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For many years, the Great British Land Rover Show has been seen as the perfect way to bring down the curtain on the season. After missing out in 2020, the autumn extravaganza was back in 2021 – when it set new records by attracting the biggest attendance in its illustrious history.

And now there’s a second Great British Land Rover Show, too. This one is hosted by Newark Showground – and it’s timed to get the season off to a perfect start.

The date for the Newark show is 1 May – and it’s going to be a must for every Land Rover owner and enthusiast!

The springtime Great British Land Rover Show will have it all. Parts and accessories to buy, bespoke vehicle builds and eye-popping restorations… Land Rover toys and models, branded clothing and other merchandise… Specialist insurance providers, overland travel operators, tyre and exhaust specialists… If you’ve got a Land Rover and you’re looking for more or less anything to do with it, you’ll find it at Newark on 1 May!

The show is supported by Headline Sponsor BFGoodrich Tires, Terrafirma, Paddock Spares and The Landy. In addition, the All Wheel Drive Club will be running a special 2.4-mile off-road course which visitors will be able to experience in their own vehicles.

The show’s off-road route is always a smash hit at Stoneleigh in November, and Newark is set to be no different. The course has several levels of difficulty, making it suitable for all levels of driver ability and experience – and for every kind of Land Rover, from Series Is to new Range Rovers and everything in between. Marshals from the AWDC will be on hand with advice on driving techniques – and, should that not be enough, a handy tow rope!

The organisers recommend that you buy your tickets in advance for the off-road course, both to avoid disappointment and to be able to select your preferred start time.

The same goes for the display apparatus erected by the Land Rover Experience, on which you can take a passenger ride in the latest Land Rover vehicles with the company’s expert instructors at the wheel.

With intense inclines, dramatic descents, sideways tilts and more, the Experience’s Dynamic Display Equipment, which was designed to showcase the technology and capabilities of all the company’s vehicles, demonstrates their capabilities in various different ways and always makes a popular addition to any show. It was a huge hit at Stoneleigh last November – and you can be sure the same will be the case at Newark in May!

Tickets for the Great British Land Rover Show, at Newark Showground on 1 May, cost £15 on the day – or just £7.50 in advance. You can get them by visiting gblandrovershow.co.uk – mark the date in your diary now!

  • Google Trends data analysed by Compare the Market have revealed that Toyota is the world’s most searched car brand for the second consecutive year
  • The Japanese car manufacturer was the top search term in 47 out of 154 countries for 2021
  • Toyota has held the title for 3 out of 4 years that Compare the Market has run the report, but is losing ground to competitors like BMW and Mercedes

For the second year in a row, Toyota reigns supreme as the most searched car brand according to Compare the Market’s annual analysis of Google Trends data.

The data reveals that the Japanese car manufacturer topped searches in 47 of the 154 countries analysed, representing around 31% of all searches. But it’s not all about winning glory – searches have decreased from almost 35% in 2020, and other brands are starting to gain some ground.

In the four years since Compare the Market began publishing the report, Toyota, BMW and Mercedes have remained a consistent trio on the podium, with Toyota on top in 2018, 2020 and 2021.

The anomaly was 2019, where BMW secured the win in a whopping 118 countries, leaving its competitors in the dust. The impressive lead contributed to BMW holding the title of most searched across all four years, on average.

Despite Mercedes sitting in third place each year, in 2021 the brand closed the gap by almost 70%, sitting only 6 countries short of 2nd place in comparison to last year where it was 19 behind.

Audi also saw considerable improvement in its ranking. Not only did the brand more than double the number of countries where it was the top search (from 5 to 11 countries in 2021), its ranking position increased from 6th to 4th this year.

2021 was also the first year that Compare the Market incorporated Tesla into the analysis. Despite appearing in the top 3 searches for 24 countries, only 5 of them listed the brand as their top search (China, Hong Kong, Israel, Macao and Singapore).

In contrast, brands such as Ford, Nissan and Peugeot appear to be losing speed in the race. Each search term’s ranking dropped by at least three places, with Ford barely scraping into 9th place in comparison to 5th place in 2020.

