BMW has announced a plan to invest £500m in UK car production over the next three years.
The money will help fund the production of the next generation Mini in the UK, safeguarding more than 5,000 jobs.
BMW's investment plan is the second major boost to the UK's motor manufacturing industry this week.
Its announcement came the day after Nissan said it would invest £192m and safeguard 6,000 jobs by building its next generation Qashqai here.
BMW's main facilities are its vehicle assembly plant in Oxford, the pressings plant in Swindon and the company's engine plant at Hams Hall near Birmingham.
The motor industry produces the country's most valuable manufactured exports, with £27bn worth of vehicles and parts going overseas in 2010.
source: BBC
Labels: BBC, Motor Industry, News
A BBC Watchdog investigation showed that although the brake pedal had been switched to the right, it remained connected to a mechanism on the left passenger side.
Citroen is recalling more than 20,000 of its Picasso C3 cars in the UK because of concerns the brakes can be activated from the passenger side. The problem arises because of the way the car is made in France then modified for right hand drive for UK export.
A BBC Watchdog investigation found the brake could still be engaged through a cable under the passenger footwell.
Citroen said although that was a remote possibility, it is offering customers a free modification to the UK vehicles."The recall will require the fitment of an additional component to isolate the braking mechanism from the front seat passenger," the statement continued.
The company said the modification would be free at Citroen dealers. "In the meantime, C3 Picasso owners should continue to use their cars as normal. Customers wanting further advice or information are asked to call the Citroën Contact Centre on 01753 475862, or to email cuk_contactcentre@citroen.com."
source: BBC Labels: BBC, Model Recall
With whisper-quiet electric cars set to proliferate, the motor industry is under pressure to give them an artificial noise for safety purposes, but should they sound like traditional petrol vehicles?
Electric and hydrogen fuel vehicles are inherently quiet. The sound of the tyres on the road is noisier than the engine and this could prove lethal at slow speeds for pedestrians and cyclists.
Motor manufacturers acknowledge there is a problem. Some, like Nissan, are already fitting speakers under the bonnets of these vehicles to emit sounds for the safety of other road users. Others are planning on doing the same.
With the UK government predicting 8,600 electric cars will be sold by the end of this year, sound engineers say there is a pressing need to come up with some ground rules as to what sounds to pick. So why not just stick with the current sound of a conventional combustion engine?
"That would be losing a huge opportunity," says Prof Paul Jennings from Warwick University who leads a project looking into alternative vehicle noises. "We all know traffic noise can be annoying and the levels are significantly high. We do not want to lose the benefit we could get from using new reduced sounds." He says: "The challenge is to create sounds that are as safe as possible but also ones that are much more pleasing for the urban environment."
As part of the engineering project, an electric vehicle called Elvin (Electric Vehicle with Interactive Noise), is being driven around the university campus demonstrating a small sample of made-up sounds. There are certain noises that people associate with transport and they alert us that a vehicle is heading in our direction.
Whatever car manufacturers choose will only be effective if it does the same. But balancing the needs for safety and improving the environment are not the only requirements. Clearly the manufacturers will have a big say in what happens.
source: BBC Labels: BBC, Electic Cars, Road Safety
The earthquake that hit Japan on 11 March, causing a tsunami and a nuclear crisis, did more than rock the country. Japan's motor industry was also shaken badly, with many of its parts suppliers hit.
A warning by the country's leading car-maker, Toyota, that parts shortages could curb output this year, coincided with booming sales and profits at its main global rival, General Motors (GM).
GM has just announced it is planning to invest $2bn (£1.2bn) in plants in eight US states, as well as creating hundreds of jobs. Fellow US car-maker Ford has also reported bumper profits and sales. And even the country's third-largest automotive company, Chrysler, is back in the black.
Less than two years ago, GM and Chrysler filed for bankruptcy and were bailed out by US taxpayers, while Ford had to sell its luxury division, which included Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo cars. At the time, Toyota and the other Japanese car-makers were gaining ground in the troubled Detroit-based companies' home market.
source: BBC
Labels: BBC, Motor Industry
Ford has unveiled its strongest first quarter profits for 13 years, helped by increasing demand for more fuel-efficient cars.
Profits rose to $2.55bn (£1.54bn; 1.75bn euros) in the first three months of 2011, compared with $2.09bn at the same period the year before.
"Our team delivered a great quarter, with solid growth in all regions," said Ford president Alan Mulally. Ford said the 2011 outlook was good, despite higher commodity costs. Revenue for the first quarter was $33.1bn, up from $28.1bn a year earlier.
The firm said it had seen a strong performance in its home North American market, as well as "solid improvement" in Europe. US sales were up 16%, while market share in the Asia Pacific and Africa regions also increased, the carmaker said.
source: BBC
Labels: BBC, Money, Motor Industry, News
Changes to "no win, no fee" cases in England and Wales have been announced by Justice Secretary Ken Clarke.
