Car tax evasion triples after paper tax disc scrapped

Since the paper tax disc was abolished the number of unlicensed vehicles on the road has tripled.

The data, published every two years, shows that the government potentially lost out on £107m from 755,000 unlicensed vehicles last year.

The RAC said the decision to get rid of the paper tax disc three years ago has proved "costly" when it should have saved the Treasury £10m a year.

"It appears that having a visual reminder was an effective way to prompt drivers into renewing their car tax - arguably more drivers are now prepared to try their luck and see if they can get away with not paying any vehicle tax at all, or are simply forgetting to tax their vehicle when they are due to."

When the abolition of the paper tax disc was announced by then-Chancellor, George Osborne, the Treasury said it showed government was moving "into the modern age".

The RAC said a third of untaxed vehicles had changed hands since September 2016, indicating that many drivers were not aware that tax does not carry over when ownership changes.

The seller receives a refund of any full months of remaining tax while the new owner must tax the vehicle immediately.

Half of motorists admit they don't know how to change a tyre

1,000 people were polled about their motoring knowledge, driving habits and the causes of stress and anxiety on the road 

Less than half (44 per cent) said they knew how to change a tyre, but only 23 per cent would consider using a tyre filler as a temporary measure.

Although the Highway Code includes rules for breakdowns on motorways, 44 per cent of motorists wouldn’t know what action to take if they become stranded on the hard shoulder, which topped a list of the worst places to breakdown. Yet more than one in 10 (13 per cent) have used the hard shoulder for other, non-urgent reasons, such as a child needing the toilet, a comfort break or even a picnic.

 The arrival of autumn means darker evenings, and driving at night causes anxiety and stress for almost two thirds (64 per cent) of motorists. Their biggest concerns when loved ones are at the wheel are breakdowns (32 per cent), followed by flat tyres (24 per cent), other drivers (22 per cent) and potential collisions (22 per cent). A further 89% admit of motorists admit experiencing road rage - the most-frequent causes being dangerous drivers (30 per cent), cyclists (17 per cent) and heavy or gridlocked traffic (16 per cent).

Claire Fenton from Holts, which carried out the research, said: “Flat tyres can come at the worst times – when you’ve got a car full of children, are running late to a special occasion or on the way to work – and this can be inconvenient, time-consuming and stressful. "As well as highlighting how many drivers feel stressed, anxious or angry on the road, it showed that many motorists wouldn’t know how to change a tyre on their car, or what to do if they break down on motorway hard shoulder." Holts make Tyreweld, an emergency tyre repair solution, which instantly re-inflates and repairs a punctured tyre so you can complete your journey in safety.

eCall to be introduced in the EU to allert emergency services of car crashes

The European Parliament has voted for an EU-wide emergency alert system dubbed eCall to help ambulance crews get to road accidents faster, potentially saving lives and reducing the severity of injuries.

In the event of an accident (where the airbag sensors are set off) the eCall device will alert rescue services automatically, using the existing 112 emergency number. It is thought that response times could be halved, especially in rural areas.

The information that will be provided to the emergency crews will be:

• type of vehicle
• fuel used
• time of accident
• location

From 31 March 2018 new cars and light vans will have the system as standard. The technology was first proposed in 2012, but legislation was delayed amid privacy concerns.

You can already have this technology in your car by purchasing a Road Angel Gem  which has it as an inbuilt feature (eAssist)

The European Commission says installation of the device is likely to add about €100 (£72; $109) to the cost of a new car.

A standard accident alert system is needed in Europe, because "when you cross a border you have a language problem and often do not even really know where you are", said Czech Social Democrat MEP Olga Sehnalova, the parliament's lead negotiator on the issue.

But Jan Philipp Albrecht from the Greens said the technology should not be mandatory.

"The consequence of being connected all the time means that we are also subject to more possibilities to track us," he told the BBC.

"We reduced the data being processed to a very minimum, but nonetheless it is technically possible for companies, or for an authority, to track your position and to even surveil you. So I don't think this should be obliged to everybody. Everybody should have the chance to opt out."

The UK government objects to the plans. UK Transport Minister Claire Perry said "the benefit of making eCall mandatory in all new cars does not justify the cost of implementing it.

