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Call for reform over road repair funding

FUNDING patterns mean most road maintenance is being carried out in "less-efficient, cold and wet" times, a report from a Government spending watchdog has said. The current pattern of funding, combined with the need to spend money within the financial year, means that most maintenance work goes on between September and March, said the report from the National Audit Office (NAO). It went on: "Although this is less disruptive for road users, it is less efficient than carrying out the work at other times of year because materials can be more difficult to handle in cold and wet conditions, and daylight hours are shorter." The report went on: "As a result of the additional funding for emergency repairs, which is made available at the end of the financial year, almost all highways authorities need extra capacity from the market at the same time, which makes it less likely that they will get value for money." The NAO report said there was a "lack of predictability" over road spending adding that historically, local highway authorities spent more revenue on maintenance, but were now carrying out fewer routine activities such as clearing gullies which are essential to preventing water seeping into roads' sub-structure.

GM to reprogram some oil-life monitors

This story originally appeared on Automotive News General Motors is warning owners of almost 800,000 2010-12 vehicles that they may need oil changes more frequently than the onboard oil monitoring systems are telling them. After high warranty claims on several models with four-cylinder engines, GM will reprogram software to make oil change warning lights go on sooner. The change only affects 2010-2012 Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Buick LaCrosse and Regal models with 2.4-liter LAF and LEA four-cylinder engines.

New Opel Monza Concept at Frankfurt 2013 signals a new big coupe from Vauxhall

The Opel Monza (1980s Monza pictured) will make a return at Frankfurt There was a time, for those not old enough to remember, when mainstream car makers produced big saloons and coupes. But no more. With very few (low-selling) exceptions, car makers like Vauxhall and Ford have given up their full-sized saloons and downsized, with SUVs of varying sizes now seen as the real future.