First printed in 1931, The Highway Code urged all road users to be careful and considerate towards others, with a strong emphasis on improving roadsafety. Its purpose remains the same today.
When that first booklet was published, there were only 2.3 million motorised vehicles in the UK, yet more than 7,000 road users were killed every year. For comparison, there were 1,624 road casualties in 2023.
A third of the original Highway Code focused on the various hand signals used by the police and road users. Today, just a single page is devoted to hand signals.
Mirrors were not mentioned in the 1931 edition of the Highway Code, but drivers were advised to use their horn when overtaking other vehicles. Drivers of horse-drawn vehicles were told to ‘rotate the whip above the head; then incline the whip to the right or left to show the direction in which the turn is to be made’.
Needless to say, the Highway Code has changed a little since 1931. Colour was introduced to the book in 1954, followed by the inclusion of motorway driving in the late 1950s. Photographs and 3D illustrations were added for the sixth edition of 1968.
Depending on when you passed your driving test, it might be a while since you picked up a copy of the Highway Code. With this in mind, here are a few of the road rules you may have forgotten.
Middle-lane hogging
The Highway Code states that you should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past.
On-the-spot fines and three penalty points await those drivers who are caught flouting the rules, such as by ‘middle-lane hogging’ on the motorway.
Driving too slowly
Yes, you could be fined £100 and given three penalty points if you are deemed to be driving at a speed low enough to endanger other road users. However, contrary to common belief there is no minimum speed limit on UK motorways.
If a court decides that you have also been driving without due care and attention, the penalty could be increased to a £5,000 fine and nine penalty points.
Speed camera awareness
Flashing your headlights to warn oncoming drivers of a speed camera or roadside speed trap is against the law.
Anyone caught doing so could receive a £1,000 fine for ‘wilfully obstructing a constable in the execution of his/her duty’.
Red lights
Motorists and cyclists should both stop at a red light. When an advanced stop line for bikes is present, cyclists must still adhere to the same rules of the road.
It is an offence to ride through an amber light, unless not doing so would likely cause a collision.
Snow on your roof
It is illegal to start your journey with snow on the roof of your car. If it falls forward onto the windscreen, it could obscure your view, while chunks of snow flying off your car could impede those following behind.
Offending motorists are likely to be given a fine and three penalty points, so allow extra time and prepare your car properly before setting off.
Careless and furious cycling
Careless cycling without due care and attention can result in fines of £1,000 and £2,500 for careless and dangerous cycling respectively. ‘Furious cycling’ came into UK legislation in 1861 and applies to drivers of vehicles or carriages who cause bodily harm to anyone by making furious progress.
A fine of up to £1,000 can be issued for cycling furiously, although you cannot be prosecuted for speeding on a bicycle.
Cycling on the pavement
It is an offence to drive a carriage on ‘any footpath or causeway by the side of any road made or set apart for the use or accommodation of foot passengers’. The rules apply to adults and children, but a child under the age of 10 (or eight years old in Scotland) cannot be prosecuted.
Want to brush up further on your knowledge of The Highway Code. You can buy a copy of the booklet for £4.99 via the Safe Driving for Life website.
Porsche has claimed a new Guinness World Record, using an electric Taycan GTS to drift continuously for 17.503km (10.876 miles) on ice.
A special frozen circuit in Levi, Finland – around 93 miles north of the Arctic Circle – was the venue for the world record attempt.
Completing 132 laps of the track in a controlled drift, the Taycan entered the record book for the ‘Longest Continuous Vehicle Drift on Ice (Electric Vehicle)’.
The achievement means that Porsche’s performance EV now holds a total of four different Guinness World Records.
Sliding into automotive history
Porsche Experience instructor Jens Richter was behind the wheel of the 700hp Taycan GTS for the record-breaking drift.
Porsche has operated its Ice Experience in Finland since 1996. It allows participants to learn how to control their sports car on frozen surfaces. A Hermann Tilke-designed circuit forms the centrepiece of the current location in Levi.
For the record attempt, however, Porsche created a bespoke 59-metre drift circuit. Commercially available Michelin spiked tyres were fitted to both axles of the all-wheel-drive Taycan GTS. A GPS monitor tracked the distance, G-forces and driver inputs throughout the drift run.