"We do not support the measure, because it is not cost-effective for us."

Going to Europe & hiring a car this year? READ THIS!

Britons heading to Europe on holiday are facing the nightmare of arriving at their destination and not being able to hire a car, thanks to a controversial driving licence shake-up.

On June 8 The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is scrapping the paper counterpart that accompanies all UK plastic photocard licences. 

The counterpart shows all the Information about penalty points for traffic violations such as speeding.

From June 8, holidaymakers heading abroad will have to log on to the DVLA website the day before and put in their driving licence number to obtain a special code to give to their car hire company when they arrive at the desk.

But fears are growing that the new rules will mean people could be turned away because many car hire firms abroad will still insist on examining the paper document to check for endorsements or bans.

Also anyone hiring a car in the second week of their trip faces having to find an internet cafe or pay expensive roaming charges as the passcode to access the infprmation is valid for only 72 hours

Mark Bower, of the car hire insurance website MoneyMaxim, said holidaymakers could endure major problems at car hire desks across Europe. He added: ‘Most people are simply unaware that these changes are on the way – and it is not just renters.

‘I spoke to one big car hire firm in Portugal this week and they knew nothing of the changes. Six weeks away from implementation, the whole thing is very muddled.

‘It is another thing you have to remember to do just before departure. Or you can do it at the desk with your smartphone if you can remember the website address, don’t mind the data roaming charges, can remember your national insurance number and are impervious to the long queue developing behind you.’

Mr Bower also said unscrupulous firms might use the issue as ‘another excuse’ to persuade people to pay for extra insurance.

Motorists will also be able to download their driving history as a printable PDF file, although it is unclear whether all car hire firms will accept that, or how drivers without access to a computer will cope.

The DVLA insists the changes have been widely publicised. But consumers booking car hire for holidays after June have not been warned the new rules are being introduced. The terms and conditions of most car hire firms still explicitly state that paper counterparts must be produced.

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association, which represents the industry, says UK hirers unaware of the rule change will be treated in the same way as those who currently turn up without both parts of the licence.

The DVLA said the system, called Share Driving Licence, would be ready in time for June 8. A spokesman said: ‘There is up-to-date information on the website and we are working closely with the industry to ensure that their systems and processes are ready for the changes.’

The two-part licence was introduced in 1998 but many drivers found it inconvenient. From June 8, paper counterparts will be invalid and should be destroyed. Motorists with old-style paper driving licences from before 1998 can continue to use them.

Read More

Will the driverless car industry kill more jobs than it creates in Britain

I came across this interesting article by Mike Rutherford "We need a more realistic approach to driverless cars"

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has its heart in the right place. But the “voice of the motor industry” needs a more balanced and realistic approach to driverless cars. It’s so ecstatic about the prospect of them that I’m viewing its figures with extreme caution, if not deep suspicion. Furthermore, some of its opinions relating to Britain’s role in the global driverless vehicle industry seem very ambitious.  Read More
 

Autonomous vehicles are expected to be commonplace by 2040

STEPHEN LAM/Reuters/Corbis via wired.com

An autonomous car just drove across the USA. Nine days after leaving San Francisco, the car rolled into New York City after crossing 15 states and 3,400 miles to make history.

99 percent of the driving was done by the car on its own, a human behind the wheel only when it was time to leave the highway and hit city streets. This amazing feat, by the automotive supplier Delphi, underscores the great leaps this technology has taken in recent years, and just how close it is to becoming a part of our lives.

You’d have to look twice to spot the cameras and LIDaR around the car; the radars are hidden behind plastic body panels. Even the trunk looks ordinary, which is quite a feat—Delphi packed all the necessary computers in the spare tire compartment. That was intentional, Owens says.

“We were kind of going for the remarkably unremarkable look.” The reason for this modesty is any tech Delphi pitches to automakers has to be unobtrusive and production-ready.  Today, most of the world’s major automakers are working on autonomous technology, with Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, and Volvo leading the pack. Google may be more advanced than anyone: The tech giant says its self-driving cars are so far along, they can recognize and respond to hand signals from a cop directing traffic.

