The announcement by the organisers means that the Swiss motoring expo has been cancelled three years in a row.

Maurice Turrettini, president of the group that organises the show, said: “We have pushed very hard and tried everything to reactivate the Geneva international motor show in 2022.

“Despite all our efforts, we have to face the facts and the reality: the pandemic situation is not under control and presents itself as a big threat for a large indoor event like GIMS.

“But we see this decision as a postponement, rather than a cancellation. I am confident that the Geneva international motor show will come back stronger than ever in 2023.”

The motor show’s CEO, Sandro Mesquita, said that in addition to the pandemic leading to many car makers either withdrawing or being unable to commit to attending the show, the global semiconductor shortage has given many manufacturers “priorities that they need to solve first”.

He added: “The chip crisis is likely to drag on well into next year, with negative financial implications for OEMs [car companies]. In these uncertain times, many brands are therefore unable to make a commitment to participate in a trade fair that would have taken place in just over four months.

“When considering all the factors, it became clear that it was necessary to postpone the show, and to announce the news sooner than later to avoid cancelling at short notice.”

The desire not to have to drop the event at short notice is understandable considering the difficulties caused by the snap cancellation of the 2020 event.

Due to the Swiss government’s banning of all public gatherings of more than 1,000 people, the 2020 Geneva show was axed just days before the doors of the Palexpo exhibition centre had been due to open, causing considerable disruption to those scheduled to attend, including manufacturers who had to rapidly pivot their planned launches to online-only events.

The pulling of the event cost hundreds of millions of pounds to both the organisers and those scheduled to attend, in terms of cancelled hotels, travel arrangements, events companies and unused stands.

Although the Swiss government offered the organisers some £14 million in state aid, the combination of the pandemic and the repayment terms on that loan meant that holding the 2021 show was also deemed unfeasible.

Many felt that the cancellation of the 2021 show heralded the death knell for not just Geneva, but motor shows in general. Even before the 2020 cancellation, a number of major manufacturers had not been scheduled to attend Geneva, including Citroën, Ford, Land Rover and Volvo.

The cost for manufacturers to take a stand at an international motor show is enormous, and with apparently declining interest in physical motor shows and the ability to conduct unveilings online via live streams, some experts concluded the traditional motor show has had its day.

Recent events, however, have indicated that this may not quite be the case. The Frankfurt motor show, another big event in the automotive calendar, this year moved to Munich and was held in-full with several major new car reveals by Mercedes, Volkswagen, Renault and others.

This year’s Los Angeles motor show in the United States is due to go ahead as planned in November, as is another in Guangzhou in China.

Meanwhile, the organisers of the Geneva show have recently partnered with Qatar Tourism to create a biennial offshoot of the event in Doha, which may be held in late-2022 or 2023.

This suggests that there may indeed be some cause for optimism about the organisers’ plans to bring back “a more impactful” Geneva motor show in 2023.

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• After reading how the Geneva motor show was cancelled for third year running – postponed to 2023, you might be interested to know that the 2021 Australian GP was delayed as the Formula 1 season was disrupted by coronavirus for second year in a row
• Did you know that the Tesla Model 3 was the UK’s best-selling car in September?
• Or check out the car makers’ electric vehicle plans

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Figures for the end of June showed a 32% increase in cars stolen compared to the end of January.

According to the company: “Our latest figures show that – just like in 2020 – as prolonged periods of lockdown eased, theft of vehicles increased. May was a particularly busy month for criminals who made up for lost time. The total value of vehicles we recovered in May was almost three times higher than in January, with an average vehicle value of more than £31,000, compared to just £13,000 in the first month of the year.”

The company, which specialises in vehicle tracking devices, reported that it had recovered around £4.2 million worth of stolen vehicles, of which SUVs made up £2.6 million.

Land Rovers make up the highest number of recovered vehicles with the Range Rover Sport topping the list. As well as other Range Rover models, the Land Rover Discovery and the BMW X5 and X6 are also commonly stolen.

In the UK in 2020, there were 2,881 Range Rovers reported stolen, along with 900 Land Rover Discoverys, ranking second and seventh respectively in the table of most stolen cars.

The most stolen car was the Ford Fiesta, while big-selling models like the Ford Focus, Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf are also commonly taken.

While Tracker’s data does reflect the theft of quite a high number of Land Rover vehicles, it also indicates the possibly disproportionate number of Land Rover drivers who fit tracking devices to their vehicles compared to other drivers.

Some 92% of the stolen cars that Tracker helped recover were stolen as a result of thieves interfering with the signal from the keyless entry fob. The rise of keyless entry has seen a massive increase in vehicle thefts.

By 2020, thefts in London had risen by 256% compared to 2016, while Birmingham, Nottingham and Greater Manchester had also experienced 100% increases.

