March

Keep up-to-date with relevant news

• 30/03/2012 Fungus 'could end knotweed problems' The Government is hopeful that a plant-attacking fungus will be able to stop the spread of Japanese Knotweed.
• 30/03/2012 71% of drivers ignorant of speed limits More than seven in 10 British motorists cannot name the speed limit on a motorway, rural road, single or dual carriageway or a road in a built up area.
• 30/03/2012 Snow threatens after spring sunshine Certain areas of the UK could face snow next week - less than seven days after basking in unseasonably warm weather.
• 30/03/2012 Petrol panic still causing chaos Drivers were still in a petrol panic on Thursday, causing chaos at several garages.
• 30/03/2012 GMB warning over Stansted strikes The GMB union has announced that Stansted Airport baggage handlers are planning to strike over Easter as part of a row over pay.
• 29/03/2012 Nearly half use phone behind wheel We have all seen motorists chatting away while driving their car or sitting at traffic lights. But now it's official: nearly half of drivers talk on the phone while at the wheel.
• 29/03/2012 Lava lamp experiment causes explosion An ill-fated attempt to create home-made lava lamp caused an explosion and a fire, leaving two people with minor burns to their hands.
• 29/03/2012 DIY work 'adds less value to homes' The cash value added to a house by carrying out DIY work has dropped to £9,240 this year, a decrease of 14% compared with 2011, according to HSBC's annual Home Improvement Survey.
• 29/03/2012 Commuting characters vary across UK Commuting can be long and tedious but it seems us Britons take it in our stride, with 56% regularly smiling at strangers on the way to work and nearly 44% striking up a conversation with fellow passengers.
• 29/03/2012 Maude's petrol advice criticised Petrol station operators have criticised the Government's handling of the fuel tanker drivers' dispute after a minister suggested motorists should stockpile cans of petrol at home.
• 28/03/2012 Holidaymakers 'prefer the West' Western destinations such as the United States, Mexico and the West Indies are currently more popular with holidaymakers than those in Africa or other eastern locations, new figures have shown.
• 28/03/2012 Drivers urged to be more economical The Debt Advisory Line has issued some timely money saving tips for drivers after it was confirmed that petrol prices will rise again later this year.
• 28/03/2012 BMW recalls 109,000 cars in the UK More than 100,000 BMW cars have been recalled due to a battery fault.
• 28/03/2012 Speeding ticket website ad banned The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an advert for a website that claims to help drivers avoid speeding tickets.
• 28/03/2012 Moscow has highest hotel room rates New figures by hotel.info have shown that Moscow had higher hotel room rates than any other European capital in February.
• 27/03/2012 Baggage handlers could go on strike Baggage handlers at Stansted Airport could launch a campaign of industrial action, including strikes over the Easter weekend, it has been announced.
• 27/03/2012 Children inspiring parents to take gap years Parents are following in the (carbon) footprints of their children by jetting off to their gap year spots.
• 27/03/2012 Fuel tank drivers vote for strikes Fuel tank drivers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in a dispute over terms and conditions and safety standards.
• 27/03/2012 Homes near best schools cost £91,000 more You may not be able to put a price on a good education but it seems you can put a price on houses in the catchment areas of good schools, which demand a premium of £91,000.
• 27/03/2012 Reserved seating for easyJet flyers The days of boarding an easyJet flight and being unable to sit with your family or friends could soon be over, as passengers on certain flights will be allocated seats.
• 26/03/2012 Fewer high-end properties sold Chancellor George Osborne is likely to come under fire if the property market continues to be depressed in the wake of his third Budget.
• 26/03/2012 Mortgage approvals fall in February Fewer mortgages were approved for house purchases last month, research shows, as interest among first-time buyers reduced.
• 26/03/2012 Man flees after keeping pet pig There are many things that lead to home insurance claims - with some more peculiar than others.
• 26/03/2012 ABTA expecting Euro festival migration Summer is approaching and attentions are fast turning to the music festival circuit, although for many Britons the usual pilgrimage is off the cards this time around.
• 26/03/2012 Cable reveals fuel price concerns With fuel prices on the rise, the business secretary has admitted that the Government has considered the release of state-held oil stockpiles.
• 23/03/2012 Department 'lost 17 laptops' last year Technology totalling about £5,577 was lost or stolen from the Department For International Development (DFID) over the past year, according to government figures.
• 23/03/2012 Charity encourages road safety day Bosses are being urged to organise a Bright Day among staff to encourage motorists not to travel as fast and help establish safer driving.
