News

Government stops new smart motorways plan – but campaigners want them all scrapped

17 April 2023, 23:17

The Government’s decision to stop building more so-called smart motorways has been welcomed by safety campaigners, But it does not go far enough, they say, and are calling for hard shoulders to be restored to all UK motorways. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who had…

High Court grants judicial review into Sadiq Khan’s outer London ULEZ expansion

12 April 2023, 22:08

The High Court has granted permission for a Judicial Review into the proposed expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) into all outer London boroughs from August 2023. Permission has been granted on two grounds: Failure to comply with relevant statutory requirements, and…

Bradford Council offers grants of up to £10,000 to encourage EV switch

22 March 2023, 07:34

Bradford Council is offering taxi and private hire drivers grants of up to £10,000 to switch to cleaner vehicles. The grants, which will be available later this year, are to help with purchase, lease or running costs of electric vehicles. The council says this…

CityFleet Networks acquires Chester-based KingKabs and Abbey Taxis

17 March 2023, 21:47

CityFleet Network has strengthened its presence in the north-west by acquiring the company that runs two major private hire fleets in Chester. In a letter to drivers, CityFleet Networks Limited confirmed that it had acquired Vedamain Ltd, which trades as KingKabs and Abbey Taxis,…

Fuel duty freeze could put the brakes on electric car sales, says Close Brothers

15 March 2023, 19:43

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s announcement that Fuel Duty will be frozen for a further 12 months could put the brakes on sales of electric vehicles, according to leading funder Close Brothers Motor Finance. The Budget offers little in the way of incentives for the EV…

We Know Group drivers to be offered ‘worker status’ option following GMB union action

15 March 2023, 19:41

Drivers working for London-based We Know Group will be offered the option of ‘worker’ status following a successful legal challenge from the GMB Union. Heathrow-based We Know London operates a multi-faceted online booking service aimed at tourists. In a statement, GMB said a member…

Fuel duty freeze, cash for potholes – but no EV charging VAT cut in Hunt’s ‘boring budget’

15 March 2023, 17:42

A freeze on fuel duty and more funds for local councils to fix potholes are the major motoring headlines for motorists in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s budget. But the SMMT, the motor industry’s leading trade body, is unhappy that not enough is being done to…

Free Now partners with Gett on private hire bookings for business clients

14 March 2023, 22:18

Free Now has announced a partnership with rival ride-hailing app Gett to give Gett’s UK business customers access to Free Now’s fleet of 20,000 private hire vehicles. Gett business customers can now book and manage journeys on Free Now via the Gett app. The…

London and Nottingham revealed as top EV cities in new Motorway survey

14 March 2023, 22:17

Used car marketplace Motorway has announced Top 10 EV-friendly cities in the UK, with London and Nottingham coming out on top. It comes as EV sales continue to rise in the UK. The UK capital has been named as the city leading the charge…

Blacklane launches electric fleet of Mercedes-Benz EQS cars in Dubai

13 March 2023, 22:31

Blacklane has launched an all-electric fleet of Mercedes-Benz EQS saloons in Dubai. The EV rollout aligns with the United Arab Emirates initiative to be Net Zero by 2050. Blacklane’s chauffeur-hailing services in Dubai include one-way trips, return journeys, airport transfers, hourly and daily bookings…