New data reveals which UK cities offer the best car parking facilities. The study by InsuretheGap, assessed cities based on the number of parking spaces per resident, average walking distance from the city centre and prices per hour.
It might not surprise you to learn that London comes last. It seems the further from the capital a city is, the better. However, there is good news for the people of Newcastle.
In 10th place is Cardiff. Although it has plenty of spaces per resident, it’s not so hot when it comes to walking distance and price. Sunderland in ninth, does better for walking distance, but suffers when it comes to the number of spaces. It claws things back massively on price, though, being the cheapest in the country. How does £1.73 for two hours of parking sound?
Sheffield in eighth does OK, with a great score for walking distance. Birmingham in seventh suffers enormously when it comes to available spaces, but good walking distance and competitive pricing redeem it. Sixth-placed Hull, meanwhile, is something of a jack-of-all-trades.
The top five best cities for parking do well in combining all three. Nottingham in fifth is a prime example. Bradford in fourth has a poor number of spaces per resident, but competitive costs and the best walking distances on the list.
Belfast, Leicester and Newcastle round off the top three, each with great availability and pricing. Belfast falls short somewhat when it comes to walking distances. It does have the most parking spaces per resident on the list, though.
“Trying to find a parking space, especially one in a good location and at a reasonable rate, seems to be getting more difficult,” said Ben Wooltorton of InsuretheGap.com.
“This data highlights areas that are doing well in providing adequate parking for residents and visitors. The other end of the scale indicates where drivers might need to put in a little more research and planning to find the space they want.”
Ford has launched a range of electric car charging equipment and software. The company claims it is ‘putting to bed’ concerns around EV charging that current and prospective owners may have.
The arrival of the Ford Charging Solutions system follows a similar announcement by Volkswagen last month.
A new Connected Wallbox makes up only part of what Ford calls its ‘Charging Solutions ecosystem’. It can deliver five times the quantity and speed of charge that a domestic plug socket offers. This means ‘customers can be sure their Ford electric vehicle will fully recharge overnight’. Standard on all Ford electric cars will be the Ford Home Charge Cable, which plugs in like any other gadget.
Next is the FordPass connectivity system. It includes an on-board modem and app with access to the growing Ionity public EV charging network. The app goes beyond the UK, too, with a total of 125,000 charging locations across 21 countries included.
Ionity chargers that manage up to 150kW are currently being installed, with 400 expected to be in ‘key locations’ across Europe by the end of 2020. The app also allows you to monitor your car’s charge status, as well as plan routes around stops at network chargers.
“One of the biggest hold-ups for customers considering an electric vehicle has been the fear of running out of power or the inability to find a place to plug in,” said Ted Cannis, Ford’s director of global electrification.
“By offering industry-leading charging access, including the largest network of public charging stations among any automaker, we are dismantling those barriers, allowing more customers to confidently enjoy the benefits of owning an electric vehicle.”
Of course there’s no point talking up charging if you haven’t a Ford-badged vehicle to charge. That’s where the new ‘Mustang-inspired’ electric SUV comes in. It’s now confirmed as having a targeted WLTP electric range of 370 miles. Ford says 10 minutes hooked up to an Ionity 150kW station would give the electric SUV 57 miles of range.
New data reveals the youngest drivers pay up to 149 percent more for car insurance. The average premium, based on 750 survey respondents aged between 17 and 24, is £1,176. This compares with the national average of £471.
The survey was a part of the Young Driver Rip Off Report, supporting the launch of insurance app Honcho. It also revealed that once insurance is paid for, young drivers typically have just £77.99 left to play with every month.
Half think higher premiums for car insurance renewal should be illegal
Perhaps unsurprisingly, 42 percent of respondents admitted they have considered downgrading to third-party cover to reduce costs. And 37 percent said they had increased their voluntary excess to keep their upfront premium down.
“With so many expenses to juggle the last thing young people need is to be faced with extortionate insurance premiums in order to be on the roads,” said Gavin Sewell, CEO of Honcho.
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“However, the implications of higher insurance premiums for the younger generation go way beyond the purse strings. Many youngsters rely on being able to drive to get to and from their place of work or to meet with peers to socialise. It’s not right that they should be penalised for their age, but especially at a time when mobility is so key in their development.
“A significant percentage are also being forced to put themselves at greater risk by taking out less comprehensive cover, which could come around to sting them when trying to make a claim.”
Aston Martin will soon reveal its new DBX SUV in full; ahead of this, the teasers continue, with the British firm now confirming details of 11 lifestyle-ready accessory packs.