There are a number of reasons which could explain why Toyota remained in the top spot for the second consecutive year. In November 2021, Toyota Gazoo Racing announced that it would start reproducing spare parts for its Corolla Levin and Sprinter Trueno makes.[i]

These parts had previously been discontinued, but with the reintroduction of them, car lovers could continue driving and enjoying vehicles from the past. Toyota also launched a suite of other vehicles in 2021. This included a full line-up of electric cars that reduce CO2 emissions,[ii] the world-first Corolla SUV[iii] and a completely redesigned Land Cruiser.[iv]

Visit comparethemarket.com.au to see the full list of most searched car brands around the world, including the ranking list from 2018 to 2021.

[i] Toyota – TOYOTA GAZOO Racing to Reproduce and Sell Spare Parts for the AE86 Corolla Levin / Sprinter Trueno

[ii] Toyota – Details of All-New bZ4X BEV Announced

[iii] Toyota – Toyota to Launch All-New Corolla Cross in Japan [iv] Toyota – Toyota Launches New Land Cruiser

A recent study has identified some interesting facts… Breakdowns and car faults are the most common reason UK drivers replace their vehicles and apparently those living in the North of England will, on average, own more cars than motorists in the South.

The study was conducted by the car-buying experts at www.perrys.co.uk who asked 2,200 UK drivers over the age of 35 years old a series of questions about the average length of their vehicle ownership, to find out just how many vehicles UK adults go through in a lifetime. 

One of the most significant findings revealed that British motorists will get through 13 cars in their lifetime, on average. 

When asked about their experiences of vehicle ownership throughout the years, it was revealed that respondents typically own cars for longer, later in life. Demographically, it was found that those aged 50+ will usually own a car for seven years, whereas more than two thirds (67%) admitted that when they were younger drivers (aged 18-24) they replaced their vehicle on average every two years.

What’s more, location impacted how long drivers keep their cars for as well. Regionally, it was found that those living in the North of England will, on average, go through 16 cars during their lifetime, while those in the South will own just 10. 

When asked what key factors have led to respondents replacing vehicles more frequently, the most common reasons why were found to be:

  1. Breakdowns and car faults – 81%
  2. Change of lifestyle – 75% 
  3. Change of employment – 63%
  4. Moving to a different area – 60% 
  5. Environmental reasons – 32%  

Some of the lifestyle changes that factored into purchasing a new car included financial reasons (27%), followed by having children (18%) and wanting a new car type (15%).

Quizzed further on the potential environmental reasons for switching cars, the most common answer was revealed to be ‘wanting an electric or hybrid vehicle’ (34%), with ‘reducing car size to lower emissions’ (29%) and ‘wanting a car with an eco-friendlier fuel type’ (19%). 

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from www.perrys.co.uk said:

“This study offers a fascinating insight into the reasons why drivers want to buy a new car.  While it’s not surprising that breakdowns and car faults are big factors, it’s a reminder that you can never be too prepared to have to purchase a new or replacement vehicle. We’re pleased to see sustainability is becoming a major reason to change cars, with the demand for electric and hybrid vehicles constantly on the rise. Consequently, we think these cars will continue to grow in popularity in the future, helping to improve people’s carbon footprint and ultimately take crucial steps towards a greener future.”

As winter fast approaches in the UK, motorists are being offered expert advice on how to clear their windscreen and avoid a fine and possible penalty points on their licence.
The car leasing experts at LeaseCar.uk have provided their top tips for effectively clearing windows and windscreens on a freezing cold morning. And the humble onion could help – by acting in a similar way to vinegar – to clear windows.
With the temperature across the UK likely to drop below zero over the coming weeks and months, frosty windscreens will become a common occurrence for drivers.
A spokesperson for LeaseCar.uk said: “Trying to scrape the windscreen of a vehicle on a cold and frosty morning can be a huge inconvenience especially before setting off to work or school.
“Every year it is almost guaranteed that drivers will use their credit card or an old CD to clear the snow from their cars, but this can cause lasting damage to a vehicle.
“Making sure the windscreen is covered with tarp or some sort of sheet can help to ease the ice build up. And there are a number of homemade solutions that can be made that act as a great alternative to de-icer.”
Frost and ice build-up is caused when water vapour in the air is cooled and because windscreens and windows are made of glass, they tend to freeze over much more quickly than any other parts of vehicles. This is because a glass window releases heat faster than plastic or metal. 
The Highway Code clearly states that windows and windscreens must be kept clean and free of obstructions to vision – breaking this rule could result in a fine and points on your licence. 
As a result, British motorists are being encouraged to utilise windshield covers and garages where possible and to also be resourceful and use home products to create a DIY de-icer.
Here are LeaseCar.uk top 12 tips for keeping your windscreen clear in winter:

