Most learner drivers don't fear taking the wheel until it comes to the dreaded manoeuvre; the thought of a parallel park can send even the most confident learner into a tizzy.

So we've asked Martyn Jones, an AA Driving School ambassador and instructor of 26 years' experience, to give us his tips on each of the five manoeuvres. A typical driving test will require two of them to be performed confidently and correctly, though sometimes three.

According to Martyn, experience is vital: "th...

Government spending cuts will see many speed cameras go out of action, but senior Ministry of Transport Officials plan to leave the empty shells of cameras in place as a deterrent to speeding motorists.

The new Con-Lib Government has slashed road safety funds for local councils by 40 percent, so no new speed cameras will be erected for the foreseeable future.

It is expected that existing cameras will be left in place, regardless of whether or not they are able to photograph speeding c...

A former accountancy student and car enthusiast has turned his hand to luxury car washes for the super rich. Gurcharn Sahota charges luxury and supercar owners up to £7,200 per valet, which easily makes him Britain's priciest car wash.

Sahota works from his parents' garage, which he has lined with special tiles that help to reflect small dirt particles on the cars.

Notable tools of the trade include wax that costs £8,200 per tub and a £5,000 police microscope that can detect minisc...

The ultimate SUV will make urban traffic jams a thing of the past - it flies.

The AVX Transformer (TX) is the result of a challenge by the American Government military development agency DARPA. It asked someone to come up with the ultimate go-anywhere four-seat vehicle for combat use.

American company ATX, a military helicopter manufacturer from Texas, took up the challenge. Its proposal for a flying 4x4 is possibly the most mobile SUV ever - and certainly the most extreme.

It's capabl...

15/06:36: Severe Gales - South West England

ADVISORY of Severe Gales for South West England valid from 0636 Thu 15 Jul to 2359 Thu 15 Jul

The Terrafugia Transition is about to become the world's first production flying car.

In development since 2006, the flying car was always hindered by American Federal Aviaton Administration (FAA) rules.

It was developed as a 'light sport' category aircraft, which means potential pilots need only register 20 hours flying time to legally take it to the skies. Full private flying licenses are very costly and time consuming to obtain.

But Terrafugia couldn't keep the weight under the 1,...

The UK's most dangerous road is the A537 between Macclesfield and Buxton. That's according to a report by the Road Safety Foundation (RSF), a charity affiliated with car safety group Euro NCAP.

The road is so dangerous, says the RSF, because it has 'severe bends, steep falls from the carriageway and is edged by dry-stone walls or rock face for almost all of its length'.

The report, called Saving Lives for Less, looked at 28,000 miles of UK roads. It concludes that half of all fatal ac...

Car clubs are set to benefit from an extra £40,000 of government funding, Transport Minister Norman Baker announced on 1 July.

The money will be used to support car club development in the UK.

Membership of car clubs allows access to low carbon vehicles for short periods of time, often by the hour, on a pay-as-you-go basis. The clubs have increased massively in popularity with the number of members increasing from just 22,000 in 2007 to more than 127,114 memb...

Transport and logistics isn't just for businesses directly involved in the transport sector. If you use transport in any part of your business - from providing company cars for employees to moving goods or produce or drawing up workplace travel plans – the transport and logistics theme will point you towards the information you need.

You can access us directly at businesslink.gov.uk/transport or find us in 'Your business sector' on businesslink.gov.uk.

Transport and logistics ...

The Department of Motor Vehicles in California, USA is considering the introduction of advanced new digital car number plates. A variety of uses is proposed, including hosting advertising to raise money for the state's coffers.

Smart Plate, a company based in San Francisco, has developed the new technology. The number plates show the car's registration as usual, but have the ability to display customised messages and advertisements.

It is being proposed that the state of California sel...

What appear to be official images of a future all-electric Mercedes-Benz supercar have swept the internet, causing a stir amongst car enthusiasts and speculation on the abilities of the new machine.

The E-Cell is based on the SLS AMG supercar launched at the end of 2009. However, in place of a V8 petrol engine there's a series of batteries and four electric motors.