Peer closely in the images below for your first look at a camouflage-free DBX.
Aston Martin president and CEO Dr Andy Palmer says the aim for the DBX, from the outset, was for it to “become an integral part of customers’ everyday lives.
“With these lifestyle packs, I think we have been able to ensure that DBX is a vehicle that not only enables but also enhances experiences.”
The Pet Pack has produced the cutest images. It comprises a boot partition and a tailored bumper protector for dogs making use of the DBX’s voluminous 632-litre load bay.
A portable washer will also ensure adventurous dogs can be cleaned prior to jumping back on board.
An Event Pack includes a hamper, picnic blanket and event seating, similar to the ‘tailgate seat’ found on the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Because Aston knows what British picnics can be like, this pack also includes extra umbrella storage.
There’s a Touring Pack, with tailored luggage, leather cabin saddle bags and a lockable box under the front passenger seat. And an Essentials Pack features a centre console organiser, rear seat entertainment holder and a heated cup
The Snow Pack is neat. Along with the usual ski bag, ski rack on the roof and snow chains, it also includes a boot warmer, which “makes the first ski run of the day that little bit more pleasurable”.
Three special edition Maxi-Cosi child and baby seats will be offered too, for babies, toddlers and children between 15kg and 36kg.
Millennials hold the key to reversing the slump in the automotive industry. That’s according to the Millennials and Auto Trends Report published today.
Market uncertainty, anti-diesel legislation, low emission zones and the popularity of ride-hailing apps such as Uber paint a gloomy picture for the industry. But the survey of 2,150 millennials (aged 23 to 28) from across the world presents a brighter outlook.
In Europe, 79 percent of millennials already own a vehicle, while half of respondents who do not own a car expect to buy one within the next five years.
Interestingly, despite the common perception of millennials as an environmentally conscious generation, petrol and diesel are the engines of choice for 53 percent. On the flip side, that would suggest 47 percent of the respondents drive an alternative fuel vehicle (AFV).
Perhaps surprisingly, 82 percent of the respondents have never used a ride-hailing app or use them less than once a week. Those who thought the rise of Uber, car sharing schemes and short term rentals would kill the car could be mistaken.
What do millennials look for in a car?
What’s important to young car buyers? The infotainment system? Smartphone connectivity? The colour? Not necessarily.
Seventy percent of the respondents said price is an important consideration, which suggests competitive PCP deals could be around for a little while longer.
Other factors include fuel economy (59 percent), style (34 percent) and safety (30 percent).
Paul Teuten, managing director at Duff & Phelps, the company behind the survey, said: “Our Millennials and Auto Trends Report challenges conventional wisdom that millennials prefer alternatives to car ownership and provides encouraging evidence that millennials will drive the automotive industry forward.
“The European findings, in particular with over 80 percent of millennials never or rarely using ride-hailing and car-sharing services, underscores this and casts doubt on the presumed notion that ride-hailing services are increasingly used by this population. The automotive industry should take note and adapt to this by continuing to make the right technological investments to satisfy millennial preferences.”
With 77 percent of the respondents saying car ownership is a necessity for independence, it’s going to take a major shift in culture and legislation to release the automobile’s grip on our lives.
A growing number of people are warming to the idea of owning an electric car – but obstacles remain. That’s according to an international survey of more than 4,000 people.
Sixty percent of the respondents in 16 different countries said they view electric cars favourably, with around half saying they are more positive now than three years ago.
Among those planning to lease a car within the next five years, 40 percent said they intend to choose an electric car.
We looked into leasing deals in August. While electric cars are often more expensive than petrol and diesel cars, the running costs tend to be cheaper.
Personal Contract Hire (PCH) deals start from around £200 a month for a Volkswagen e-Golf, with deals available on the Jaguar I-Pace. As the choice widens, the prices will become more competitive.
The infrastructure needs fixing
But while motorists are switching on to electric cars, concerns remain. Around a half of those surveyed in the Electric Vehicles and Sustainability section of the Mobility Monitor study said the current infrastructure is a barrier.
Meanwhile, 45 percent said a limited driving range was a reason to avoid electric cars.
In Italy, Spain and the UK, around 60 percent of respondents who plan to buy or lease a car in the next five years said a shortage of charging stations would stop them from making the switch.
Tex Gunning, CEO of LeasePlan, the company which worked with Ipsos on the research, said the infrastructure needs urgent attention.
“Our 2019 Mobility Monitor shows that public demand for zero-emission mobility far outpaces currently available EV infrastructure.
“We need to fix this now.