Most automakers are taking a slow and steady approach to the technology and plan to roll it out over time. Most expect to have cars capable of handling themselves in stop and go traffic and on the highway within three to five years. Cars capable of navigating more complex urban environments will follow in the years beyond that, while fully autonomous vehicles are expected to be commonplace by 2040.

 Full Story
 

Is it now easier for motorists to get away without paying Vehicle Excise Duty?

The abolition of the tax disc October 2014 raised fears it would become easier for motorists to get away without paying Vehicle Excise Duty.

The  DVLA says that, despite some motoring organisations warning that the change could lead to a sharp rise in the number of untaxed vehicles, "the vast majority of drivers continue to tax their vehicles on time". A spokesman adds: "Since 1 October, more than 16-and-a-half million drivers have taxed their vehicles – with over 70% doing it online, more than ever before."

The DVLA is confident that the new system will not see more tax evasion. This is mainly because even before its abolition, the tax disc was not the chief means of ensuring VED had been paid.

The DVLA staff rely on its own database to see who has failed to tax their vehicles, with the keeper of an untaxed car sent a penalty notice in the post. Fines for failing to pay tax can be steep: there is a potential fixed-penalty notice fine of £50 and untaxed vehicles can be clamped, with a £100 release fee charged. A £160 surety also has to be paid before the vehicle is released, although this is refunded provided the vehicle is taxed within two weeks.

ANPR cameras are also used to catch offenders, says Ian Crowder at the AA. "There is the risk that the abolition of tax disc will encourage some people to believe these things won't be followed up," he adds. It would appear however that changes to the vehicle tax system that were introduced at the same time as the disc was phased out are catching some motorists out.

These changes meant that tax on a vehicle no longer carries over to a new owner as it did before October 2014 making it the responsibility of the buyer to pay tax immediately even if the vehicle is only part way through its current tax year. (the seller will automatically get a refund of any tax remaining when they sell it)

 "This simplifies the process of buying and selling used vehicles as now all new keepers must tax the vehicle before they use it rather than having to find out if it’s taxed or whether the seller has had the tax refunded."

Could driverless cars own themselves?

Emancipated automobiles sounds like a crazy concept (cars that own themselves). But his is a "thought experiment" to inspire by Mike Hearn.

Mr Hearn is a Zurich-based software developer is both an ex-Google engineer and one of the leading Bitcoin software developers.

At the heart of his vision is the idea that once driverless cars become commonplace, most people won't want or need to own a vehicle any more. And in a world dominated by self-steering taxis, each ride becomes cheaper if the vehicles are autonomous rather than owned and run by major corporations.

Instead of controlling which car goes where via proprietary software, the cars would communicate with people and the surrounding infrastructure via a new internet-based commerce system, he dubs the Tradenet.

"You would be using an app that goes onto Tradenet and says: 'Here I am, this is where I want to go, give me your best offers,'" the developer says.

"The autonomous taxis out there would then submit their best prices, and that might be based on how far away they are, how much fuel they have, the quality of their programming.

"Eventually you pick one - or your phone does it for you - and it's not just by the cheapest price, but whether the car has a good track record of actually completing rides successfully and how nice a vehicle it is."

The car, in turn, would communicate with the sensor-equipped roads it drives on, offering its passengers the ability to pay extra to go in faster lanes or unlock access to shortcuts - the cost of which would be determined by how many others wanted the same thing.

One expert, who has considered the proposal, suggested it was both "realistic and idealistic" at the same time.

Realistic, because the technologies involved are likely to become available within the next 10 to 20 years. Idealistic, because it flies in the face of how the car industry works.

To hear more about Mike Hearn's idea of self-owning cars you can watch his presentation on the subject.

 Full Story

Will new 20mph limits on London red routes leave people looking at the speedo instead of the road?

Motorists face £100 fines as 20mph limits are imposed on some of Britain’s busiest roads.

Until now, the lower 20mph speed limit has been restricted to smaller roads in residential areas or near schools. However this is about to change with 20mph limits to be introduced on major arterial roads (policed by the latest digital speed cameras).

London Mayor Boris Johnson has revealed that eight pilot schemes will be run on ‘Red Routes’ – the main arterial roads that carry a third of the capital’s traffic. 

Other towns and cities including Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh say they also intend to introduce the new limits.

