Annual cost of road accidents could be as much as £34 billion

New government estimates reveal that the total annual cost of road traffic accidents, including the cost of human suffering and medical bills, could be as much as £34 billion per year.

 

The latest figures from the Department for Transport show that the cost of damage-only accidents amounted to an estimated £15.12 billion last year but if you factor in unreported injury accidents that figure could easily double.

The department said the figures reflected the loss of output due to injury, the medical costs and human costs of casualties.

These human costs were "based on willingness to pay to avoid pain, grief and suffering to the casualty, relatives and friends, as well as intrinsic loss of enjoyment of life in the case of fatalities".

In June, the department announced that road deaths dipped 8% last year to a record low of 1,754, with deaths falling for all road user groups except pedal cyclists.

Road Safety Minister Stephen Hammond said today: "Road deaths in Britain are now at their lowest levels since records began and our roads are among some of the safest in the world, which is welcome news.

"But let's not forget that each road death represents the tragic loss of someone's loved one. That's why there is no room for complacency and why the Government will continue to crack down on the most dangerous drivers and improve training to make our roads safe for everyone."

Despite the reduction in road deaths year on year, the government revealed last week that the number of drink-drive fatalities is on the rise.

The department said that the provisional estimate of the number of drink-drive fatalities in 2012 was 280 - a 17% rise on the 2011 figure.

Third driving ban for man with no licence

A Devon man has been banned from driving for the third time in two years despite never actually acquiring a driving licence in the first place.

 

The resident was disqualified from driving by North Devon Magistrates' Court last Friday after admitting three separate motoring offences.

The 25-year-old was stopped by police after his erratic driving caught their attention.

He was arrested for drink-driving after being found to be nearly twice the legal drink-drive limit, as well as driving without a licence or insurance.

The man, who is a prolific offender with 46 previous convictions to his name, had only been released from prison a few months before his court appearance.

Magistrates were told that he had gotten into his car after a disagreement with his girlfriend.

The Court also heard that he had only ever held a provisional driving licence but had already been disqualified for six months in 2011 and again last year after being caught driving while disqualified.

As well as being banned from driving for a further two years, the man was fined £100 and ordered to pay £20 costs and a £20 victim surcharge

What lies beneath

When you lift the bonnet up, do you know where the washer liquid goes?  We all can vaguely remember the moment your test examiner asked you to point out where the washer fluid would go, all these bits painted yellow. A recent poll by Britannia Rescue showed that seven out of 10 people struggled to undertake simple maintenance tasks like checking a vehicle's oil levels. One in seven of these respondents had suffered a car breakdown that may have been prevented if they had a better understanding of basic maintenance. And if checking the dipstick throws you, then read the following advice to get yourself familiar.

 

Firstly, check the oil level regularly. When the time comes to top up, try not to over fill as this may lead to too much pressure in the area of the engine and oil leaks. Check the type of oil you need from the owners handbook. Avoid mixing different types of oil. Have the oil changed during regular services.

 

To check the oil, make sure the car is parked on a level area. Turn the engine off and apply the hand break. Make sure the engine has warmed but you've also allowed it time to cool down for the oil to drain. Remove the dipstick and clean it with a cloth. Dip it back in to check the oil level. If the oil is below or below the minimum mark, you'll need to top up.

 

Check your washer fluid levels. It's usually a white container – so easy to spot. Look at the windscreen washer reservoir and check the level. If it needs filling up, use windscreen washer fluid or water. In the winter, make sure it is fifty per cent windscreen washer fluid.

 

Check the engine coolant level, but wait until the engine has completely cooled down. This reservoir will be to the far side of your vehicle. On the side of the engine coolant reservoir, there will be cold, full and warm indicated. You need to ensure that the liquid is not below the cold indicator line. Low levels of engine coolant can cause your engine to overheat and potential damage to your engine.

 

For more information on planning your holiday driving, check out drivingadvice.org.uk, for traffic updates, weather forecasts, and driving tips, including: driving abroad, cycling and loading the car for a long journey.

