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- England - Scotland - Wales & Northern Ireland

[for The Republic of Ireland go to Driving in Ireland ]

England home of UEFA Women's EURO 2022 and England won the final 2-1 against Germany

Birmingham - Home of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Glasgow, Scotland, host of the 2014 Commonwealth Games (Edinburgh was the host in 1970 and 1986)

England home of the 2015 Rugby World Cup with some matches played in Cardiff

London, England host of the 1908, 1948 and 2012 Summer Olympic Games & 2012 Paralympic Games

Key rules, regulations and things to know

The UK left the EU on the 31 January 2020

Driving: Drive on the LEFT overtake on the right

Speed limits: Built-up areas: 30 mph (50 km/h) single carriage ways: 60 mph (100 km/h) dual carriage ways: 70 mph (110 km/h) motorways: - Speed is measured in MPH miles per hour and shown in the same way on signposts.

This rule applies to Northern Ireland, The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands as well. In October 2011 it was announced that the UK Government is considering increasing the Motorway limit to 80 mph ( 130 km/h) which is more in line with other European countries.

At roundabouts, traffic coming from the right has priority i.e traffic on the the roundabout already proceeding clockwise.

Mobile Phones: It is against the law to use a hand-held cell-phone/ mobile when driving. Holding a mobile in a moving vehicle is considered an offence. Hands free systems are allowed provided they are properly fitted with a bracket to the car's dashboard. Although drivers risk a £60 fine and 3 penalty points on their liceence, like so many other countries people still drive and text or use the mobile. Don't risk using one as you can receive a heavy fine in most countries and more important cause a serious accident.

Driving Age: Age to drive a car is 17. If you have held a full licence in your own country for at least a year, you can drive on British roads. Minimum Driving Ages European Countries - Here Check with car hire companiy regarding minimum and maximum age to hire a car in the UK

Motorways/ Tolls: are shown by 'M' plus a number on signs. There are no toll charges to pay on British motorways except the M4 and M48 Severn Bridges into Wales (ending in 2018), the Humber Bridge near Hull, the M25 Dartford Tunnel/bridge crossing (see below) and M6 Toll near Birmingham in The Midlands. Try and avoid the M25 'London Orbital' and the M5/M6/M42 in Birmingham during rush hour times (0800-0930 and 1630-1800) as these can be extremely busy.

From October 2014 the toll bridge / tunnel on the the Dartford - Thurrock River Crossing connecting the M25south and north has a new payment system. Rather like the congestion charge in London or the M50 toll in Dublin, Ireland there are no booths to pay. No doubt this will spped up the traffic flow. The crossing will be free to use between 10pm and 6am.

There will be lots of ways to pay: •with a pre-pay account •online •by text •at retail outlets •over the phone •by post. According to the website here Non-UK (foreign registerded vehicle) drivers will be able to use the same payment channels. The automatic number plate recognition system will recognise non-UK vehicles and if there is any doubt number plates can be reviewed manually. They will not be exempt and they are serious about tackling evasion and will use effective penalty and recovery processes. This includes a European debt recovery agency to support the recovery of outstanding charges.

Speed Cameras: There are speed camera warning signs all over the UK and this does not always mean there is going to be an actual camera close by, but the type of signs on the right are used on motorways on overhead systems like on the M25 (London orbital) and M42/M6 (Birmingham with variable spped systems.

A warning sign with the speed you should be driving at are normally displayed just before the camera itself and on some roads (Like in approacheds to cities) there could be several along a short stretch of road. Some of the cameras can be adjusted so they point one way for a period of time and then another for a few weeks. Mobile camera vans are also used a great deal in built up areas and rural areas. These are normally painted to look like a Police van with the cameras usually pointing out of the back windows.

This type of vehicle will be used also on motorway bridges and there are no warnings with these like the fixed cameras. Many traffic Police cars are unmarked, although the officers inside wear uniform. Fines will follow the driver home either via the car hire company or if it is a foreign registration via inter European co-operation with Police enforecement agencies.

Seatbelts: Seatbelts are compulsory in the front and rear of the vehicle and suitable child restraints and booster seats must also be used.