Watch out for DIY scrapers
When rushing to get to work in the morning, it’s easy to reach for the nearest flat object – like a bank card or CD – to scrape the ice off, but using anything other than a car ice scraper could lead to a severely scratched windscreen.  Keep a made-for-purpose ice scraper on hand and use short, powerful strokes to chip the ice away.

Salt water solution 
This will dissolve the ice with a chemical reaction rather than melting it with heat. The ions in salt also lower the freezing point of water, making it difficult for it to refreeze. Apply the solution sparingly, as heavy application could damage the glass. 

Vinegar solution 
If you spray an iced windshield with a mixture of water and vinegar, while the mixture will not melt ice, it can help ice from forming in the first place if you spray your windshield with it the night before.

Rub an onion
Onions have a similar effect on windscreens as vinegar does. If there is nothing but this root vegetable left in the house, then rub generously on the windows and windshield the night before and this should keep Jack Frost at bay. 

Vodka
Arguably the most expensive way of clearing a frosty windscreen, but the alcohol content in vodka means that it makes for a great de-icer in freezing temperatures. 

Let the car warm up
If your car has a ‘defrost’ setting on the temperature gauge, switch it on. It could take around fifteen minutes for the glass to get warm on the inside and melt the ice on your windscreen. It’s important to avoid leaving a vehicle to defrost whilst the engine is idling. This can incur a £20 fine – up to £80 in London. 

Clear properly
Not only does a small peephole through the ice make it difficult to drive but it can also get motorists into a lot of trouble. Make sure to clear the whole windscreen as well as the car’s mirrors before setting off on a journey. If not drivers could risk getting a £60 fine or a possible three penalty points. 

Avoid boiling water
Although this may seem like the quickest method to clear a windscreen in a rush it can cause the glass to crack due to thermal shock because of the sudden temperature change. Leave 10-15 minutes before setting out to allow some time for the car to defrost instead of damaging the vehicle in a mad panic. 

Keep a bottle of de-icer 
Although there are many great homemade alternatives, nothing quite beats the convenience of the real deal. They’re available from most petrol stations and can really reduce the stress on a cold morning.  

Don’t forget the exhaust
A lot of attention can be given to clearing the windscreen which can leave other important parts of the car neglected in the cold. Whilst the car is heating up, make sure the exhaust isn’t black with snow or ice otherwise this could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. 

Try industrial lubricant
This isn’t the best thing to use for the windscreen and windows of the car but is great for use on the number plate. Spray a small amount on the surface of the plate and this will help ice from sticking to it. If a number plate isn’t clearly visible it can leave drivers in hot water. 

Utilise cover 
Keeping the car in a garage overnight can prevent frost from building up on the windscreen. Motorists without access to a garage or storage unit can use a tarp, newspapers, or an old bedsheet to prevent the build up of frost on the windscreen. 

  • The Compensation Experts analysed figures from The Department of Transport to reveal the areas that have the most road accidents due to ice. 
  • Kent, Lincolnshire, and Surrey have the highest number of winter accidents

 Driving with windows full of condensation and icy roads to look out, certainly makes you doubt the most wonderful time of the year when on the roads. Winter can be a challenging time for drivers, as sub-zero temperatures lead to dangerous road conditions. 