He told the Commons that lawyers would no longer be able to claim "success fees" from the losing side, and should instead receive a share of the damages. The government says it hopes the changes will act as a disincentive to anyone bringing "spurious cases".
But shadow justice secretary Sadique Khan warned they "could restrict access to justice" for poorer claimants. The proposals follow a review carried out by Lord Justice Jackson in 2010 at the request of the previous government.
The judge found huge rises in civil litigation costs in England and Wales in recent years and said reforms could save people millions.
According to the BBC's legal correspondent, Clive Coleman, critics say the scheme can encourage unscrupulous lawyers to take frivolous accusations to court. Mr Clarke told the Commons that he wanted to restore "proportion and confidence" in the justice system.
"We plan to end the recoverability of success fees and insurance premiums, which drive legal costs, award claimants a 10% uplift in general damages where they have suffered loss, and then ensure that they take an interest in controlling the bills being run up on their behalf by expecting them to pay their own lawyer's success fee," he said. The proportion of any damages that can be taken by lawyers will be capped at 25%.
The justice secretary said he believed "no win, no fee" was one of the reasons for recent increases in the cost of car insurance, and he hoped the planned changes would help drive premiums down.
source: BBC Labels: BBC, Legislation, News
There should be no petrol or diesel cars in city centres by 2050, the European Commission has proposed.
Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas also set out plans to shift half of "middle distance journeys" from road to rail, and to cut shipping emissions by 40%. He said: "Freedom to travel is a basic right for our citizens. Curbing mobility is not an option. Nor is business is usual."
The proposal would cut carbon emissions by 60% and reduce dependence on oil.
source: BBC Labels: BBC, Europe, News
Most people who get a parking ticket seethe with anger, pay up and get on with life. But thousands of motorists now become amateur sleuths, chronicling confusing "signs and lines" in a battle against the authorities, writes Neil Bennett for the BBC.
Some people might bracket parking tickets with death and taxes as one of life's inevitabilities. But what if you parked on double yellows long worn away or missed a sign covered with ivy, or failed to spot the notice 100 yards away suspending your usual parking spot?
Thousands of motorists every year challenge councils over tickets and when those appeals are refused they can end up at the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, the independent body which covers 250 local councils in England and Wales. It is based in Manchester but arranges personal hearings around the country.
A startling 60% of appeals are successful, with many uncontested by councils. But a day spent at the tribunal suggests that it is worthwhile to get out a digital camera and gather evidence the next time you get an unfair ticket.
source: BBC Labels: BBC, Motor
The future of the Vauxhall plant in Luton has been secured after a decision was made to build the new Vivaro van at the UK site. It had been feared that the site would close in the next few years. The union said the decision, which will safeguard 1,100 jobs, was "fantastic" news. Owner Vauxhall, the UK arm of General Motors, said the site would continue to play an "important role" in its manufacturing network. An existing contract between Vauxhall and French counterpart Renault to use the site had been due to run out in 2013. The decision to continue production at Luton comes after the two car companies agreed last September to extend their collaboration on light commercial vehicle manufacturing, which first began in 1996. Meanwhile, production of Renault's new Trafic van - also a product of the two firms' partnership - as well as the high-roof Vivaro will be at Renault's Sandouille plant in Normandy. source: BBC Labels: BBC, Motor Industry, News
The government has rejected lowering the legal drink-drive limit by nearly half, as recommended in a Whitehall-commissioned report. Sir Peter North said the limit should be reduced from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg, saying this would save hundreds of lives each year. The transport secretary Philip Hammond says improving enforcement rather than lowering the limit was likely to have more impact . But he has approved several measures recommended to deal with drug-driving. This includes improved detection equipment and changes to streamline enforcement of both drink and drug driving. The government will also consider whether a new specific drug-driving offence - alongside the existing one - is needed, to stop police from having to prove impairment on a case-by-case basis where a specified drug has been detected. Sir Peter, a leading academic and legal expert, had made a total of 51 recommendations in his report. These included making it easier for police to identify and prosecute drug-drivers by allowing nurses, as well as doctors, to authorise blood tests of suspects. Based on new research by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Sir Peter said that as many as 168 lives - about 7% of UK road deaths - could be saved by a reduced drink-drive limit in the first year. This could rise to as many as 303 lives by the sixth year, he said.