 

The IAM has launched a new website, for biking advice and tips with traffic updates, touring advice by country and all you need to know about events and local groups. Tips cover riding with pillions, in groups and night riding. There's also a videos page and you can upload your touring photos and stories - get involved at www.betterbiking.org.uk.

Well done our Andy!!!!

Driver of the Year Competition 2013

 

 

As some of you may remember I won the title Driver of the Year for my firm last year, well I was given the opportunity to represent my depot again this year for the competition, with the chance to reach the finals and defend my title!

 

             

 

Again this year there was approximately 1000 drivers entered into round one, which was for each depot within the company to choose someone to represent them.  This was, the same as last year, done by checking driver's performance over the previous year, fuel consumption, accident record, attendance and customer service standards.  I was selected to represent my depot.

 

The second round this year was based on last year, with it being a regional final to see who went through, but in addition to the written exam on the highway code and the company's safe driving plan we also had to complete the hazard perception test similar to what new drivers have to take.  I scored 29 out of 30 for the written exam and 43 out of 50 for the hazard perception, I found out I had dropped points on the hazard perception as I'd reacted to hazards to early!

 

The finals this year was held at the company's Leigh depot, just to the west of Manchester.  So it was on a drizzily Monday morning the beginning of September that myself and the other four finalists met.  Again this year the event was to be based on 5 separate challenges, but with a twist on last year's final to ensure a level playing field.  The first event I had to do was the vehicle walk round check, again with purposely set faults to see if we could find them.  This year the faults included the wrong number plate on the trailer and an out of date tax disc that was also from another vehicle!

 

I then moved onto the slow speed manoeuvring course, which was to reverse through a series of gates and back up to a barrier and then returning to the start position.  For this test I was allowed as many shunts as I needed plus being able to get out of the lorry to check what I was doing.  To make things a little more interesting they used a different make of tractor unit to what we were all used to driving. 

 

The third event was to go to a pre-loaded trailer and then say what was wrong with how it had been loaded.  When asked what I would do if presented with that trailer and my response was I would go to the warehouse manager and say until someone completely unloaded the trailer and reloaded it properly it was going nowhere.  There were so many faults, from stacking chemicals on top of other chemicals, which could potentially result in a very serious situation should the two chemicals mix as the result of a leak, to rubbish all over the floor of the trailer which formed a trip hazard whilst working.

 

The final event was a drive around the surrounding area taking in a mixture of roads from small town roads to fast moving duel carriageways.  They were looking for my skills in dealing with other traffic whilst attempting to drive as efficiently as possible, this was probably the most stressful event as I was driving a kind of vehicle I'd never driven in an area I didn't know and being assessed whilst I did it!!!

 

After everybody had completed all the challenges we all met back in the depot's conference room where we were treating to a light lunch whilst they calculated the results.  We were told with the last challenge to go it was still possible for any of us to win the title! James, our national training manager announce the results starting with the 4 runner ups, well he announced the first 3 and the decided to leave myself and another driver hanging whilst he went on talk to us about all of us being winners.  When he finally said that the last runner up was the other driver I was completely shocked, didn't think I stood a chance of winning again as the standard of the other drivers was so good!

 

 

Later on this year I have been invited to attend the company's management conference in Coventry to receive my award.

 

Article by Andrew Wyles

Woman walks away after car is flattened by shipping container

Rescuers in China, managed to pull a woman free from the wreckage of her flattened Nissan after a massive shipping container came free on the motorway.

Fire fighters were called to the scene on Saturday when a shipping container being transported on the back of a HGV came free on the motorway, rolling onto a woman's Nissan, trapping her inside it.

Rescuers could hear the woman's voice so immediately called in a crane powerful enough to lift the enormous shipping container before using hydraulic equipment to cut her free.

Amazingly, the unnamed woman hadn't sustained any serious injuries despite being trapped in the vehicle for over half an hour.