Criminals targeting cars with keyless entry use a relay device to amplify the signal emitted by the car’s key fob in order to trick the car into thinking that the driver is close by, allowing them to start it and drive the car away.

Keyless theft has become such an issue that the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Vehicle Crime, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims has advised that she “would urge drivers to take simple steps to keep their vehicle safe like storing your keys in metal tins or protective pouches that block the devices criminals are using. A return to basics like making sure your car is locked is worthwhile too. We know from research that some owners think that cars automatically lock – they don’t. Always double check before you walk away that it’s locked.”

According to Clive Wain, the Chief Police Liaison for Tracker: “Unfortunately, even with multi-layers of protection against theft in place, the most experienced thieves and organised criminal gangs will take measures to bypass barriers if the potential payoff is worthwhile.”

For those unwilling or unable to invest in a tracking system, it seems it may be time to break out the old-fashioned steering lock.

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• After reading how the easing of coronavirus lockdown leads to 32% increase in car thefts, you may be interested to read how Police warn drivers to take precautions as keyless car theft on the rise
• Or find out how a car crook was ordered to pay £1.3m+ for handling cars stolen in keyless thefts
• Read Clarkson’s review of the Range Rover Sport SVR

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A system backlog is causing long delays for those trying to book a theory test as well as those waiting to sit the practical test.

Compounding the issue further is a shortage of driving instructors, meaning that even if learners pass their theory tests, they may struggle or face further long delays in getting lessons.

With three lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, theory-testing centres had to close, though when the most severe restrictions were lifted, many smaller venues were unable to reopen due to social distancing. Even larger test centres were forced to operate at significantly reduced capacity leading to a high number of cancelled tests.

In Scotland, where social distancing of two metres was recommended – rather than one metre for England and Wales – the waiting time for a theory test in June was 16 weeks.

Although the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) were working to reduce those waiting times, and restrictions have been lifted, long delays still remain.

Those who have passed their theory tests then have to contend with further significant issues with the provision of driving lessons, as there aren’t enough Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) to deal with the number of people who need lessons. This is a problem that has been exacerbated by Covid rather than caused by it.

The number of driving instructors has been falling in recent years according to research by the young driver insurance specialist, Marmalade. In 2013, there were 44,569 ADIs in the UK; that’s currently down to fewer than 39,500, a drop of 12%.

As a result of a minor baby boom in 2003-2004, there are more young people coming of driving age than in previous years, a figure that’s set to grow in the years ahead according to birth statistics.

Many instructors retired, likely as a result of the coronavirus crisis, with a fall of 2.34% between 2019 and 2020. Driving schools were forced to shut down for months as a result of lockdowns, which has further worsened the situation for those needing lessons.

There have been reports of instructors turning away new pupils and months-long waiting lists at driving schools.

According to Marmalade’s research, there are currently around thirty learners to every instructor in Britain.

The DVLA has refused to extend provisional licences to account for delays caused by the driving lesson and test backlog, meaning learners have had to take and pass their theory tests again — a process that is already backlogged.

With so many tests cancelled due to the lockdown, were around 1.16 million people waiting for driving tests in April. Although tests have resumed, extremely long waiting times persist.

Anyone trying to book a practical driving test now will struggle to find a slot before 2022.

As the DVSA releases slots 24 weeks in advance, it’s currently booking up to January 2022, though with such high demand, any available slots are rapidly being filled.

According to a DVSA spokesperson, there are still some slots for 2021 available, but the organisation would not say how many.

It is likely that the DVSA will run out of practical driving test slots for 2021 in the coming days or weeks.

Those in dire need of a test slot are trying desperately to find cancellations. One method involves booking a slot at a test centre perhaps hundreds of miles away and hoping that a cancelled slot appears closer to home.

Cancelled slots can be found either by manually searching the official DVSA website or apps such as Testi, designed to help learners find test dates.

This is particularly frustrating for those whose theory tests are about to expire or who need a car to get to work or university.

With the combination of Covid-induced backlogs and increased demand for theory tests, driving lessons and practical driving tests, it appears that learner drivers will continue to face long delays well into 2022.

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• After reading how the driving test system backlog is causing months of delays for learner drivers in the UK, you may be interested to read how James May’s new driving theory test app helps learners get into top gear
• Or find out how Aldi raises lorry drivers’ pay amid shortage to keep stores stocked
• Read how used car sales more than double as supply issues throttle new car market

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Each year, the classic motor sport meeting goes to great lengths to recreate a bygone era and this year’s plans will echo the celebrations in 1946 that marked the end of World War II. 

In 1946, central London hosted a victory parade of more than 500 vehicles from the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, British civilian services and a marching column of representatives from units of the British Empire and armed forces of the Commonwealth Dominions. That united show will be repeated at the 2021 Goodwood Revival. 

