A report from The AA has found that indiscriminate use of 20 mph speed limits and speed humps by local authorities can increase carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption.

Tests revealed that a car that achieves 58.15 miles per gallon at a steady 30 mph in fourth gear will only deliver 52.3 mpg at 20 mph in third gear and traveling over speed humps has an even greater impact with 6 speed humps over half a mile causing fuel consumption to increase by 47 percent to 30.85 mpg.

Whilst traffic calming measures are necessary in some areas the report shows that badly placed 20 mph restrictions or speed humps can increase CO2 emissions unnecessarily.

Edmund King, the AA’s president said “We need independent research to ascertain both the safety and environmental implications of 20 mph zones so that authorities don’t make a huge and widespread environmental mistake. Researched guidance on 30 mph versus 20 mph limits versus speed humps will help road engineers to make informed decisions on where best to site lower speed restrictions on urban roads.”

AA: Fuel For Thought

An investigation has been launched after a survey by The Department of Transport revealed that a massive 5% of vehicles are unlicensed, costing taxpayers £217m over the last year. Up from 3.6% in 2005 the figure is double the DVLA’s target of 2.5%. The situation for motorcycles is even worse with a staggering 37% of all motorcycles being unlicensed.

It has also emerged that over 60% of people who failed to pay fines for untaxed vehicles were not pursued through the courts or using debt collectors and many people were not chased after their first offence.

The National Audit Office has warned that confidence in the DVLA’s ability to enforce Vehicle Excise Duty risked being seriously undermined.

Pay-per-mile road pricing trials will be held in at least one UK city within the next five years.

A draft road transport Bill, published on Friday proposes to grant new powers to charge for each mile driven on congested roads to at least one local authority with Manchester and Birmingham thought to be the favourites.

The new Government proposal will make £200 million per year available to local authorities that agree to introduce road charging schemes to test the technology prior to a national roll out.

Satellite tracking or electronics tags fitted to vehicles and roadside beacons are expected to be used and any profit is to be spent on improving public transport.

Source: The Times

The average car insurance premium has almost doubled over the past 10 years according to The AA.

The latest AA British Insurance Premium Index shows that the average annual car insurance premium jumped by a massive 4.35% over the last quarter of 2006 to nearly £806, its highest ever level. The average third party, fire and theft premium rose again but only very slightly, to nearly £1,000.

Comprehensive car insurance premiums are now almost double the average quoted when the Index was launched in July 1994. The previous highest average quoted premium was £777.57, in January 2004.

Kevin Sinclair, managing director of AA Insurance said “Over the past three quarters, premiums have risen by nearly 6% and I believe this trend will continue.” He added that he expects third party, fire and theft insurance premiums will also continue their upward trend. “Young drivers account for a quarter of all road fatalities and are five times more likely to have an accident than a driver aged 35-plus. Premiums reflect this shocking record while many insurers will no longer cover young drivers.”

The AA Insurance Premium Index