Frozen with determination
Richter’s first attempt saw the ice track begin to deteriorate faster than expected, so he was forced to stop after 81 laps.
Fortunately, once the track had refrozen, Richter was able to make another attempt. He perfectly balanced the car’s throttle and steering inputs for 46 minutes in total.
This gave Porsche and Richter the record-setting distance of 17.503 km (10.876 miles), beating the previous record of 14.809 km (9.202 miles). It’s also notably further than the 7.351 km (4.568 miles) achieved by a Skoda Kodiaq iV vRS in 2023.
Completing 132 laps of the frozen circuit fully drained the battery of the Taycan GTS. This compares to the official range of up to 390 miles.
The Taycan’s latest world record
Christian Lehwald, managing director of the Porsche Arctic Centre, said: “Our experiential marketing approach involves always trying out unusual things. In the Porsche Arctic Centre, we find exceptionally good conditions for drifting on ice.
“With the new Taycan GTS, we have one of the most powerful electric vehicles on the market. So we were pretty confident that we could break the world record with this combination and accepted the challenge”.
The ice drift adds to the Taycan’s existing haul of records, which includes the greatest altitude change by an electric car – achieved in 2023.
Back in 2020, another Porsche Experience instructor, Dennis Retera, drifted a Taycan for 42.171 km (26.205 miles) at the Hockenheimring in Germany.
More than a third of motorists have accidentally driven in a bus lane due to confusing signs, road markings or operating times.
Alarmingly, 42 percent of these drivers said they were caught on camera and subsequently fined.
As a result, some 85 percent of drivers now want councils to issue a warning letter for first-time offenders driving in a bus lane – rather than progressing straight to an instant fine.
The RAC is backing up this call to councils. It points out the research shows only four percent of motorists admit to deliberately choosing to drive in a bus lane.
In contrast, 28 percent say they never drive in bus lanes, regardless of whether they are only operational at certain times. In most cases, drivers have been caught out either by missing the signs or being confused by them.
Signs are ‘difficult to understand’
More than half of motorists think that signs for bus lanes operating at certain times of the day are inadequate. Concerns include signs carrying too much information to read and take in while also trying to drive safely. Drivers also feel there aren’t enough signs to warn of bus lanes, along with the signs being too small.
“We have always maintained that the majority of drivers don’t deliberately set out to drive in bus lanes, so it’s good to see this research confirming that,” said RAC head of policy, Simon Williams.
Drivers are expressing “considerable concerns about signs often being hard to spot and difficult to understand,” Williams added.
“Bus lanes are more common in urban environments where the driver’s job in spotting and comprehending bus lane signage is arguably even harder. There is so much else to take in, from vehicles and other road users, to traffic lights and warning signs.”
The RAC has renewed its call for councils to write to drivers who stray into bus lanes for the first time. “Our research shows that far too many drivers end up driving in bus lanes unwittingly, most probably because the signage really isn’t good enough. We therefore feel there’s a good case for this guidance to be updated.”
The irony, Williams adds, is that with so many motorists are avoiding bus lanes altogether due to the fear of being caught out, road space is not being used to its full capacity, with a detrimental impact on traffic flow and local air quality.
Ferruccio Lamborghini wasn’t a fan of motorsport. While Enzo Ferrari sold road cars primarily to bankroll the Scuderia’s racing teams, his rival on the opposite side of Modena saw things differently.
Launching the Lamborghini Miura in 1966 – widely regarded as the world’s first supercar – Ferruccio said: “Every one I build [will be] like winning a Grand Prix, and people will talk about it for long after they have forgotten who won the race.”
Despite its founder’s misgivings, though, Lamborghini did dabble in racing over the years. It supplied 3.5-litre V12 engines to the Larousse, Modena and Ligier F1 teams between 1989 and 1993, then competed at Le Mans in the early 2000s with the Murcielago R-GT.
On-track with Squadra Corse
The turning point came in 2013, with the establishment of Squadra Corse. Literally translated from Italian as ‘Racing Team’, Lamborghini’s in-house motorsport division developed a GT3 version of the Huracan that won titles in the British GT Championship and Blancpain GT Series, among others. The company also threw its weight behind a one-make Super Trofeo race series for wealthy ‘gentlemen drivers’, using the Lamborghini Gallardo at first, then the Huracan from 2014.