HMS Devonshire’s naval gun to start the parade

Featuring over 150 vehicles, the Revival parade will include an array of vehicles including motorcycles, police and staff cars, fire engines, ambulances, tanks, Scammell lorries, half-tracks, amphibious vehicles and even London buses. 

A group of approximately 250 local key workers including volunteers from vaccination centres, members of the emergency services, care professionals and the armed forces will march behind. They will march from the Super Shell building and down the pit straight of Goodwood circuit, led by a military band. 

The parade will briefly halt on the straight to allow the Duke of Richmond to deliver a speech in honour of the key workers. A short film that acknowledges the contribution of military and public services during World War II will also be shown.

Throughout the weekend, the Lavant Infield will be themed to look like RAF Westhampnett, the airfield that operated prior to what is now known as the Goodwood Motor Circuit. 

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, numerous celebrations and signs of appreciation for frontline staff took place, including a weekly ‘clap for heroes’ that ran for ten weeks during the first lockdown. Several car manufacturers and F1 teams used their technical expertise and production facilities to design and make medical equipment such as ventilators. 

The Revival will recognise 70 years since the Festival of Britain took place on London’s South Bank and one hundred years since the Great Exhibition of 1851, which was seen as a beacon of change that reshaped Britain’s arts, design and sports.

The Goodwood Trophy will also be renamed the Festival of Britain Trophy, in honour of the original appearance of the trophy at the Whitsun meeting that took place at the circuit in 1951. 

Spectators at the Goodwood Revival dress in period attire to match with the circuit’s setting. Everything from the food and beverage stands to the trackside marshals are dressed to make it feel like a trip back in time.

Attendees will be able to watch some fantastic racing between vehicles from the 1950s and 1960s, being driven by some of motor sport’s most celebrated drivers. 

The 2021 Goodwood Revival runs from September 17 to 19.

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• After reading how the Goodwood Revival will celebrate key workers, you might be interested in watching our review of the Bentley Blower Continuation car 
• Jeremy Clarkson is a huge fan of the Alfaholics GTV restomod — see what he had to say about that £320,000 updated classic car here.
• Read about Morgan’s £200k off-roader

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Nextbase, a manufacturer of dash cams, surveyed 1,500 British motorists to gauge how they felt about getting back behind the wheel after a year of intermittent national coronavirus lockdowns. Worryingly, 14% of respondents admitted that they had “completely forgotten how to drive their car”, with more than one in ten insisting they could not remember a single thing from their driving theory test.

Responses to the survey made it clear that a lot of motorists are feeling increased levels of anxiety regarding the idea of taking to the roads after a number of months spent staring at their cars on the driveway. Nearly half (44%) of people said that they felt trepidation about the prospect of undertaking a long journey after lockdown, with more than a quarter (29%) specifically mentioning that they were worried about motorway driving.

Regression of driving behaviour has also become an issue, with 44% of people admitting that they have picked up bad driving habits during lockdown that have permeated into to their post-lockdown driving.

More than one in five people (22%) said that they frequently steer one-handed, which gives people less control of their car in the event of an emergency, meaning that you are more likely to crash. A further 12% said that they became easily distracted while behind the wheel, with another 15% admitting that they drive “far too quickly”.

Government statistics published in November revealed that speeding increased during 7% during the first lockdown, which lasted from the beginning of March until the beginning of summer 2020. Speeding in London, which saw uncharacteristically empty streets during the deepest periods of lockdown, increased by 142%.

Cases of extreme speeding also rocketed on emptier roads, with 20 UK police forces catching drivers speeding at more than 100mph during the first lockdown. Five police forces — Northamptonshire, Gwent, Staffordshire, Kent and Humberside — caught motorists traveling at more than 130mph, while a further three — Police Scotland, The Met and Lancashire — recorded drivers at speeds over 120mph.

Tony Greenidge, CEO of road safety charity IAM RoadSmart (formerly called the Institute of Advanced Motorists), said: “It was inevitable that lockdown would leave many drivers and riders with confidence issues, stress and rusty skills due to their enforced break from the roads. With any skill you learn, you need to improve and refresh it to remain top of your game. Driving and riding [a motorcycle] is no different.”

Nextbase and IAM RoadSmart have teamed up to create Driving Intelligence Learning Modules, which aim to re-familiarise drivers who may have forgotten important driving knowledge including stopping distances, road signs, and the use of smart motorways.

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• After reading that almost half of people have picked up bad driving habits in lockdown, you might want to read that a police chief has said speeding drivers should get tougher sentences than people carrying knives.
• A lorry driver was recently caught eating lasagne with a knife and fork on the motorway.
• The Metropolitan police opened a road crime unit to tackle people driving dangerously during lockdown.