Spinning to 12,000rpm, the motors are thought to produce almost as much power as the 563bhp petrol engine, though substant...

The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) has published a video on its YouTube channel which explains how to sign up, free of charge, for DSA Direct email alerts.

·         watch the video on YouTube

DSA is encouraging learner drivers and driver trainers to sign up for the service. It will help them to stay up to date with information about learning to drive and ride, the driving test, and road safety.

If you run your own website for learner drivers and riders, or driver trainer...

Remember the days when cars were basic? It wasn't so long ago that a CD player, power steering and electric windows were on the options list of most hatchbacks - now buyers would baulk at the prospect of any car without them.

The big trend right now is small cars loaded with big car features, as cash-strapped motorists aim to downsize and save on running costs while maintaining the specced-up big-car experience. That means it's not uncommon to find a Ford Fiesta-sized hatchback with o...

There are plenty of legal protections in place to prevent people being ripped off when buying a used car from a dealer. Unfortunately, buy a dodgy used car from a private seller and you're probably stuck with it.

It's a minefield. The vast, vast majority of car sellers, and their cars, are perfectly legitimate - and that 'new job forces sale' story may well be genuine - but it's easy to get caught out.

According to Vanessa Guyll, Technical Specialist at the AA, emotional involvement ...

This groovy looking Jaguar E-Type is one of the most famous and recognisable movie cars of recent years - and now you could own it.

Currently listed on eBay as '1970 Austin Powers Shaguar - New Line Cinema Creation', the car has a 'buy it now' price of $59,900 (£40,400).

The car was used for promotional duties for the original 1999 Austin Powers comedy, International Man of Mystery, starring Mike Myers.

Over 400 hours was spent hand painting the Union Jack exterior alone, and the in...

Local councils will find it more difficult to justify new speed cameras, as the Government halts millions of pounds in funding for them.

It's the first major sign that the new Government is making good on its promise to curb the proliferation of speed cameras in the UK.

The move, which was confirmed to MPs by Transport Minister Mike Penning, does not actually put a stop to new speed traps. It will, however, mean council tax will have to fund speed cameras, forcing officials to justif...

A surprising picture showing two open-top Tata Nanos could mean the car is set to become the world's cheapest convertible.

The car was pictured ferrying visitors around Tata's Sasand factory in India, and was published on Indian car blog wheelosphere.org.

The Nano launched in April 2009 with a 100,000-rupee price - around £1,400. Interest was so high that Tata ran a lottery to allot cars to buyers.

It will eventually come to the UK, probably by 2012. The European specification model w...

New research by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) suggests that water from windscreen washer jets could be the cause of one in five cases of Legionnaires' Disease.

The illness is caught when stagnant warm water containing the Legionella bacteria is sprayed and inhaled. It can lead to pneumonia and is sometimes fatal.

It was found that those who drive for a living are five times more likely to catch Legionnaires' Disease. The HPA believes that drivers who fill the washer reservoir of...

Kia has recalled 468 cee'd and 6,585 Picanto models in the UK after identifying safety issues.

The cee'd recall relates to a brake problem on cars equipped with ESP (Electronic Stability Programme). According to Kia, affected cars could 'suffer insufficient brake force,' although the company is keen to stress there have been no reported incidents in the UK.

Potential fuel leak issues have been identified in the Picanto. Kia blames it on the high level of de-icing fluid used during th...

A 1/18th scale model of the Bugatti Veyron has gone on sale with a whopping £2 million price tag - the ultimate way to pimp your mantelpiece.

It's fashioned from 24-carat gold and platinum, and its grille is a single cut 7.2-carat diamond.

Only three will be made, each taking two months to complete. The model is amazingly intricate, featuring a steering wheel that moves the front wheels, doors that open and a working roof mechanism. It weighs in at seven kilos.

The golden Veyron is ...

A consortium led by Jaguar has created an XJ luxury saloon that could emit just 50g/km of CO₂ on average.