The Lamborghini World Finals is the season finale for the three Super Trofeo championships now staged each year: in Europe, Asia and North America. The latest event brought together 73 cars, 121 drivers and more than 10,000 spectators at the Circuito de Jerez near Seville – originally built to host the Spanish Grand Prix.
After three days immersed in all things Lamborghini, I came away with ears ringing and adrenaline coursing, ready to sell the house, remortgage the children and begin a glamorous new life as a Super Trofeo driver. None of those things happened, of course, but here is what did…
Anatomy of a race car
Day one (Friday). I arrive in Jerez and immediately bump into Stephan Winkelmann, Lamborghini’s effortlessly stylish CEO, in the hotel lobby. He has little time for small-talk, however, and I’m due at the track to drive some cars. All I need to do first is register for the event, write out the same details several times over and sign numerous forms promising not to crash and die. If Italians do one thing even better than hedonistic supercars, it’s head-scratching bureaucracy.
At the circuit, qualifying is already underway and the air quakes with a combined chorus of unsilenced V10 engines. I’m given a coveted access-all-areas lanyard, then ushered through to a busy pit garage, where one of Squadra Corse’s tame racing drivers joins me for a closer look at Lamborghini’s current Super Trofeo racer: the Huracan EVO2.
It might look like a Huracan STO in sponsorship warpaint, but the EVO2 is a very different beast to the road car. Its enormous diffuser and swan-neck spoiler boost downforce, while a rear dorsal fin enhances stability at speed. The car’s body is made entirely from carbon fibre – easier to repair than aluminum, as it can be patched and retain its strength – and its 18-inch centre-lock wheels are shod with Hankook slick tyres.
Sideways in a Sterrato
Inside, the Huracan EVO2 looks brutally basic, with no carpets or trim: just an FIA-spec roll cage, custom switch panel and single hard-shell seat. The steering wheel is a detachable, F1-style yoke with colourful buttons that allow the driver to adjust traction control and ABS settings, activate a pit lane speed limiter, communicate with the race engineer and a bewildering amount besides.
The Huracan’s heart is the same 5.2-litre naturally aspirated V10 found in showroom-spec cars, although here it runs on refined racing fuel and drives the rear wheels via a six-speed X-Trac sequential manual transmission (as opposed to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic). Peak power of 620hp at 8,250rpm means the Super Trofeo EVO2 can actually outpace a Huracan GT3 on the straights – and makes it one of the quickest one-make race cars (a lot of) money can buy.
As the qualifying session roars and rumbles to its conclusion, I’m ushered outside to a waiting Huracan Sterrato. Ironically, recent rain has made the on-site rally stage “too muddy” for skidding about in Lamborghini’s off-road supercar, so an empty car park dotted with traffic cones has to suffice. Still, with a damp surface, knobbly Bridgestone Dueler tyres and that maniac V10 yammering inches behind my ears, I have no difficulty going sideways. Hilariously sideways, in fact. Note: some cones were harmed during the making of this paragraph.
Hybrid theory in a Urus SE
It’s then time to ‘test the agility’ of the new Urus SE on Jerez’s go-kart circuit. And no, a tightly coiled track designed for vehicles with lawn mower engines isn’t the natural playground for a 2.5-tonne SUV. But that doesn’t mean hurling the ‘Rambo Lambo’ around isn’t riotous, tyre-torturing fun. Go kart handling? That’s a stretch, but rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars do make the brutish Urus respond like a smaller, lighter car. A proper road test is lined up for tomorrow.
Day two (Saturday). Lamborghini’s press cars are parked outside the hotel like a colourful assortment of pick-n-mix. Elbowing my way into the gaggle of journalists as keys are dished out, I’m allocated a Urus SE for the outward journey, then a Revuelto – Sant’Agata’s latest V12 supercar – for the drive back. Well, it’s probably best to start slowly…
‘Slowly’ is a relative term in an 800hp, 194mph Lamborghini, though. The plug-in hybrid Urus SE replaces the old S and Performante models, retaining their brawny 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 but adding a 25.9kWh battery and rear axle e-motor. The result is arguably the best of all worlds: thunderous performance combined with 37 miles of silent electric range and tax-dodging CO2 emissions of 51g/km.