source: BBC Labels: BBC, Road Safety, THINK Campaign
The head of insurance giant Legal & General has predicted good growth in the UK as more people take control of their own financial affairs. Tim Breedon said the firm "will be a growing force as the welfare state retrenches" and people look for insurance and savings provisions. L&G unveiled annual pre-tax profits of £1.09bn, up from £1.07bn, on worldwide sales up 28% to £1.8bn. L&G also beat its £600m cash generation target by making £728m. The company's savings division was a key driver, with operating profit up 130% to £115m and net cash generation up 134% to £68m. source: BBC Labels: BBC, Money, News
The UK may have become dangerously over-reliant on satellite-navigation signals, according to a report from the Royal Academy of Engineering. Use of space-borne positioning and timing data is now widespread, in everything from freight movement to synchronisation of computer networks. The academy fears that too many applications have little or no back-up were these signals to go down. Receivers need to be capable of using a variety of data sources, it says. Dr Martyn Thomas, who chaired the group that wrote the report, told BBC News: "We're not saying that the sky is about to fall in; we're not saying there's a calamity around the corner. What we're saying is that there is a growing interdependence between systems that people think are backing each other up. And it might well be that if a number these systems fail simultaneously, it will cause commercial damage or just conceivably loss of life. This is wholly avoidable." source: BBC
Labels: BBC, Technology
Spanish commuters have had to ease off the accelerator this morning on their drive to work, confronted with a new speed limit of 110km/h (68mph) on main roads. Throughout Sunday and into the night, teams worked across the country to prepare for Monday's change - covering the old 120km/h (75mph) limit with stickers on 6,000 road signs. The slowdown is intended to save energy in response to the surge in oil prices sparked by the unrest in Libya and elsewhere in the Arab world. Spain is heavily dependent on imported fuel and 13% of its oil usually comes from Libya. source: BBC
Labels: BBC, Europe, Speed Limit
Insurers cannot charge different premiums to men and women because of their gender, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled. The decision means that women can no longer be charged lower car insurance premiums than men, and the cost of buying a pensions annuity will change. The change will come into effect in December 2012, although customers could see premiums alter in the interim. The court was ruling on a challenge by a Belgian consumer group Test-Achats. It had argued that a current exemption for insurers contradicted the wider European principle of gender equality. "Taking the gender of the insured individual into account as a risk factor in insurance contracts constitutes discrimination," the ECJ said. The requirement for unisex insurance premiums and benefits will start on 21 December 2012, giving national governments and the European insurance industry time to adjust. source: BBC Labels: BBC, EU Law, Insurance
A small town in the Australian Outback has decided to change its name for a month in an attempt to increase road safety. The town of Speed - a blink-and-you'd-miss-it town in the countryside of Victoria - will be known as SpeedKills. Speed-dwellers are hoping it will persuade drivers to slow down on country roads. Speed is hoping to become something of a global, internet sensation with the launch of this novel safety campaign. The idea was the brainchild of the Victoria Transport Accident Commission, which soon won over Speed's 45 residents. For the full story from the BBC click here... source: BBC Labels: BBC, Road Safety
Sales of new cars in the UK fell for the seventh month running in January, according to the Society of Motoring Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). New car registrations last month were 128,811, down 11.5% from a year ago. The fall was in line with the SMMT's forecast, and was partly due to the ending of the car scrappage scheme. The SMMT added that the market share for cars with low CO2 emissions had increased to 2.7% from 1.4% in the same month last year. UK-built cars maintained the same share of the market as a year ago, with 13%. The Ford Focus was the best selling new car last month with 7,582 new cars registered. source: BBC
Labels: BBC, Car Sales, News
A giant sculpture of a striding man by public artist Andy Scott has been knocked over in a car accident. The 4m (13ft) structure, installed at Muirside roundabout, Tullibody, in Clackmannanshire, is one of five pieces in the county by the artist. It is understood a car crashed into the statue, which sits outside the village police station, at about 2110 GMT on Saturday. Central Scotland Police said they were investigating the incident. The sculpture - also known as the Man in Motion - is made of welded steel mosaic and has the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle as a backdrop. Brian Smith, a college lecturer who lives near the sculpture, said the impact of the crash must have been considerable. source: BBC
Labels: BBC, News
A crackdown on abuse of the disabled "blue badge" parking scheme in England has been announced by ministers. It is estimated that use of up to half of the existing 2.5 million badges could be fraudulent, costing the UK an estimated £46m a year. More people are to face mobility tests to get the badges, which offer special parking rights, and councils will have greater powers of confiscation. Use of blue badges has soared by more than a third in the last 10 years. The badges allow access to special parking or the right to avoid parking restrictions. source: BBC Labels: BBC, Fraud, News
The freezing weather in December resulted in £1.4bn of insurance claims on property and vehicles in the UK, figures have shown. This is more than twice the £650m claimed due to the cold snap the previous year, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said. The snap was more severe, longer and affected more of the country. Burst pipes caused the most problems, with more than 100,000 claims totalling £680m, the ABI said. More than 250,000 vehicles were damaged as a result of the snow and ice on the roads, leading to £530m of claims. Figures released last month showed that the cold weather was largely responsible for the contraction in the UK economy during the final three months of last year. The economy shrank by 0.5%, but activity would have been "flattish" without the impact of the bad weather, the Office for National Statistics said. source: BBC Labels: ABI, BBC, Insurance, News, Weather
Drivers and pedestrians who put their lives at risk and ignore safety signals at level crossings have a greater chance of being prosecuted thanks to a new high-tech spy camera. Network Rail say the number of people risking their lives has risen over the last five years. source: BBC Labels: BBC, Road Safety, Technology
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