Drink and Driving: Blood alcohol limit is 0.08 More information Here - Remember if you go for a pint of beer the volume of alcohol levels can change a lot from beer to another.

From December 2014 there is a lower limit in Scotland 0.05 - (50 mg of alcohol in every 100 ml of blood) - 22 mcg of alcohol in every 100 ml of breath - 67 mg of alcohol in every 100 ml of urine. According to The Caterer in an article in February 2015 "It means that an average man is limited to just under a pint of beer or a large glass of wine, and women to half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine"

MPs call for zero tolerance of drink driving - Drinking and driving should be outlawed completely with the blood alcohol limit effectively brought down to zero, MPs have said See December 2010 Daily Telegraph Article Here

Drugs and driving in England and Wales: the law - March 2015 - More information Here

Parking: Parking is controlled by single and double yellow lines Like in Ireland). Cars parked illegally may be towed away, so always check the parking restrictions before parking and leaving your vehicle. You must not park on a zebra or other Pedestrian crossing zone. Parking in many cities is very expensive and it is often better to use "Park and Ride" services.

The London Congestion Charge: More information Here

 

Disabled Parking: Cars parking in disabled parking spaces must display the blue disabled parking card. Places for disabled people are marked with a wheelchair sign. More information Here

Headlights: Although not a legal requirement in the UK, when there is adverse weather conditions it makes sense to use sidelights and even dipped headlights.This helps other vehicle uses to see your vehicle. Unfortunately a lot of drivers only turn their light when it is pitch black dark at night and don't even bother to turn their lights on when they go into a tunnel.

Driving in the Snow / Ice: If you must drive during snowy conditions please ensure you remove the snow from your number plate and the roof of your car. Both carry penalties i.e. fines and points.

If the snow falls from the roof of your car onto either your windscreen or on to another vehicle it can result in a £60 fine and 3 points on your license, increasing to £100 and 6 points if an accident occurs because of this.

Finally, please ensure that you’re equipped to manage any delay or breakdown by loading plenty of warm weather clothing into the car in case of emergencies. Better still, try and avoid driving in these conditions altogether.

Smoking in cars: From 1st October 2015 drivers in England and Wales will be banned from smoking in cars carrying children under the age of 18. The law aims to protect young people under 18 from second-hand smoke. Similar bans are already in place in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Rules of the Road - See the UK Highway Code

The AA and RAC are the two major motoring organisations in the UK. The RAC was founded in 1897 and The AA founded in 1905. To visit either site use a search engine as we have been asked to remove the direct link.

1960's AA Mini patrol van at Goodwood in 2009 - See article

1960's AA motor bike at Silverstone 2011

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Road tax discs on UK regisered vehicles - From October 2014 after some 90 years od having to display a road tax disc on a vehicle in the UK, the regulations changed. The road tax still has to be paid for on any applicable vehicle that is used on the public roads, however the paper disc no longer has to be displayed. When you collect your rental car / van from October 2014 it will most likely come without a disc. Another industry overnight is out of business - that of producing licence holders for cars.

Drugs and driving in England and Wales: the law - March 2015

It's illegal to drive if either:

  • you're unfit to do so because you're on legal or illegal drugs

  • you have certain levels of certain drugs in your blood (even if they haven't affected your driving)

Legal drugs are prescription or over-the-counter medicines. If you're taking them and not sure if you should drive, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or healthcare professional.

If the police stop you and think you're on drugs they can do a 'field impairment assessment'. This is a series of tests, like asking you to walk in a straight line.

If they think you're unfit to drive because of taking drugs, you'll be arrested and will have to take a blood or urine test at a police station. You could be charged with a crime if the test shows you've taken drugs.

Prescription medicines from March 2015

From March 2015 it will be illegal in England and Wales to drive with certain illegal drugs in the blood, even if you're not unfit to drive.

It will also be illegal to drive with certain levels of certain legal drugs if you're unfit to drive.