We can slide away
On the road, the Urus can play the mild-mannered family holdall, but its wild side is never far beneath the surface. Switch into Sport mode and the new electronic rear differential lets it all hang out, dialling down the stability control for ‘on-demand oversteering’. Alternatively, another click of the huge ‘tamburo’ lever selects Corsa mode, tightening the reins for greater steering precision and iron-clad body control (ideal if you happen to be chasing lap times at a go-kart track).
For all its speed and bombast, however, the Urus can’t hold a (Roman) candle to the Revuelto. If Lamborghini’s SUV is like watching the reformed Oasis in 2025, its flamboyant flagship takes you back to Knebworth in 1996, when every note felt more vital and visceral. The drama starts from the moment you glimpse the exposed V12 engine, lift the trad-Lambo scissor door and twist your hips into the low-slung seat. Everything about the Revuelto feels exotic.
With a faintly ludicrous 1,015hp from its 6.5-litre engine and three electric motors – good for 0-62mph in 2.5 seconds and 217mph – the Revuelto smashes through the glass ceiling between supercar and hypercar. Find a sufficiently long straight, bury your right foot and it sucks in the road like a strand of spaghetti. However, while driving a 1990s Lamborghini Diablo was like being strapped to a low-flying missile, now you feel confidently in control, helped by nuanced steering, supple damping and tenacious four-wheel-drive traction.
Make mine a V12
Back at Jerez, a test session is underway for owners of the Lamborghini Essenza SCV12. A track-only evolution of the Aventador developed by Squadra Corse, only 40 Essenzas were made – and seven of them are here at the World Finals. With my brain still scrambled by the Revuelto (appropriately, its name means ‘scrambled’ in Spanish) I lean on the pit wall, sip a strong coffee and let the primal howl of each 830hp V12 wash over me. This extreme machine makes even a Huracan Super Trofeo sound subdued.
Day three (Sunday). With the Lamborghini World Finals champions due to be decided, today is all about the racing. Each Super Trofeo race lasts for 50 minutes, with a compulsory pit stop around half-time that most teams will use to change drivers. Contested in professional (Pro), amateur (Am) and combined (Pro-Am) categories, the action is fast-paced and fiercely competitive.
I wander along the bustling grid, doing my best Martin Brundle impression, when one of Lamborghini’s PR team offers a ride in the Urus SE safety car. We lead out the field on its formation lap, my driver clearly pushing quite hard, but the Huracans that fill our mirrors weave back-and-forth impatiently to warm up their tyres. However fast an 800hp SUV might feel, these fully fledged race cars aren’t even breaking sweat.
Doing it the Lamborghini way
After a day of daring overtakes, close calls and crunched carbon fibre, Egor Orudzhev of the Art-Line team claims the Pro title. Leipert Motorsport’s Brendon Leitch and Anthony McIntosh win in Pro-Am, while Renaud Kuppens of Boutsen VDS lifts the Am trophy. Lastly, GT3 Poland’s Holger Harmsen takes victory in the Lamborghini Cup.
The Huracan EVO2 has one year left to race before the V8-powered Temerario becomes the basis for Lamborghini’s new one-make racer in 2026. Squadra Corse might still be a minor player in motorsport overall, but the successful Super Trofeo series and World Finals have allowed Lamborghini to forge its own path – just as it always did. I think the late Ferruccio would have approved.
Growing demand for custom colours has led Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) to invest £65 million in expanding its factory paint shops.
Buyers of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport can currently choose from hundreds of bespoke and ‘elevated palette’ paint options.
Interest in these personalised hues has more than doubled since 2022, with customer uptake for the exclusive Range Rover SV up by 100 percent in the past financial year.
A total of £41 million will be invested at the Castle Bromwich Jaguar site in the UK, with a further £24 million allocated for the Land Rover Nitra facility in Slovakia. This investment will double JLR’s capacity for bespoke paint orders, allowing it to cater for more than just the Range Rover brand.
Going big on bespoke
New state-of-the-art paint booths will be installed at Castle Bromwich this year, with automated spraying robots that cut paint waste by 30 percent.