The Compensation Experts has analysed the Department for Transports Road Traffic Statistics to reveal the areas across the UK that have the most road accidents due to icy conditions. By studying five years of data from every local authority in the UK, looking at the number, the top 10 worst areas for motor accidents on ice are as followed:

RankRegionNumber of accidents on ice
1Kent310
2Lincolnshire284
3Surrey272
4Lancashire210
5Hampshire192
6Norfolk167
7Cumbria151
8North Yorkshire143
9Devon142
10Hertfordshire138

Kent revealed to have the highest number of winter road accidents

The statistics from The Department for Transport show that out of all 333 local authorities in the UK, Kent has the highest number of road accidents recorded in winter conditions. A total of 310 accidents occurred due to frost and ice, Kent drivers should be extra cautious when is comes to driving in freezing conditions. After Kent, Lincolnshire is revealed to come second in the rankings with 284 in five years. Surrey follows with the third-highest number of accidents due to ice with 272 accidents over the same period.

Spokesperson at The Compensation Experts comments on the findings, “In the winter months, drivers are suddenly being thrust into some of the worst driving conditions they’re likely to face on the roads. We urge motorists in these areas to take extra caution when driving and if the temperature does drop to freezing you should consider postponing the journey unless essential”.

The Great British Land Rover Show, at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire, took place on Sunday 21 November. And after missing out last year when the second round of lockdown restrictions came into force, the annual indoor event was back with a bang.

Timed perfectly for the pre-Christmas market, the show has become recognised as the final flourish in the annual Land Rover calendar. It has traditionally pulled in bumper crowds – but this year, thanks perhaps to pent-up demand following the restrictions that have blighted all our lives since the start of the pandemic, more visitors than ever made the trip to Stoneleigh.

Once again sponsored by BFGoodrich, with support from Terrafirma, Paddock Spares and the All Wheel Drive Club, for the first time ever the show featured a driving course set out by the Land Rover Experience.  Next to the main entrance to Stoneleigh’s show halls, this featured a man-made hill, side-slope and axle-twister which demonstrated the abilities of the Discoverys and Defenders in which visitors could take passenger rides alongside the Experience’s instructors.

With a best-ever attendance leading to a lengthy queue at the doors, the Driving Experience provided plenty of entertainment for onlookers. And this soon meant another big queue as visitors waited in line to climb aboard and see for themselves what it was all about.

For those bringing their own vehicles, the All Wheel Drive Club was once again running the off-road course in the woods at the edge of the showground site. And this too was busier than ever, with more than 300 vehicles taking the plunge – leading at one point to a long line waiting their turn after a highly modified Defender had suffered a broken steering linkage which left it stranded on the course.

It was also notable how many of the vehicles taking part were ‘new generation’ Land Rovers with independent suspension and Terrain Response. Old-school Defenders and Discoverys were perhaps still just about in the lead in terms of numbers but Disco 3/4s, L322s, Range Rover Sports and new Defenders were a common sight too. Interestingly, the marshals reported that most of these vehicles’ drivers were struggling on hills because of not using enough gas – a sign that they had learned how to drive in traditional Landys and were needing to unlearn their old habits in order to get the best from the new breed.

Inside the halls, meanwhile, big crowds ensured that the traders had a busy time of it. All commented that for business and networking alike, it had been a huge success, with Martin Thompson of BFGoodrich summing it up: ‘The Great British Land Rover Show is always a big success for us, and this year it has been better than ever. We’ve had a very busy day and done great business – and I’m pleased to say that we’ll be continuing as Headline Sponsors again in 2022.’

Speaking for the show’s organisers, Managing Director Sarah Moss said:
‘We were absolutely delighted to see the Land Rover community out in force at the Great British Land Rover Show on Sunday 21 November. It’s been a frustrating two years since the event was last permitted to take place due to the restrictions on indoor events, but it was clear that both exhibitors and visitors alike were raring to get back to it and we hope that the Show will continue to thrive and grow in size going forward.’

The organisers are already working on a new springtime version of the Great British Land Rover Show, which is planned for 1 May at Newark Showground. And the show will be returning to Stoneleigh once again next November – you can keep up to date with all the organisers’ plans at greatbritishlrshow.com.

  • Texaco’s average fuel price was 135.1p per litre, more than 5p more than the cheapest supermarket
  • The cheapest fuel at the ‘big four’ supermarkets is Sainsbury’s, with an average 131.50p per litre
  • The cheapest petrol pump was Costco Birmingham, while Sainsbury’s Enfield (London) has the cheapest diesel

While the long snaking lines of cars desperate for fuel outside petrol stations have dissipated, the panic of the fuel shortage is still fresh in many minds.

