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On The Road With The New Porsche Panamera
Many of the UK car launches take place in the south of England, so it was a pleasant surprise to be invited to spend a day with the good folk at Porsche on home turf. The roads would be good, the weather forecast was excellent and hey, it was a…
Renault’s Charge To Full Electrification
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Like most manufacturers, Renault is introducing an increasing number of hybrid cars, some with the ability to plug in. Renault is better placed than most to do this as it has offered a variety of fully electric cars for some time. It has been ahead of the game. So, what is…
10:02 AM 26th September 2020
Ferrari Portofino Driven – Stupendo!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
As a small boy I was obsessed with cars. I could name them all and the highlight of my year was my annual trip to the Earls Court Motor Show. All the cars excited me, though of course some more than others. The Ferrari stand always drew a crowd and…
7:49 AM 24th September 2020
Suzuki’s Ignis Gets A Makeover
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Suzuki has a reputation for making excellent small cars. I have driven most, and they definitely punch above their weight in terms of affordability, equipment levels and driving characteristics. I was lucky enough to travel to Rome to drive the current Ignis when it was launched in January 2017 and I…
8:29 AM 23rd September 2020
New Footbridge Touches Down In Wigan
Timelapse footage shows the new footbridge being installed at Orrell Interchange.
The moment a new footbridge touched down over a busy motorway junction near Wigan has been revealed in new timelapse footage. Highways England’s contractors worked through the night last month to install the new 30-metre-long bridge over the A577 slip road at Orrell Interchange, where the M6 connects to the M58. The…
2:29 PM 16th September 2020
Czech Mate - New Family-Friendly Skoda Octavia Driven
The Octavia has been at the heart of the Skoda brand for more than six decades and has established itself as a key pillar of the brand’s ongoing success in the UK. 2020 marks the arrival of an all-new fourth-generation model. The all-new Octavia range launched with two body styles, two…
8:35 AM 16th September 2020
Porsche Macan – Still The One To Beat
Let us turn the clock back. Porsche, renowned maker of desirable sports cars wanted to expand. Much to many aficionados’ consternation, jumping on the SUV bandwagon was seen to be the way forward. But what a smart move this was. Cayenne was the first to be launched, with the smaller…
9:09 AM 9th September 2020
The Wait Is Over – New Land Rover Defender Driven
How do you reinvent an icon? This is something that has vexed the good folk at Land Rover for many a year. The much-loved old version had clearly reached the end of its life, though good examples will be sought after for ever and a day. A vehicle with global appeal…
8:56 PM 1st September 2020
Stinger – Time To Catch Up With Kia’s Range-topper
Kia is South Korea’s oldest manufacturer of motor vehicles, now producing over 1.5 million vehicles in 13 plants in 8 different countries. Rewind a decade or two and the cars on offer were undoubtedly worthy, affordable and just a bit dull. How times have changed as the current range encompasses stylish…
10:45 AM 30th August 2020
Flower Power To Help Car Journeys This Bank Holiday
A rich variety of flowers on the verge to increase biodiversity along England’s busiest roads
Flower power could help ease young passengers’ travel boredom this bank holiday. Highways England has reminded travellers of its ‘staycation’ road trip game card, designed to keep young passengers busy on long journeys. Roadsides are busy green corridors, filled with all sorts of plants and animals and children are being encouraged to…
3:11 PM 28th August 2020
Time To Get Whizzy With A Twizy!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
A recent Renault drive day presented the opportunity to reacquaint myself with Renault’s funky Twizy microcar. It has been on sale in the UK for quite a number of years and yet it remains a rare sight, which is a shame especially as electric cars are rapidly gaining in popularity. Let’s…
11:54 AM 28th August 2020
Nine Major North West Upgrades In £27 Billion Roads Investment For England
A £43 million project to transform a key roundabout at junction 19 of the M6 near Knutsford in Cheshire is already underway and will be completed next year (aerial photo above © Copyright 360photosurvey.com 2020 all rights reserved)
Highways England has unveiled details of £27.4 billion plans for investment in the strategic road network which connects the country.  The company will deliver £14 billion of projects - supporting 64,000 jobs and increasing the quality, capacity and safety of the motorways and major A roads that have helped…
7:01 PM 22nd August 2020
Kia Soul EV First Drive Review
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
The movement towards fully electric cars continues apace and last year I spent time with one of the best – the Kia e-Niro. Here was an electric family car with an easy 250-mile range, more than enough for most drivers. What is it? On test here is the Kia Soul EV,…
11:47 AM 17th August 2020
Volkswagen Golf – The 8th Generation On Test
It seems hard to believe that it is 45 years since the first Golf rolled off the production line, with some 35 million examples built. A top seller in Europe, UK buyers have always warmly embraced the Golf and therefore the importance of an all-new version cannot be underestimated. The…
9:01 AM 12th August 2020
The Focus Of My Attention – Sporty ST On Test
Ford has a history of making hot hatches that offer high performance thrills, coupled with affordable pricing and practicality. The concept still works today and allows the enthusiastic driver to own a car that will be suitable for family duties one minute and excite on a favourite piece of B-road…
6:03 PM 11th August 2020
Want To Go On A Road Trip With Your Dog?