Investment in Slovakia will mean the Land Rover Defender and Discovery can be painted in custom colours. The upgrade includes new fully electric paint booths and curing ovens.
Some 120 new jobs will be created as well, with the first customised SUVs set to leave the line in 2026.
The ultra-exclusive SV Bespoke Paint matching service will also be enhanced. This will allow more customers to have paint colours matched to any shade they desire. This typically adds £70,000 to the average £202,000 paid for a Range Rover SV.
Boosting sustainable customisation
Andrea Debbane, JLR’s chief sustainability officer, commented: “JLR is seeing a significant increase in clients wanting to personalise their vehicles, so we are preparing to expand our facilities and offer thousands more paint options across our brands, but doing so in the most sustainable and efficient way possible.”
Jaguar Land Rover is the latest company to invest heavily in catering to demand for enhanced personalisation. Earlier this year, Rolls-Royce announced a £300 million plan to expand its Goodwood facility, increasing its capacity for its ‘Bespoke’ and ‘Coachbuild’ services.
Similarly, Lamborghini has built a new paintshop at its Sant’Agata factory, ensuring customers can order the Urus SUV and new Revuelto supercar in more wild hues.
The very first production example of the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 has been sold for a staggering price at auction.
In front of a packed audience at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, Arizona, the commemorative Corvette achieved a winning bid of $3.7 million (£2.97 million).
This represents a substantial premium over list price for Chevrolet’s hypercar-chasing flagship. In the United States, the 1,064hp ZR1 costs a bargain $174,995 (£143,000).
However, the 233.3mph Corvette sold in Scottsdale also helped to raise money for a very good cause.
Helping California wildfire victims
As has become a tradition at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale auction, the bespoke Corvette ZR1 was sold with helping others in mind.
The proceeds from the Chevrolet’s sale will go to a good cause. Indeed, 100 percent of the hammer price will be donated to the American Red Cross.
During the auction, Barrett-Jackson chairman and CEO Craig Jackson, along with company president Steve Davis, confirmed the funds will provide critical aid to those affected by the California wildfires and hurricanes in the southeastern United States.
The winning bid of $3.7 million is one of the biggest prices paid at a Barrett-Jackson auction for a Corvette.
It surpassed the $3.6 million (£2.68 million) paid for the first 2023 Z06 model, along with the $3 million (£2.24 million) achieved by the inaugural eighth-generation Corvette.
A one-man donation machine
Linking all these special Corvettes together is the same winning bidder. NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick took home the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, adding it to his extensive car collection.
Over the last 20 years, Hendrick has been the winning bidder in 39 Barrett-Jackson charity vehicle auctions, single-handedly raising $28 million (£22.4 million) for good causes.
The all-new Corvette ZR1 was not the only car auctioned by Barrett-Jackson for charity, however. A custom 1962 Dodge Power Wagon pickup truck, known as ‘Project S.W.E.A.T.’, raised $1.5 million (£1.2 million).
This money will be donated to the MikeroweWORKS Foundation, which helps train the next generation of skilled workers in the United States.
The next stage in the collaboration between Hot Wheels and Formula One has been revealed, with a range of new scale racing cars coming soon.
Making their public debut at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair, the new Hot Wheels models are the first items released in a multi-year agreement with Formula One.
A host of 1:64-scale racing replicas will be available this year, with prices ranging from pocket money to grown-up enthusiast levels.
The new cars follow the limited-edition official Formula One Hot Wheels car released last year, which proved popular with die-cast fans.
For F1 fans of all ages
The first offering from Hot Wheels will be a 1:64-scale replica of the Red Bull Racing Formula One car, available to buy for just £2.30 now. Williams Racing and Mercedes-AMG Petronas versions will be available in spring 2025.
As the low price suggests, these models are aimed at being enjoyed for fun, rather than collecting. An £11.50 five-model pack will feature cars from all the other Formula 1 teams except Ferrari. This will go on sale in summer 2025.
For those who want a higher-grade model, Hot Wheels will also launch a ‘Premium Series’ of F1 cars this summer. Priced at £10.99 each, these will be aimed at dedicated collectors, and feature detailed graphics and realistic Pirelli tyres.