“The European Commission, together with national governments and local authorities, must step up and act on citizen demand for zero-emission mobility by investing in a comprehensive, pan-European charging infrastructure.
“Only through collective, decisive and timely action will we be able to win the fight against climate change, and improve air quality in our towns and cities.”
Volvo has revealed its first ever all-electric car, the XC40 Recharge. An EV version of the increasingly popular XC40 compact SUV, it combines a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds with an EV driving range of nearly 250 miles.
The XC40 Recharge P8 AWD has two electric motors, giving a total of 408hp. It’s a planet-saving performance car in sheep’s clothing.
As for the name ‘Recharge’, that’s Volvo’s branding for all its future electric cars – and it’s going to release one every year between now and 2025.
By then, EVs will comprise 50 percent of its overall sales. The rest? Electrified plug-in hybrids (with not a normal engine in sight).
Volvo says the XC40 Recharge’s batteries will, ahem, recharge from zero to 80 percent in 40 minutes. Total battery capacity is 75 kWh.
The electric XC40 will go on sale in 2020, and Volvo says it will build its website around promoting EVs. When customers visit, they will first be asked if they want a Volvo Recharge or not – making them consider electric right from the start.
“We have said this several times before: for Volvo Cars, the future is electric,” said CEO Hakan Samuelsson. “Today we take a major new step in that direction with the launch of our fully electric XC40 and the Recharge line.”
Recharge will also comprise plug-in hybrids: Volvo is the only firm to sell a plug-in hybrid variant of every model it sells.
The XC40 Recharge is also the first Volvo to feature a Google Android-based infotainment system. This, says the firm, takes connectivity to a new level.
It is fully integrated with the Volvo On Call connectivity system and, for plug-in hybrid drivers, will let them show off to their friends how much time they spend driving in electric mode.
To meet demand for Recharge models, Volvo plans to triple production capacity for its electrified cars.
I might be the first person on earth to take any notice of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio’s fuel economy figure. It’s an irrelevance. As meaningful as an energy efficiency sticker on an American-style fridge freezer.
The hot Alfa’s performance figures are far cooler. Top speed: 191mph. Zero to 62mph: 3.9 seconds. Horsepower: 510 at 6,500rpm. Torque: 442lb ft at 2,500rpm. Numbers that once upon a time would have been strong enough to elevate a supercar to bedroom wall poster status.
The figures look great on paper, but reports suggest that they’re even better when translated to asphalt. I’ve never had the pleasure. The Giulia Quadrifoglio remained on the bucket list, sandwiched between dinner with Keeley Hawes and tackling Route 66 in an AMC Eagle.
I’ve waited a very long time to drive one of these. I don’t think I’ll be testing it to its limits… pic.twitter.com/719Zdm5AG3
I can tick one of those off the list. I haven’t left the country and Keeley won’t return my calls, so that leaves the Giulia Quadrifoglio. A chance to see what all the fuss is about. Where should I go? The Brecon Beacons? Scotland? The Yorkshire Dales? Nope, a business park in Bristol was my destination, within earshot of the M4 and a stone’s throw from Screwfix. Great.
The Alfa was one of 21 cars taking part in the inaugural WLTP Challenge: a driving event designed to prove the effectiveness of the new standardised fuel economy test procedure. In theory, WLTP should be more reflective of real-world driving conditions, rather than the old NEDC figures, which were about as truthful as a party political broadcast.
In the sterile surroundings of a car park in Bristol, the Alfa stood out like a pimple on an adolescent’s face, and not just because of its Competizione Red paint. The other vehicles were, for the most part, designed to be driven by people who nod in agreement to callers to the Jeremy Vine show and live out their days eating carrot cake in garden centre cafes.
Cars built with WLTP regulations in mind. Cars that don’t wear Quadrifoglio badges.
Go rogue or go home
It’s at this point that I should tell you that the Giulia Quadrifoglio has a WLTP figure of 27.2mpg, with CO2 emissions of 206g/km. Not too shabby for a four-door saloon powered by a Ferrari-derived 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged engine. The mission was to meet or exceed that figure over a 220-mile route designed to ‘simulate a typical journey for an employee driving on company business’.
This meant a visit to a Starbucks, lunch at an office block in the West Midlands, a visit to one of those sex shops on the A1, and half an hour in a layby to watch the highlights of the En-ger-land match on YouTube. I skipped the last two, primarily because I may have made them up.
The organisers were at pains to point out that the cars should be driven ‘in a normal way’ to reflect real-world motoring. Looking back, this should have been my invitation to drive the Alfa in the manner a 510hp real-wheel-drive manic saloon should be driven, but fearing for my next freelance commission, I towed the line.