According to eyewitnesses, the woman had managed to slip into the footwell of the car, avoiding the impact and shielding her head away from any serious danger.

Passers-by were astounded that the lucky motorist was able to walk away from the scene despite the car being completely flattened.

Investigation reveals car check site is dangerously flawed

An AOL Cars investigation has found motorists could be driving around in killer cars they thought were safe after checking them with a budget online service.

 

TotalCarCheck.com promises to safeguard drivers against buying previously scrapped, written off or crash-damaged cars - but we found many dangerously slip through the net.

We checked five cars using the £1.99 service which we knew had been in accidents and classified as Category C or Category D by insurers - and all of them came back as not having been written off by TotalCarCheck.com, despite their dangerous hidden history.

The website promises to tell buyers if their used car has been scrapped, changed colour or written off. But our investigation found there are catastrophic holes in the data it returns to consumers.

"This is shocking," said The AA's Ian Crowder. "We absolutely condemn this kind of practice - it potentially places unwitting car buyers in a dangerous situation.

"They could end up buying a vehicle that has previously been in an accident or is otherwise in an unroadworthy condition."

The Institute of Advanced Motorists was similarly disgusted at our findings. Spokesman Tim Shallcross said: "Used car sales amount to billions every year and that money tempts many to try their luck in almost every sector of the motor trade, as in this case AOL has exposed, a firm charging people for virtually worthless information."

Thousands of these online look ups, dubbed "provenance checks", take place every day but most firms offer a very good service. Well known brands such as HPI, The AA and RAC all offer services to motorists that can help them delve into their next used car's past with confidence.

We contacted TotalCarCheck.com and it said our investigation had highlighted "flaws" in its service. It blamed data that it was provided from outside agencies was at the root of the cause.

A spokesman for the company told us: "I one hundred per cent recognise there are errors with the data and we are trying to get to the bottom of it.

"We are aware that there are data quality issues and we are working with the head of the police national computer and the motor insurance bureau to resolve them."

However, the company refused to pull the service immediately or warn suspecting customers that the data it produced may not be accurate.

"If we can't resolve these issues within the next week or so we may suspend sales activity on the site, though I can't be definitive on that right now."

AOL Cars has since handed over its findings to Trading Standards.

Responding to emergency vehicles

Whether you're driving to work, to the shops or to visit a friend, the reality is, we often come into contact with the emergency services in one way shape or form. You're familiar with the scenario, when you're driving along a residential road or a dual carriageway. And you'll suddenly hear the faint sounds of sirens and spot the flashing lights out of the corner of your eye. In your rear view mirror you can see an emergency services vehicle approaching. What do you do next?

 

In our latest survey, thirty-five per cent of respondents admit that they don't know the rules on how to deal with an approaching emergency service vehicle. Here's some advice on how to avoid making any mistakes.

 

Do you panic? Do you follow the actions of the cars in front of you? It's easy to be startled a bit by the blearing sounds of the ambulance service vehicle but the key is tackling the situation calmly.

 

The first thing to do is use your mirrors to look at the space you have around your vehicle. This will help to you to work out the best action to take. Pull over to your left as soon as you can safely do so to give the services vehicle(s) enough room to pass with ease. Use your indicators to warn the road users around you as long it won't confuse them.

 

In the rush of the emergency services, we can often overlook that pulling into a bus lane, a yellow box or over a stop line at a red light could mean a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) so don't risk it. The emergency services vehicle drivers are all specially trained for dealing with emergencies. They'll know how to best to overcome a situation to get to their emergency as quickly as possible.

 

Don't pull over on kerbs, verges and pavements. You could put pedestrians or other road users at risk.

 

If there's one emergency service vehicle approaching, it is likely that there will be more to follow – so take your time to check before moving off.

 

Remember, emergency service vehicles need to get to the emergency as quickly and as safely as possible. Don't take any risks to help them progress to their destination.

Sheppey's 130 Vehicle Pileup.

