Latest news with #MartinSmith
Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Cars are so big one in six drivers with garages CAN'T park in them
Modern cars have grown in scale so much that drivers are struggling to park their motors at home, This is Money reveals. New research from Aviva has discovered that one in six garage owners can't use it for shelter for their vehicles because they simply won't fit inside. The insurer estimates that the dimensions of today models are 22 per cent larger than they were 20 years ago - something that's led to a third of drivers saying they would be discouraged from buying a larger vehicle in the future. A garage is usually seen as a luxury to have but, although more than a third of UK drivers have access to one, 42 per cent are choosing to park on their driveway instead. For more than a fifth of drivers, the logic behind this counter-intuitive behaviour is that their garage is difficult to park in, with 16 per cent believing that their car is too big squeeze inside. As a result, Aviva's research of 1,344 motorists aged 17 and over found that two thirds of garage owners use the space primarily for storage instead. Martin Smith, Motor Claims Manager at Aviva, said: 'It's interesting to see that garage owners are favouring other locations for parking their car, which could in part be explained by the gradual increase in car size over the years.' As cars continue to swell in size, drivers are finding it increasingly taxing to park in general – whether that's on the road, in a car park, or on a driveway. Supporting the view that bigger cars may be more difficult to park, two in five drivers responding to the poll said they have misjudged the distance to an obstacle, and a quarter thought the area they were trying to squeeze into was too small. One in 10 said that they were still adjusting to their new car and its size. But it's not just cars getting bigger that are causing parking issues. The research suggests that drivers are struggling to park more generally, with a third attributing this to a lack of confidence. Three in ten also complained of feeling pressured by other drivers and more than a fifth claimed past parking mishaps have impacted their ability. Drivers now have access to a wealth of parking technology, with most showroom models sold with parking sensors, reversing cameras, 360 bird's-eye-view screens and even self-parking systems. However, this growing dependence on technology has left one in six have struggling to park without any of these aids. Transport & Environment says the wider cars are not only unable to park in on-street bays, they are leaving less room for other road users What are you most likely to hit when parking? Many drivers polled also admitted to coming a cropper when trying to park. The research found that people are most likely to drive into a wall (16 per cent), a bollard or lamp post (both 11 per cent), a parked vehicle (10 per cent), a fence or bush/plants (both nine per cent) and a garage (eight per cent). In almost half of the cases the damage was cosmetic, with dinged bumpers (39 per cent), cracked headlights (17 per cent) and dented wing mirrors (15 per cent) most common. WHERE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PLACE TO PARK? Area or manoeuvre % of drivers who find parking difficult in this place Anywhere I have to parallel park 20% A car park they are not familiar with 19% A multi-story car park 19% On-street parking 12% Anywhere I have to bay park 15% A car park/ driveway 7% each In a garage 6% 8% of claims in 2024 were for bumps and scrapes but Aviva found that more than a third of drivers didn't report this to anyone Despite bumps and scrapes accounting for eight per cent of all claims in 2024, Aviva found that more than a third of drivers didn't report this to anyone – a condition under most insurance policies and in some instances, a legal requirement. Smith says: 'Many of us will unfortunately experience bumps or scrapes on our cars in our lifetime. 'If this happens, it's important to let your insurer know. 'Failing to do so could result in you being unable to make a claim, as this is often a condition in most insurance policies. 'In some instances, you may also need to let the police know about your collision under the Road Traffic Act.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Residents told to plan for six-week road closure
Residents and motorists are advised to check before they travel ahead of a full road closure lasting six weeks. The B3108 Lower Stoke in Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire, will be closed from 06:00 BST on Monday for Network Rail to carry out essential repairs to the railway bridge over the road. The work is due to be completed by 18:00 on 31 August. Wiltshire Council said diversions would be in place and pedestrian access under the bridge would continue, but overnight closures might be introduced. Councillor Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways, said: "We understand this closure will cause disruption, but these works are vital for public safety and the continued operation of the railway." The council will monitor the impact the closure has on traffic, particularly in the surrounding villages. The authority will take "appropriate action" to mitigate any major issues, Mr Smith added. More news stories for Wiltshire Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire The closure will also affect the D1 FirstBus service. Throughout the works, the service will take a more direct route between Bradford on Avon and Bath via Sally-in-the-Woods. A free shuttle bus, operated by Beeline, will transport passengers travelling to and from Bradford on Avon. It will run between the town and Winsley Village during daytime hours from Monday to Sunday. Passengers travelling to Bath from Winsley can take the shuttle to Bradford on Avon before changing to the D1 or D1x at Christ Church. Those heading to Trowbridge can change at the Bradford on Avon Town Bridge. The D1 will continue to serve Winsley village and Winsley Road during the evening from 18:05 and all day on Sundays and public holidays. However, the diversion route will take longer, so passengers are warned there may be some delays to their journey. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Residents told to plan for six-week road closure