The post Almost half of motorists picked up bad driving habits in lockdown appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox said motorists who commit extreme speeding offences are more likely to be given forgiving sentences than those who commit knife crimes, despite the fact that he believes they pose a bigger threat to public safety.

During the past year, which has seen fewer cars on the road due to the coronavirus crisis, the UK has seen something of a spike in extreme speeding. Last year, Cox’s team stopped a middle-aged man speeding at 163mph on the M1 near Edgware, London, and he was also involved in an investigation into two men accused of stealing an Audi and filming themselves speeding at over 200mph on the M23 near Gatwick.

A Department for Transport report published in December estimated that speeding increased by 7% on single carriageway roads with a speed limit of 60mph during the first coronavirus lockdown in Spring 2020.

Nine police forces reported catching motorists speeding at more than 120mph, with two thirds of those recording speeds over 130mph.

Another set of data that used “black box” telemetry information alleged that the frequency of level four speeding events — the most severe designation — quadrupled in April 2020.

Cox is the national leader in fatal collision investigations and until last year also headed up Transport for London’s Vision Zero campaign, which aims to eradicate road traffic deaths in the capital. He is now head of crime and intelligence at Lincolnshire Police.

“Sometimes the person going before the magistrate or the judge might be a young black man who’s carried a knife, and the person who has driven at extreme speed could be a professional, middle-aged white male,” he told the newspaper.

“Sentencing can’t be based on perception. It needs to be based on risk and likely harm, because that middle-aged professional white man is posing harm to everybody else.”

He also outlined his opposition to the “exceptional hardship” defence, which can see people with more than 12 penalty points on their licence continue to drive because being banned from doing so would impact them unjustly — for example leading to job loss or financial difficulty.

By driving at such high speeds, motorists were “weaponising” their vehicles, Cox said.

On Saturday, he embarked on a 125-mile run to raise money and awareness for RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims in the UK. The run began in Crystal Palace, South London — the site of the first fatal road crash in 1896 — and ends at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, a 150-acre site that acts as a venue of remembrance.

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• After reading that a police chief has said that courts are too lenient on dangerous drivers, you might be interested that the government has ruled that all future smart motorways must have a life-saving camera system.
•  A driver was caught speeding at 151mph on the M62 during lockdown.
• New camera technology is being installed to catch littering motorists.

The post Speeding drivers should get tougher sentences than people carrying knives, says police chief appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

The third stage of the government’s “roadmap” out of national restrictions come amid the continued rollout of the coronavirus vaccination programme. At the time of writing, 36.5 million people across the UK have received the first dose of their vaccination, with 20 million of those having received both shots.

While the government in Westminster has worked with devolved regions regarding the UK’s exit from lockdown, all four countries have their own strategies and will return to normal life at different paces. The final stage of the plan in England, which will see nearly all social distancing lifted, will not come into effect until June 21 at the earliest — a date that could be affected by the worrying rise of the Indian coronavirus variant.

When am I allowed to drive my car during lockdown?

The allowances announced by the Prime Minister over the course of this year have massively extended the list of reasons to drive your car. While restrictions continue to ease, though, the government has said that you should continue to plan ahead and travel as safely as possible.

However, the Department for Transport has confirmed that you can go for a leisurely drive under current regulations.

The third step of the roadmap out of lockdown means that you can once again share a car with people outside of your household or social bubble. However, a private vehicle carrying more than six people should not include people from more than two households.

You can also drive to restaurants and pubs whatever the weather, as they have now re-opened inside — but, of course, you shouldn’t drive if you have been drinking. If you are planning a trip to the pub, then, you might want to book a taxi (this is allowed, according to current advice).

Rules have eased in Wales and most of Scotland today, although a spike in cases in Glasgow and Moray has led to some sets of increased local restrictions. Both nations have allowed pubs and restaurants to reopen indoors, although Scotland has said that all punters must be outside by 10.30pm.

In England and Scotland, you can now drive to the house of family or friends and sit indoors, although there are predictably restrictions on this. In England, the group must consist of no more than six people or two households, and in Scotland, it’s six people from three households. In Wales, indoor socialising is still limited to extended households.

In Northern Ireland, rules will be eased on May 20 ahead of a possible loosening of restrictions four days afterwards.

When will I be allowed to drive for a holiday?

In England and Wales, self-contained holiday lettings (apartments, caravans, tents, etc.) have been open since April 12, with people from the same household allowed to drive to a “staycation” spot. From today, hotels, hostels and B&Bs in England can re-open, and you can stay in these establishments in groups of up to six people from any number of households, or in a larger group made up of no more than two households. In Wales, all holiday accommodation can open fully.