The minimum fine fore motorists caught breaking the 20mph limit will be £100 fine and three points on their driving licence.

The AA says the new limits are being driven more by ‘dogma’ than road safety. A spokesman said: ‘These 20mph zones are popping up like spring daffodils.

‘There is a lot of fear among drivers that, with 20mph being a relatively unfamiliar speed, widespread speed camera use will make them look more at their speedometers than at what is happening on populated streets in front of them.’

If the trials in London ( due to last 18-months)  are judged a success, the 20mph limits will be made permanent and imposed on 30 miles of key ‘Red Routes’ considered by transport bosses to be ‘more local road than motorway’. Some 175 miles of residential streets.

Under the new London scheme, the first road to convert to 20mph next month will be Commercial Street in Shoreditch, linking into plans for Tower Hamlets and Hackney to become 20mph boroughs.

Rod King, founder of the ‘20’s Plenty for Us’ campaign group, said: ‘The current 30mph national limit is being rejected as “unfit for purpose” for communities so we’re setting out a series of government actions required for a planned transition to a UK default urban limit of 20mph by 2020.’

A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘Research shows 20mph zones can save lives and this government has made it easier for councils to introduce them.

‘It is for local authorities to set speed limits and for the police to decide how best to enforce them.’

The spokesman added: ‘We are undertaking a three-year research project to better understand the effect of 20mph zones and their impact on local communities.’

£20 fine if you leave your car engine idling!

Twenty Pounds

Motorists face £20 fines if they leave their engines idling in what has been branded ‘another stealth tax’ on drivers.

A hit squad of ‘traffic marshals’ will target stationary cars as part of the crackdown aimed at cutting pollution to meet strict European environmental targets.

Motoring organisations accused Westminster council of ‘picking on car owners’ when the real problem is emissions coming from large vehicles.

There will be 85 traffic marshals at any one time scouring its streets when it introduces the scheme on May 1.

Islington Council, in North London, which introduced a similar clampdown last August, has 24 such marshals prowling roads and known hotspots with powers to hand out the £20 on-the-spot fines.

The fines, which rise to £40 if not paid within 28 days, are intended to be a ‘last resort’ if drivers refuse to turn off their vehicles.

Motorists outside school gates, on shopping runs or waiting to pick people up at stations are likely to be hit by the ‘draconian’ clampdown, which is aimed at those who leave their engines idling after pulling over rather than motorists stuck in traffic or at red lights.

Other councils around the country are also likely to start enforcing the ‘stationary idling offence’, which was quietly introduced by the Government in 2002.

Several councils, including Corby in Northamptonshire, Torfaen in Wales and Havering and Wandsworth in London already warn motorists that they face a £20 fine if they leave car engines idling when stationary.

Havering Council also warns parents dropping off children at school not to leave engines running because youngsters with asthma are particularly at risk from car pollutants – and urges people to contact the council if they know areas where cars are regularly left idling.

West Sussex County Council have introduced signs urging motorist to turn off their engines in Shoreham-by-Sea. 

The crackdown comes despite most modern cars being fitted with stop-start technology whereby the engine automatically cuts when it is stationary for a few moments.

The move angered motoring groups, who said it would do little to help cut pollution but would enrage already hard-pressed car owners and was simply a way of extracting more cash from drivers.

An AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said: ‘The real test will be how heavily they enforce this. If you get people nabbing motorists first thing on winter mornings as they are trying to clear frozen windscreens so they can drive safely to work then it really will be worrying.’

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, told the BBC: ‘One of the real problems is cars stuck in traffic; research has shown pollution is up by 30 per cent in areas of heavy traffic. Do something to help get the traffic moving.’

The fines enforce Rule 123 of the Highway Code, which says: ‘If the vehicle is stationary and likely to remain so for more than a couple of minutes, you should switch off the engine to reduce emissions and oil pollution.’

Westminster councillor Heather Acton said: ‘We want to raise motorist awareness of the impact engine idling can have on the environment, with air and noise pollution affecting overall health, as well as it being an unnecessary use of fuel.’ 

Honda Civic trouble going over 40mph - what mechanics found....

An elderly driver, from Poole Keynes in the Cotswolds, drove her Honda Civic to the local garage when she was unable to drive at more than 40mph for some unknown reason.

