GEM urges Government to take lead and save lives on the road

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by Joe Jeffrey

GEM hits out at Government’s response to rise in road fatalities

Road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is calling on the UK Government to take immediate and robust action to deal with the entirely unnecessary rise in road fatalities and serious injuries.

The call comes following the Department for Transport publishing its Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2014 Annual Report, which revealed a four per cent rise in road-related fatalities.

GEM chief executive, David Williams MBE, had strong words for ministers, saying: “To claim, as the Department for Transport has done, that a four per cent rise in fatalities is ‘not statistically significant’ is an outrage. Try telling that to the relatives and friends of the 1,775 people who lost their lives.

“To blame the increase on a rise in traffic levels is a monstrous abrogation of responsibility. The worst year for road deaths in this country was 1941, when traffic levels were just a fraction of what they are today.

“The Government needs to face up to its responsibilities and accept that a strong, robust lead in road safety is now a pressing priority.”

GEM has since suggested four specific recommendations for the UK Government, which are:

1. Bring back casualty reduction targets as an effective way of unifying and motivating everyone working in road safety.
2. Reverse the drastic reductions in traffic policing resources in order to get more officers back on the roads.
3. Commit to removing the most dangerous drivers from the road, through more consistent sentencing guidelines for courts.
4. Bring the recent graduated driver licensing proposal back out of the ‘long grass’ to become an urgent policy priority.

What do you think? Is a four percent rise in road deaths simply just a case of an increase in traffic as the Government seems to suggest, or something which needs to be addressed further?

Holidaymakers evacuated after sinkhole swallows caravan

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by Joe Jeffrey

Caravanners evacuated after emergence of football-sized sinkhole

Caravanners have been evacuated from a picturesque coastal campsite after a vast sinkhole opened and swallowed vehicles including a caravan.

The sinkhole, estimated to be around the size of a football pitch, emerged at the popular campsite, located at Inskip Point in the state of Queensland shortly before midnight on Saturday, instantly swallowing a car, truck and caravan.

Around 150 caravanners were evacuated from the site, known to have had previous sinkholes, following a quick response from authorities.

One caravanner told Queensland’s Channel Nine news station: “There was lots of yelling and screaming and then a caravan went over the edge. It was pretty scary.”

Local towing company, Clayton’s Towing took to Facebook to explain how two employees also witnessed the sinkhole emerge, before fleeing for their lives upon hearing a noise described as being “like a storm.”

“On looking they realised the sand was rapidly disappearing into the ocean at a amazing speed,” a company representative said. “They only just got their 4wds and caravans out with seconds to spare as their campsite disappeared three metres down into the ocean. A 4wd, large caravan, camper trailer, tents etc on the site next to them all got swallowed into the ocean.”

It is thought the sinkhole, measuring approximately 450 feet long and 330 feet wide, could expand. Queensland’s Parks and Wildlife staff have since cordoned off the area to prevent vehicle and pedestrian access. Caravanners have been urged to avoid the area, with senior ranger, Dan Clifton, saying: “There is a real possibility the hole could expand with ocean currents, so people are urged to avoid the area. While we continue to assess the situation, our priority is public safety.”

The all-new, enhanced Swift Sprite range for 2016

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by Joe Jeffrey

Swift’s Sprite range sees a series of enhancements for 2016. CaravanTimes went along to Swift to find out more

Remaining one of the most popular choices of caravans for both families and couples alike, Swift’s best-selling Sprite range sees a series of enhancements for 2016.

Following on from the introduction of the Sprite Freedom range for the new season, the Sprite range has, according to Swift, been elevated into the mid-level sector of the market, whilst continuing to remain great value for money.

As always, great attention to detail has remained paramount when it comes to the 2016 Sprite range. Finer details, such as twin curtain tracks, positive-locking catches on all locker drawers, an abundance of worktop space in the kitchen and an EcoCamel shower head in the bathroom add a touch of quality craftsmanship, whilst bringing the range into the new season with a number of modern enhancements, including Smart Plus construction.

Join us in our latest video to discover how Swift has made the Sprite range even more light and spacious than ever before, including inside the Sprite EW, featuring a comfortable L-shaped end lounge, as well as three front windows enabling an abundance of light throughout – the latter being a standard feature across all Swift Sprite models for the new season.

Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015 to feature great cooking lessons

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by Daniella Almeida

The latest news for next month’s show has revealed a number of great chefs on site showing off their culinary skills

Food is an important part of any good holiday and the Motorhome & Caravan Show, set for 13 October until 18 October 2015, is no exception. A number of chefs have signed on to show off their culinary skills at the event including chefs Dean Edwards, Sean Wilson, Paul Da-Costa Greaves, and Ali Ray.