In Scotland, hotel and hostel stays will only be allowed with people from your own household but you can go to self-contained accommodation with up to six people from three separate households. In Northern Ireland, meanwhile, staycations are limited to single households and self-contained accommodation, with the remainder of the country’s tourism sector expected to reopen on May 24.

International travel has also been allowed to resume today, with the government having published a list of 12 countries that are on a permitted “green list”. Countries given the go-ahead include Portugal, Singapore and Australia, and the list of permitted nations is to be reviewed every three weeks.

Driving to France is possible and you do not need to justify an essential reason to enter France but the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advises against all but essential travel to the whole of France as the Covid situation remains “severe”. If you do travel to France by car, you will need to complete a ‘sworn statement’ (déclaration sur l’honneur) form confirming that you don’t have Covid-19 symptoms and all travellers aged 11 and over will need to present a negative PCR Covid-19 test result, carried out less than 72 hours before departure. And here’s the kicker:  passengers are also required to self-isolate for seven days on arrival, before taking another PCR test. Exit from this self-isolation period is subject to a negative test result.

If you’re planning on travelling anywhere outside the UK by car, check the government website for the latest travel advice.

Can I travel in someone else’s car during lockdown?

If you don’t have your own car then walking or cycling are encouraged over use of public transport. However, if you do have to share a car, you should make efforts to reduce the risk of transmission. These might include:

• Asking the driver/ passengers to wear a mask
• Facing away from one another
• Sharing transport with the same people each time, and minimising group size
• Opening windows for ventilation
• Considering seating arrangements to maximise social distance
• Cleaning the car between journeys using standard cleaning products, paying special attention to areas people are likely to touch like handles and seat belts

If you visit a petrol or service station, keep your distance from other drivers and pay using contactless if possible. You should always sanitise your hands when entering or exiting your vehicle. If you can find disposable gloves to use when handling the pump, that could also help avoid spreading the virus.

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• Not planning on driving your car during the lockdown? Here’s how to take care of your vehicle.
• Don’t panic if your car breaks down, breakdown services are available during this lockdown, as they were last time.
• If you’re planning on buying a car during the lockdown, read about how car sales were affected during the first during the first lockdown.

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More than one in seven cars sold in 2021 will be either fully electric or plug-in hybrid, according to the SMMT’s most recent projections. However, in April, which saw the reopening of dealerships across the country as part of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, more plug-in hybrid cars were sold than pure-electric cars, bucking the trend in 2021 so far.

The SMMT noted that this followed the reduction in the scope of the PiCG, which now takes the form of a £2,500 grant given to those buying a car worth £35,000 or less. It was previously a £3,000 subsidy available to anyone buying an electric car with a price tag of £50,000 or less, and before that buyers could get up to £5,000 off their new EV.

Plug-in hybrids represented 6.8% of the market, compared to 6.5% for pure-electric cars (called Battery Electric Vehicles, or BEVs, by the SMMT). Monthly uptake of pure-electrics was down compared to the first three months of 2021, when they represented around 7.5% of all new cars registered.

In light of the reduction to the PiCG, the SMMT has adjusted its forecast for sales of pure-electric vehicles in 2021. It now expects 8.9% of all new cars sold this year to be fully electric, rather than 9.3% as predicted earlier this year. While a 0.4% difference may sound negligible, it represents more than 73,000 cars.

Increments such as these may also prove important considering the government’s impending ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030.

A DfT spokesperson told Driving.co.uk: “The plug-in car grant was updated to target less expensive models and reflect the greater range of affordable vehicles now available, allowing the scheme’s funding to go further and help more people make the switch to an electric vehicle.

“At 6.5%, Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales remain in line with those from 2020, and SMMT have explained that they’re expected to grow over the course of 2021. Even with the grant change, SMMT predict a calendar year average of 8.9% market share for BEVs.”

They also pointed out that the PiCG is taken off the price of a car at the time of purchase, not the time of registration, meaning the SMMT’s April stats are likely to include a number of vehicles purchased when the £3,000 grant was still available.

John Wilmot, CEO of car leasing comparison site LeaseLoco, said that the government needed to ensure continued incentives to maintain the uptake of electric cars.

“Somehow it has survived the knockout punch but it’s important for the long-term well-being of the industry that new car sales start heading in the right direction, and some healthy numbers are put on the board,” he said.

“The backbone of any recovery will be electric and hybrid sales, which have proved to be the one positive amongst all the gloom over the past year.

“There is a clear message being sent out by UK consumers that they are keen to go green, and the industry and Government need to ensure that consumers are incentivised and motivated to buy electric and hybrid cars.

“The 2030 new petrol and diesel car ban is less than 10 years away and any loss in momentum in low emission car sales could derail the Government green industrial revolution plans.”

