search
date/time
Cumbria Times
A Voice of the North
frontpagebusinessartscarslifestylefamilytravelsportsscitechnaturefictionwhatson
No cookies. No tracking. No advertising.
Honda Civic Type R – As Thrilling As Ever!
The Type R version of Honda’s latest Civic has recently had an update and a ‘Rallye Red’ GT variant has just graced my driveway. A full Yorkshire test was in order! The heart of the Type R has always been its high revving VTEC engine which endows the racy Honda with…
Local Car Customization Business Finds Direction During Lockdown
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Deep into lockdown one and during the initial stages of the pandemic, Jamie Booth, pressurised from his current corporate employer to work whilst furloughed, began to pave a new path for himself. His desire was to detach himself from the corporate clutches and thus 'Prime Customs' was founded. Wishing to offer…
4:40 PM 10th May 2021
All-New Isuzu D-Max On Sale – First Drive Review
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
There has been a mass exodus from the pickup truck market, a little strange when not so long ago manufacturers were rushing out new offerings, keen to get a slice of the action. So, what has happened? It seems that contrary to predictions, buyers didn’t flock to trade in their SUVs.…
11:02 AM 3rd May 2021
The Italian Job Comes To Yorkshire – Be Part Of It!
Fans of the iconic film The Italian Job (who drive a MINI car or any vehicle or recent counterpart that featured in the film) looking for a post-lockdown family get-away will simply love this Autumn's 'staycation MINI driving holiday' set in the picturesque Yorkshire Countryside. The 3-night/4-day 'Yorkshire Job' will kick…
3:24 PM 28th April 2021
Dacia Debuts All-New Sandero
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
A car for just £5,995? That was just how much you had to pay for the Dacia Sandero when it first went on sale in the UK in 2013. You got a car capable of seating four adults, a simple engine and not much else. UK buyers were a little…
4:15 PM 26th April 2021
Measures To Boost Safety On All Lane Running Motorways Accelerated
Transport Secretary confirms radar technology will be in place before any new stretch of ‘All Lane Running’ motorway is opened pledge comes as Highways England publishes report detailing progress made to boost safety, while setting out ways in which improvements will be sped…
3:30 PM 21st April 2021
Trés Comfortable! The New Citroen C4 Is Here
Do you remember the old Citroen C4? No, me neither but there is now an all-new model on sale, ready to captivate and excite. It is a distinctive looking thing too. Rakish coupe looks meets an SUV’s stance, which may well tick a lot of boxes. Rivals are few and…
3:49 PM 9th April 2021
Polestar 2 - First Drive Review
You may not be familiar with the Polestar name, but that is all about to change. In the not so distant past, Polestar was the performance branch of Volvo, breathing a little magic on their top-flight offerings. You can still buy Polestar engineered versions of S60, V60 and XC60 models. For…
2:33 PM 7th April 2021
On Test – New Bridgestone Weather Control Tyres
I have always been fastidious when it comes to the tyres fitted to my cars. It does not matter how good the car or how capable the driver, worn tyres are a recipe for disaster. Living in the North of England, where temperatures are low for what seems like half the…
2:16 PM 6th April 2021
Is The New Toyota Hilux The Pickup Of The Crop?