Mechanics trying to figure out why the car would not exceed 40mph were more than a little surprised to find that the engine was filled with nuts, stashed there by a squirrel - every space and opening had been filled – with nuts.

The squirrel had been squeezing himself into the air filter to stash his nuts (Pictures: SWNS)

‘It was rammed solid with nuts,’ said David Evans, who owns the garage.

‘I’ve been doing this job for 18 years and I’ve never seen anything like it. I couldn’t believe it.
‘(The animal) had been getting into the garage, where she parked the car, and had been climbing right inside the engine bay and squeezing himself into the air filter.’

 

2015 budget & the world of motoring

• Petrol duty frozen for fifth year 
• 0.5p-a-litre Sept increase scrapped 
• Little change in company car tax 
• Severn toll crossing reduced
• 5p cheaper fuel in rural areas
• Tax-exempt classic cars from 1976 
• £100m fund for autonomous cars

The Chancellor George Osborne announced the abolition of planned fuel duty increases in the 2015 Budget, claiming the accumulated tax freezes would save Britain's 30 million motorists £10 every time they filled up at the pumps.

It's a typically oblique political claim; cutting a planned 0.5p-a-litre increase will not save a tenner for any motorist filling a typical fuel tank of, say, 50 to 60 litres. Rather, he's referring to the planned five-year freeze on the fuel duty escalator, in real terms. But then this was very much a Budget of posturing and smoke and mirrors, as the May elections loom large.

Drivers living in rural areas may benefit from 5p-a-litre cuts, as a new countryside tax relief kicks in on 1 April 2015, the Budget also revealed today.

And Osborne announced further investment into autonomous cars and revealed Government plans to reduce the Severn road crossing toll from 2018, when it passes into public ownership.

Read on for a full analysis with carmagazine.co.uk

Police out on Kent's roads to educate motorists about the dangers of speeding

Kent Police has taken to the roads of Ashford to educate motorists on the dangers of speeding.

Local PCSOs carried out the speed awareness event at six locations in the area along roads highlighted by residents as being potential speeding ‘hot-spots’.

A total of 575 vehicles were checked during the two-day exercise on Tuesday 10 March and Saturday 14 March.

Of those, 22 drivers were found to be exceeding the speed limit and were spoken to about the dangers of speeding.

Roads checked on 10 March were:

• Faversham Road, Kennington: 125 vehicles checked, nine exceeded the speed limit
• Canterbury Road, Kennington: 111 vehicles checked, seven exceeded the speed limit
• Charing Hill: 80 vehicles checked, one exceeded the speed limit
• Smarden: 25 vehicles checked, none exceeded the limit
• Appledore: 60 vehicles checked, none exceeded the limit

Roads checked on 14 March were:

• Canterbury Road, Kennington: 130 vehicles checked, three exceeded the limit
• Top of Charing Hill: 44 vehicles checked, two exceeded the limit

"The speed checks were carried out along roads which residents have highlighted as having issues with speeding drivers.

It is reassuring that such a low number of drivers had to be spoken to but we will continue to monitor any areas of concern.

Educating drivers continues to be fundamental in our efforts to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Kent’s roads.

Appropriate advice has been given to those drivers and although the purpose of these patrols was to educate drivers, next time people could face penalties.

Speeding can put pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists in danger so we are asking all road users to play their part in helping keeping our roads safe."

– Inspector Andrew Judd of the Ashford Community Safety Unit

 

New series from Channel 5

Coinciding with the launch of the Halo accident camera system is this new series from Channel 5! If you ever needed proof that these are a good idea, this is it!

http://www.channel5.com/shows/car-crash-tv/episodes

£60 fine and 3 license points for driving with snow on car roof

http://www.speedyreg.co.uk

Driving with snow on your car roof could land you with a £60 fine and three points on your license.
find it hard to believe? check rule 229 of the Highway Code

Rule 229 states before you set off

• You MUST be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows
• You MUST ensure that lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible and legible
• Make sure the mirrors are clear and the windows are demisted thoroughly
• Remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other road users
• Check your planned route is clear of delays and that no further snowfalls or severe weather are predicted

Police say motorists could be prosecuted for careless or inconsiderate driving if they are involved in an accident and it is deemed that snow on the roof was a factor.