April shows inklings of recovery for new car registrations

Overall April saw 141,583 cars sold, representing a mammoth 3,000% increase on the same month last year. However the SMMT noted that this stat was “superficial”, due to the fact that last April saw just 4,321 cars registered as the UK was plunged into its first national Covid-19 lockdown.

In reality the month was a way off the ten year average, with 12.9% fewer cars sold than in a standard April. However, showrooms were closed for nearly half the month, opening alongside hairdressers and barbers on April 12. Overall 2021 registrations now stand at 567,108 units, nearly a third (32.5%) lower than the average recorded over the last ten years.

However, the SMMT noted that the full impact of the reopening of showrooms has yet to become evident due to the amount of time customers spend deliberating during the process of buying a new car, as well as the time needed for delivery of a vehicle. In fact, it changed its 2021 outlook to make it more optimistic, predicting that 1.86 million cars will be sold over the course of 2020, rather than 1.83 million as estimated before.

Commenting on the figures, SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said: “After one of the darkest years in automotive history, there is light at the end of the tunnel. A full recovery for the sector is still some way off, but with showrooms open and consumers able to test drive the latest, cleanest models, the industry can begin to rebuild.

“Market confidence is improving, and we now expect to finish the year in a slightly better position than anticipated in February, largely thanks to the more upbeat business and consumer confidence created by the successful vaccine rollout.

“That confidence should also translate into another record year for electric vehicles, which will likely account for more than one in seven new car registrations.”

Experts praise electrified vehicle rollout but remain wary

Experts and commentators praised the continued growth in sales of electrified vehicles, while saying that a strong finish to 2021 would be needed to ensure a return to pre-pandemic levels.

RAC data insight spokesman Rod Dennis said: “While new car registrations are well down on 2018 and 2019 it is very much an improving picture, and the story for electrified vehicles is particularly encouraging.

“Nearly 40,000 battery electric cars were sold in the first four months of 2021 which is more than were sold in the first seven months of last year and more than all of 2019. Sales of pure EVs now account for 7.2% of all cars sold – the highest ever figure.

“Sales of all electrified vehicles are increasing all the time at the expense of both diesel and petrol. Diesel car sales represented just 11% of total sales, down from 16% last year and a high point of 51% (50.8%) in 2012. Petrol car sales have now fallen below 50% for the first time since 2016 having been as high as 65% (64.8%) two years ago.

“Looking at the number of battery electric cars sold in just the first four months of the year it seems entirely plausible as life becomes increasingly more normal that total pure EV sales at the end of 2021 could top 150,000.”

James Fairclough, CEO of AA cars, voiced optimism of industry recovery amid the continued rollout of vaccinations.

He said: “To get a better sense of the current health of the market, we need to compare it with pre-pandemic levels. Although this April’s figures still lag behind those of previous Aprils, sales are edging closer to pre-pandemic levels, and there are further reasons for optimism now forecourts have reopened for business.

“March was a successful month for a start, bolstered by new number plates, and the early evidence from the re-opening of retail and hospitality is that people are ready to spend money saved during successive lockdowns.

“It was always going to take some time for the industry to return to pre-pandemic levels, but as restrictions ease further and the vaccination roll-out reaches all adults, we may start to see spending pick up on big ticket items such as new cars.

Other commentators agreed that signs of recovery were present, but that celebrations should be tempered with caution. Alex Buttle, director of used car marketplace Motorway.co.uk, said:

“Last month’s 3,000% leap in sales is a relatively meaningless percentage because registrations in April 2020 plummeted 97%, as the country was in the early grip of lockdown and non-essential retailers, including dealerships, were forced to close their doors to the public.

“April numbers are actually down 50% on March registrations. And while pent-up demand is clearly showing itself with showroom doors in England and Wales opening in the second half of April, this upwards trend needs to be consistent throughout 2021 to make up for the 2020-shaped hole in lost sales.

“The headwinds for growth are there – we have a clearer roadmap for recovery and the market is looking promising once again with a lot of optimism about surging EV sales.

“April saw continued impressive growth for new electric and hybrid cars, and the momentum is very much with greener motoring. The Government now has to ensure this momentum isn’t lost while its main focus is helping the country recover from the pandemic.

Karen Hilton, CCO of heycar, said that the pandemic had resulted in a permanent shift towards online car purchasing.

“We are seeing significant indications of how the pandemic has transformed the nation’s car-buying behaviour for good,” she said.

“This is chiefly demonstrated in a surge in customers who are now prepared to complete their entire purchase journey online. Our data indicates that since November as many as one in ten heycar users took this approach.

“We’re seeing particularly high interest in more remote areas of the country, away from large urban centres – where there are likely to be less showrooms nearby.”