Mid-Kent Group of Advanced Motorist (MKGAM) Observer and Social Network Editor Graham Aylard was shocked when he learnt of the Sheppey Crossing incident on the way to work one foggy morning. Graham comments on the incident and puts aside the obvious question of 'who's fault it is', but asks “Is the Crossing safe?”

News picture of the incident showing 130 vehicles pilled up on the crossing and drivers without vehicles

It's been two weeks since the incredible incident on the Sheppey Crossing. I say incredible, in the sense that no one was killed. Having seen the pictures in the news and on TV, it struck me on how this incident happened.  Before I continue, and as of writing, the Mid-Kent Group of Advanced Motorist are not blaming any individual or organisation. But it did struck me that safety concerns about the Sheppey Crossing were expressed some years back. 

The Sheppey crossing was opened in 2006 after many years of rejected plans and ideas about relieving the Kings Ferry Bridge of most of the traffic volume. Often being held up as the bridge lifted for passing vessels. Indeed, when I was a teenager - I filmed and edited video footage that would later be presented to local government and planners on why Sheppey needed a second crossing. The bridge has become a great life line for many. Quicker journey times on and off the island has brought trade in and out of the country via Sheerness docks. As well as commuters  traveling to and throw to work each day.

The approach to the Crossing the day after the incident. 

On the 5th September a fog descended upon the island. Weather forecasters did forecast it. The island is no stranger to mist and fog patches throughout the year, yet that Thursday morning was to be different. Something happened in the dense thick fog. The scratching of brakes the thud of impact, the crack of plastic and metal coming together at speed. Reports suggest that crash after crash after crash carried on for ten minutes. Motorist reporting that you could only see no more then two car lengths on the bridge. Many motorist fled their vehicles. Some stayed and braced for impact. Some motorist were able to stop in time, only to be hit from behind. And as the fog cleared, all became clear. 130 vehicles, in two piles, one at the bottom near mainland Kent and the other right at the top of the bridge.  Many ambulances attended the scene. Fire brigade armed with cutting equipment released those who were trapped. Command units from all emergency services raced to the incident.  

Kent was besieged with the worst motoring accident ever, and the largest vehicle pileup to be seen in the UK for sometime. Yet thankfully no one was killed.

The cost to this would run into thousands, if not a million or so. Many motorist paying out sums to cover their excess cost. And police, fire and ambulance footing the bill for attending. Not to mention NHS cost for the injured and operations that were cancelled because the nearest hospital, Medway declared a state of emergency.  

How safe is the Sheppey Crossing? 

The police, highways agency and recovery agency done a fantastic job on clearing up, with the bridge reopened later that afternoon / early evening. And an unsung hero who passed the incident as it happened and blocked the entrance to the crossing at the roundabout with his lorry also gets a mention here. Preventing further vehicles entering the danger zone. Members of the public, most who were involved on the bridge helped though's who needed help.  

But as these costs are counted and insurance companies seek to clear up who hit who and so on, I asked myself a simple question. One that was raised when the bridge opened. How safe is the Sheppey Crossing?

Safety concerns were raised back in 2006, street lighting was one of them.

This question was raised by then the Chief Constable Mike Fuller  and Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Gordon Henderson. I contacted Mr Henderson MP and asked what his concerns were on the Crossing. His reply was "My concerns in 2006 when the Sheppey Crossing was opened reflected those expressed at the time by the Chief Constable of Kent, Mike Fuller, which revolved around the lack of lighting, emergency phones and a hard shoulder on the bridge."
I know the road well, travelled hundreds of times across the bridge, and I think both Mr Fuller and Mr Henderson has a point. But let's look at other areas. The A249 between Sittingbourne and Detling for example has little street lighting, no hard shoulder and no emergency phones. It also has its fair share of heavy fog and mist, especially at the top of Detling. Yet their has never been a major pileup. 

Mr Henderson goes on to say "We were assured by the Highways Agency that the design of the bridge was safe." I can't help but think that he is correct, more so when one travels over to Sheppey on a nice day. You can see for miles. But in bad weather, speeds should be reduced. Not just on the bridge, but on all roads overall.  

