Pothole Crisis: UK roads in a worse state than five years ago
A survey by UltraCrete, released on National Pothole Day (the 15th of January), has found that 81 percent of local authorities think that potholes have worsened over recent years.
Councils have revealed that funding cuts have a significant part to play in this issue, with 57 percent of them stating that …Read More
Too cool for fuel: drivers warned against driving on empty
Road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist is warning drivers against allowing their fuel tanks to reach near-empty before they fill up again.
As petrol and diesel prices increase, more motorists can be tempted to leave it as long as possible before refuelling. However, avoiding filling up the car until the last …Read More
Who’s responsible? New legal framework for self-driving car safety
Plans for a new legal framework are being drawn up by the Law Commissions of England, Wales and Scotland surrounding the safety of future self-driving vehicles. The thorough proposals will create a set of rules for the futuristic cars, ensuring a safe rollout of this state-of-the-art technology.
These include: implementing a …Read More
Wildlife strife: the dangers of swerving for animals on the road
GEM Motoring Assist is warning drivers not to ‘veer for a deer’ because of the dangers that a sudden swerve could cause.
Annually, there are around 74,000 accidents involving deer on UK roads and it is thought that between 10 and 20 drivers are killed as a result. A last-minute change …Read More
Roadworks can hurt: Highways England to trial new roadwork airbags
Highways England is set to trial a new kind of roadwork warning on its network in the form of an inflatable barrier. This will help to protect road workers from vehicles which are accidentally driven into work sites on slip roads when motorists are trying to exit.
The airbag-style sign, which …Read More
Heads I win, tailgate you lose: Highways England aim to clampdown on this dangerous practice
A recent survey for Highways England has found that 80 percent of people would like to see a clampdown on tailgating (driving too close to the car in front).
Tailgating is thought to be a factor in around one in eight casualties on motorways and major A roads in England. In …Read More
Why the rush? Launch of new digital speed awareness course
A new online National Speed Awareness Course (NSAC) has been launched after classroom-based courses were suspended due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. UKROEd is currently trialling the digital version of the training, which will then be reviewed in 12 weeks.
The current National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS) uses short guidance …Read More
Zooming into the future: E-scooters to be legalised in UK
The government has recently announced that e-scooters are to be given the go-ahead in certain areas in the UK, legalising them for use on public roads. Old rules surrounding e-scooters are currently being re-evaluated by the Department for Transport under a new proposal which will look at how this emerging …Read More
Money money money: Budget announced for road maintenance
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced funding to the sum of £27.4bn for the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) between 2020 and 2025, increasing spending from the previously stated £25.3bn.
This investment in the UK’s national roads will see the implementation of various schemes, such as a new, high-quality dual carriageway and …Read More
Making light work of safety: New system to detect roadside lighting failures
Highways England is currently testing new technology which can detect problems with power supply cables for roadside lights on its network. The GridKey system can identify if there has been a failure or if the lighting is not operating correctly.
Currently, the maintenance of roadside lights requires routine checks along motorways, …Read More