Solera cap hpi, the global leader in vehicle lifecycle management, reveals that motorists are driving further in electric vehicles (EVs) every year than drivers of petrol cars. New findings from automotive data experts Solera cap hpi show that in January 2015, the average EV travelled 6,355 miles per year, 2,288 miles less than an average petrol car. A decade later, in January 2025, the average annual mileage of an EV has increased to 8,740 miles per year, 444 miles more than the petrol average. The data reveals that since April 2023, when the average EV annual mileage total was 7,895 miles -…

The Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster is calling on small businesses in Birmingham to help tackle domestic and sexual abuse. PCC Simon Foster is working with companies to make sure they know how to signpost potential victims to support services and how to respond if they suspect a member of their staff is being harmed at home. The PCC also wants businesses to ensure they provide the right physical or online spaces in which to have confidential conversations with staff they might be concerned are at risk of harm. Tackling violence against women and girls is one of the…

Average repair bill reaches new high – one million drivers faced bills over £300 New data reveals worrying news for drivers as the cost of pothole damage is once more on the increase. After welcome falls over the last two years, the last twelve months have seen the nation’s drivers face a total bill of £1.7bn in repairing damage to their cars caused by potholes.1 The level of damage is monitored annually by Kwik Fit, the UK’s leading automotive service and repair company, for its PIT Report (Pothole Impact Tracker). Its latest research has found that the average repair bill…

“There are potentially tens of billions of pounds at stake in this case. Regardless of who wins, the end result is likely to be that consumers will ultimately be worse off.” Comment from Stuart Masson, Editorial Director of The Car Expert on the Supreme Court’s forthcoming hearing on car finance mis-selling, which is due to take place in April 2025. “The Supreme Court case on car finance mis-selling is set to be one of the most significant legal decisions in recent financial history. With the hearing scheduled for early April [2025], attention is escalating rapidly as various interested parties lobby…

A trial project showing how digital technology can revolutionise adult social care has been extended after its success in Wolverhampton. City of Wolverhampton Council is working with West Midlands 5G (WM5G) and neighbouring authorities to show how Technology Enabled Care (TEC) can improve the lives of hundreds of city residents. As part of the project sensor devices and voice activated wireless technologies including fall detectors, smart speakers, smart doorbells and remote monitoring sensors, are being used in people’s homes to support individual care needs. The trial programme is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) under the…

Bentley Motors has honoured its UK retailer network in the luxury marque’s annual Scorecard Awards, a celebration of the sales, aftersales and marketing achievements of its 17-strong UK retailer network. Crowned Overall Retailer of the Year , Bentley Leeds picked up three awards, with Bentley Belfast also winning the coveted Sales Retailer of the Year trophy. The Scorecard Awards celebrate high performing teams in Bentley’s home market using a distinct set of measures based on sales, profitability, service loyalty and customer experience. The winners all received a prestigious trophy that was handcrafted in Bentley’s wood shop in Crewe, created in…

A 93-year-old grandfather-of-five has given a resounding thumbs-up to autonomous driving technology currently being developed by Nissan – saying it has the potential to keep older motorists like him mobile and independent in later life. Brad Ashton from Enfield, experienced the ground-breaking tech for himself this week as Nissan marked the culmination of its evolvAD research project. He was invited by Nissan to take a ride along rural roads near the company’s Technical Centre in Cranfield, where work on autonomous driving (AD) systems continues apace. Brad, a retired comedy scriptwriter who has prepared material for the likes of Groucho Marx,…

Councillor Ian Courts, Leader of Solihull Council, volunteers from Veolia and Aldi, and staff from the Council’s Planting Our Future team joined together this week to plant 500 new saplings at Katherine’s Wood in Lavender Hall Park, Balsall Common. The new saplings, which include Field Maple, Red Maple, Alder, River Birch, Downy Birch, Beech, Oak, and Willow, will complement and further enhance the existing two-acre woodland at Katherine’s Wood. In addition to the woodland extension, members of the Berkswell Society have planted a community orchard at the park. The orchard includes apple trees, pear trees and plum trees. Aldi, the…

Soccer Aid for UNICEF is proud to announce Suzuki as a Principal Partner for this year’s event. As one of the world’s leading automotive brands for families, there is a perfect alignment with Soccer Aid’s mission of engaging and entertaining a nationwide family audience. As Principal Partners, Suzuki will be authentically integrated throughout the Soccer Aid campaign, with opportunities for fans to win exclusive prizes and experiences – alongside creating engaging pieces of content with the Soccer Aid talent to bring the features of the Suzuki vehicles to life, ahead of the exciting release of the new e Vitara later…

The Wolverhampton Local Plan to guide future development in the city up to 2042 has been submitted to the Secretary of State for an independent public examination. It sets out City of Wolverhampton Council’s commitment to regeneration and building on brownfield land first. Following its submission, the plan will undergo an independent examination by the planning inspectorate. Every local authority must prepare a local plan to guide regeneration, investment and planning application decisions for at least 15 years. The Wolverhampton Local Plan identifies environmental areas to protect and enhance, sites to allocate for housing development and employment use, key transport…