A spokes person from the Highways Agency says "The A249 Sheppey Crossing was designed in accordance with standards set out in the design manual for road and bridges and has had a good safety record since its opening.” The question here is does the standards for bridge design need to be reviewed? The Highways agency continues “However the safety of motorists is a top priority for the Highways Agency and that is why it is continually monitored and kept under review.” 

Our very own chairman, Linda Davies believes that it is not down to the design of the bridge, but believes driver error was the main contribution factor. Although MP Gordon Henderson has concerns over the safety of the bridge, he does add ”Until the accident investigation report is released we have no way of knowing whether on this occasion the lack of lighting, phones or hard shoulder would have made any difference, on this occasion. I suspect not, because it seems fairly clear that the main contributory factors were fog and speed.”

“Drivers must SLOW DOWN and see and be seen.” 

Mid-Kent Group of Advanced Motorist Chairman Linda Davis

As I write the police are still investigating and the Highways Agency says  "We will continue to work with the police in their investigations into the cause of this incident and will consider any recommendations and further findings that are made by the police as a result of the outcomes of the investigation."
We asked the Kent and Medway Camera Partnership for their views, however, they declined to comment on the incident itself. But did go on to say it would be Kent County Council decision on where camera's are placed and any adjustments on spend limits after speed surveys are carried out.

A vessel passing underneath the Sheppey Crossing

MKGAM Chairman Linda Davies goes to comment about what drivers can do in poor weather conditions. “Drivers must SLOW DOWN and see and be seen.” Wise words we can all agree too. 

So while the police are investigating Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP says “I will be asking the Government to undertake a review of safety on the bridge with a view to taking steps to ensure a similar accident is not repeated.”
So while Mr Henderson takes safety concerns to Parliament we can do our bit by taking it a bit easier on the bridge in the future. After all it is driver responsibility to stay safe on the roads in Kent and indeed UK. How about driver education.? That's where we can come in. Even if its proven that you were not at fault, you were the one who stopped in time but was hit from behind. Or the insurance company goes in your favour or even if you were not involved. This might be a good time to review your driving habits. 

We'll review the police findings when the investigation is compete. Feel free to comment, we a interested in your views on the incident.

Further Links.

BBC News, 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-23970047
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-23990750
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-24020345

Kent Online
http://www.kentonline.co.uk/times_guardian/news/sheppey-crossing-5587/

This Is Kent
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Sittingbourne-Sheppey-MP-Gordon-Henderson-calls/story-19786093-detail/story.html#axzz2fAXNCTdk

Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adBqW1vm43M

Mid-Kent Group of Advanced Motorist can help drivers improve their technique, ability and safety. For more information please visit our website

On the road to freedom

It's that time of the year when 18 and 19 year olds all over the country are getting ready to take the university challenge and start what is arguably the best time of their adult life. It's also the time when parents all over the country will be mourning their child's departure from the family home and wondering where the last eighteen years have gone. Or possibly celebrating the vacation of a bedroom - soon to be an office or a gym. But as you pack up your belongings and prepare to load the car there are a few things to think about if you want a first in road safety. Whether you're driving 30 miles or 350 miles, remember to prepare yourself and your car for the journey ahead.

Firstly, pack your possessions securely. Loose objects can be distracting to the driver. Leaving books on top of boxes could potentially cause a distraction. If the driver has to brake sharply, these unsecured items could fly forward and hit people sitting in front.

Pack heavy items such as suitcases and boxes of clothes into the boot whenever possible.

Any loads in the boot should be made as small as possible and positioned to enable a clear view. Keep heavy items low down. Don't let your stuff obscure your view through the rear window.

Always pack so that those in the car especially the driver have room to move. Feeling cramped causes stress and makes the journey less pleasant for both passengers and driver.

Remember, a full car uses more fuel so keep an eye on your fuel gauge. To be prepared, fill your engine up so you don't have to worry about running out.

