Our Latest Headline

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM END QATAR TEST WITH STONER ON TOP AND HAYDEN FOURTH

The Ducati Marlboro Team concluded its preseason testing schedule this evening with both riders extremely satisfied with the set-up of their GP10 machines and their lap times.

Featured Post

SARAH GOES TO GREAT HEIGHTS FOR BEN

Sarah Sillars, Executive Chair of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), and her daughter Rachael have started training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro for BEN.

News Briefs

• Patriotic Scots have good cause to head south to one of the homes of English football! The registration K11 LTS, the perfect private plate for any Scot proud of their distinguished heritage, will go under the hammer in the first DVLA auction to be held at Old Trafford, home of Manchester United, later this month. The coveted personalised registration is among 1,500 being auctioned during the three-day event commencing on Wednesday, March 24. “Registrations like this are ideal for those who take great pride in their nation’s heritage,” said Damian Lawson, DVLA Personalised Registrations’ Marketing Manager. “I’m sure any Scottish person, proud of their country’s traditions and customs, would love to have this number plate on their car.” For more information visit dvlaregistrations.direct.gov.uk In total, DVLA’s forthcoming auction will comprise 1,500 registrations chosen to offer an eclectic mix to suit all tastes, styles and pockets, including, BMW 805S (£400), DAM 114N (£400), FER 661E (£900), F4 LSE (£900), HOT 805S (£400), K11 LTS (£900), NET 800K (£300), NEW 805S (£400), 9 O (£10,000), OFF 1 (£3,200), OLD 805S (£350), 2 OOO (£4,000), TAX 80Y (£400), TOW 805S (£400), UTD 805S (£900), VDS 1 (£3,200). #
• The Urban Challenge Fund, announced this week in the UK by the Department for Transport, will replace the Congestion Transport Innovation Fund. It is designed to support measures that tackle congestion and also safety and cut carbon emissions. Local authorities can apply to the fund. Brake’s campaigns officer Ellen Booth said: “We welcome the widening of this funding pot to include road safety schemes as well as congestion relief schemes. However, Brake wants a more fundamental commitment to increased, ring-fenced funding for road safety initiatives, particularly for lower speed limit safety zones in communities and pedestrian and cyclist facilities such as pedestrian crossings and cycle paths. Our volunteers who campaign for road safety come up against financial barriers to desperately needed safety improvements time and time again.” Click here to read more about the Urban Challenge Fund. Click here to download the urban transport discussion document. #
• All road works will need to be clearly signed and meet strict rules on safety under plans published today by Transport Minister Sadiq Khan. Utility firms already have to provide information at road works - including a contact telephone number and details of who is carrying out the works - as well as meeting high safety standards. Today's proposals mean that councils carrying out their own works will also have to abide by these rules. In addition, anyone carrying out road works will have to meet tougher standards on safety for disabled people - making sure sites are properly protected and facilities are put in place to allow wheelchair users to move around them easily. Sadiq Khan said: "I am tired of hearing excuses about why road works can't be carried out with more consideration and respect for the travelling public. It is not acceptable for works to be badly signed, left in a dangerous state or put in place without a thought for the needs of road users, particularly people with disabilities. "That is why I have made tackling road works disruption a priority since I became Transport Minister last year and announced a package of measures in December to reduce the problems they can cause. "We have already taken steps to give councils greater powers to co-ordinate works and to incentivise utility firms to finish works on time. The plans I have announced today will make sure that all works are clearly signed and properly protected." Further changes to the Safety Code of Practice include: * Additional information on maintaining and making sites safe when unattended; * New equipment requirements to improve worker and road user safety; * More advice on work near railway level crossings or near trams; Today's announcement forms part of the Department for Transport's street works action plan published in December 2009. The action plan aims to reduce the disruption caused by street works and today's consultation follows recent proposals to increase the maximum charges for overrunning utility works. #
• These tables show the registration figures for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales in detail. Top performers by model are also listed. Providing SMMT is acknowledged as the source of this information, these figures may be quoted. Month End 2009 Month End 2010 % Change +/- Year To Date 2009 Year To Date 2010 % Change +/- England 44,609 56,002 25.54 137,806 177,474 28.79 Northern Ireland 3,834 4,837 26.16 9,363 12,033 28.52 Scotland 3,897 5,331 36.80 12,470 16,466 32.04 Wales 1,572 2,040 29.77 5,662 6,860 21.16 Grand Total 53,912 68,210 26.52 165,301 212,833 28.75 * Note: Channel Islands and Isle of Man new car registrations not included. #
• ‘Scrappage continues to give a boost to the market with private buyers in particular returning to the showrooms. The decision to let the scheme continue until the end of March will continue to provide relief for sales in the first quarter of 2010.’ Commented RMI Director, Sue Robinson, representing new car dealers, in the wake of new car sales figures for February 2010 released today. New car sales for February 2010 announced today, show that new cars sold in the month were 26.4 per cent up on February 2009*, the eighth consecutive monthly increase. Latest Government figures show that 367,506* new vehicles have been ordered through the scrappage scheme since it went live. 19.6 per cent of February sales were part of the scrappage scheme. Robinson continued, ‘The scrappage scheme has tempted private buyers back into the new and used car market. However, the business market is still fragile with many fleet and business operators delaying the replacement of vehicles, though the beginning of 2010 has seen some positive signs in this sector with the fleet market up 17 per cent. ‘The small car sector has done particularly well under the scrappage scheme and from customers looking for value for money vehicles; this can be seen with marks such as Kia and Hyundai doing particularly well. ‘The continuing outlook for 2010 is set to be challenging with a level of uncertainty being caused by the imminent general election, it is likely that tax rises, public spending cuts and the end of the scrappage scheme in March will make consumers more cautious in their spending, certainly in the shorter term.’ * Sales figures courtesy of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) #