What followed was an incredibly frustrating and at times tedious day behind the wheel. Hypermiling can be rewarding, but not, in turns out, when you’re popping your Giulia cherry. The temptation to ‘go rogue’ was ever present – after all, I might not get another opportunity with the fiery Italian.
Wales looked more appealing than lunch in Walsall, while Castle Combe offered greater riches than a slow crawl through the Cotswolds. But the car was being tracked and monitored by a team of big brothers, so I knew that it wouldn’t be long before I was hunted down by a crack crew of environmentalists and shipped home in the back of a Prius.
Skinny lattes and Greta scores
Having prepared for an eco drive, I knew what was required to show the electric, hybrid and diesel vehicles a thing or two about sipping fuel. A skinny latte was ordered to save weight, before I killed the air conditioning, left the optional Harman Kardon sound theatre turned off, and switched my right foot to featherlight mode. Time to spank the economy drive, or something.
Momentum is the key. Every time the car stops, you’ll waste precious fuel getting up to speed. Roundabouts and traffic lights require careful consideration if you’re to avoid stopping, while maintaining a safe distance to the car in front is the key to avoiding any unwanted braking.
Tipping its coppola to Extinction Rebellion, the Giulia features a couple of displays designed to get the most out of the tiny 58-litre fuel tank. One is an eco rating, which monitors your acceleration, braking and gear changes to deliver a kind of ‘Greta score’. At one point, this was as high as 91, although it’s mildly amusing that the system awards its own eight-speed automatic transmission the full 100 points.
The other is an economy gauge nestled below the dials, which features a sliding scale of fuel consumption. Coast downhill and it shoots to the right; climb a hill and it disappears off to the left.
Hills are the enemy of an eco drive. Twenty miles of hard work can be undone by the slightest incline, sending Greta into a tailspin and putting the nearest petrol station on full alert. Dab the throttle before you climb to give yourself a fighting chance of staying green.
Motorways, on the other hand, are where all your earth dreams come true. Sticking to a steady 60mph saw the Giulia display a rather optimistic 44.1mpg, although this – along with my spirits – dropped as I ventured off the M5 and into the West Midlands. By lunchtime, I had had my fill of eco driving, and not even a tuna and sweetcorn sandwich could lift the mood. Forget WLTP FTW, this was more like WLTP FML.
Home before bedtime?
The route back to Bristol included tortuous motorway traffic and a drive through the Cotswolds on roads that should feel superb in a Giulia Quadrifoglio. Fast sweeping bends, glorious views, wide roundabout exits and long straights combined to create a natural habit for a rear-wheel-drive saloon. But not today, sonny. Today you must follow a line of traffic behind a WLTP challenger in Honda CR-V hybrid doing a steady 42mph on his way to a remarkable 70.08mpg – around 30mpg more than the claimed figure.
The Alfa’s economy after 223 miles: 36.39mpg, which is, as near as makes no difference, a 34 percent improvement on the WTLP figure. Not bad, especially when you consider that the Quadrifoglio is about as far removed from an eco car as I am from enjoying a caesar salad with Ms. Hawes.
But is a 34 percent upshift in economy worth it for all the frustration and torture of being overtaken by a Ford C-Max and tailgated by a Vauxhall Corsa? Of course not.
Air conditioning can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 percent, so it was switched off. But this results in a sweaty back and the need to open the windows at traffic lights, at which point you breathe in all of those delightful toxins being pushed out by the surrounding lorries. A few years off your life to save a few mpgs – no thanks.
And because the future of eco driving means following a CR-V at a steady 42mph, the nation’s company car drivers will be late home for bedtime stories with their children, which will result in arguments with their partners and the breakdown of relationships. The kids need the Gruffalo, so put your foot down, Mr CR-V.
You’d be better off sticking a Giulia Quadrifoglio in the garage for weekends and holidays, and using a Ford Fiesta 1.0 ST-Line for the daily commute. A chap managed to achieve 56.6mpg on the WLTP Challenge, in a car that’s fun to drive, cheap to buy and, on this evidence, cheap to run.
I can’t tell you a great deal about the Giulia Quadrifoglio, aside from the fact that the superb £3,250 Sparco bucket seats are worth every penny, the infotainment system is painfully poor and the ride comfort is great at 56mph. The car also turns more heads than halitosis.
The problem is, I was so preoccupied with whether or not you can drive a Giulia Quadrifoglio with restraint, I didn’t stop to think if I should. It’s a dinosaur in an age of electrification, but I’d urge you to enjoy cars like the Alfa while you still can. The car deserves more than to be restrained like a tiger on a leash.