A pair of dedicated Hot Wheels tracks, including DRS zones and lap counters, will hit the market in the autumn –perfectly timed for Christmas…
Win on Sunday, buy on Monday
When the 2025 Formula One season begins in March, Hot Wheels will host a number of pop-up experiences at selected races. A dedicated website will be available for those unable to be trackside, too.
“The spirited response from fans around the world following our Hot Wheels and Formula One announcement has been thrilling,” said Roberto Stanichi, executive vice president of Hot Wheels.
“The next phase of the partnership is all about giving fans the products and experiences that bring the worlds of Hot Wheels and F1 together in a way that has never been done before. And we’re just getting started.”
Emily Prazer, chief commercial officer at Formula One, added: “It’s fantastic to see the Hot Wheels Formula One collection hit the shelves. We want to increase our fans’ passion for racing, and these superbly and intricately designed cars will allow fans to experience the drama and excitement of Formula One in the palm of their hands every time they play at home.”
Potholes are a daily hazard for Britain’s drivers – and with the roads ravaged by recent cold weather, they will be growing and multiplying by the day.
The RAC typically attends more than 10,000 pothole-related breakdowns every year. That’s an average of 27 call-outs every day. Figures from Admiral insurance showed pothole claims had risen by around a third since 2016, too.
To be classified as safety defects, potholes must generally be wider than 15cm (6 inches) in diameter, or deeper than 4cm (1.5 inches) below the road surface. Hit one and you risk damage to your car’s tyre, wheel and suspension – and potentially the steering and bodywork, too.
This short guide explains how you can claim financial compensation for pothole damage, along with how to bolster that claim with the right evidence.
How can I claim for pothole damage?
If your car has been damaged by a pothole, it’s possible to claim compensation. The success of the claim will depend on whether the pothole has been reported. Councils cannot be considered liable for a road defect that they are unaware of.
The organisation you contact depends on the location and type of road. In all cases, you will need to be armed with the following information:
Details of the pothole damage
Why you think the organisation is responsible
The specific location where the damage took place. Include the road name and the nearest marker post number or feature
The date and time when the pothole damage was caused
Section 58 of the Highways Act 1980 provides local authorities with a statutory defence if they can prove reasonable care was taken to secure the road, and that the pothole wasn’t dangerous to traffic.
This means they may not be liable if they were unaware of the pothole, or it wasn’t picked up by their own system of maintenance. However, if somebody has previously reported the problem, you have good grounds to make a claim.
According to consumer group Which?, you should take the following steps when making a claim for pothole damage:
Collect evidence of pothole damage. Make a note of the precise location, take photos showing the depth of the pothole and damage to the car. Do not put yourself in danger when collecting evidence. Trespassing on a motorway is a criminal offence, so do not visit or try to photograph the location where your vehicle was damaged
Report the pothole to the relevant authority
Keep all receipts for repair work. If you haven’t fixed the damage yet, get a quote
Make a claim. Check the specific procedure for making a claim
Negotiate with the council. If you receive an offer, you may be able to negotiate
Appeal a rejected claim. Ask to see the details of the council’s road inspection reports. You can also use the small claims court to pursue a claim
Parking your car can be a stressful and expensive process. From actually finding a space, to squeezing between SUVs, to paying an extortionate hourly rate, it’s one of the least pleasant aspects of driving a car.
Fortunately, our quick guide helps take the pain out of car parking. We’ve included tips on booking ahead, less obvious alternatives and how to avoid taking your car altogether. Let’s begin with the basics.
Ask around
Finding somewhere to park your car could be a problem solved with a simple question to a friend, or a brief alert to your friends on Facebook.
Someone with local knowledge may know where to find the cheapest car park in town, where the on-street restrictions end or even have a driveway you could use.
Parkopedia
As its name suggests, Parkopedia is the Wikipedia of the parking world. The website covers 90 countries and more than 20,000 cities, giving you access to upwards of 90 million parking spaces.
It’s very simple: search for your desired location and Parkopedia displays a map of the car parks within the immediate vicinity. You can check out prices and opening hours, as well as any restrictions (such as supermarket car parks limited to customers only) or other points to note.
There’s a smartphone app as well, while some car parks offer the opportunity to book ahead. Whether you commute to work or are visiting a city for the first time, Parkopedia could save you enough money to pay for lunch.
Connected cars – the future of parking?
