Less than 4,000 signatures needed for Fuel Petition

Posted on 28 September, 2011 by Steve

In our last post we talked about the Fuel prices and what you can do to help. Fair Fuel UK launched a campaign to get the issue of fuel tax discussed at parliament level.

The amount of Fuel Tax or Fuel Duty charged is a growing concern in today’s economy and if Fair Fuel UK get 100,000 people to sign an e-petition online, then the issue can be taken to parliament and discussed further there. If you wish to sign the E-petition, click on this link.

Just last week, they needed 9,000 and since then only need 4,000 so they’re nearly there. if you really want to see fuel prices drop then this is the chance to make a difference. The campaign manager Peter Carroll has stated: “There are rumours that the government is trying to identify ways of stimulating the economy without compromising its deficit reduction strategy. One answer is to cut fuel duty. Recent figures released by the Treasury have shown that fuel duty is so high that the Treasury has actually collected less money from it, as people and businesses have just not been able to afford it. Therefore, a fuel duty cut could actually increase tax revenues, increase growth and lower inflation. ”

The current number of signatures on the petition is 96,325. 3,675 signatures to go!

Ford dominate new car sales in August

Posted on 12 September, 2011 by Steve

Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last month saw new car sales rocket for car manufacturer Ford. Topping the charts was the Ford Fiesta with over 3,

200 sales and the Ford Focus following closely behind in third with over 2,800 sales. Second on the list creeping up on the Fiesta was the Vauxhall Corsa. Overall there was reported nearly 60,000 new cars sold which is a rise of over 7% compared to the month before. The new 61 registration plate is introduced in September so I’m sure sales will be high this month with buyers aiming to get their hands on those new reg plates.

If you buy and sell cars for a living then you will require motor trade insurance. You can get motor trade cover from Broadsure Direct. Go online or call to get a quotation from our specialist team.

Further warnings for Haulage Companies

Posted on 2 September, 2011 by Steve

On the 17th August we talked about truck drivers and the CPC requirements for training that would be needed by 2014. We felt it necessary to expand on this further not only for our customers but also for haulage companies which don’t know the details.

Image: chrisroll / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Like we mentioned in our previous article in 2009 the government introduced the requirement for CPC training which by 2014 all truck drivers must have received. Each driver must have received 35 hours training in the 5 year period which is going to affect some small businesses. The reason for this would be because small businesses used their factory workers or a spare driver to cover when the drivers are on annual leave so in a few years time when the deadline approaches, the businesses will either need to provide the training to the spare drivers or they won’t be allowed the use them in future.

It is expected that before 2014 when the deadline reaches, as much as 30% of HGV and truck drivers could be unqualified which will add up to a lot of training hours required throughout that year. If you run a fleet of vans, trucks and cars and do not know about CPC training requirements then you need to act upon this fast. Read our original article on Truck CPC training by clicking the link. Alternatively, if you run a small or large fleet of vehicles and require fleet insurance then visit our website to get a fleet insurance quote.

solar panel charging stations in car parks?

Posted on 26 August, 2011 by Steve

This year the number and variety of electric cars being produced has gone up significantly, which begs the question how are the cars going to be kept charged?

Image: Pixomar / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

There is the possibility of including charging points into the petrol stations, however there are talks of a new solar panel technology being used to charge the cars.

The idea is that the solar panels will be fitted in the car parks of companies, supermarkets, even large public car parks which will charge the cars whilst the owner can go about their duties. These solar panels could be fitted into a curved shape which acts as a canopy over the car parking space. The amount of energy that could be harnessed through these panels would charge a car for thousands of miles over the course of a year. As well as using the solar panel technology, charging points could be included into each space so the car can just be plugged in whilst the owner leaves the car to be charged.

The idea of including these in company car parks could be an attraction to consumers. With the potential of more sales of vehicles being done online in the next few years, solar technology could end up bringing people out of their homes and down to the dealerships to view the cars if everywhere the vehicle owner goes, they can keep their car ‘charged up’. If you have bought a car recently and require a car insurance quote then you can get a quote from Broadsure Direct.

