovations and active underbody aerodynamics,” said Gordon Murray. “We will reveal the completed design at the T.50 supercar’s global debut in May.”

Not long to wait

Just 100 people will be lucky enough to take delivery of a T.50. Customer uptake is reportedly encouraging, even at an entry price ‘in excess of £2 million’.

“We’ve been taken aback by the enthusiastic reaction of buyers from across the globe,” Murray continued. “The first customer deliveries will take place in January 2022, on schedule, with every customer who has already been allocated their T.50 receiving their car that year.”

Stay tuned to Motoring Research for more when the T.50 is fully revealed on 4 August 2020.

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‘Rigorous new standards’ to protect taxi passengers

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

July 21, 2020

The government has announced new safety standards for taxi and private hire vehicles. This follows consultation with the trade, regulators and safety campaign groups in the wake of taxi and private hire drivers abusing their position of trust.

The Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) Standards are designed to protect children and vulnerable adults. However, the government says that all passengers will benefit from the recommendations.

Local authorities will be expected to implement the standards to improve consistency in the licensing system, reducing the risk to children and vulnerable passengers. The key recommendations are:

Criminal record checks for drivers every six months
Safeguarding training for drivers
Considering the use of CCTV

‘Fit to transport passengers’

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “We know the majority of drivers provide an important and safe service for communities, but in light of appalling incidents in places like Rochdale, Oxford, Newcastle and Rotherham, more must be done to protect passengers from those who abuse their position of trust.

“That’s why we’re looking to licensing authorities to enforce these rigorous new standards, ensuring drivers are fit to transport passengers in a safe environment and to stop those who aren’t.

“We expect all licensing authorities to implement the standards and won’t hesitate to introduce legislation if they don’t fulfil their responsibilities to keep the public safe.”

In a 40-page document, the government labels taxis and private hire vehicles as a ‘high-risk environment’. By applying data from Greater Manchester and Merseyside across England, 623 sexual assaults per year are reported, it says. Common core minimum standards are required to regulate the industry, it follows.

Licensing authorities are expected to implement these recommendations ‘unless there is a compelling local reason not to’. The Department for Transport (DfT) will monitor progress, work with authorities not meeting their responsibilities and look to introduce legislation if necessary.

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Moto trials big price cut for motorway fuel

Richard Aucock

July 20, 2020

Motorway services operator Moto is trialling an 8p a litre fuel price reduction at three service stations – and if more motorists start filling up, the price drop could go nationwide.

Moto is the UK’s largest motorway service area operator, operating 47 forecourts across the country.

The trial is running at Frankley services on the M5 near Birmingham, Lancaster on the M6 and Donington Park on the M1 near Derby.

The 8p a litre price reduction matches the average price at local filling stations and is within 5p a litre of the average supermarket fuel price.

Unleaded will cost 111.9p per litre and diesel will cost 117.9p per litre.

So significant is the price reduction, Moto says it would reduce the cost of filling the average fuel tank by more than £4.

Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan said: “Times are tough, and we know from our customer insight that motorists want to see lower fuel prices to help them make their money go as far as possible.

We are hoping that, subject to a successful trial, we will be able to roll out these fuel price cuts to all our Moto-operated petrol stations.”

Cut fuel VAT

Moto’s chief executive Mr McMeikan (pictured above) has also written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for a cut in VAT on fuel to match the VAT cut for the hospitality sector.

This has been reduced from 20 percent to five percent.

“A cut in VAT on fuel,” said Mr McMeikan, “would instantly put more money into people’s pockets at precisely the time they need to be travelling again for work, visiting loved ones and during the expected increase in staycations.”

Fuel duty currently accounts for 57.95p per litre of fuel, with 20 percent VAT added on top.

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These are the UK’s safest – and least safe – car parks

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

July 17, 2020

Covent Garden has been named the least safe place to park your car in an analysis of 200 of the UK’s busiest car parks. Of the car parks in the top 10, three are in London and three are in Bristol.

The figures reveal a staggering 368 vehicle crimes per year in Covent Garden. That’s more than one a day.