Talk to your doctor about whether you should drive if you've been prescribed any of the following drugs:

clonazepam - diazepam - flunitrazepam - lorazepam - methadone - morphine or opiate and opioid-based drugs - oxazepam - temazepam

You can drive after taking these drugs if:

  • you have been prescribed them and advised how to take them by a healthcare professional
  • they aren't causing you to be unfit to drive

You could be prosecuted if you drive with certain levels of these drugs in your body and you haven't been prescribed them.

The law doesn't cover Northern Ireland and Scotland but you could still be arrested if you're unfit to drive.

Penalties for drug driving

If you're convicted of drug driving you'll get:

  • a minimum 1 year driving ban
  • a fine of up to £5,000
  • up to a year in prison
  • a criminal record

Your driving licence will also show you've been convicted for drug driving. This will last for 11 years.

The penalty for causing death by dangerous driving under the influence of drugs is a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

Other problems you could face

A conviction for drug driving also means:

  • your car insurance costs will increase significantly
  • if you drive for work, your employer will see your conviction on your licence
  • you may have trouble travelling to countries like the USA

Source LSL Property Services - March 2015

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Information from holiday autos about the UK

London and Stratford Upon Avon - Shakespeare's birthplace are the most popular tourist spots. However, there are many other parts of the United Kingdom well worth visiting. Historical cities such as York, Chester, Bath, Oxford, Cambridge, Glasgow and Edinburgh. For lovers of the countryside you have a lot of choice from the West Country, Lake District and Brecon Beacons to the beautiful Pembrokeshrie coastline.

If you can avoid the busy summer period your visit may be cheaper and there will be less tourists. However, in the winter it often gets dark by about 4pm and many places of interest such as large houses and castles are closed over winter. As British weather can change very quickly, bring enough clothes for warm, cold and wet weather.

Don’t be in such a rush to hop on a plane. Skip passport control, jump in a hire car and explore the country with cheap car hire UK instead. There’s so much to see and do you’ll soon forget about the grey skies and drizzle. The good thing about UK car hire is there's no need to learn to drive on the other side of the road and you won't come unstuck with any tricky road signs. Cheap car hire is available all over the UK, so wherever you're off to you'll be able to pick up a good car rental. Book car hire in UK today - we've great rates all year round.

car hire in London - Driving in central London confuses the best of us. Book cheap UK car hire, get a decent road map and getting from A to B won’t be as hard as you think. After visiting the Queen, fill up the tank and take your hire car down to Brighton. It’s hip; it’s trendy and has a world-famous pier. Canterbury has a tale or two to tell. Jump in the car and let Chaucer and his merry men guide you through medieval times.

Book car hire in the UK - here

Views of London

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FACT FILE — ENGLAND:

England: is the largest country in the island of Great Britain, It is triangular in shape. The old Latin name was Anglia It occupies the entire island east of Wales and south of Scotland.

The eastern side is bounded by the North Sea. The northern boundary with Scotland extends from the Solway Firth in the west along the Cheviot Hills to the mouth of the Tweed on the east. The bottom part of the triangle fronts the English Channel and the Strait of Dover along the southwestern and southern coast of England and the Isle of Wight .

The north and west are generally mountainous with the principal highland region being the Pennines. The country has many beautiful areas, The Lake District, Sussex, the Home Counties. , East Anglia, Devon & Cornwall to name but a few.

The climate varies on average from 4 degrees C to 18 degrees C. England covers 130,410 sq km (50,352 sq mi), equivalent to 57 per cent of the area of Great Britain

The capital city is London (The host city for the 2012 Olympics) and other major cities are Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield & Bristol. Major seaside resorts are Brighton, Bournemouth & Blackpool.

England has the highest level of population of the three countries. There are holiday areas throughout the country and a wealth of history to discover.

Communications are good with an excellent motorway network (that is Free and only has a few tolls — river crossings, section near Birmingham etc) although in the peak holiday periods in summer some of these become very congested. Connections to mainland Europe are excellent with the Channel Tunnel (direct passenger trains from London to Paris or Brussels) and Dover being the busiest cross channel car ferry port in Britain.