The event is the UK’s national leisure vehicle launch show and this show is set to be one of the largest yet as tens of thousands guests are already expected to attend.

Guests will be able to witness the aforementioned four top chefs giving it their at all in the Expert’s Theatre at the site. They will be demonstrating everything from delicious family curries to the best of British cuisine in the hopes of inspiring visitors to create amazing food whenever they’re on site in a caravan or motorhome

To commence the event, food and camping expert Ali Ray will be pitching up each day between the 13th and 15th. Ray is The Camping and Caravanning Club‘s “Eat Local” columnist and will be showing visitors how to cook using the best local ingredients to where you’re staying.

Ray wants campers to take in all of the surrounding area where they are holidaying by embracing great local produce. Ray surely knows her stuff as she’s spent five years travelling through the country to research for her first book “Pitch Up, Eat Local”.

Starting the weekend off is Master Chef of Great Britain Paul Da-Costa Greaves who will arrive on site on Friday 16 October. Da-Costa Greaves was born in Liverpool to an English mother and West Indian father so his cooking has consistently been unique.

The chef’s cooking has been described as like “a male version of Nigella Lawson” and he will be putting his originality to the test by cooking up some fascinating dishes.

On Saturday 17 October, Chef Sean Wilson will be on hand. Wilson is more famously known for playing Martin Platt in Coronation Street for over 20 years.

Wilson will be cooking up some great dishes using his own unique, hand-made Lancashire Cheese in his own quirky and fun style. Learn how cheese can be the basis for any dish prepared outdoors with the help of Wilson.

Visiting the show on Sunday 18 October will be Dean Edwards, resident chef on ITV’s morning programme Lorraine. Edwards will be cooking three easy dishes that any family can cook on a campsite. One of these dishes is a Thai beef and mango salad, but you’ll have to make it to the show to find out the other two!

In an effort to prove his believe that food doesn’t have to be complicated and can be incredibly delicious while also simple to make, Edwards will be using ingredients that are familiar to everyone. He’ll also be on site to sign copies of his new book “Feel-Good Family Food”.

The cooking is just one of the many activities that the event has to offer. Guests can also enjoy over 400 exhibitors, exclusive show only deals, new product launches each day, free caravan towing and motorhome manoeuvring lesson, and so much more.

The show is supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping and Caravanning Club and takes place at the NEC in Birmingham.

To buy tickets in advance (from as little as £7.50 senior or £8.50 adult), head over to the show’s website here. Remember, kids go free!

Land Rover Discovery HSE LUX wins The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year 2016

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by Daniella Almeida

Land Rover Discovery receives top honours at The Caravan Club’s Towcar of the Year Awards for 2016

This year’s The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year 2016 Competition’s testing took place in July at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire. Taking home the title of Towcar of the Year 2016, along with wins in two other categories, was the Land Rover Discovery HSE LUX.

The Discovery was awarded the title while also winning the top model in two classes – for all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles over 1,800kg and for vehicles priced over £50,000.

At an awards ceremony at the RAC in London, judges gave praise for the model by mentioning its “rock solid stability, master-class hill start, and its electric parking brake, which holds really well and releases automatically when pulling away.”

For this year’s competition, 39 cars were tested by The Caravan Club and carried out by caravan journalists, national motoring journalists, and Caravan Club members. The purpose of this was to provide drivers with ample advice on all their towing needs.

Each car was assessed based on its towing abilities which included acceleration, braking, and coping with hill starts.

Taking home the top spot, and excelling in every category, was the Land Rover Discovery. The Discovery is available with Trailer Stability Assist to detect the presence of a trailer. The program also monitors the trailer when travelling above 37mph and uses selective braking of the appropriate wheels to help correct any problems that come up.

Towing Assist is also available with reversing aid, optional surround camera system, and it predicts the trajectory of the vehicle and trailer which provides aid when coupling a trailer. It also supplies a predicted path for the vehicle on the touch-screen when reverse is selected.

For the awards, manufacturers were invited to submit for testing any vehicle that was capable of towing a trailer over 750kg and would be on sale on 1 October 2015.

The future of towing looked a lot brighter when Land Rover previews its world-first Transparent Trailer and Cargo Sense research concepts earlier this month. Visibility is enhanced with the use of the Transparent Trailer which uses cameras that enable the driver to see-through rendering of the trailer in the rear-view mirror.

Cargo Sense, on the other hand, provides the driver with live data on the condition of storage or livestock during transportation. Details of movement within the cargo area are provided through pressure pads and temperature sensors.