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Can you believe that the Toyota Hilux has been around for over 50 years? No, me neither. Like most vehicles from the Japanese manufacturer, it has a well-earned reputation for reliability and longevity. More than eighteen million examples have rolled down the production line and many older trucks are still…
2:04 PM 6th April 2021
Cool Caddy California Camper – New From Volkswagen
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Last year saw sales of motorhomes and campers skyrocket and with this year likely to be another without foreign travel, this trend looks set to continue. Those looking at second-hand models will be aghast at the prices being asked. So maybe it is time to consider a brand spanking new vehicle,…
3:09 PM 31st March 2021
Taking To The Roads For The First Time In A While? Here’s Some Advice From A Highways England Traffic Officer
If you are using your vehicle for the first time in a while, Highways England Traffic Officer Dave Harford has some important advice. Some cars have been rarely used in recent months, so it’s essential to make sure they’re fit for purpose. You may also feel out of practice if you…
2:46 PM 30th March 2021
Ground Investigations Underway On £1bn A66 Dualling Project
Ground investigations to help shape the final designs for dualling the remaining sections of the A66 are underway. All Highways England work follows the latest government and Public Health England pandemic guidance
Highways England is going beneath the surface of the A66 dualling route using technology to see what lies below this varied landscape. These ground investigations will help to refine the design of the £1 billion A66 trans-Pennine upgrade and are now underway at locations along the route in Cumbria, County Durham…
12:21 PM 20th March 2021
Mazda Goes Electric - MX-30 Launch Review
As manufacturers rush to offer electric cars to a still largely sceptical audience, Mazda has taken its time with a more considered approach. It sees the electric car as something to compliment its range of internal combustion engine vehicles, at least for the next few years. Sensible, I would say. As…
1:12 PM 19th March 2021
Take Your SEAT – Tarraco Has Plenty To Choose From
For the growing family, a multi-seat SUV must still rank as the most suitable transport. I can recall happy days out with a gaggle of children in our family people carrier. And then there was the period when my youngest son was captain of our local junior football team, so…
8:01 AM 14th March 2021
Renegade 4xe – Jeep’s Green, Mean, Off-road Machine
For many the name Jeep conjures up images of a large, capable 4x4 powered by a burbling V8 engine. Either that or soft top Wrangler, the origins of which date back to the Willys Jeep from the second world war. The Renegade on test here is an entirely different beast, especially…
2:03 PM 7th March 2021
Major Repairs To Make Your M60 Journeys Smoother And Safer
A project to carry out major repairs to the M60 road surface near Stockport will require two full weekend closures next month. The clockwise carriageway will be closed between junctions 1 and 2 from 9pm on Friday 12 March until 5am on Monday 15 March, and again from 9pm on…
5:28 PM 25th February 2021
Porsche Taycan Turbo – First Drive Review
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Whether we like it or not, fast forward a decade or so and electric cars will be the norm. What does all this mean for the car enthusiast? Will we all be driving around in anonymous battery powered boxes, devoid of any character? Well not if Porsche has anything to…
8:37 PM 23rd February 2021
Cumbria/North Lancashire Roadworks Monday 22 To Sunday 7 March 2021
The following summary of planned new and ongoing roadworks over the coming fortnight is correct as of Friday 19 February 2021 but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. Drivers looking for roadworks information (such as overnight carriageway closures) for individual schemes should now…
5:49 PM 19th February 2021
Traffic Bulletin: Northbound M6 In Cumbria Closed For Emergency Repairs
Drivers in Lancashire and Cumbria are being advised the northbound M6 south of Carlisle will be closed for several hours this afternoon and potentially into the early evening while emergency repairs take place. A routine repairs and maintenance project is taking place under the pedestrian bridge at Southwaite services with…
2:33 PM 16th February 2021
Funding To Fix Equivalent Of Ten Million Potholes Allocated To Local Authorities
Pothole photo by Matt Hoffman
Department for Transport allocates £500 million to local authorities in England for highways maintenance Funding will go toward ensuring potholes and other road maintenance issues across the country are fixed The equivalent of 10 million potholes could be filled in as a result of…
2:00 AM 15th February 2021
Super Stylish SUV From Aston Martin – DBX On Test
It is always an absolute delight to spend some time with an Aston Martin, to me the very epitome of British sports car excellence. I am a big fan, no small part to my childhood love of James Bond films. My last drive was in the latest DB11, a comfortable…
10:09 PM 10th February 2021
Adventure-Ready Land Rover Defender Works V8 Trophy
Land Rover Classic is continuing the formidable expedition legacy of the original Defender with a limited production run of adventure-ready Defender Works V8 Trophy vehicles for an exclusive competition at Eastnor Castle in 2021. Based on the re-engineered 2012-2016 Defender Works V8 specification developed by Land Rover Classic, including 405PS…
12:19 PM 10th February 2021
Major Technology Upgrade Set To Transform M6 Journeys
A major technology upgrade to improve journeys on one of the busiest stretches of motorway in the country is due to start next month. Highways England will begin construction work to transform the 10-mile stretch of the M6 which links the M62 near Warrington (junction 21a) to the M58 near Wigan…
2:59 PM 8th February 2021
Hyundai i20 – First Drive Review
The all new Hyundai i20 is the first car in the Korean manufacturer’s range to introduce their new ‘Sensuous Sportiness’ design language. I am not sure exactly what that means, but for what it is worth, I think it is a good-looking car. Of even greater interest is the new 1.0-litre…
5:16 PM 5th February 2021
M6 Milestone After Weekend Closures