South of Portsmouth is the Isle of Wight and the Scilly Isles are located off the coast of Cornwall.In Cornwall you will the picturesque town of Polpero. Boat trips operate from polperro harbour every few mins. Doing half hour trips along the coast and also trips by boat to neighbouring Looe and Fowey.The Eden project is about 20 miles from polperro. Polperro itself has to much to offer with many bars and restaurants. The coastal walk which runs the length of Cornwall.

Cuisine is very good and England is famous for its pubs. You can normally eat very well in a pub and enjoy a pint of beer or a glass of wine or two with your meal.

The Counties of England: Avon, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Bristol, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Dorset, Durham, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater London, Greater Manchester, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Hertfordshire, Humberside Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Rutland, Shropshire, Somerset, South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Suffolk, Surrey, Tyne and Wear, Warwickshire, West Midlands, West Sussex, West Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Worcestershire.

London: London is the capital of England and Britain and was the host city to the 2012 Olympics. It is a vibrant, bustling, multi-cultural city steeped in history. With a population of over 7 million. It is divided by the River Thames with numerous bridges to cross. It has something to offer everyone with over 30,000 shops in bustling shopping centres with all the major stores, specialist shops and markets (like in Camden, Notting Hill or Brick Lane), stately homes and houses, cathedrals and churches, tranquil green parks and a zoo, over 300 museums and art galleries and a superb choice of over 6,000 restaurants, hotels b&b’s and self catering accommodation. As well as all of these there are the cinemas in Leicester Square and Theatre land in Shaftsbury Avenue and surrounding streets.

Places to visit: Buckingham Palace (The Royal family’s main London residence), The London Eye, British Museum, The Tower of London, Regents Park and zoo, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Cathedral The National Maritime Museum, The Royal Albert Hall – the home of the Prom concerts. ( The capital also has 400 live music venues, catering for everything from opera to Brit pop), The new Wembley stadium, Houses of Parliament, Madame Tussaud's and London Planetarium, Hampton Court Palace, The London Dungeon and of course the world famous black taxi cabs and red buses. London is well served by the Underground (Metro – Subway) railway and fast train direct train services to Wales, Scotland and via the Channel Tunnel to Brussels and Paris

The London Congestion Charge: Congestion charging is a way of ensuring that those using valuable and congested road space make a financial contribution. It encourages the use of other modes of transport and is also intended to ensure that, for those who have to use the roads, journey times are quicker and more reliable. The London scheme requires drivers to pay £9/10 per day (price may no longer be correct so check - Editor) if they wish to continue driving in central London during the scheme‘s hours of operation

The following explains why the Mayor decided to introduce congestion charging in central London

  • London suffers the worst traffic congestion in the UK and amongst the worst in Europe.

    Drivers in central London spend 50% of their time in queues

    •Every weekday morning, the equivalent of 25 busy motorway lanes of traffic tries to enter central London

    It has been estimated that London loses between £2–4 million every week in terms of lost time caused by congestion

When does it operate:

Current Congestion Operating Hours are 7:00AM — 6:00PM Monday to Friday, excluding Public Holidays. ( may no longer be correct so check - Editor)

For more information visit site by clicking on logo on left

Voltage: The standard electrical voltage in England/ Britain is 240 v AC, 50HZ. A three square pronged adapter plug and/or electric converter for appliances is required - Like Cyprus,Ireland & Malta

Country Telephone Code: +44 (For Wales - Scotland - Northern Ireland as well)

Currency: Pound Sterling [United Kingdom Pound] (£) Currency Conversion Here (For Wales and Scotland as well)

Population 2006: 50,093,100

Land Area: 130,395 Km2

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Weather in Glasgow

 

FACT FILE — SCOTLAND:

Scotland: Forms the top part of the Island and the country is also made up of some 186 islands including the Orkneys, Hebrides, Shetlands and Arran. The mainland is predominantly mountainous. The Highlands are well known for their scenic grandeur. There are plenty of picturesque Lochs (lakes). The main mountain ranges are the Grampians and they have the highest peak in Scotland / Britain — Ben Nevis.