Check tyre pressures before setting off. Tyres on a full and heavy car usually require higher pressures.

Freshen up for fresher's week. if your journey is more than two hours, stop off and take a break. If at all possible, share the driving especially if you intend to drive there and back in one day.

Don't drink and Drive!

With the Holidays upon us I would like to share a personal experience with my friends about drinking and driving.

As you may know some of us have been known to have brushes with the authorities from time to time on the way home after a "social session" out with friends.

 

Well two days ago I was out for an evening with friends and had several cocktails followed by some rather nice red wine. Feeling jolly I still had the sense to know that I may be over the limit. That's when I did something that I've never done before - I took a cab home.

Sure enough on the way home there was a police road block but since it was a cab they waved it past. I arrived home safely without incident. This was a real surprise as I had never driven a cab before, I don't know where I got it and now that it's in my garage I don't know what to do with it.

=

Driver fined £60 for bus lane he never used

A driver from Spalding in Lincolnshire was surprised to get a penalty for driving in a bus lane in Sheffield - not least because he'd never been there. Fortunately the penalty notice came with a photograph which it claimed showed him during the offence: the photograph attached was of one of the council's own sweeping machines.

So what happened, and what can you do if you are a victim of mistaken identity?

 

Mistake

Company Director, Jonathan Palgrave, was initially mystified. However, The Mirror reported that he soon discovered the cause of the problem: the road sweeper had a similar registration number to his Tiger sports car - with just one letter difference - a B instead of an E.

He told the Daily Mail that he had contacted the council, but instead of cancelling the fine, it said he would have to follow the statutory complaints procedure. He was also warned that the fine would rise to £90 if it wasn't paid within 28 days, and that he could be taken to court if he failed to pay.

In this instance the newspapers contacted the council, which apologised and dropped the fine, but what can you do if you are a victim of a mistake and receive a fine like this.

What can you do?

Fortunately in most instances, the council will send photographic evidence of the vehicle in the bus lane, so if it isn't your vehicle, you can appeal it on those grounds.

You'll get a Notice of Appeal in the same envelope as details of the offence, so you'll just need to fill it in and send it to the adjudicator listed on the letter. You have 28 days to get this in, but the sooner you do it, the better.

Even if there is no photograph, if you are sure it wasn't your vehicle, you can follow the same process and ask for evidence of the infringement. It will be up to the council to prove that it was your car.

Crazy bus lane fines

It's annoying and frustrating, but it could be worse. There are plenty of people who have received even more crazy bus lane fines.

In May, a Bristol driver was fined for pulling over to let two fire engines past. He appealed against the fine on the basis of the video the council had sent as proof of the infringement - which showed the fire engines scream past shortly afterwards. The council refunded the money and apologised.

Then there was the artist in Kilkenny who was arrested last month over a bus lane fine he had paid three years earlier. Apparently he had sent a cheque for €20 more than the fine, so the court service refused to cash the cheque. The money was considered outstanding, so he was hauled off to prison to pay the fine again.

Finally was the motorcyclist who racked up an astonishing £1,680 in fines in four days in 2010 - all of which were enforceable. He didn't realise that motorcyclists were only allowed in some London bus lanes, and received 14 penalties of £120 each. Some were issued a minute apart.

Recent Test Passes

Pictured here are left to right: Richard Wilson, Philip Gold, Philip and Anna Woods with daughter Sofia, IAM Examiner Terry Friday, Caryl Dunn and Alastair Goodale. 

Chairman Linda Davies presented their certificates at the September Sunday Run meeting. Terry Friday said he was always particularly happy to see certificates going to couples when they had both achieved the required standard at the same time. He said Anna's achievement was particularly impressive as she has only been driving in this country for 18 months. Caryl Dunn said she would urge associates to ask for extra help if they felt they needed it. "I would like to thank everyone who has given up so much time to help me pass," she added.

Congratulations to all the above who have recently passed their advanced driving tests. 