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• After reading that the uptake of pure-electric cars has been affected by the reduction in the government’s grant, you might want to check out our list of all the cars still eligible for the Plug-in Car Grant.
• If you’re thinking of buying a plug-in hybrid, you may be interested in our list of five of the best plug-in hybrid SUVs in 2021.
• Driving.co.uk editor Will Dron is testing a plug-in hybrid Skoda Octavia iV Estate long-term – see what he has to say about it here.

The post Uptake of pure-electric cars affected by reduction in government grant appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

April 12 marked the the start of the second stage of the government’s “roadmap” out of lockdown, with hospitality, retail and other sectors of the economy allowed to partially reopen. More than 46 million people in the UK have now received their first jab, and more than 12 million have received both shots.

Further allowances will be made no earlier than May 17, when it is expected that most legal restrictions on meeting outside will be lifted, while groups of six people from no more than two households will be allowed to meet inside, adhering to social distancing guidelines.

Can I take my practical driving test during lockdown?

Driving tests were suspended in all UK nations in the first months of 2021, with some students facing postponement for the fifth time in the space of a year. If you had a driving test booked during lockdown, you should have been contacted by the DVSA with details of a rescheduled test.

If your driving instructor booked the test for you, they should have received an email notification that your test is being rescheduled, and then another email at a later date with details of your new test.

Driving tests in England and Wales resumed from April 22, with extra slots made available on weekends and bank holidays in order to chip away at the queue of approximately 1.1 million learner drivers waiting to take an exam.

DRIVING LESSONS will restart in Eng & Wales on Apr 12 and tests 10 days after on Apr 22. @DVSAgovuk will offer more tests (inc. bank hols/weekends) & more examiners so as many learners can take a test with all necessary safety measures in place✅https://t.co/BBtMuGGpan

— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) April 7, 2021

Scotland will allow tests to resume two weeks later than England and Wales, with tests allowed to resume from May 6 at the earliest.

The return of practical driving tests in Northern Ireland will occur in three stages, with students prioritised according to the expiry of their theory test certificate. Those whose certificates expire by October 31 were allowed to access the Driving and Vehicle Agency’s (DVA) booking system from Monday, April 26.

The second phase, which will come into effect on May 4, will see learners with theory test certificates expiring between November 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022 allowed to access the DVA’s booking portal. The booking system will open for all other learner drivers at some time in mid-May.

Unsurprisingly you must wear a mask for the duration of your test, unless you have a valid reason for not doing so. If you are unable to wear a face covering during your test, you must declare this when booking by selecting “special learning or educational needs” when asked if you have any special requirements.

If you turn up to your practical exam without a face covering having not declared beforehand that you are unable to wear one, your test will be cancelled.

If you are found to have made a serious or dangerous fault during your test, both of which result in failure, you will be told immediately and the test will be ended in order to keep time spent in the car as brief as possible. Those taking tests are being asked to turn up no more than five minutes before their exam is scheduled to begin, to keep the number of people waiting around at test centres to a minimum.

Motorcycle tests, which do not require the same level of proximity between student and examiner as tests for cars, continued on April 12.

Can I take my driving theory test during lockdown?

As with practical driving tests, theory tests were suspended due to the coronavirus lockdown. However, they resumed on April 12, 10 days before practical exams.

If you had a theory test booked over lockdown, you should have received a notification saying that your theory test was suspended; you can rebook it through the government website. Due to the circumstances, this service is free of charge.

If your driving instructor booked your test for you, they will need to log into the system and rebook it for you.

When you turn up for your test, you must wear a face covering unless you have an illness, impairment or disability that prevents you from being able to do so, or if wearing one would cause you severe distress.

You must not attend your test if you or someone you live with has coronavirus symptoms, if you’ve been told by the NHS Test and Trace service that you’ve been in contact with someone who has coronavirus, or if you are self-isolating upon return from a foreign country. If any of these apply, you can change your test date free of charge.

Insurance provider Marmalade found that approximately 50,000 people have seen their theory test certificates expire during the three lockdowns. The Westminster government has rejected calls to extend the expiry dates on theory certificates, though the Northern Irish assembly has extended theory tests that expire between November 1, 2020 and June 30, 2021 by eight months.

Can I get driving lessons during lockdown?

Like theory tests, driving lessons in England and Wales were permitted to resume from April 12.

While it is not the law in England and Wales for instructors and students to wear masks during lessons, the DVSA said that it “cannot emphasise enough” the importance of both tutors and learners wearing face coverings during lessons.

The DVSA also recommends that the windows be down as far as possible for the duration of the lesson in order to allow as much ventilation as possible. For that reason, it would be wise to wrap up warm.

It has also been recommended by the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP), a representative body for driving instructors, that the air conditioning not be used. If it is used, it should not be set to recirculate. Your instructor should also wipe down the car interior with disinfectant between lessons.