The capital is Edinburgh and other major cities are Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee. Temperatures are generally colder than in southern England — Edinburgh from 3.5 degreesC in January to 14.5 degees C in July. In winter there are the ski resorts and fishing is very popular as well as the country having many golf courses including the famous St Andrews.

English is generally spoken, but a percentage of Scots speak the Scottish form of Gaelic. This is mainly in the Highlands and islands. Cuisine is very good and remember when you are in Scotland, you are in the home of Scotch whisky.

Additional information about Scotland - Scottish Islands and Regions

There are 95 inhabited islands in Scotland with a total population of just under 100,000.

The Outer Islands — Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles

The islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides lie at the very edge of Europe and have a rugged natural beauty, with unspoilt beaches, plentiful wildlife and a unique culture and traditions. Orkney and Shetland share many of these qualities together with archaeological sites, burial mounds, stones circles and settlements of the earliest peoples.

The islands have a Norse heritage that is evident everywhere . There are also thousands of birds and other wildlife that make their home in these isles.

The Scottish Highlands

If you are looking for spectacular mountains, majestic glens and mirror-like lochs form the perfect backdrop to picturesque towns, isolated crofts, towering castles and pagoda-topped distilleries the Scottish Highlands have so much to offer. A startling variety of wildlife also makes its home in the sea-lochs and glens where an unbroken thread of human history reaches back into the mists of time.

The great outdoors combine History, legend, romance to guarantee visitors a warm Highland welcome and a truly memorable holiday. Whether you are looking for an action-packed adventure, a taste of the local culture and history, or just complete peace and quiet, the Highlands of Scotland is a place well worth visiting.

Argyll, the Isles, Loch Lomond, Stirling & the Trossachs

If you want to savour the atmosphere of Hebridean islands, the charm of rural villages and the natural frontier which separates the rugged grandeur of the West Highlands from the gentler beauty of the Lowlands this is the place to visit. You can trace the footsteps of heroes like St Columba, Sir William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Mary, Queen of Scots and villains like the notorious outlaw Rob Roy.

It is an area where you may see an eagle, an osprey, a wildcat, a fine antlered stag or even whales and dolphins. And if the fancy takes you, you can enjoy the spectacle of a Highland Games, the warmth of a traditional folk night or the flavour of a local food festival. Scotland's first great travel writer, Sir Walter Scott wrote of the landscapes around Loch Katrine in his best-selling poem, the Lady of the Lake.

Edinburgh & the Lothians

Robert Louis Stevenson said that Edinburgh is what Paris ought to be. The capital city has magnificent architecture shifts from the lofty tenements and narrow streets of its medieval Old Town as they tumble down the spine of the Royal Mile, to the grace and geometric precision of the Georgian New Town. Above it all, in its towering splendour, stands the Castle. An enchanting walk around the city will reveal an alleyway leading to an ancient courtyard.

Outside the city, the Lothian countryside provides a beautiful setting for the rich gems of the capital. This is an area steeped in history, filled with castles, great houses and battle sites. It's also the ancient home of the game of golf and you can find some of the great golf links and parkland courses of the world here. In fact, the trails and parkland and miles of glorious coastline in the Lothians open up the countryside for everyone — from the fine golden beaches, to ramblers high in the Pentland Hills.

Greater Glasgow & the Clyde Valley

Vibrant and energetic, Glasgow enjoys a year-round buzz that visitors just love. This is particularly true of the city's arts scene. Over 200 arts organisations, including Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera, are based there, creating the cutting-edge productions and attracting high-profile exhibitions that led to the city being crowned as a European City of Culture.

In 1999 Glasgow was the UK's City of Architecture and Design and its architecture is certainly an attraction in itself. Central Glasgow's Manhattan-style town planning affords many sweeping vistas of the city's impressive Victorian buildings, dotted with little gems from the medieval to the present day. But it¿s the Art Nouveau 'Glasgow Style' for which the city has become famous and no one should miss the work of Glasgow's most celebrated sons, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Surrounding the city is some of the best of Scotland's scenery, from the rolling hills of the Clyde Valley to the beautiful walking country of East Dunbartonshire that borders the south-west Highlands. Exploring further, you'll find that many of the towns and villages in the area such as Paisley, Hamilton, Biggar, Greenock, Gourock and of course the breathtaking New Lanark World Heritage Site make great day excursions from the city and offer a range of attractions that make discoverng their rich history a real joy.

