RAC calls on Government to address 11 key issues affecting drivers

With his cabinet now in place the RAC believes there are many important motoring issues the Government needs to address.

Government position:

While local road maintenance is the responsibility of local authorities, successive Governments have announced additional funding through various Treasury funds, including the pothole fund.

But none have got to grips with the problem, with RAC data showing drivers are still more likely to break down from hitting a pothole today than they were 15 years ago.

RAC position:

• The condition and maintenance of local roads has consistently been the top issue for drivers in recent years of survey work conducted for the annual RAC Report on Motoring
• The RAC believes the Government should ringfence a small proportion of existing fuel duty revenues over a five-year period to ensure that local authorities have additional funding to plan road maintenance
• It is important from a road safety perspective to fill potholes, but it’s equally important that we focus on proper resurfacing which will prevent potholes from reappearing or developing in the first place
• To improve the longevity of our roads, local authorities should review what type of material they use for resurfacing

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Potholes not only cause expensive damage to vehicles, they are also a road safety menace for those on bicycles or motorcycles. With the backlog of repairs needed to bring the UK’s pothole-riddled roads running into billions, it’s clear we need to take a more strategic approach to them both at a local and at a UK Government level. We believe that councils need ringfenced money in the form of a small proportion of fuel duty receipts, over a five-year period, to enable them to bring our local roads up to a reasonable standard.”

Government position:

Fuel duty was reduced by 5p to 52.95p a litre in the Spring Statement to soften the impact of rising prices at the pumps. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is also conducting a review of retail fuel pricing.

RAC position:

• RAC research shows that the cost of fuel is the top concern for drivers in 2022
• Most drivers depend on their vehicles because of a lack of feasible or practical alternatives
• We believe the Treasury should consider a further temporary reduction in fuel duty
• Evidence also shows that major retailers – principally the four big supermarkets – have been slow to pass on falling wholesale costs
• We will continue to work with the Competition and Markets Authority as they conduct their inquiry into the fuel pricing market and encourage the Government to implement any recommendations which will help reduce prices at forecourts

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “So far, 2022 has been a bleak year for drivers with fuel prices breaking records on a daily basis earlier in the summer. While prices have fallen since then, they are still high by historical standards with many of the biggest petrol retailers not fairly reflecting the drop in wholesale fuel costs at the pumps. We urge the new Government to cut duty further to reduce pump prices for drivers and help slow inflation.”

Government position:

Reports in Spring 2022 suggested the Government might change the MOT test from every year to every two years as part of measures to ease the cost of living.

RAC position:

• The RAC strongly opposes any plan to change the current annual MOT test to every two years
• Evidence shows that up to third of vehicles fail their initial MOT test. If an MOT was not required every year there would undoubtedly be an increase in the number of unroadworthy vehicles on the roads
• The argument that it will reduce costs for drivers is flawed because it is highly likely to lead to drivers facing bigger garage bills for more serious repairs
• RAC research suggests many drivers oppose the plans

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Our research shows drivers are not in favour of changing the MOT from yearly to every two years. An MOT pass ensures peace of mind that a vehicle, at least at that point, is safe to drive. We would strongly urge the Government to ditch plans to change the MOT test to every two years, otherwise we could end up with an alarming number of dangerous vehicles on the road that will undermine road safety, result in more expensive repairs and very likely push up the cost of car insurance premiums.”

Government position:

Sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans must end in 2030, with hybrids following in 2035. In Spring 2022, the Government published its electric vehicle infrastructure strategy with a view to having 300,000 public chargers by 2030. New homes should be built with EV chargers, and new rapid public chargers must now take contactless payments.