In Scotland, lessons are permitted to take place nationwide from April 26, when other sectors of Scotland’s economy including pubs and non-essential shops reopen.

In Northern Ireland, driving lessons were given the go-ahead to resume on Friday, April 23.

Can I go for a drive with someone from my household?

People in all UK nations can go and practise driving on any journey as long as they are with people from their household or support bubble. In Scotland and Northern Ireland it has been specified that you must stay local.

How can I practise driving during lockdown?

With more than a million students waiting to take tests, it’s possible that you might not be able to practice driving as much as you’d like in the coming months.

“I’d recommend learners continue with their theory practise,” one driving instructor told Driving.co.uk. “And if they’ve already passed their theory test, then brush up on it.

“They could also look at their hazard perception. I’d advise that when being a passenger in the car, they should observe situations on the road and draw upon their theory, thinking about how they’d put it into practise; also observe road signs and road markings.

“They should get to know their car: check tyre pressures, look for visual damage, look at tyre treads and check oil levels.”

The expert said that exercises such as this would prove advantageous during the “show me, tell me” sections of the practical driving test.

A list of “show me, tell me” questions can be found on the government website here.

If you’re struggling to teach yourself your driving theory, The Grand Tour host and professional chef James May might be of assistance: he’s made a driving theory test app, and he told Driving.co.uk which questions he personally finds hardest.

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– If you were interesting the whether you can still get driving lessons during coronavirus lockdown, you may be interested in the more general restrictions on driving during Covid-19.
– Also, find out here if motorists can buy a car during lockdown.
– Research has shown that drivers have retreated to their cars for a bit of quiet during lockdown.

The post Can I still get driving lessons in lockdown? appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.

Tests resumed on Thursday morning, 10 days after driving instructors were permitted to return to work for the first time in 2021.

Some students have been waiting to take their test since the first lockdown, with reports of learner drivers having tests postponed up to five times over the last 12 months. More than 450,000 tests have been cancelled during the pandemic, and latest figures estimate there are currently 1.2 million people in the UK waiting to take a driving test.

It is likely that some learners will be forced to wait until February 2022 to take their test, and failing could lead to a wait of more than eight months to retake the exam.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), which oversees driving tests, told the BBC that it was doing all it can to provide as many tests as possible to help clear the backlog.

“Many instructors are trying to fit their clients into their diaries but there are only so many hours a day … there is potential for unreasonable pressure from pupils and their families”

The agency has created 2,500 extra monthly slots on weekends and bank holidays in an effort to clear the queue, and is recruiting up to 300 new examiners.

The DVSA’s chief driving examiner Mark Winn has also urged learners not to book their test unless they feel completely ready to pass, in order to avoid as many retests as possible.

“We know many learners have waited a long time to take their driving test, so when tests restart in England and Wales on 22 April, we want them to be ready and to pass first time,” he told the BBC. In March 2020, the pass rate across the UK was 46%.

Many test centres made tests available 18 weeks ahead and have reported all slots are now fully booked. One driving instructor said that some students impulsively booked tests without having a tutor assigned to them.

Bill Plant, one of the biggest driving schools in the UK, said that April 12 saw a record number of students rushing to book lessons — even more so than July 6, 2020, when driving lessons resumed after the first coronavirus lockdown.

According to a report by learner driver insurance provider Marmalade, driving instructors across the UK currently have an average of 30.46 students each on their books, meaning that they are over capacity by 56%.

This is not helped by a decline in the number of registered driving instructors across the UK over the last several years. DVSA stats show there were 44,569 instructors registered in the UK in 2013 but this fell 13% to just 38,778 in December 2020.

Lynne Barrie, chair of the Approved Driving Instructors National Joint Council, said: “Learners should be aware that the number of instructors has declined.

“The backlog is leaving many under pressure to fit their clients into their diaries but there are only so many hours a day that an instructor can safely train their clients. I am concerned that there is a potential for unreasonable pressure from pupils and their families.

“Most instructors I have spoken to say they will need to prioritise their clients so that anyone with imminent practical tests can be helped, [after which] they will organise their diaries for clients they were training before the lockdown came, and then any new clients wanting to start to learn to drive.

“A lot have full diaries and are turning people away so finding an instructor with availability could well be challenging currently.”

Featured image from Shutterstock/Michaeljung

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• If you’re worried about an upcoming driving test, you should read our top 10 ways to combat driving test nerves.
• A survey found that the majority of British motorists are in favour of a second practical driving test to help improve driving standards.
• Those who tried to book a driving test in August found themselves in an eight-hour online queue.

The post Learner drivers struggle to book tests amid backlog appeared first on Driving.co.uk from The Sunday Times.