Meanwhile, the car park at Exeter St David’s is the safest. There was just one recorded crime between April 2019 and March 2020.

Four out of the 10 safest car parks in the UK are attached to a railway station. This suggests a higher level of security at these locations.

USwitch, the company behind the research, looked at a range of vehicle crimes when collating the data. The list includes aggravated vehicle taking, theft of a motor vehicle, theft from a motor vehicle, interference with a motor vehicle, and theft from vehicle other than a motor vehicle.

Aside from Bristol, the least safe car parks are concentrated in the South East. On the other hand, there’s a wider geographic spread for the safest car parks.

Top 10 least safe car parks

[av_table purpose=’pricing’ pricing_table_design=’avia_pricing_default’ pricing_hidden_cells=” caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-8rtimcux’] [av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’ av_uid=’av-2dy91hbq1′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-2dc32odg9′]Car park / city[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-2b937uba1′]Annual vehicle crimes[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-2aqvn7jix’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-28n65jlp5′]1. Covent Garden, London[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-27lj6jd3t’]368[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-26blj2nbt’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-25anuzmah’]2. Mayfair, London[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-24epso2vt’]273[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-2344zoi6x’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-7af4bqu1′]3. Pavilion Road, London[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-79f8d449′]266[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1ypyehlsp’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-6yk3rjbt’]4. Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1wj6fq2zd’]245[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1uw6xogwp’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1t9yq02zd’]5. Nelson Street, Bristol[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1syemdyqh’]230[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1qv6nti55′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1qeswry1l’]6. New Street, Birmingham[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1opj1rndl’]169[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1n3q1u1zt’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1m3omqal5′]7. Prince Street, Bristol[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1kpmgt0gp’]153[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1josrm0m1′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1idgccjo9′]8. Knox Road, Cardiff[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1gnbpxztl’]146[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1fxuog1zt’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1ee53f34p’]9. Wandle, Croydon[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1dosukuqh’]142[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1bodrsk9l’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1a57v9fa1′]10. Crasswell Street, Portsmouth[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-198zvpswp’]140[/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

Top 10 safest car parks

[av_table purpose=’pricing’ pricing_table_design=’avia_pricing_default’ pricing_hidden_cells=” caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ id=” custom_class=” av_uid=’av-18lu6wjyx’] [av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’ av_uid=’av-16xj26jo9′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-15kegv7kp’]Car park / city[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1435ozz89′]Annual vehicle crimes[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-12pm7uiop’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-3tlp5t3t’]1. St David’s, Exeter[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-10vmichax’]1[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-3kg9b2qh’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-xv1pnq55′]2. King Street, Stockport[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-wt06q17d’]2[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-uubycxi1′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-ug1abbtl’]3. Central Station, Exeter[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-t7k851qx’]4[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-r2c5qnmh’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-podguejd’]4. Grand Arcade, Wigan[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-p4aqzqqh’]6[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-nh003dax’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-msi0sdy1′]5. Rother Street, Stratford-upon-Avon[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-l71rakd5′]7[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-k7ulq1zt’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-it8lcly1′]6. Thornaby Station, Stockton[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-h3ko9v2x’]8[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-gki6ai3d’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-er7lrc7t’]7. Station South, York[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-ddtwzleh’]10[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-bpnwtymx’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-bclke26x’]8. Llandudno Station, Llandudno[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-9bgurw2h’]11[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-8tlipvyx’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-71kxbrtl’]9. Pescod Square, Boston[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-23fn0gp’]13[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-4klnavbt’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-2tbogn4p’]10. Oxford Street, Belfast[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-2i6slbfd’]14[/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

How to keep your car safe

Here is some advice on how to keep your car safe in a car park. The information is based on official guidance issued by the Met Police:

Lock your doors and close your windows
Secure the number plates and alloy wheels
Protect external items
Hide personal belongings and devices
Consider a comprehensive insurance policy for your car
Choose your car park wisely and prioritise well-lit areas
Never leave documentation in the vehicle

We’d also add the purchase of a steering wheel lock to the list. This highly visible security device could deter opportunist thieves. It’s also effective against keyless car thieves.

Click here to visit our dedicated advice section.

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