Drive it like you’ve stolen the last gallon of fuel. Sorry, Greta.
It’s certainly one of the most dramatic motorways in Britain. According to Roads.org.uk, it’s also one of the most interesting. But is the M74 Britain’s best serviced motorway?
New research suggests that it could be, and there’s a pretty compelling argument to support the claim.
By analysing data on congestion, frequency of motorway services and customer satisfaction at the services, the M74 in Scotland is ranked first, with a score of 91.5 percent.
With six service stations along the 85-mile stretch of M74 and A74(M) between Glasgow and Gretna, the motorway scores top marks for frequency of motorway services. It also scores a near perfect 18.2 (out of 20) for congestion.
The M74 finishes ahead of the A1(M), which scores 20 for congestion, 38.2 (out of 40) for frequency and 30.1 (out of 40) for customer satisfaction.
Meanwhile, the M8 between Edinburgh and Glasgow is ranked bottom. Its caused isn’t helped by the complete absence of proper motorway services, with the Heart of Scotland little more than ”just a large BP garage“.
As anyone who has travelled on the M27 in Hampshire will testify, Rownhams is a place to avoid. The services near Southampton score the lowest mark for congestion and customer satisfaction.
Best (and worst) motorways for services
Motorway
Overall (%)
Congestion (out of 20)
Frequency (out of 40)
Satisfaction (out of 40)
1. M74
92
18
40
33
2. A1(M)
89
20
38
31
3. M6 (north of M62)
86
19
36
30
4. M6 (south of M62)
78
15
33
30
5. M5
77
16
31
30
6. M4
76
17
29
30
7. M42
75
11
36
28
8. M1 (south of M6)
70
13
29
28
9. M23
64
1
29
34
10. M20
64
14
22
29
11. M62 (east of Pennines)
61
10
20
31
12. M40
61
12
20
29
13. M56
60
6
24
30
14. M62 (west of Pennines)
58
9
15
34
15. M25 (western links)
58
5
20
32
16. M1 (north of M6)
56
15
13
29
17. M9
53
9
4
40
18. M2
46
4
11
31
19. M3
42
7
7
27
20. M27
37
0
11
26
21. M25 (eastern links)
36
5
5
26
22. M11
32
2
2
29
23. M8
28
3
0
26
In August, Norton Canes on the M6 Toll was named Britain’s best motorway services by Transport Focus, while Westmorland was named best operator, scoring 97 percent for customer satisfaction across its four sites in Cumbria and Gloucestershire.
Do you agree with the Just Tyres study? Let us know in the comments below.
The most EV-friendly areas of the UK have been revealed, based on the number of public charging points for electric cars.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request by Motorway.co.uk identified the car charging winners and losers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, London benefits from the most plug-in points.
The best London boroughs – Westminster, Richmond, Wandsworth and Hammersmith – all offer more than 200 public charging stations.
Before we consider the losers, it’s worth noting that charging points on private land weren’t included in this data. This is purely an examination of council-sanctioned car charging.
The worst places to own an electric car
London isn’t a slam-dunk win for electric car drivers: both Enfield and Harrow have less than 10 charging points.
The borough of Bexley, meanwhile, has a grand total of zero charging facilities: the only part of London that goes completely without. Apparently, Bexley council plans to have 13 charge points up and running by the end of 2019.
If these areas of London deal without charging points, what’s the rest of the country like?
Well, there are entire cities with no public places to plug in. Mansfield, Northampton, Swansea and Kingston upon Hull, all go without.
Mansfield
171,958
0
0.00
Northampton
215,963
0
0.00
Swansea
300,352
0
0.00
Kingston upon Hull
314,018
0
0.00
“UK government has a mammoth task on its hands to create an EV charging infrastructure that can cope with the expected growth in electric car ownership over the next 20 years,” said Alex Buttle, director of Motorway.co.uk.
“In fact, its own 2040 switchover target from fossil fuels depends on it. The government is trying to encourage people to switch to electric cars, but many vehicle owners are reluctant to do so until they are confident the infrastructure is fit for purpose.
“We carried out a survey of UK drivers recently and an inadequate charging infrastructure was the most common reason cited by respondents as to why they wouldn’t consider switching to an electric car over the next five years.
“Brexit is understandably at the top of the government’s agenda at the moment, but it’s in danger of taking its eyes off this huge infrastructure challenge, and a public that has no faith in the charging programme is unlikely to buy into the idea of early switching.”