Perthshire, Angus & Dundee and the Kingdom of Fife

From the rolling heather moorland of Rannoch in the west, all the way to the well-manicured golf courses and path network of coastal Fife, you'll soon discover that Scotland's heartlands are an area with an astonishingly diverse terrain, with plenty to attract and entertain visitors. And in between, the Angus Glens with their unspoilt wildness and sense of space make for the perfect escape.

The area also boasts some of Scotland's most attractive towns and cities: Perth, with its upbeat air, busy shops and relaxing pubs and wine bars; Dundee, dynamic and ideal for a cultural fix; Pitlochry and Aberfeldy, friendly,small-scale and welcoming, while not forgetting the pantile houses and colourful harbours of Fife's East Neuk — that is a photographer's paradise. Moving away from habitation, the region offers plenty of active opportunities, from fabulous golf on some of the world's most famous courses to more adventurous alternatives, all set against countryside and coastlines rich with abundant wildlife

South of Scotland

Here you will find rich, rolling farmland, rugged sea coasts and Clyde coast islands characterise the south of Scotland. It's a land of ancient abbeys, castles and historic houses and also boasts strong literary connections, with both Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott having lived here. The real Scotland starts right at the border with England. You will immediately find different accents in the shops and different names for beer in pubs are just two of the ways in which Scotland stamps its own personality straight away. Even some of the money is different with many of the Scottish banks issuing their own bank notes. The scenery changes and the hazy blue peaks of the Cheviot and Eildon Hills running out to a wide horizon have lifted the hearts of generations of travellers at Carter Bar on the A68.

There are then the forests and wild moors of upland Galloway and the vivid greens of Ayrshire's rich pastures, with the steep mountainous profile of the island of Arran as a backdrop. Wherever you travel here, you can be sure of a real Scottish experience.

Counties in Scotland

Aberdeenshire, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow, Highland Inverclyde, Midlothian, Moray, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands ,Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, Shetland Islands ,South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire ,West Lothian, Western Isles

Population 2006: 5,078,400

Land Area: 78,782 Km2

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Weather in Pentyrch

FACT FILE — Wales Cymru:

Welcome to Wales — Croeso Cymru- Wales is the smallest of the three countries in Britain. It occupies a broad peninsula on the west side of Britain. The country also includes the island of Anglesey (with fast catamaran car ferry connections to Ireland). The country is almost entirely mountainous with two main ranges, the Cambrian that extend north to south through the centre and Snowdon in the north, the climate is very similar to that of England. It has always maintained its historical independence and individuality and has it's own parliament — the Welsh Asembly (although most major laws are still passed at Westminster, London).

Language: The official languages are English and Welsh and you will see that most signposting on the roads and street signs are in two languages.

Population The shape and nature of the land have a huge influence on population. About half the population live in the south in an around the Cardiff, Newport and Swansea area.Travel into the hills and mountains and the population soon becomes thinly scattered across large areas dotted with the occasional small town/village.

Climate Wales is a mixture of weather patterns. It has been said Wales is green because of the rain. Not so true as many parts of the country have average or below-average rainfall — it even boasts some of the sunniest spots in Britain

The Counties of Wales - There are 13 counties in Wales: Anglesey — Sir Fôn. Brecknockshire — ( Breconshire ) Sir Frycheiniog Caernarfonshire — (Carnarvonshire) Sir Gaernarfon Cardiganshire — Ceredigion or Sir Aberteifi Carmarthenshire — Sir Gaerfyrddin Denbighshire — Sir Ddinbych Flintshire — Sir y Fflint Glamorgan — Morgannwg Merioneth — Meirionnydd Monmouthshire — Sir Fynwy Montgomeryshire — Sir Drefaldwyn Pembrokeshire — Sir Benfro Radnorshire — Sir Faesyfed (Powys covers the former administrative counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire, and a small part of Denbighshire)