Try some pawsitively brilliant walks near Highways England routes Drivers planning a post lockdown trip with their dogs are being urged to take a break and enjoy one of the many outstanding walks that can be found just off England’s motorways and major A roads this summer. After the restrictions of…
4:08 PM 6th August 2020
Gocycle – That’s Just What I Did!
I was a keen cyclist in my early teens and spent many a happy hour in the saddle. I journeyed to school and back for many years, a 6-mile round trip and enjoyed many a leisure ride. It was all about personal freedom and it meant I could steer clear…
9:05 AM 5th August 2020
Drivers Advised To Plan Journeys Ahead Of M621 Weekend Work
Drivers planning to travel on the M621 are being advised that an exit off the route will be closed for eight weekends, starting this Saturday (1 August). The exit slip road at junction 7 will be shut for barrier work from 6am until 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. The work, which…
2:22 AM 1st August 2020
Electric Dreams - Honda e First Drive
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
The new Honda e has been a while in the making. First seen as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2019, the showroom-ready model was unveiled last September at Frankfurt and much to everyone’s delight it had remained unchanged and was bristling with cool features. It attracted…
2:17 AM 27th July 2020
Highways England Say Check Before You Travel This Summer
Routes to the South West are expected to be busy this summer as the region tops the list of ‘staycation’ destinations. As the school year ends and more people holiday in the UK, Highways England is urging motorists to check before travelling. Nearly 20 per cent of breakdowns on Highways England roads…
10:58 AM 25th July 2020
Thrill’s Aplenty With The Lotus Exige
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
The email came in from Lotus. Would I like to join them at the motoring mecca known as Caffeine and Machine for a little sportscar fun? Having been locked away for the last few months, my hasty acceptance duly followed. All too soon I was heading south to Stratford Upon Avon,…
8:16 AM 23rd July 2020
Lockdown Wheels - Land Rover Discovery Sport On Test
I was lucky enough to watch the first Land Rover Discovery Sport roll off the production line at Halewood way back in 2014. It is now the company’s best-selling model. Last year saw an all-new version hit the showrooms, using Land Rover’s premium transverse architecture, the aim being to deliver greater…
8:54 AM 22nd July 2020
Touareg Tales – VW’s Super SUV On Test
The third generation of Volkswagen’s Touareg has been on sale for a couple of years and it sits at the top of company’s range of SUVs. It is a comprehensive collection too comprising T-Cross, T-Roc, Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace. Plenty to choose from… What is it? In order to broaden the Touareg’s…
5:25 PM 13th July 2020
Miles And Miles Of Safety Improvements On A64
As staycations become the popular choice of holiday this summer, drivers using 55-mile coastal route between Bramham and Scarborough will spot a number of major changes as work to create better and safer journeys makes significant progress. Highways England is carrying out work on many sections of the A64 as part…
11:05 AM 11th July 2020
Getting Back Behind The Wheel? Here’s Some Useful Advice
Drivers getting back behind the wheel are being urged to carry out safety checks on their vehicles before setting off on their journeys this summer. Some cars have been rarely used during lockdown, so it’s essential to make sure they’re fit for purpose. Drivers may also feel out of practice if…
11:20 AM 7th July 2020
Next Stage Of North Lincolnshire Port Route Upgrade Begins
Work on a series of upgrades that will create safer roads in Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire is moving to a new phase. Highways England is carrying out improvements along the M180, M181, A180 and A160 over the next 12 months to provide smoother journeys for drivers. This will create better links…
3:14 PM 3rd July 2020
Drivers Advised To Plan Journeys Around A628 Weekend Closure In South Yorkshire
Drivers traveling on the A628 this weekend are being advised that the route will be closed for essential maintenance work near to Longside Moss. The A628 is fully closed from 8pm on Friday 3 July until 6am on Monday 6 July between Flouch roundabout and the Gun Inn. This is to…
7:47 PM 1st July 2020
£3.95 Million Funding For Major Highway Routes In Hull
Almost £4 million will be spent on three major highways routes in Hull, the Department for Transport has announced. The £3.95 million funding will see major repairs to three sections of the city’s key route network. Work will be carried out at the A165 Holderness Road from Witham to Southcoates Lane, the…
9:54 PM 30th June 2020
Hard Top Name Returns For Commercial Land Rover Defender