The 'Limo-Green' XJ is the fruit of two years' work by Jaguar, Lotus, the MIRA research organisation and British supercar maker Caparo. The £4.2m project received funding from the Technology Strategy Board, a Government organisation.

The first working prototype has beaten its initial performance and emissions targets, which were 120g/km of CO₂ and an eight-second 0-62mph sprint....

The 3 millionth Toyota rolled off the company's UK factory line as it's been announced that the Auris HSD hybrid will be built in Britain.

This is the first Toyota hybrid model to be built in the UK and has been described by the Japanese firm as a “source of great motivation” for the British plant's workforce.

Using petrol-electric hybrid power, the Auris Hybrid achieves 74.3mpg and 89g/km carbon dioxide emissions, which makes it exempt from road tax and the London Congestion Charg...

The Palatov dp4 is possibly the world's most extreme go-kart, capable of going as fast as your nerves will allow.

The kart, which wouldn't look out of place in Batman's garage, can be powered by a variety of motorcycle engines. Therefore, up to 200bhp is available, making an incredible power-to-weight ratio possible because it tips the scales at less than 360kg - a Lotus Elise weighs around 860kg.

Like a Caterham, the dp4 can be ordered already built or in kit form. Power from the eng...

A fleet of hydrogen fuel cell cars that emit nothing but water will be trialled by UK drivers from 2012.

The unusual two-seat city car was designed and developed by British company Riversimple. It's lightweight, capable of 50mph and can travel up to 200 miles on a tank of hydrogen, giving it the equivalent of 300mpg economy.

Drivers in the Leicestershire area will be invited to lease the car for around £200 per month. An additional usage cost of around 15p per mile will be added.

The...

A new version of the 'Are you ready?' video for the car practical driving test has been published on DSA's YouTube channel at youtube.com/dsagov. It shows how the test will look from 4 October 2010.

The video includes information about the independent driving section of the test, and confirms that, from 4 October, car test candidates will only have to complete one reversing manoeuvre rather than two. The manoeuvre will be selected at random by the examiner from:

• turning in the roa...

From 4 October 2010, learner drivers will be tested on independent driving as part of the practical driving test.

During their test, candidates will have to drive for about 10 minutes, either following a series of directions, following traffic signs, or a combination of both.

To help candidates understand where they’re going, the examiner may show them a diagram.

It...

As boat accessories go, a bespoke supercar is probably the most extravagant. But that's exactly what millionaire buyers of the £17m Strand Craft SC122 will get.

Beating the Bugatti Veyron hands down for exclusivity, the supercar has 880bhp from its twin-turbo V12 engine and a claimed top speed of 234mph. Only six will be built, each capable of hitting 60mph from rest in 3.2 seconds.

Designed by Eduard Gray, the car is so synonymous with the yacht that the company doesn't seem to have...

This month marks 40 years since the introduction of the Range Rover on June 17 1970.

Land Rover's luxury 4x4 was - and still is - one of the most revolutionary cars on the road due to its ability to mix a luxurious driving experience with superb ability off-road.

The original Range Rover, now known as the Classic, remained in production for 25 years. It was replaced by the second generation model, the P38a, in 1994.

The current version arrived in 2001 and spawned the performance orient...

A survey conducted by the AA has revealed that over three quarters of motorists would back the sale of the UK's motorways and trunk roads to reduce the Government's financial deficit.

However, 82 percent of the 19,000 AA members who took part in the survey would not back the sale if the new owner of the road network instigated toll charging.

The poll also asked participants how they would like to see the UK's budget deficit solved. The most popular choice, at 58 percent, was higher ta...

Summer time and the living is easy, so how about making your driving just as enjoyable and laid-back with a classic car?

Choose the right car and all your motoring worries will melt away in the sunshine and, if you're not keen on a winter's classic motoring, you'll be able to sell up and maybe even make a profit.

All of our choices can be had for £10,000 or less in tip-top condition.

MGB Roadster

The MGB Roadster is the definition of the ideal summer classic. There's a massive selection...