To add fuel to the fire, there are also reports of diesel costs hitting record highs in November. For drivers, it is easy to feel helpless as winter arrives. 

But it is not all doom and gloom. Vertu Motorcycles have analysed the fuel price fluctuations across hundreds of pumps to see where you can find the best value fuel in the UK. Prices were analysed on a weekly basis for six weeks in September and October.

Their data shows that the cheapest petrol in the UK can be found at Costco Birmingham, on Watson Road (B7 5SA) near Coventry. The cheapest diesel is found in Sainsbury’s Enfield in London, along the A10. 

The frequency of Costco fuel stations on their cheapest prices lists is most likely due to the supermarket’s member-only policy, allowing them to offer more competitive prices. Both lists are dominated by fuel stations found in Manchester and Coventry, too; 60% of stations in our two 10 cheapest fuel stations list are located in these two cities.

Furthermore, the data by Vertu Motorcycles revealed that the big garage brands, such as Texaco, Esso and BP, are best to be avoided for those looking to dodge the priciest pumps, as they consistently offer the most expensive fuel prices across the country. 

Texaco is especially costly, priced at 2.7p per litre more than the national average.

In contrast, supermarket petrol stations offer the better priced fuel for Brits overall. 

Costco, in particular, has the cheapest fuel prices at 129.9p per litre; most likely due to its member-only policy. 

For non-members, the cheapest prices can be found at Murco and independent fuel stations, but these are much rarer than the big garage brands.

Texaco, for instance, has around 800 stations in the UK, while Esso and BP each have over 1,200 locations to fill up at.

In terms of the ‘big four’ supermarkets (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons), it’s Sainsbury’s that offers the cheapest fuel prices on average (131.5p per litre). 

Tesco is the most expensive supermarket for fuel, with prices averaging at 132.7p per litre, while Morrisons and Asda sit in the middle with 132.5p and 132.4p per litre, respectively.

Want to make more everyday fuel savings? Check out these top tips, below:

  • Branded fuel station or supermarket? Shop at supermarkets for the lowest fuel prices, but if you have the option of an independent station, it is a good idea to shop local, if you can, to keep them in business.
  • Have you checked your tyre pressure? Under inflated tyres require more fuel to maintain movement. Just a five-minute check every two weeks could be all you need to save £££ at the pumps.
  • Are you filling your fuel tank to capacity? While it might seem like a time saver to fill your tank right to the top, the extra weight will cause your car to burn through fuel quicker. Look to fill your tank up half-way to stay fuel-efficient. 
  • What are your driving habits? Accelerating smoothly and maintaining a constant speed, rather than erratic speeding up and slowing down, consumes much less fuel, netting you noticeable savings.

A Vertu Motorcycles spokesperson commented:

 “With the fuel shortage still fresh in people’s minds, it is critical that everyone reassess how and where they buy their fuel from to avoid paying over the odds.

“Of course, it is not viable for those who live near expensive pumps to drive further afield to find cheaper fuel, but knowing which fuel brands are best to avoid could save you a pretty penny at the pumps if you do have the option. 

“Hopefully, this is the last time we hear of any ‘fuel crisis’, but it always pays to do your research and exercise cautious purchasing habits.”

Terranet AB (TERRNT B), developers of advanced driver-assistance software (ADAS) that specifically addresses safety and comfort through precise, fast, and intelligent sensor technology, has announced teaming up with holoride to explore innovative applications for its VoxelFlowTM technology – helping to revolutionize in-vehicle experiences for passengers in autonomous vehicles.

Munich-based holoride is building the world’s first immersive in-vehicle media platform by enabling processing motion and location-based data in real-time. Through this new iteration of Terranet’s and holoride’s relationship, holoride will be integrated into NEVS’ revolutionary PONS mobility system focusses on urban areas and is built to reshape mobility in cities. holoride’s content adjusts to the motion and route of the PONS mobility system and other vehicles and perfectly syncs with the passenger’s journey. Through this, holoride creates a new media category made for moving vehicles called Elastic Content, which allows for a novel approach in content creation.   