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Land Rover has confirmed the new commercial Defender 90 and 110 models will restore the Hard Top name to its rugged 4x4 family. The versatile and durable Defender Hard Top will be launched later this year, combining unstoppable all-terrain capability with 21st-century connectivity to give professionals a unique combination of…
1:00 AM 30th June 2020
From Canoes And Beds To Metal Sheds - The Shed-loads Of Items Found On Our Busiest Roads
Camera footage warns of the dangers posed by unsecured loads Shed-loads of items found on busiest roads - from bicycles and roof boxes to a four-poster bed Highways England urges drivers to make sure loads are safely secured A four-poster bed, a canoe and a bike…
1:00 AM 30th June 2020
The Italian Job Comes To Yorkshire – Be Part Of It!
I am a great fan of the Italian Job and was excited to find out about an exciting event coming to Yorkshire later this year. Inspired by the 1969 Michael Caine film of the same name, the Italian Job motoring holiday has been (for the last 30 years) a road trip…
11:50 AM 29th June 2020
Drivers Advised To Plan Journeys Around Key Yorkshire Interchange Closure
Road users are advised to plan their journeys ahead of vital maintenance work on a key Yorkshire interchange at the centre of the M1 and M62 motorway network. Lofthouse Interchange (M1 junction 42 / M62 junction 29) near Leeds requires an eight-week closure to allow engineers to carry out a £3.6…
9:25 AM 26th June 2020
M180 Closures For Urgent Repairs Start This Weekend
Drivers making journeys on the M180 are being advised that starting this weekend the westbound carriageway will be closed overnight for three weeks so urgent repair work can be carried out. Resurfacing work between junctions 3 and 1 will start on Saturday (27 June). So the work can be carried out…
9:22 AM 26th June 2020
M1 Junction Upgrade To Start Near Leeds
Work will begin next week to create more room and improve a key junction on the M1 in Yorkshire. Highways England is installing an extra lane on the northbound exit slip road at junction 47 near Garforth to improve safety and congestion for drivers. Highways England project manager Steve Bishop said: “This project…
7:38 PM 23rd June 2020
Farewell Mercedes X-Class. It Has Been A Pleasure
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
As lockdown eased in England, I was lucky enough to spend a week with the Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickup. It came at a useful time, with plenty of runs to the tip and assorted errands to catch up with. What is it? Mercedes decided to enter the pickup market just a few years…
4:21 AM 22nd June 2020
Major Upgrade That Will Reshape Hull Gets Started
Artist impression of the A63 Castle Street Scheme
A major road upgrade that promises to completely transform one of the North’s major cities is now officially under way. Work started today to improve the A63 Castle Street, which will create a much better connection between the city centre and the retail and docks area. This major Highways England project will…
7:34 AM 19th June 2020
Major Yorkshire Interchange Closed For Extensive Eight-week Maintenance Work ​
Diagram shows extent of the work taking place
A key Yorkshire interchange at the centre of the M1 and M62 motorway network will undergo essential maintenance work later this month. Lofthouse Interchange (M1 junction 42 / M62 junction 29) near Leeds requires an eight-week closure to allow engineers to carry out a £3.6 million project on the roundabout’s four…
3:10 PM 17th June 2020
50 Years Of Range Rover - A Celebratory Model
On 17th June 1970, we witnessed the arrival of the Range Rover. The story however begins in the mid-1960s when Rover’s new projects engineering chief, Charles Spencer ‘Spen’ King hatched a plan to combine the comfort and on-road ability of a Rover saloon with the off-road ability of a Land…
7:51 AM 17th June 2020
The Yorkshire SME Using Ancient Materials To Transform The UK's Roads
Annual repair bill of potholes in UK costs £4bn Introduction of Roman materials to innovative road repairs will provide for permanent pothole repair Easier and quicker to deploy materials mean that potholes are filled 5x quicker A return of Roman roads? The state of British roads is a…
7:39 PM 10th June 2020
Milestone For Major M621 Project
The first phase of a major project to improve journeys on an important commuter route in Yorkshire has been completed. Drivers can look forward to shorter and more reliable journeys into and around Leeds after Highways England finished work to widen the M621 Middleton (junction 7). Highways England project manager Sujad Hussain…
2:42 PM 10th June 2020
Sizzling Summer Offers From Suzuki
Suzuki is keen to see buyers return to its showrooms and so have announced a range of tempting offers. 0% PCP offers across the range (excluding Jimny) 7-day return offer until September 30th New hybrid models now on sale Suzuki dealers in England are now open for business and hopefully other regions of…
1:31 PM 8th June 2020
Empty Roads Leads To Councils Delight!