The UK driving test is to be revamped in an effort to make it more relevant to real world driving situations.

The change, which comes into force in October, is the inclusion of a ten-minute journey that the pupil must make unassisted, known as the 'independent driving' section.

Depending on where the test is taking place, the examiner will tell the learner to either follow signs for a city centre or landmark, or give them a series of directions.

When directions are given, the examine...

With global warming now high on everybody's agenda, there has never been a better time to think about eco-driving.

Regardless of the vehicle you are driving, there are techniques you can use to save fuel and to minimise your impact on the environment. These techniques have been an integral part of the advanced driving process, delivering eco-benefits through fuel efficiencies, since the IAM was established in 1956.

1. Ask yourself: "Do I really need to drive?" The shortest journeys - few...

Ford to offer drivers a talking Twitter service

Skoda has launched its greenest ever car - the Fabia Estate Greenline II, which emits just 89g/km of CO₂ with average fuel consumption of 83.1mpg.

Along with the new Roomster Greenline II, the pair marks the start of the second generation of eco-friendly Greenline Skodas. The bigger Roomster returns 67.3mpg and emits only 109g/km of CO₂.

Both are powered by a new three-cylinder 1.2-litre diesel engine, which uses a supercharger rather than a conventional turbocharger. It develops 74b...

Extent of potholes revealed

More than one in ten drivers has had an accident after swerving to avoid a pothole, a survey has revealed.

More than half of drivers think the condition of the UK's roads is unacceptable, while 58 percent believe that the next Government should make road repairs a main priority.

Britain's roads descended into pothole chaos during the Christmas 2009 snowstorms. It's only now that the full extent of the damage it's causing is becoming clear.

In February 2010 ...

Chinese manufacturer Geely has unveiled a city car set to be cheaper than the Tata Nano - which could make it the world's cheapest car.

Known as the Geely IG, it has four seats and could cost as little as £1,500 when it goes on sale in China in 2012. The Tata Nano, which has yet to hit the UK but is expected in 2011, costs around £2,500.

Despite the small price tag, the tiny IG is unusually flamboyant - it has top hinged 'gullwing' style doors, just like the Mercedes SLS supercar.

Ge...

Drivers of two popular people carriers are being warned of a safety defect that means the cars could roll over during a high-speed swerve. The alert follows the release of dramatic footage of a safety test showing a Citroën Nemo Multispace flipping onto its roof when professional testers simulated an accident avoidance manoeuvre — the so-called elk test. The same car is sold by Peugeot as the Bipper Tepee; about 2,500 of the cars have been sold in Britain since their launch in...

TomTom has unveiled its next generation satnav device, designed to beat congestion and get drivers around quicker.

The GO LIVE 1000 features over 1.2 million more miles of road and will 'continuously scan the road network for the fastest routes.' TomTom believes it sets new standards in accuracy and speed.

This real-time traffic update function is combined with a new high definition touch screen that the maker says is clearer than ever.

In addition, it comes bundled with a 12-month su...

Almost half a million car crashes are the result of drivers losing control after late goals, according to new research.

Insurance company More Than says research suggests football fans lose control at the wheel when they hear their team score, a problem termed Final Score Syndrome.

"With the Premier League coming to a thrilling conclusion a lot of fans will either be suffering joy or despair this weekend," said Pete Markey, from More Than.

"Sunday in particular could prove a peak da...

It's a parking manoeuvre 67-year old Ralph Hudson will never forget, when he mistakenly pressed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal and nearly plunged seven stories to the ground through a car park's brick wall.

Luckily for Mr Hudson his Mercedes C-Class was left dangling half out of the wall and he was able to get out of the car. The cars below were not so fortunate and seven were badly damaged by the falling bricks.

Mr Hudson was parking in the Bank of America car park in Tuls...

THE government has signalled that it plans to cut the drink driving limit to less than a pint of beer or a glass of wine.

Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, expects an official review of the law to recommend reducing the legal limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg.

