Scotland: Drivers face ‘crumbling’ local roads amid increase in insurance claims to councils over potholes
Drivers are counting the cost of Scotland’s “crumbling” local road network as pothole-related insurance claims soar. Research by Scottish Labour found that between 2019 and 2023 the number of insurance claims to councils citing poor road maintenance rose by 69 per cent. Eight local authority areas have seen claims from drivers more than double, while four have seen claims […]
Reading MP in talks about ‘dangerous’ slip roads
An MP says she has had a “constructive conversation” with National Highways about two “dangerous” slip roads. Olivia Bailey, MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, has been campaigning for safety improvements to the A34 slip roads at East Ilsley and Beedon, and has spoken about it in the House of Commons. After a site visit […]
EV charging prices ‘a huge unknown’ as ChargePlace Scotland contracts set to end
The responsibility for administering more than 3,000 public electric vehicle charge points across Scotland will no longer rest with the government agency set up 12 years ago. The ChargePlace Scotland contract is due to end this year, with responsibility passing to local authorities who may partner with private companies to manage the infrastructure. This comes as the […]
Rail minister under investigation for texting while driving bus
Labour’s rail minister has reported himself to the police after he was caught texting behind the wheel of a double-decker bus. Baron Hendy of Richmond Hill was seen using his mobile phone while driving his vintage Routemaster bus through central London for charity last month. The minister was reportedly texting a friend during the March 28 […]
Aurora to trial driverless trucks in bad weather
Aurora Innovation says its driverless trucks will eventually be equipped to handle tough weather conditions, but only after their commercial debut in Texas later this year. The company confirmed this week that its self-driving trucks will begin operating commercially in Texas in April and will expand to routes in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona in […]
M48 to introduce weight restrictions on Severn Crossing
National Highways is set to introduce a weight limit for heavy goods vehicles using the M48 Severn Crossing to future-proof the bridge. Following safety inspections and to minimise further damage to the bridge, only heavy goods vehicles up to 7.5-tonnes in weight will be able to use the Severn crossing after inspections showed deterioration to […]
RAC predicts busiest Easter bank holiday on the roads in three years with 19m trips expected
RAC is predicting a ‘hat-trick of hold-ups’ as around 2.7m trips are planned on Thursday 18, Good Friday 19 and Saturday 20 April. This year’s Easter bank holiday weekend could be the busiest since 2022 – the first full getaway after COVID lockdowns – with more than 19m leisure journeys planned, according to a new study of […]