Cardiff the capital City of Wales

It celebrated its centenary in 2005 It is a vibrant city that has undergone a major transformation of the last few year with the docklands development being transformed into a stunning waterfront with a wealth of attractions, leisure facilities and its own Visitor Centre 'The Tube' to keep you informed. There is also the Millennium sports stadium that has been home to English football final whilst Wembley stadium has been rebuilt. It has a thriving cultural scene, accommodation to suit all budgets, a diverse mix of entertainment, restaurants and bars and some of the best shopping in the UK. It also has the advantage of being very close to the sea.

Cardiff’s arts facilities are exceptional, with the National Museum and Gallery housing the second largest Impressionist collection after Paris. Cardiff's Bay has been transformed into a stunning waterfront with a wealth of attractions, leisure facilities and its own Visitor Centre 'The Tube' to keep you informed. South Wales is strewn with castles and Cardiff has its fair share; most notable the stunningly elaborate Cardiff Castle located in the centre of the city. On the northern edge of Cardiff, set in the wooded hillside, is the fairytale Castell Coch (Red Castle) located.

Other major towns and cities are:

Newport - a busy industrial town that is close to Cardiff and benefits from all of the capital's facilities and infrastructure. Swansea is the country's sesond largest city and like Cardiff the dockland area has been extensively redeveloped as a leisure centre and marina. Holyhead has excellent road connections with the new A55 from the north coast of Wales and Chester border area connecting it to the port (Fast ferry services to Ireland) Also: Ruthin, Porthmadog, Llangollen, Llandudno, Llanberis, Caerphilly, Caernarfon, Betws Y Coed, Aberystwyth

Population 2006: 2,952,500

Land Area: 20,779 Km2

Source jmlvillas.com - (some of this information has been provided by jmlvillas.com clients)

Goodwood Revival 10 years on - 2008 - Back in 1948 the motor racing circuit a short distance from Chichester and the Sussex coast was the home to the first post Second World War motor race and then it ended in 1966.In 1998 it all started again with the first Goodwood Revival and it's the 10th anniversary on the 19th to 21st September 2008

Glorious Goodwood Nostalgic Trip Down Memory Lane By Dick Suter Article from 2001 Here

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UK left the EU on the 31 January 2020 Emergency Telephone number: pan-EU Emergency 112 Can be used in all EU Countries and it can be dialled from a locked mobile or a mobile with no sim card. We have driving guides for those countries marked in red below (plus other non EU member European countries).

Austria - Belgium - Bulgaria - Cyprus - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Ireland - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Malta- Netherlands - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden

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Drink Drive Laws - Examples of what can be drunk at present

It is not a lot and in some countries even to drink the glass on the right would be breaking the law if you drove afterwards in others a sip would be too much see "Wine" below

"Wine - even a sip will send you over the limit and invalidate your insurance in Parkistan, Cuba, Indonesia, Romania, Jordan and Nigeria, according to Rhinocarhire.com which produces a comprehensive guide." The A to Z of car hire - The Independent - August 2010

See this guide for further information

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Emergency Telephone Numbers in Europe:

Emergency Telephone number: pan-EU Emergency 112 Can be used in all EU Countries and it can be dialled from a locked mobile or a mobile with no sim card.

UK Police NON EMERGENCY to local Police - 101

Emergency 112 or 999

Other Country Information Guides

Worldwide Driving Guides Index

Driving Abroad - Advice from FCO — Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Each year, thousands of Britons are injured in road accidents while on holiday. If you’re injured in a road accident abroad and don’t have valid insurance cover, you could face costly medical bills. Read on for tips on free healthcare in Europe, and safe driving while abroad - Click on the logo below to enter the Directgov site

Driving abroad - British Government website. Contains general information about driving abroad and gives you the option to search for specific advice by country

Finally, Don’t forget your excess cover and buy it before you set off

Excess charges could cost you up to £1,000 or more. Protect yourself by organising your insurance4carrental car hire insurance before you head to Europe.

 

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