Motorists could face a £60 fine and three points on their license if snow on the roof of their car contributes to an accident. This could apply if snow falls forward onto a driver’s windscreen, obscuring the view, or backwards causing a hazard for motorists travelling behind them.

A Suffolk Police spokesman said: ‘Many people are not aware of the hazard that snow on their cars can cause. Falling snow can be dangerous for all road users.’
Rule 229 of the Highway Code states, in a section entitled ‘driving in adverse weather conditions’, that snow should be removed from your car.

The full rule says: ‘Before you set off you MUST be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows. You MUST ensure that lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible and legible, make sure the mirrors are clear and the windows are demisted thoroughly.

‘Remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other road users. Check your planned route is clear of delays and that no further snowfalls or severe weather are predicted

Ban on Smoking in Private Cars

The Government will bring in legislation to introduce standardised plain cigarette packaging before the end of this Parliament, health minister Jane Ellison has announced.

The minister also announced that the ban on smoking in private cars will come into force on October 1 of this year.

Source
image

Smaller Cars Not Necessarily the Most Efficient

So you thought that small cars were more economical than big cars?..... Think again. Research by Emissions Analytics discovered bigger cars were actually closer to their claimed fuel economy figures.

The data is derived from the driving of 500 vehicles, 250 petrol and 250 diesel, for three hours on British roads to give a more realistic representation of real-world use. It transpired that on average manufacturer fuel economy figures were 18 per cent lower than advertised in brochures.

Cars with the smaller engines showed the biggest discrepancy, with vehicles in the 0- to 1.-litre category achieving 36 per cent few miles per gallon. That worked out at 38.6 instead of 60.3mpg. 21 per cent fewer miles were achieved In the 1- to 2-litre category, averaging 46.7mpg instead of 59.1.

Larger engines in the 2- 3-litre category came out as the worst fuel guzzlers, unsurprisingly, but the claimed figures were only 15 per cent out on the claimed ─ 45 instead of 52.9mpg.

The difference is down to how manufacturer estimates are worked out. The manufacturers test in laboratories with low rates of acceleration and slower speeds. Unsurprisingly this method will never give an accurate representation of real world day to day driving.

“For maximum fuel economy you should look for a one to three-litre engine, as these will return around 45-46mpg. To avoid being too disappointed with the result, pick a two to three-litre vehicle as it will be only 15 per cent worse than you were told you could achieve,” Emissions Analytics said in a newsletter.

Stephen Glaister - RAC Foundation director  is concerned that the findings show that consumers are being misled: "These astonishing figures only fuel the debate on the worth of official mpg data. Well over two million new cars will be sold in the UK this year, with small vehicles topping the sales chart. But how many drivers will actually get what they think they have paid for? The answer, in terms of fuel efficiency, must be not many.”

You Won’t Believe What This Cop Did

This video shows the actions police officer in America, he chose not to appear in the video and remain anonymous, you will wish this happened to you if you've ever been handed a speeding ticket!

Paper Vehicle Tax Disc Will no Longer be Issued

For vehicle tax starting from 1 November 2014 the DVLA will be offering motorists the ability to spread their vehicle tax payments should they wish to do so, they will be able to pay vehicle tax by direct debit

• annually
• biannually
• monthly

There will be no additional handling fees for annual payments but there will be a small surcharge of 5% of vehicle tax for biannual and monthly payments. This is half of the 10% surcharge that is currently applied to 6 monthly tax discs and which has been in existence for a number of decades.

From 1 October 2014 the paper tax disc will no longer be issued. Vehicle tax will still need to be paid but with DVLA having a digital record of who has and has not paid, a paper tax disc is no longer necessary as proof that vehicle tax is paid. The vast majority of motorists pay their vehicle tax with latest figures confirming that over 99% of motorists’ tax their vehicles on time… Most on-road enforcement action is now based on using Automatic Number Plate Readers. These cameras use the number plate rather than a visual inspection of the tax disc.

The police also have access to DVLA records via the police national computer. There are significant savings for fleet operators and other businesses from not having to handle the administration of tax discs.