The integration of Terranet’s super-fast object detection and classification system VoxelFlowTM will help to enhance real-time, in-car XR experiences by incorporating aspects of this versatile sensor tech software into the holoride developer’s ecosystem, empowering content creators to embed geospatial context and real-world road objects into breathtaking virtual playgrounds. Also, fusing Terranet’s game horizon concept with holoride’s Elastic SDK will significantly reduce the design time and the developer resources required to create virtual environments.

“We are enthusiastic about holoride’s mission to add thrill to every ride. In-vehicle entertainment will become even more important along with a higher penetration of self-driving cars,” said Terranet CTO Nihat Küçük. “Terranet’s contribution to a ride in a virtual world is to stream real-world objects – which we see in VoxelFlowTM – into the VR platform in real-time. With our partner holoride we will disrupt the in-vehicle gaming experience, injecting static and dynamic objects which we detect and classify using Terranet’s neural network model and machine learning algorithms.”

Users will be able to experience a fully immersive experience, reflective of their surrounding realties. For example, when traveling to a European capital, riders get to experience the city and its history in a city tour in one of NEVS’ self-driving vehicles. The resulting experience combines what riders see through the windows with a VR/AR overlay that incorporates the same places and sites in the historical context of the previous century. The holoride VR headset soaks riders  into an immersive virtual world of gaming, entertainment or information – whatever is preferred. Both static and dynamic objects of a rider’s real local environment are transformed into a visual and auditive historical scenery. A city ride on a NEVS autonomous vehicles can quickly become a thrilling experience e.g., being embedded in an action game that takes place in your very local neighborhood. Beyond cities, theme parks or film studios could stream their 3D entertainment content into a motion aware ride through their facilities.

By the joint agreement the three companies, holoride, Terranet and NEVS, aim to push for establishing a new paradigm of unmatched safety and offering a novel media format through XR experiences for the passengers in an autonomous vehicle. Terranet led holoride’s  Series A funding round earlier this year and joined existing shareholder Audi as strategic investors. The ongoing strategic business collaboration with holoride opens a new vertical for Terranet’s VoxelFlow™ technology by reusing 3D event data for XR applications, like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). 

About Terranet

Terranet AB (Nasdaq: TERRNT-B). With a vision to save lives Terranet designs and develops a new class for vision-based sensor systems, used for road safety. It markets and delivers a software stack with features available across vehicle platforms and car models. The technology was handpicked and showcased twice at the innovation platform STARTUP AUTOBAHN powered by Plug and Play in 2021. The company is located in Lund and Stuttgart. Terranet AB (publ) is listed on the Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market. Discover more about Terranet: www.terranet.se/en/.

About holoride

holoride creates an entirely new media category for passengers by connecting Extended Reality (XR) content with data points from the vehicle in real time. These data points include physical feedback, like acceleration and steering, traffic data, as well as travel route and time. holoride technology provides a new type of immersion into any kind of VR content, creating a breathtaking, immersive experience, and significantly reducing motion sickness. The tech startup was founded at the end of 2018 in Munich, Germany by Nils Wollny, Marcus Kuehne, Daniel Profendiner and Audi, who holds a minority stake in the startup. In April 2021, holoride raised €10 million in its Series A funding round led by Terranet AB, earning the company a €30 million valuation. That same year, ​​holoride won the prestigious SXSW Pitch and was also named Best in Show. It has been hailed “Best of CES 2019” four times, recognized as one of the “100 Best Inventions of 2019” by TIME Magazine and is part of the global innovation platform “STARTUP AUTOBAHN powered by Plug and Play”. For more information, please visit https://www.holoride.com/.

Drivers can cause outrage by parking on other’s private driveways, so what can homeowners do to get rid of pesky unwanted parkers?

Car rental experts at StressFreeCarRental.com are providing insight into the bizarre legal loophole surrounding parking laws. 

A number of UK households have been stuck with the issue of coming home to see someone else has parked on their private property. 

Although it might be assumed a quick call to the authorities would solve this issue, homeowners are often faced with the unfortunate news that a legal loophole means the act can go unpunished. 

A spokesman for StressFreeCarRental.com said: “Unfortunately, many homeowners stuck with someone else parked on their driveway are turned away from local authorities and councils as they have no authority to remove vehicles from private properties. 