If you wish to take up the challenge of becoming an Advanced Driver, please contact us through our website.  

Motorists driving with 30+ penalty points

A number of motorists who have accumulated over 30 penalty points on their licences have not been banned, according to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

Under current rules, drivers who amass 12 points in a three-year period can expect a fixed-term driving ban.

However, DVLA figures show that this is not always happening, with one woman from Isleworth accumulating 42 points on her licence – all for failing to disclose a driver's identity – without any further action being taken.

Magistrates can take leniency and choose not to enforce a ban in exceptional cases.

A Warrington man has the second highest points accumulation (36 endorsements) after being caught driving with no insurance six times in under two weeks in February last year.

The IAM also highlighted a number of other problem drivers, including a man from Blackburn who escaped a ban despite having 29 points after being caught speeding eight times in a month.

IAM chief executive Simon Best said: "DVLA and the courts service are upgrading their computer systems to ensure that offence information is shared more efficiently, but this is not due to be in place until October," reported the BBC.

"When drivers with 10 speeding offences are getting away with holding a licence, these improvements cannot come quickly enough.

"Drivers must expect that 12 points means a ban or the whole system falls into disrepute."

A spokesman for HM Courts Service, defended the current system, saying: "The vast majority of drivers who get 12 or more penalty points are fined and disqualified from driving.

"Magistrates can use their discretion to not enforce a driving ban if doing so would cause exceptional hardship, such as losing a job or the ability to care for a dependant. A fine will still be enforced.

"Only a very small number of cases are affected by the data-sharing issue and we are working closely with DVLA to improve this."

Top 5 Congestion Charge-busting new cars

As of July 1, the threshold for London's Congestion Charge exemption dropped from its previous emissions level of 99g/km to 75g/km.

It'll mean several hybrid cars are no longer eligible to drive into the centre of the city without having to pay – but worry not, because there are still plenty of options out there that'll get you a free ticket into the centre of the big smoke.

Below are five eco warriors that emit nothing but the faintest wisps, and in doing so, will save you a packet on your commute into the capital.

 

1. Volvo V60 D6 AWD

You might have to give up your 4x4 to be exempt from the new congestion charge, but you don't have to give up its practicality, image, or all-weather ability. The V60 D6 looks good, has an affluent appeal, and boasts plenty of space and a welcoming interior to boot. Drive goes to all four wheels, giving excellent traction in rain or shine, and it's no slouch, either, hitting 62mph in 6.2 seconds. All the more impressive, then, that it emits just 48g/km.

2. Vauxhall Ampera / Chevrolet Volt

These twins are identical in all but name and badge. They're small enough to be handy in town, but large enough to offer plenty of space for two kids and all their clutter, making them ideal for many young families. They're exceptionally cheap to run, too, as the plug-in hybrid drivetrain allows them to offer a staggering 235mpg. Emissions, meanwhile, are all the way down at an exceptionally C-charge-friendly 27g/km.

3. Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Electric city cars have come a long way since the dark days of the G-Wiz – take a look at the Mitsubishi i-MIEV for proof. If you need something small, nimble and easy to park in town, it's the ideal candidate, with five doors, four seats and a decent boot. What's more, as it's all-electric, it doesn't emit a thing, making it exempt from any congestion charging, for now and the foreseeable future too.

4. Nissan Leaf

The Leaf proves that it's now possible to get hold of a zero-emission electric car that's big enough for the whole family. Like the i-MiEV, it's all-electric, so running costs are about as cheap as it gets. And with a range of 123 miles, it's even got enough capacity to get you to the seaside and back at the weekend.

5. Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid

Reckon you need to trade up your luxury saloon to stay within the congestion charge's exemption limits? Think again. Porsche's new Panamera S E-Hybrid manages to kick out just 71g/km, landing it just within the free zone. That means you can enjoy its 410bhp wallop and 5.5-second 0-62 time, not to mention its top-of-the-range trimmings and premium build quality, and still avoid paying a penny when you enter Central London