All the bridge beams for the M6 junction 19 project are now in place - ready to carry the bridge deck across the motorway
Work to transform a motorway junction in Cheshire is on course to be completed in the summer after roadworkers battled snow, rain, freezing temperatures and flooding along a planned diversion route to install huge bridge beams over the M6. Highways England is constructing a bridge over the M6 at junction…
4:21 PM 2nd February 2021
New-style Driving Licences And Number Plates Mark One-year Anniversary Of Brexit As EU Flag Is Removed
New driving licence design
To mark the first anniversary of Brexit, the government unveils new designs for driving licences and number plates without the EU flag. driving licences and number plates get a makeover to mark one year since the UK’s departure from the EU EU flag removed with new design issued…
5:55 PM 31st January 2021
New Defender Does Battle With The Elements
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
How do you reinvent an icon? This is something that has vexed the good folk at Land Rover for many a year. The much-loved old version had clearly reached the end of its life, though good examples will be sought after for ever and a day. A vehicle with global appeal…
5:55 PM 25th January 2021
Traffic Bulletin: Second Weekend Closure To Finish M6 Cheshire Bridge Work
Pictures from a wintry M6 near Knutsford show how much progress was made at the weekend - with more than half the 18 pairs of bridge beams have already been installed over the motorway at junction 19
Drivers are being advised the M6 at Knutsford in Cheshire will be closed again at the weekend to complete the operation to lay bridge beams over the motorway as part of Highways England’s £43 million junction 19 upgrade. Highways England is constructing a bridge over the M6 to improve traffic flow…
3:32 PM 25th January 2021
New Kia Sorento – A Winter Test
The Sorento is Kia’s range-topping SUV and sits alongside the Stonic, Niro and Sportage. This fourth-generation model will compete in a hotly contested sector, with knowledgeable buyers keen to acquire safe and comfortable transportation for their growing families. The design is considerably more imposing than the predecessor, with sharp lines…
10:19 AM 25th January 2021
Cumbria/North Lancashire Roadworks Monday 25 To Sunday 31 January 2021
The following summary of planned new and ongoing roadworks over the coming week is correct as of Friday 22 January 2021 but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.…
2:10 PM 23rd January 2021
Traffic Bulletin: Two Weekend Closures For M6 In Cheshire Start On Friday
Highways England is reminding drivers that the M6 motorway is set to be closed at Knutsford over the next two weekends as the £43 million junction 19 upgrade reaches an important milestone. A decision on whether this weekend’s closure will go ahead will be made on Wednesday evening (20 January) after…
2:08 PM 18th January 2021
Suzuki Across – First Drive Review
The cost of developing an all-new car grows ever higher, so much so that we are beginning to see more collaborations between manufacturers. It makes a lot of sense and let’s be honest, most buyers are not hugely concerned about what lies under the skin of their shiny new wheels.…
4:56 PM 14th January 2021
Škoda’s Flagship Gets An Update – It’s Superb!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
As the flagship model of the Škoda range, the Superb has always showcased the brand’s most advanced technologies in a package that offers unrivalled space in its class. 2019 saw the arrival of a significantly updated model and a little late in the day I recently enjoyed a week behind the…
5:00 PM 5th January 2021
Christmas Wheels - Volvo XC60 On Test
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
The second generation of Volvo’s premium mid-size SUV has been on sale for a couple of years now and despite an array of talented opposition, it still competes for class honours. The Germans lead the charge with the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC, whilst home grown offerings from Jaguar…
9:57 AM 4th January 2021
Highways England – Helping You This Christmas
Highways England traffic officers will be working 24/7 as usual to help people who get into difficulty.
Just over 96 per cent of motorways and major A roads will be roadworks-free Follow Government travel advice and check your vehicle ahead of any festive journeys Highways England traffic officers will help keep you moving If you’re travelling this Christmas,…
9:07 PM 14th December 2020
Beck Is Fish For The Future Thanks To Highways England Project
A culvert helping to carry road users across a river in Cumbria is now working for fish as well as drivers – thanks to a £100,000 environmental improvement delivered in time for the migration season. As part of its commitment to reduce the impact of its roads on the environment, Highways…
12:56 PM 11th December 2020
Kona Electric From Hyundai – A Real World Test
We are beginning to see a raft of new electric cars hitting the market with plenty more due over the next few years. In order to be prepared, I have just had a Rolec home charger fitted by local agents, the aptly named Plug it in Group. The efficient installation…
12:01 PM 9th December 2020
Road To Zero In Sight As Green Number Plates Introduced On UK Roads
Green number plates introduced, raising awareness of cleaner vehicles. green number plates get the green light as the UK accelerates towards a zero-emission future initiative could unlock cheaper parking and free entry into zero-emission zones, helping pave the way for cleaner air in our…
4:57 PM 8th December 2020
A Ghostly Tale – Time Spent With Rolls-Royce’s New Saloon
I have been lucky enough over the years to spend some time behind the wheel of the Rolls-Royce Ghost. Always a delight, the memories never fade. There was little wrong with the old model but that has not stopped the good folk at Goodwood from going back to the drawing board…
4:25 PM 28th November 2020
My Morgan Adventure
I have been lucky enough to drive an enormous variety of vehicles in my long and varied driving career. However, I had never driven a Morgan. I rather carelessly ignored kind invitations to visit the factory and test drive a car or two. How remiss of me! The situation was remedied…
11:28 AM 28th November 2020
Arctic Truck On Manoeuvres – Unstoppable!