Councils have been taking advantage of empty roads for wide-scale pothole repair. Quieter roads have allowed for whole-scale works on British roads, as Councils have seen an opportunity to fill as many potholes as possible. In Shropshire for example, the number of potholes have almost halved, while Derbyshire County Council have…
2:59 PM 5th June 2020
Road Users Urged To Plan Journeys Ahead Of A628 Weekend Closure
Drivers who need to travel on the A628 this weekend are being advised that the route will be closed for essential maintenance work near to Longside Moss. The A628 is fully closed from 8pm tomorrow (Friday 5 June) until 6am on Monday 8 June between Flouch roundabout and the Gun Inn.…
10:13 AM 5th June 2020
Complex Work On Iconic Yorkshire Structure Finishes A Year In Advance
The work has been carried out under the bridge, out of sight of drivers
Engineers have defied the odds to complete complex work on an iconic Yorkshire structure one year ahead of schedule. All 208 bearings have been replaced by contractors working diligently underneath Ouse Bridge, which sits on the M62 and spans River Ouse between Goole and Howden. Suspended 25 metres above the ground,…
2:18 PM 20th May 2020
Estate Car Excellence From Peugeot – 508 SW On Test
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Once the default family conveyance, the estate car has faded from prominence over the last decade or so as buyers increasing turn to SUVs to cater for their needs. Keener drivers may have been missing out as most wagons will comfortably outhandle their loftier cousins. Peugeot has never abandoned the estate…
1:57 PM 19th May 2020
Audi’s Supersize Q8 On Test
The march of the SUV seems endless as all manufacturers battle it out for a share of the growing market. A raised driving position, looks and practicality seem to be the driving factor. Time then, for another test! What is it? The Q8 is Audi’s range-topping SUV and one which puts stylish…
12:18 PM 18th May 2020
Mazda’s First Fully Electric Car Available To Order – Behold The MX-30
In a year that sees Mazda celebrate its centenary, Mazda UK is also looking to the future with the announcement of pricing for the Mazda MX-30 First Edition – the debut model in the MX-30 range. Limited to 500 examples, the Mazda MX-30 First Edition is available to pre-order now…
7:06 AM 15th May 2020
Traffic Bulletin: M57 Link Road Repairs Near Huyton
A link road which connects two Merseyside motorways will be closed for maintenance work from tomorrow night (Friday 8 May). The road which links the westbound M62 to the northbound M57 at Tarbock Island near Huyton will be closed for resurfacing and inspection work while traffic levels are around two thirds…
2:57 PM 8th May 2020
Czech Out The New Octavia – From SKODA Of Course
Fourth-generation Octavia launches with two First Edition models SE Tech trim created to appeal to business users New design, plus a raft of new safety and assistance systems Hatch and estate versions available Three engine options from launch SE First Edition trim starts from £22,390 OTR Additional derivatives and powertrains join later this year, including entry…
2:16 PM 4th May 2020
A1(M) To Get New Lease Of Life Near Doncaster
A five-mile stretch of the A1(M) near Doncaster is getting a new lease of life thanks to a project to improve safety along the route. Highways England is replacing the steel barrier in the central reservation with a new concrete barrier to provide better protection for drivers. The new barrier will prevent…
1:38 PM 27th April 2020
The New Vantage – An Astonishing Car!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
There are not many things that would get me up at 5.30am on a cold, dark autumnal morning. However, the prospect of a day with Aston Martin and the opportunity to drive the then new Vantage was not to be missed. Although used to driving myself to car events, the lovely…
11:36 AM 17th April 2020
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