RAC position:

• To ensure the Government meets its net-zero ambitions, it should focus on improving charging infrastructure and encouraging EV take-up
• We support the FairCharge campaign to reduce VAT on public chargepoints from 20% to 5%, bringing the rate in line with domestic electricity and believe the reduction will help stimulate demand. Drivers without off-street parking should not be penalised with higher tax rates
• We call on the Treasury to consider re-introducing a more targeted version of the ‘plug-in car grant’ to make zero tailpipe emission vehicles more affordable, giving drivers £1,500 off a new electric vehicle with a list price of under £30,000. This will encourage manufacturers to focus on producing more affordable models, thereby speeding up the mass switch to EVs
• The Department for Transport should focus on encouraging ultra-rapid chargepoint installation on key strategic routes, while also providing rapid charging hubs in populated areas to make charging an EV almost as simple as filling up with petrol or diesel
• The Department for Transport should ensure all public chargepoints (not just new, rapid ones) accept contactless payment, so they are easy to use and accessible for all drivers

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “With 2030 now clearly set as the date for the end of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, momentum in the switch to electric vehicles is building – a point demonstrated by the fact sales of new EVs remain robust despite the challenges faced by manufacturers due to the chip shortage. Although good finance leasing deals can help, it is the case that the price of many new EVs is still prohibitively high for a lot of people, with most drivers keen to see more financial help from the Government to bring costs down. Alongside this, it is vital charging infrastructure is simple, reliable and plentiful.”

Government position:

During the summer 2022 Conservative leadership campaign, Rishi Sunak said he would ban new smart motorways. Previous Transport Secretary Grant Shapps paused the roll-out of future ‘all lane running’ smart motorway schemes in January 2022 while more years of data could be analysed.

RAC position:

• We believe the Government should look at ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ smart motorways as a better alternative to ‘all lane running’. The latest RAC data shows there would be widespread support for this option
• We believe the Government should continue with its programme of smart motorways in the above configuration to future proof the network and convert existing ‘all lane running’ schemes to ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ ones

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “Research from the RAC suggests that smart motorways where the hard shoulder is permanently removed are deeply unpopular with widespread concerns about safety. However, we cannot simply scrap new projects without alternatives otherwise our motorway network risks becoming heavily congested in the years to come. The new Government should look at other smart motorway options such as ‘dynamic hard shoulder’ schemes where the hard shoulder is only opened to traffic for short periods at peak times. These types of motorways are already in use on some sections of the network and have a good safety record with many years of data behind them.”

Government position:

In summer 2022, the Government postponed its plans to publish an updated road safety statement. Alongside this, no decision has yet been taken (as of 28 October 2022) as to whether new driver assistance safety systems – such as intelligent speed assist and autonomous emergency braking – which are being mandated across the EU, will be required to be installed on new vehicles sold in the UK. Plans to rollout out technology to see if drivers are using handheld mobile phones on motorways were announced in summer 2022.

RAC position:

• RAC research shows there are serious concerns among motorists about standards of driving
• We would encourage the Government to publish its updated road safety plan in Autumn 2022
• We encourage the Secretary of State for Transport to trial the use of camera technology to detect drivers illegally using handheld mobile phones at the wheel with a view to rolling out across the country
• We urge the Government to mandate driver assistance technology in new cars – including intelligent speed assist (ISA), autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and other technology which can protect drivers, cyclists and pedestrians
• We call on the Secretary of State to carry out a review of the default national speed limit on single track rural roads or a wider review of limits on unclassified rural roads as many currently have limits which we believe are too high

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “By international standards, the UK’s roads are among the safest in the world. However, in recent years progress has stalled – collision and fatality numbers are no longer falling – which is why we are urging the Government to act to bring these figures down. We strongly urge the Government to look closely at ways to improve enforcement on our roads while also taking a more holistic approach by focusing on in-vehicle technology which can help prevent avoidable collisions.”

Government position:

In 2019 the Government introduced the Parking (Code of practice) Act  following a Bill being put forward by Sir Greg Knight MP. After publishing the new draft code, it was withdrawn in June 2022 pending a judicial review. A single appeals system and decisions on the parking charge notice cap are still to be finalised.

RAC position:

• Implement the parking code of practice (for parking on private land) as soon as possible
• Introduce a cap on parking charge notices (of £50 with a higher cap in London and for those using disabled bays when they should not) and ban debt recovery charges
• Implement a single appeals system for drivers and a scrutiny board to ensure the private parking sector adheres to the code

RAC head of road policy Nicholas Lyes said: “It has taken years to draw up a code of practice which will deliver a fairer and simpler system for drivers while at the same time cut down on the number of rogue parking operators. The Government must now stand up to those in the private parking sector seeking to resist change and implement the code, the cap and the single appeals system in one fell swoop.”