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
The pickup truck market in the UK is changing. Mercedes-Benz has withdrawn its pricy X-Class from sale and for the time being the Volkswagen Amarok has also disappeared. The latter will return as a joint venture with Ford. Mitsubishi has recently launched its new L200 (review coming soon) and Isuzu’s new…
12:11 PM 21st November 2020
£1bn A66 Northern Trans-pennine Update Goes ‘Live’
As part of today’s update the A66 project team has produced a new video providing a What’s Next report (above) and a second video (below) explaining the steps Highways England has to follow in terms of planning, designing and securing permission before any construction can start
An update on progress with £1 billion plans to dual the remaining sections of the vital A66 trans-Pennine route between the M6 in Cumbria and A1(M) in North Yorkshire has been published today (Monday 16 November). The Highways England update includes new videos, brochures and access to web chats –…
12:29 PM 16th November 2020
Overnight Carriageway Closure To Set Up Start Of M56 Upgrade
Drivers are being reminded that a section of the M56 will be closed overnight from 10pm on Friday (13 November). The closure – along the westbound carriageway from junction 5 at Manchester Airport to junction 7 at Bowdon – is being used by Highways England to start installing a contraflow lanes…
12:50 PM 13th November 2020
Is Your Car Ready For Winter? Time To Check
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
With the country in lockdown once again, many of us have plenty of time on our hands. Time then to give your car the once over, ahead of the winter period. Many of my tips require no expertise, just a little time and if you are not sure, then garages…
11:23 AM 11th November 2020
‘What’s Next?’ A66 Communities Update On £1 Billion Dualling Progress
Designers, surveyors and engineers have been carrying out specialist work as a £1 billion project to transform Trans-Pennine journeys takes shape. Next week, communities along the route of the A66 will be able to find out the latest update on the project, when new videos, web chats and brochures about the…
11:46 AM 9th November 2020
Construction Milestone For M56 Upgrade
The main construction work on the region’s latest motorway upgrade, along the M56 in Greater Manchester and Cheshire, will get underway this month. The four-mile section of motorway between junction 6 at Hale and junction 8 at Bowdon is one of the busiest in the North West – carrying 100,000 vehicles…
11:40 AM 7th November 2020
Lexus Luxury In A Smaller Package – UX On Test
I am not sure that many of us are ready for a fully electric car. Lack of efficient and available public charging is just one of the main issues especially in more rural locations. No doubt this will change in time, but for now a EV adopter needs to have…
9:56 AM 30th October 2020
Breath Tests At Lowest Level For 18 Years – AA
Just 285,380 tests conducted in 2019 compared to 481,561 in 2002 More than 2.2 million speeding fines issued Fines for not wearing a seatbelt up 84.3% Figures released by the Home Office this week* show that the number of roadside breath tests are at their lowest point…
12:20 PM 29th October 2020
Facelifted F-TYPE Under The Spotlight
Andy Harris
Motoring and Property Editor
Photos by Will Larmour
Back in 2013, when the world seemed a better place, Jaguar launched the F-TYPE, a spiritual successor for the iconic E-TYPE. I have been lucky enough to drive the car in various guises from V6 Coupe to a frankly rather scary SVR. All have provided thrills aplenty, and thankfully no…
3:04 PM 28th October 2020
Talking The High Road As Cumbria’s Scenic M6 Reaches 50
The M6 through the Lune Gorge. Photo by Highways England
It’s one of the highest and most beautiful stretches of motorway in the country - part of a post-war motorway construction jigsaw that, piece-by-concrete-piece, revolutionised road travel in Britain. And retired engineers across the country are remembering their role in its birth 50 years ago today (Friday 23 October 2020). When…
10:57 AM 23rd October 2020
more