By sharing data with each other via the internet, connected cars offer a variety of ways to streamline your motoring life. Among other things, the technology can be used to help you find car parking spaces.
Being connected to other cars, means those cars can ‘tell’ your car when they are leaving a parking space. The car park ballet dance could become a thing of the past.
Book ahead
This is especially important if you intend to leave your car at an airport. Use the official Heathrow Airport website to book seven days of parking, for example, and the savings are significant.
Prices will vary depending on availability and how early you book, but you will usually benefit from booking in advance, even if it’s just earlier on the day of travel.
Long stay, not short stay
Sticking with airports, there are obvious benefits associated with short stay car parks. Take Heathrow Airport Terminal 5: it’s a 2-4 minute walk to the short stay car park, compared with a 5-7 minute bus ride to the long stay. And obviously you need to factor in waiting for a bus as well.
In some airports, it feels like the long stay car park is located in a different continent, so you might argue the convenience of being closer to the terminal outweighs the cost saving. However, the long stay option is always significantly cheaper – so allow extra time and you’ll save money.
Speaking of Heathrow, don’t forget the airport is now located inside the London Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) as well. This means some older cars will be liable for a £12.50 daily charge.
Use a price comparison website
There seems to be a price comparison website for just about everything these days, including airport parking. Holiday Extras is one of the biggest and the most established of these, and the discounts it offers can be significant.
The website claims you could save up to 70 percent versus the price you’d pay on the day. Holiday Extras also offers a best price guarantee, meaning it will refund the difference if you find the same airport parking cheaper elsewhere.
It’s important to do your homework, because not all price comparison sites are as reputable as the market leaders. It’s also worth remembering that, when it comes to car parks, cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better.
Hotel package deals
If you’ve booked a room the night before your flight, ask if it’s possible to leave your car at the hotel for the duration of your trip. Some hotel operators offer a hotel and parking package deal, so check when you book.
This also applies to city centre breaks. Ask the receptionist if the hotel offers on-site parking, as this could save you money over the course of a long weekend. Some hotels will offer free parking on a first-come-first-served basis, while others charge a small fee. Check to see if the local pay and display car park is cheaper, though.
Park on the edge of the city
In basic terms, the closer you get to the city centre, the more expensive the cost of parking. You’ll also have to do battle with the inevitable congestion and fight for that single free parking bay.
Do yourself a favour and find a car park or street on the edge of the town or city. In some cases, the parking might be free, but it will almost certainly be cheaper. If you’re worried about the walk, take a bus into the city centre.
Park and ride
On that note, park and ride facilities are the ‘official’ version of hopping on a bus into the city. They also tend to work out cheaper than parking somewhere more central.
Using notoriously car-unfriendly Oxford as an example, you’ll pay £4 for an adult return ticket (or £5 for two adults and up to three children in the same car) from any of the five official park and ride sites.
Hire a driveway
When you think about it, this makes perfect sense. Unless you work at home, your driveway is likely to be empty during working hours, so why not invite somebody else to park there? You can also earn money as result.
There are a number of websites offering a search facility, including Your Parking Space, which includes well over 250,000 hourly, daily and monthly parking spaces across the country.
We searched for driveways for a Saturday visit to London. More than 2,300 results came back in a variety of locations, offering parking for 24 hours or more.
Booking is easy: you simply select your arrival and departure times, key in your details, pay online, and the website provides the full address of the space along with the contact details of the owner.
Buy an electric vehicle
Buying a new car to save money on parking seems a tad excessive, but driving an electric car will reduce the amount of cash you spend at car parks.–
Many car parks offer free parking while your EV is being recharged, while some allow you to park for free, regardless of whether you are charging or not. If you pay £2 per day to park at work, for example, you could save more than £400 a year by switching to an electric car.
Car park season ticket
If you park in the same car park on a daily basis, it might be worth buying a season ticket. National Car Parks (NCP) says a season ticket can save up to 70 percent on the cost of parking, with the added benefit of not having to search for loose change or go through the hassle of paying every day.
On a similar note, it can pay to be a member of the National Trust. Go on holiday for a week and you could spend a small fortune parking at some of the many National Trust car parks. Membership starts from £7.60 a month – a cost you could recoup on car park fees alone.