He said he would take this “very seriously” and added: “A strong case has been made to have a lower limit.”

A new law on drug driving is also likely amid concern about the number of motor...

The world’s first ‘neighbour-to-neighbour’ car rental service lets drivers hire the vehicle parked just down the street, while taking care of the security checks and insurance. So what’s the catch?

Your expensive motor sits around most of the day doing nothing. You use it for only an hour a day on average, yet it sheds around 60% of its value in the first three years of its life, and costs between £3,000 and £5,500 a year to run. So isn’t it time it started pulling its w...

The ABI says new drivers should have classes for at least a year

Learner drivers should take lessons for a minimum of 12 months, the Association of British Insurers has suggested.

The ABI says the measure could cut up to 1,000 serious injuries and deaths among UK drivers aged 17-21 each year.

It is also calling for l...

Fiat will launch a brand new Uno in 2012 - and pictures of the production car have already leaked out.

It's an interesting revival for the Uno, which was originally launched in 1983 before being replaced by the Punto supermini in the early 1990s. It's still sold in Brazil, however.

The looks of the new Uno mimic those of the current Panda, though it's a bigger car and will be more expensive. It uses the same chassis as the Grande Punto, shortened slightly.

The image of the car leaked ...

There's no doubt that the cost of motoring is spiralling. This is especially true of insurance premiums. Research shows that they've risen by 4.3 percent on average since the start of 2010.

But there's no need to despair, for at the same time small cars are getting more spacious, greener, cheaper to run and funkier than ever. Here are a few with plenty of practicality, paucity and prestige (of their own unique kind).

Insurance ratings in the old 1-20 scale are displayed first with the...

Motoring issues rarely feature at the forefront of a pre-election manifesto, even though transport-based news permeates the day-to-day agenda. Among some of the biggest stories of the last few years have been congestion charging, environment-based car tax changes, unprecedented fuel price rises, and, of course, the scrap scheme.

The cost of motoring is certainly rising, but will it continue unabated when the next Government comes into power? It's difficult to say for sure, but here's ...

Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia could face up to 10 years in jail after being arrested on suspicion of getting someone else to take part of his driving test for him.

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The Frenchman, who scored a last minute winner for his side in their 3-2 victory over Arsenal on Sunday, was held by officers on Wednesday at a test centre in Greater Manc...

A new speed recognition system is being trialled in the UK. Called 'SpeedSpike', the latest type of camera uses number plate recognition to 'track' cars on busy roads.

The trial, conducted by the Home Office and the Police, was secretive until a House of Commons report unveiled it.

The cameras use similar technology to the average speed check units currently in use on motorways. The difference is that they can track cars in built up urban areas. If they find a car has covered a dista...

If you have ever experienced the frustration of trying to email a friend on your iPhone while parked in a dark lay-by, then car makers are about to come to your rescue. A new range of models with internet facilities built into the dashboard will enable drivers to surf the net, send emails, use Skype and call up sites such as Google Maps to get detailed information about their route and destination. If all they want to do is check out prices at the January sales as they drive to th...

When we announced the results of the Consultation: Improved Services for Customers and General Fee Increases for 2008 on 19 February 2008 we explained that we intended to provide clarification within the regulations as to who may act as an accompanying driver for learners driving category C1 (medium size lorry) and D1 (minibus) vehicles.

Those new arrangements will come into effect on 1 May 2010. From that date, it will be illegal for anyone to act as an accompanying driver in a ca...

Londoners are among the least successful at passing the driving test, it has been revealed.

Candidates from London and the South East take an average of 2.1 attempts to get through the test, an AA/Populus survey of 20,109 AA members found.

Learners from East Anglia have the best pass rate - averaging 1.87 attempts before succeeding.

The national average for the UK is 2.0 attempts, with those shunning the use of instructors taking an average of 2.3 goes.

AA Driving School director Simon Dou...

I-kube: The magic box slashing teen drivers’ premiums

Young motorists are saving thousands of pounds on their insurance by agreeing to a car curfew policed by onboard GPS technology