• 23/03/2012 Ryanair loses ash cloud cost ruling Ryanair has lost the latest round of a legal battle over costs related to the 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland, which caused flights to be delayed and cancelled across Europe.
• 23/03/2012 Brits ' forego food for their pets' One in four Britons will go without a meal in the evening if it means they can keep their family pet, a study found.
• 23/03/2012 Brits favouring healthy holidays More people than ever are choosing health and fitness holidays over lounging by the beach and the pool on more traditional getaways, according to a new travel survey.
• 22/03/2012 Mondeo 'covers greatest distance' The vehicle that covers the greatest distance on the UK's roads is the Ford Mondeo, a new survey has found.
• 22/03/2012 Motor fuel prices raised in Budget The price of petrol and diesel will continue to increase in line with inflation, the Chancellor has announced in his latest Budget.
• 22/03/2012 Rising costs 'threaten economy' Any economic recovery is significantly threatened by increasingly expensive mortgages and the volatile price of oil, according to the Bank of England.
• 22/03/2012 Air tax rises 'will not be scrapped' George Osborne has revealed air tax rises will not be scrapped, meaning air travellers have received a double blow thanks to the Budget.
• 22/03/2012 Ibuprofen treats altitude sickness Holidaymakers travelling to high altitudes have been advised to pack ibuprofen after a study found that the drug can help treat altitude sickness.
• 21/03/2012 Mexico rocked by 7.4 earthquake Southern Mexico has been hit by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake.
• 21/03/2012 Devices vanish from Justice department More than 50 BlackBerry smartphones and 40 computers vanished from the Ministry of Justice over a nine month period in 2011, the Government said.
• 21/03/2012 Mortgage lending increases by 14% New figures have shown that mortgage lending rose by 14% in February compared with the same month last year.
• 21/03/2012 Kutcher becomes 500th space tourist Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher has become the 500th space tourist who will fly to the edge of the Earth with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic airline.
• 21/03/2012 Fuel prices 'near tipping point' Queues in petrol station forecourts have become a regular sight on the eve of the Chancellor's Budget statement - and spiralling fuel prices are likely to affect the pattern of many motorists' lives, according to research.
• 20/03/2012 Reading pets 'most accident prone' Direct Line pet insurance said it received more road accident claims from pet owners in Reading than from any other city last year.
• 20/03/2012 Ease security for Games, say air bosses Airline chiefs have demanded the Government takes action to prevent "severe delay and disruption" at airports during the Olympics.
• 20/03/2012 Asking prices 'up 4.9% in quarter' House sellers across England and Wales have raised their asking price by an average 4.9% since the new year, a survey suggests.
• 20/03/2012 Britons 'to increase holiday spend' A new poll has claimed that Britons are set to increase their holiday spending by more than £300 this year.
• 20/03/2012 Talks on 80mph motorway pilots The Government is to begin talks with motoring groups in the next few weeks over plans that could see a trial of 80mph motorway speed limits taking place as early as 2013.
• 19/03/2012 Flights punctuality improves - CAA Punctuality at leading UK airports improved in the last quarter of 2011 thanks to relatively mild weather.
• 19/03/2012 Motorway hard shoulders to be used The Highways Agency has announced that hard shoulders will be used as an extra lane on six of Britain's motorways.
• 19/03/2012 Renters offered credit rating help A major credit reference agency has announced plans to include the payment histories of renters on their credit records.
• 19/03/2012 Cameron's bid to privatise roads The Prime Minister is to announce proposals to privatise Britain's major roads and motorways.
• 19/03/2012 Jail term for wrong-way motorway driver A lorry driver has been handed a jail term after he was caught heading towards oncoming motorway traffic while over the drink-driving limit.
• 16/03/2012 Car production rises in February February saw a 23.5% rise in car production compared with the previous year, according the recent figures.
• 16/03/2012 Rents fall amid stamp duty break Rents have been pushed down as the housing market enjoys a surge in activity among first-time buyers, new figures suggest.
• 16/03/2012 Dog owners warned over sheep deaths Dog owners have been urged to keep their animals on a lead in one of the UK's most popular beauty spots.
• 16/03/2012 HPI warns of car clocking risk Vehicle history expert HPI has said the number of used cars it checks that show a mileage discrepancy has risen by more than 10% since 2007.
• 16/03/2012 Oil reserves 'could be released' Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama have discussed the possibility of releasing strategic oil reserves to bring down the cost of fuel for motorists.