Use the correct change
Car park operators want to extract every last penny from your wallet and you’ll often see a ‘no change given’ notice on the pay and display machine. It’s a simple thing, but make sure you use the correct change.
Alternatively, pay by card or use one of the many parking apps, such as RingGo. This cashless solution allows you to pay via your smartphone and can provide an alert when your time is running out, so you don’t overstay.
Look for alternatives to the car
While we appreciate you won’t take the bus to that Swedish furniture store to collect a new wardrobe. Or cycle into town to pick up your weekly shopping. However, it’s worth asking yourself whether you really need to take the car.
Would it be cheaper to take the bus? Could you walk into town? Would it be easier to cycle into work? Could you share a car with somebody else and go halves on the cost of the car park?
Railway stations are also notoriously expensive places to park, so have you considered cycling to the station? Most stations offer cycle parking that is covered by CCTV.
Buy a car parking space
Sounds extravagant? That’s because it probably is. But parking is an expensive business, so you could consider buying a car park space for your exclusive use.
Eevn so, this is unlikely to be the cheapest option. Spaces in London can stretch into six figures – enough to buy yourself a house in some parts of the country.
Look for cashback options
To encourage people back into towns and city centres, some local authorities and business groups offer incentivised parking. In other words, while you still have to pay and display, the cost is refunded if you spend a certain amount in a participating shop.
Similarly, a supermarket situated in a town or city centre might offer a refund or free parking if you shop in store. As one supermarket might say, every little helps…
Don’t park in a hurry
If you’ve followed all the advice above, you’ll never have to park in a hurry again. But if you’re forced into a corner, either through lateness or a lack of planning, you’ll choose the wrong and often most expensive car park.
A little forward planning goes a long way, and could save you time and money overall. Good luck!
The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for heavy winds across Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland as Storm Éowyn heads to the UK.
The strong winds and heavy rain will inevitably make driving more hazardous, and widespread travel disruption is expected. It therefore makes sense to delay your journey if you can.
If you do need to travel, please read the following advice to stay safe when driving in windy and stormy conditions.
Stay safe in strong winds
So you’re on the road, and it’s getting gusty outside. What can you do to remain as safe as possible while driving? Here are some actionable tips:
Slow down. The faster you drive, the more difficult it becomes to maintain control in crosswinds. Take particular care if you are driving a high-sided vehicle, or towing a trailer or caravan.
Hold on tight. Keep both hands on the wheel and be prepared for sudden gusts of wind.
Allow space. Give cyclists and motorcyclists extra room when overtaking.
Be prepared. Ready yourself for stronger winds and sudden gusts when driving in exposed areas, such as hilltops or bridges.
Keep your distance. Give high-sided vehicles and caravans a particularly wide berth.
Avoid towing. Leave your trailer, caravan or horsebox at home if possible.
Avoid using a roof box. These can also increase a car’s susceptibility to crosswinds.
Look out for debris. Scan the road ahead, especially after blind bends. Also look out for low-hanging branches, particularly at night when they might not be picked up by your headlights.
Park away from trees. It’s also worth keeping your distance from telephone lines, power lines and buildings.
Expect delays.Speed restrictions and bridge closures are likely in strong winds. You might need to change your route, so leave extra time for your journey.
Listen to the weather forecast. Remember, it’s often better to delay your journey if possible.
Keep an eye on traffic updates. You can access these via local radio, social media or your sat-nav system.
With wind comesrain. Make sure your wipers, lights and tyres are up to the job.
Be prepared for windy conditions
‘Strong wind can occur just about anywhere, but it can be more common in wide open spaces, says GEM Motoring Assist. ‘Areas for concern also include bridges, exposed stretches of road and cuttings where roads pass through hilly areas. These locations can act as funnels for wind.
‘Expect strong gusts, keep an eye on any large trucks or vehicles towing trailers near you, as their drivers may have difficulty staying in their lane. Be particularly careful around pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, who may all be affected by strong winds.
‘Heavy rain makes driving hazardous. So please slow down and turn your lights on to ensure you can see more clearly, and so that other vehicles can see you. Do not rely on automatic headlights. Give other vehicles more space, and double the distance between you and the vehicle in front, so you have more time to react and stop safely if you need to.’