Residents and motorists are advised to check before they travel ahead of a full road closure lasting six weeks. The B3108 Lower Stoke in Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire, will be closed from 06:00 BST on Monday for Network Rail to carry out essential repairs to the railway bridge over the road. The work is due to be completed by 18:00 on 31 August. Wiltshire Council said diversions would be in place and pedestrian access under the bridge would continue, but overnight closures might be introduced. Councillor Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways, said: "We understand this closure will cause disruption, but these works are vital for public safety and the continued operation of the railway." The council will monitor the impact the closure has on traffic, particularly in the surrounding villages. The authority will take "appropriate action" to mitigate any major issues, Mr Smith added. More news stories for Wiltshire Listen to the latest news for Wiltshire The closure will also affect the D1 FirstBus service. Throughout the works, the service will take a more direct route between Bradford on Avon and Bath via Sally-in-the-Woods. A free shuttle bus, operated by Beeline, will transport passengers travelling to and from Bradford on Avon. It will run between the town and Winsley Village during daytime hours from Monday to Sunday. Passengers travelling to Bath from Winsley can take the shuttle to Bradford on Avon before changing to the D1 or D1x at Christ Church. Those heading to Trowbridge can change at the Bradford on Avon Town Bridge. The D1 will continue to serve Winsley village and Winsley Road during the evening from 18:05 and all day on Sundays and public holidays. However, the diversion route will take longer, so passengers are warned there may be some delays to their journey. Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Limpley Stoke residents urged to plan ahead of full road closure
Residents and motorists are advised to check before they travel ahead of a full road closure lasting six B3108 Lower Stoke in Limpley Stoke, Wiltshire, will be closed from 06:00 BST on Monday for Network Rail to carry out essential repairs to the railway bridge over the road. The work is due to be completed by 18:00 on 31 August. Wiltshire Council said diversions would be in place and pedestrian access under the bridge would continue, but overnight closures might be Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways, said: "We understand this closure will cause disruption, but these works are vital for public safety and the continued operation of the railway." The council will monitor the impact the closure has on traffic, particularly in the surrounding villages. The authority will take "appropriate action" to mitigate any major issues, Mr Smith added. The closure will also affect the D1 FirstBus the works, the service will take a more direct route between Bradford on Avon and Bath via Sally-in-the-Woods. A free shuttle bus, operated by Beeline, will transport passengers travelling to and from Bradford on will run between the town and Winsley Village during daytime hours from Monday to Sunday. Passengers travelling to Bath from Winsley can take the shuttle to Bradford on Avon before changing to the D1 or D1x at Christ heading to Trowbridge can change at the Bradford on Avon Town Bridge. The D1 will continue to serve Winsley village and Winsley Road during the evening from 18:05 and all day on Sundays and public holidays. However, the diversion route will take longer, so passengers are warned there may be some delays to their journey.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Motorists warned of Westbury A-road closure for gas upgrade
A major A-road in Wiltshire will be shut for more than five weeks to allow for gas infrastructure to be Council warned motorists the A350 from Haynes Road/West End to Market Place in Westbury will see a full road closure from Monday 21 July to Friday 29 work to upgrade gas pipes is being carried out by Wales and West Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways, acknowledged the difficulties caused by the disruption, but said the work was "vital to ensure the long-term safety and reliability of the gas network in Westbury." "We've worked closely with Wales & West Utilities to minimise the impact as much as we can and maintain access for both residents and Market Place shoppers, and I'd like to thank residents and businesses for their patience and cooperation during this essential work", Smith to the Market Place shopping area will be maintained during the works, but HGV access beyond The Mead and Bitham Park from the north will be restricted to deliveries only. A 7.5-tonne weight limit will also be in place on both The Mead and Bitham Park to prevent HGVs from using these are being told to use the official diversion route, via the A361 through Southwick and Beckington, followed by the A36 to Upton Scudamore.