• 15/03/2012 Women 'make more parking errors' Women are more likely to fail their driving test because of mistakes while parking, new figures suggest.
• 15/03/2012 2.5 million to jet abroad in Jubilee weekend The Queen's Diamond Jubilee weekend will see many Britons taking advantage of the break by throwing a party or jetting off abroad, a study has suggested.
• 15/03/2012 World's 'ugliest dog' Yoda dies The world's ugliest dog, who was named after another unfortunate looking character, has died.
• 15/03/2012 Queen's vehicles at car festival This year's Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place from June 28 to July 1, will mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee by presenting a range of rare vehicles from around the world that the Queen personally owned or used.
• 15/03/2012 Councils 'filled in 1.7m potholes' A new report has found that councils in England and Wales filled in 1.7 million potholes in 2011, but are still lagging behind in road repairs.
• 14/03/2012 Fathers help on self catering breaks: study Family holidays now allow mothers the chance to put their feet up - even when going self-catering.
• 14/03/2012 Hotel room rates increase by 4% Global room rates increased by 4% last year, but a hotel guru insists hotels still represent "outstanding value" for cash-conscious holidaymakers.
• 14/03/2012 House prices fall in February, study Research has shown that although house prices fell last month it was at the slowest pace in a year-and-a-half.
• 14/03/2012 New Order to hit Balaeric Islands Over 20 years ago a Mancunian band, formed in the wake of Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis's death, embarked on a trip to Ibiza that changed music history.
• 14/03/2012 Crime charity embraces smartphones Crimestoppers has capitalised on the public's preference for passing on information via the internet.
• 13/03/2012 Business drivers more at risk of accidents A new study has highlighted the risks business drivers deal with in order to fulfil ambitious company targets.
• 13/03/2012 Warning over roads budget cuts Reductions in the road maintenance budget will be an increasing of a burden on taxpayers in the long term and drivers will pay more for repairs as essential works are not carried out on roads, MPs have discovered.
• 13/03/2012 Bendtner cleared over car damage Sunderland footballer Nicklas Bendtner has been cleared over damage caused to cars near Newcastle United's ground.
• 13/03/2012 Arab Spring hits Egypt holiday numbers Fewer Britons holidayed on River Nile cruises in 2011 due to the political unrest that ravaged the country last year.
• 13/03/2012 Council tenant DIY scheme 'unworkable' Plans to pay council tenants for routine DIY will cost tax payers more money, when the cost of correcting botched handy work is factored in.
• 12/03/2012 Gap in garage servicing complaints Motorists in south-east England made significantly more calls to a special motor industry garage advice line last year than those in any other region.
• 12/03/2012 Scheme to help boost housing market Thousands of people struggling to get on to or move along the property ladder are to be given a helping hand thanks to a new scheme.
• 12/03/2012 How to combat motorway fatigue Motorway fatigue affects many drivers, and this month - known as motorway March - IAM Drive and Survive is offering tips on how to combat the problem.
• 12/03/2012 Estate Agents' honesty wins viewings It's an estate agent's job to be upbeat about the properties on their books, and try to put a good spin on their shortfalls. But one agent decided to be refreshingly honest about a "shabby" house - a move which has seen potential buyers flock to view it.
• 12/03/2012 Passengers getting luggage back Passengers who departed a UK airport without their bags are to get them back by Monday, it has been revealed.
• 09/03/2012 Tyre pressure 'can cut fuel costs' Motorists can save money on fuel by making sure that their car's tyres are correctly inflated, experts have said.
• 09/03/2012 Prince Harry on Brazil leg of tour Swinging his hips to samba will be one of the activities on Prince Harry's programme when he arrives in Brazil as part of his campaign to promote Britain.
• 09/03/2012 Smoking cuts auction value of cars Motorists are being urged to give up smoking for the good of their car as well as their health.
• 09/03/2012 Driving examiner in bribe claims A driving test examiner who is accused of trying to obtain sexual favours and of taking money from learners to guarantee they would pass their tests has denied the claims.
• 09/03/2012 Only safe Eyes on the Road, says campaign A campaign is under way to remind drivers of their legal obligation to ensure their vision is roadworthy.
• 08/03/2012 Avoiding foreign salad 'keeps Queen healthy' The Queen's top tips for staying in good health while abroad have been revealed as never eating salads, shellfish or watermelon.
• 08/03/2012 MOT repair costs 'double to £143' Drivers are forced to pay out an average of £143 if their vehicle fails its MOT, new figures suggest.