Government position:

The Government is aware there is still a significant backlog of people waiting to take practical tests. Additional tests and examiners have been promised to reduce the average waiting time from 14 weeks to nine.

RAC position:

• RAC research suggests waiting times for practical driving tests remain long, although we are aware the DVSA has changed its booking and scheduling procedures to try to improve the situation
• Data seen by the RAC also suggests waiting times for the DVLA to assess a driver’s medical status has also grown significantly since the start of the pandemic
• We urge the Government to do all it can to reduce the backlogs in both areas to ensure drivers who are ready to take their test can do so, and drivers who are fit to return to driving can do so

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: "Many people learning to drive are doing so in order to earn a living and yet are being held back by delays in taking their practical test. Additionally, we need to ensure the minority of people who have been stopped from driving for medical reason but after assessment have been deemed as fit to drive have their driving licences urgently re-issued."

Government position:

The EU Motor Vehicle Block Exemption regulations expire in 2023. The Competition and Market’s Authority (CMA) has recently submitted its recommendations to the Department for Business on replacing these regulations so consumers are not forced to have repairs carried out by branded main dealerships.

RAC position:

Focus must be on retaining the core elements of the current exemption but also on ensuring breakdown organisations and garages are able to access certain vehicle data and diagnostics ports to diagnose any fault, as well as being able source the right spare parts to fix faults

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “These regulations have kept the aftermarket competitive for many years to the benefit of drivers by allowing them to choose where they get their car repaired or serviced. As we approach the era of increased connectivity within vehicles, it’s vital this continues as it’s a lifeline for many smaller repairers and benefits consumers enormously.”

Government position:

In September 2022, bus fares are due to be capped, while train fares are set to rise in line with inflation. To encourage active travel, the Government also made changes to the Highway Code in early 2022 and published a cycling and walking strategy in summer 2022. In addition, private e-scooters could soon be legalised if the Government’s Transport Bill is enacted.

RAC position:

• RAC research suggests drivers remain extremely dependent on their vehicles, with eight in 10 saying they would struggle to get by without access to a car
• We believe drivers would like practical and cost-effective alternatives for both shorter journeys and longer journeys. However, the provision of safe cycling spaces is poor outside of London and in addition bus routes have been cut. Drivers tell us that trains are not practical, too expensive and too infrequent
• The RAC encourages local authorities to find ways to improve cycling infrastructure on local roads which help promote active travel for shorter journeys including the creation of segregated cycle lanes which do not impede the flow of traffic. Authorities should also promote park and ride schemes and park and cycle schemes around urban areas. Financial support from central Government is crucial for high-quality infrastructure.  
• Up to a fifth of drivers would consider private e-scooters for shorter journeys if they were legalised. However, we believe legalisation must come with minimum build standards for devices, including speed limiters, reflectors and lights, while riders should be required to have insurance, a driving licence and be of a minimum age. E-scooters should not be allowed to be ridden on pavements. Police should be given the resources they need to enforce this effectively

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes: “The new Transport Secretary takes up his position at a time of both high driving costs and real technological change. Therefore, it would be pragmatic to look at how we might provide cost-conscious drivers with alternatives to short car journeys that are both efficient for their wallets and the environment. However, legalising private e-scooter use must be done carefully to ensure the safety of all road users, particularly the riders themselves and pedestrians.”

Government position:

With fuel duty revenues set to decline as more zero-tailpipe emission vehicles come on to our roads, the Government has yet to publish a formal position on a replacement system.

RAC position:

• We urge the Government to start the process by setting up a ‘fuel duty replacement taskforce’ as soon as possible to avoid a future taxation shortfall
• RAC research shows drivers broadly agree with the principle of ‘the more you drive, the more you should pay’

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “There is an air of inevitability that fuel duty receipts will begin to decline significantly as drivers switch en masse to electric vehicles. If the Government wants to ensure it has a simple and fair taxation system in place for this, the planning needs to start as soon as possible.”