“Although this act can very often go unpunished, there are some things irritated homeowners can do to help avoid this problem happening to them again.”

When a motorist parks on someone else’s driveway there is very little chance of the law getting involved. This is because the council has no authority over private property and cannot dictate or control access. 

However, If the car is parked on a public road blocking a driveway, the driver is committing a parking offence. In these circumstances, local authorities have the power to get involved and issue a fine to the motorist. 

If a homeowner suspects the vehicle has been abandoned, their local council would be required to move the car regardless of its position on private or public land. However, if the car has up to date MOT, tax, insurance and is not in a position where it could cause danger to anyone around, the council are again powerless.

While there is no criminal law against a stranger parking on a driveway without the homeowner’s consent, a driveway is a part of private property so by driving on to it the unwanted motorist is committing an act of trespassing.

Trespassing is classed as a civil offence rather than a criminal offence, this means that the police do not have the power to make an arrest. 

The only way courts would have jurisdiction to remove the car from the driveway would be if the homeowner decided to pursue a civil case for trespassing. 

This would involve a solicitor from the homeowner’s side getting the civil court’s permission to find out the legal owner of the unknown vehicle and the court would then need to make an order to remove the vehicle. 

Alternatively, the affected party could pursue a legal claim for nuisance behaviour. This would need to be on the grounds that the driver is interfering with the use and enjoyment of the property. 

Homeowners should be aware pursuing action through the courts can be a long and potentially costly process if they do not have legal expenses insurance.

In the hope of catching the driver of the unwanted vehicle and discussing the issue sensibly, homeowners can park their car behind the vehicle of the perpetrator. 

The best thing for the owner of the driveway to do is keep calm and try to not let the situation escalate. They should most certainly not take the law into their own hands as this can very often result in them committing criminal offences themselves. 

Failing this, installing a locked fence around the driveway could give homeowners the peace of mind that no one is able to park outside their property whilst their vehicle is off the driveway.

The team at www.billplant.co.uk undertook a Freedom of Information request with councils all over England* to determine the extent of the pothole crisis, finding out just how many potholes were fixed throughout 2020, how many complaints were received and, following on from this, how many claims were made for compensation, along with how much was paid out in compensation.

From the data that was collected, the research reveals that there were more than 816,000 potholes fixed across England. The areas that fixed the most potholes were found to be:

  1. Nottinghamshire – 100,262
  2. Derbyshire – 98,382
  3. Lincolnshire – 70,893
  4. Cambridgeshire – 64,625
  5. Devon – 60,202

With many people suffering at the hands of potholes on England’s roads, there were more than 240,000 complaints made to local councils. The most complaints were made in the following areas:

  1. Surrey – 64,100
  2. Kent – 20,953
  3. East Sussex – 19,491
  4. Hampshire – 15,808
  5. Derbyshire – 14,156

Lastly, the research revealed just how many claims for compensation were made to councils as a result of injury and vehicle damage. With more than £862,000 paid out in 2020, the below locations were the ones found to have paid out the highest sums of compensation**:

  1. Lincolnshire – £218,617.63 (1,491 claims received)
  2. Oxfordshire – £79,339.00 (750 claims received)
  3. Staffordshire £66,186.00 (1,186 claims received)
  4. Cambridgeshire – £60,073.80 (586 claims received)
  5. Derbyshire – £55,054.89 (547 claims received)

More findings (including top 10s and infographics) can be found at www.billplant.co.uk/blog/how-bad-is-the-pothole-crisis-here-in-england

Tom Hixon, Head of Instructor Support at www.billplant.co.uk, commented on the findings:

“Potholes are such a danger on our roads in the UK – they can damage suspensions, axles and wheels, with accidents typically occurring by drivers trying to avoid them.

“Due to the significant road safety issues they can present, local authorities should better plan resources to address potholes – especially when you look at the level of compensation being paid out in just one year.

“Whilst we encourage pupils learning to drive to have driving lessons in varying conditions, we all should expect the road surfaces to be safe and fit for purpose.”

* Not all Freedom of Information requests were fulfilled

** Not all claims were successful, and many were still under review at the time of the research being collected.

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