• 08/03/2012 Insurance law reforms pass Parliament A Bill to change insurance sales laws by reducing the burden of responsibility on claimants has passed through Parliament.
• 08/03/2012 UK airports handle more passengers The number of people passing through the UK's airports rose last year, according to new data.
• 08/03/2012 Potential flight and power disruption ahead An enormous magnetic storm could force airlines to re-route planes and see power lines disrupted.
• 07/03/2012 Electric car test centre opens A new exhibition site in Glasgow is giving motorists the chance to hire and test electric vehicles.
• 07/03/2012 Limit will not rise on all M-ways The road safety minister has assured MPs that a proposed 80mph speed limit would not apply to all of the UK's motorways.
• 07/03/2012 Royal boost for the Cocker Spaniel Clothes shops are not the only ones benefiting from the 'Kate effect' - pet shops are getting a piece of the Royal action now, too.
• 07/03/2012 Drivers 'fail to check brakes' Many drivers are more worried about their car's appearance than safety issues such as brakes, a new survey suggests.
• 07/03/2012 Passengers left without luggage Hundreds of Virgin Atlantic passengers were left without their luggage for more than 24 hours after ground staff in Barbados were unable to open the hold door of their jumbo jet.
• 06/03/2012 Earthquake strikes near New Delhi People ran on to the streets in panic as an earthquake struck just outside the Indian capital city of New Delhi.
• 06/03/2012 Coryton closure could see jobs lost Around 1,000 jobs could be lost if an oil refinery fails to secure its future, it has been announced.
• 06/03/2012 Fuel duty cut 'would create jobs' Around 180,000 jobs could be created if the Government was to cut fuel duty by 2.5 pence per litre, new research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research suggests.
• 06/03/2012 Eurostar passengers stranded on track An overhead power cable fault saw thousands of Eurostar passengers stranded on the tracks for hours, it has been revealed.
• 06/03/2012 Road lights plan could go ahead The Government has confirmed that it is considering a Highways Agency proposal which would see lights on thousands of miles of A-roads in England dimmed amid efforts to save money and cut back on carbon emissions.
• 05/03/2012 Staycation discount scheme unveiled UK hotels and holiday firms are set to slash more than 20% off their prices this year, it has been revealed.
• 05/03/2012 Mexico City Bug taxis exterminated The Volkswagen "Bug" taxis that have for years teemed across Mexico City are to be stamped out.
• 05/03/2012 Rising fuel costs hit tradesmen Rising fuel prices are adding extra financial pressure on self-employed tradesmen who are travelling further afield in order to find work, a report has found.
• 05/03/2012 Almost one in 20 drivers uninsured The number of uninsured drivers has fallen since 2005, yet an estimated 4% of motorists still venture on to the roads without cover.
• 05/03/2012 Motorcycle safety campaign starts Car drivers are to be encouraged to increase their awareness of motorcyclists in a £1.2 million Government campaign aimed at cutting down the high number of casualties in the group.
• 02/03/2012 '50%' of road marks not too visible Half of all the painted lines and symbols on Britain's road surfaces are almost invisible, a survey suggests.
• 02/03/2012 Huhne expected to appear in court Former energy secretary Chris Huhne is set to appear in court accused of perverting the course of justice.
• 02/03/2012 Children 'lead holiday decisions' Most parents let their children lead the way when it comes to picking a holiday destination, research has shown.
• 02/03/2012 Council to spend £2m on flood repairs East Riding of Yorkshire Council is planning to spend £2 million on schemes to fix the damage caused by flood waters.
• 02/03/2012 Rural diesel '4p more expensive' Filling stations in rural areas are charging people 4p more per litre of diesel than stations in more built-up areas, according to lobby group the Countryside Alliance.
• 01/03/2012 Tailgating on motorways 'on rise' The car insurance industry could be in line for a surge in claims after a new survey revealed that tailgating on motorways is on the increase.
• 01/03/2012 Many people driving on autopilot: study Research has suggested that many drivers switch off after little more than 10 minutes behind the wheel.
• 01/03/2012 Allegra passengers back on dry land More than 600 people have been towed back into port after spending three days on board a stricken Costa Cruises ship without any electricity.
• 01/03/2012 House prices 'up 1.1% in January' House prices in England and Wales rose by 1.1% in January - the highest monthly increase since July, the Land Registry has revealed.
• 01/03/2012 Probe starts into rock throw crash Police have started an investigation after an object thrown from a motorway bridge hit the windscreen of a car being driven by a young woman.