Do you buy and sell cars? Are you a Motor Trader? If you require a motor trade insurance quote for your business, visit Broadsure Direct for a quotation.

local authorities forced to share speed camera info

Posted on 25 August, 2011 by Steve

Image: Dundee Photographics / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Local authorities were given till 20th July to publish their speed camera information. This included, locations, accidents and casualty rates and the speeds before and after the speed cameras were implemented. So far just over half of local authorities have provided this information with the rest planning on having this information ready in the next few weeks. The local Police forces also have to provide information such as the amount of prosecutions and the number of people having gone on a speed awareness course as a result of being caught.

With the information published, local residents can find out how effective the cameras are and whether they are actually reducing accident rates. In some areas, removing the speed cameras could cost up to £400,000. To remove the cameras, fixings and signs from roughly 20 different locations can cost around £25,000 alone. Speed cameras cost British motorists millions of pounds a year, not only with the fines involved but also the rise in car insurance premiums each year.

If you are looking for a car insurance or buy and sell cars and require a motor trade quote, fill out our motor trade insurance quote form online.

Electric cars move closer to release date

Posted on 18 June, 2010 by Steve

The company Think City who have developed the electric car that can run for 100 miles on one single charge has got the go ahead to start selling the new vehicle in Switzerland. European production has already begun and there are even talks with Asian manufacturers to push the car out there, this could be a big boost to the vehicles popularity as countries such as China are now becoming the country with the most vehicles on the road.

The same is happening with the USA so expect the Think City car to be hitting UK soil very soon, useful for big cities but I wonder about the cars appeal to smaller towns and villages, especially here in the UK.

Parents aware of illegal fronting

Posted on 17 June, 2010 by Steve

In our last post, we talked about the idea of “fronting” and younger drivers being a named driver on their insurance policy and their parent as the main driver, even though the younger driver is in fact the main driver of the vehicle. This of course is illegal and according to research carried out recently, 40% of parents involved in fronting incidents, know that it is illegal. More shockingly though is that 60% of parents would do the action again.

It is possible to get cheaper insurance for young drivers but it will naturally be higher at first but as the years of no claims build, their insurance premium will get lower. The worst case scenario for being caught fronting is prosecution and fraud.

Need insurance or a motor trader? Get motor trade insurance from Broadsure Direct.

Young drivers beware!

Posted on 14 June, 2010 by Steve

It’s a way of maintaining a good rate on motor insurance but it’s been recently flagged in the media, we’re talking about having a parent listed as a main driver of your car when in fact they aren’t and could result in bad consequences.

Its a risk to take and theres no problem listing a parent as a main driver if this is actually true, but if you are caught out. Insurers could refuse to pay the bill and if there is an injury to the party involved then the costs involved could be thousands. Because it has been brought to the media’s attention, its a chance for parents to realise that the practice is in fact illegal and stop immediately. All the insurers need to do is ask neighbours who drives the car on a regular basis and this could be enough of a reason to not pay out the insurance costs.

Will 20% of car sales be online only in the next few years?

Posted on 7 June, 2010 by Steve

The Internet is said to be bringing new changes every day with more and more people using the web for purchasing goods online. Nowadays, the trust in buying goods online is always increasing and its said that in the next 3-5 years, people will have the confidence to buy cars online.

Obviously there will have to be a lot of information on the car held on the website for people to fully trust the seller. This could include reviews, best prices, videos of the vehicle, pictures and insurance information. The only reason people will not buy online is because they haven’t test driven the vehicle. In my personal opinion, I believe the only thing holding back car sales online is the lack of the option to test drive the vehicle, at which point the buyer could then speak face to face with an advisor and then decide on purchasing the vehicle. Even though the Internet is making purchasing goods a easier, straight forward process, I don’t believe it will account for any more than 20% of sales.

If you buy and sell cars and need motor trade insurance then you can visit our website for a motor trade quote.

Hyundai Scoop massive fleet deal worth £7m

Posted on 2 June, 2010 by Steve

The new i30 from Hyundai is already proving a very popular car with its excellent reliability and fuel consumption. It won the award for the UKs most reliable car beating Jaguar who was the previous winner. Because of this, the driving school Bill Plant has decided to take on 600 i30 vehicles to build on their already large amount of i20 fleet cars. The deal is estimated at £7 million at show room prices and the excellent fuel consumption from the i30 seemed to be its major selling point to the driving school. The cars are set to start being delivered in the next month. If you have a fleet of vehicles then you can get a quote for fleet insurance from Broadsure Direct. Visit our fleet insurance page for more information.

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