Managing Director of Jaguar Land Rover UK, Jeremy Hicks, has said: “2015 is proving to be another fantastic year for Discovery. It has been at the top of the judge’s lists of capable towing vehicles consistently for the last nine years.
“Along with our recent research concept announcements, we are demonstrating our strong ability to develop ground-breaking technologies that put the needs of our customers first.

“Innovation and capability are cornerstones of our DNA and Discovery continues to lead the way in these areas,” he concluded.

The cars entered were carefully judged to ensure that they conformed to the exact specification declared on the entry documentation. While there were many winners in a selection of categories, as reviewed by CaravanTimes, the Land Rover Discovery HSE LUX proved to be the best of the best for 2016.

The all-new Bailey Pegasus 4: comfort, quality and class all in one

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by Joe Jeffrey

CaravanTimes takes a closer look at the all new Bailey Pegasus 4 to find out what’s in store for the new season

When it comes to choosing the right caravan for you, it’s not only the look of a caravan that helps make that all important decision, but also comfort. And Bailey of Bristol seems to have achieved the perfect result, with the introduction of the all-new Bailey Pegasus 4.

The fourth-generation range from Bailey sees a number of enhancements for 2016, including a brand new soft furnishing scheme featuring new domestic front lounge area, featuring higher backrests, new bed make-up system and so much more to enable enhanced comfort and, ultimately, a more relaxing holiday.

Using advanced technology to provide for a more comfortable experience all round, including super-soft domestic foam on all seats, as well as Dream Sleep fixed bed mattresses, featuring Ultimate Freshness technology and much more, you could be forgiven for thinking the aesthetics have taken a back seat – but this couldn’t be further from the truth.

For 2016, the popular Pegasus range has seen design enhancements both inside and out in a bid to appeal to a wider demographic, and Bailey might just have pulled this off. Providing for a premium ambience, a plush new interior, including ‘Mendip Ash’ finish, certainly looks the part, whilst raising the bar when compared to other mid-market caravans available today.

To find out more about the all-new fourth-generation Bailey Pegasus 4, check out our video above and let us know your thoughts below.

Downton Abbey inspired getaways with The Caravan Club

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by Daniella Almeida

Feel as if you’re on Downton Abbey by pitching up at one of the many Caravan Club sites located within grounds of country estates

If you have ever wondered what it’s like to feel as if you were on Downton Abbey, now is your chance. Feel as if you are on the set of the famous program with a stay at one of the many Caravan Club sites located within the grounds of some country house estates.

These sites offer guests with the opportunity to revel in the picturesque settings while also taking in the history of stately homes all across the UK.

Be sure to hit up The Sandringham Estate Caravan Club Site which is located in the heart of the Royal Estate and is considered as one of the most famous residences of the Royal Family. It’s even said to be one of the Queen’s favourites.

The site offers up an adventure playground, sculpture trail, and 142 hectares to explore. Guests can also visit the house, museum, and grounds in order to take in the rich history of the estate.

A caravan pitch at this site starts from £6.60 per pitch, plus £6.50 per adult and £1.70 per child per day.

Next up is the Chatsworth Park Caravan Club Site which is set in an old walled garden on the Chatsworth Estate. This estate is best known for its feature in the BBC’s adaptation of “Pride and Prejudice” starring Colin Firth.

Guests can explore the gorgeously decorated rooms as well as visit the house, formal gardens, and the famous fountain. Be sure to explore the surrounding areas including the village of Baslow and the beautiful countryside.

A caravan pitch at this site starts from £7.30 per pitch, plus £7.10 per adult and £2.40 per child per day.

Finally, head over to the Tredegar House Country Park Caravan Club Site. The site is seven-acres complete with a lake, 17th century orangery, and woodland and walled gardens. Guests can take in all of the beauty located right on the site or visit Tredegar House.

Tredegar House is known as one of the architectural wonders of Wales and one of the most significant 17th century houses in the British Isles. Be sure to head out to the nearby city of Cardiff where you can visit the castle and National Museum.

A caravan pitch at this site starts from £6.00 per pitch, plus £5.10 per adult and £0.01 per child per day. Plus get 50 per cent off your pitch fee when staying Monday through Thursday night.

Members of The Caravan Club can take advantage of prices from just £11.10 per person, per night for stays at most of the country house estates. A non-member fee of £10 per night applies when staying on a Caravan Club Site so it might be worthwhile to become a member!

Join The Caravan Club by visiting their website here. To book any of these offers, contact the club directly on 01342 488713.

COMPETITION: Win more tickets to the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015

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by Joe Jeffrey

Enter our latest competition to win one of ten pairs of tickets to the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015 now!

Motorhomers and caravanners across the UK and further afield are getting set to attend Birmingham’s NEC in their droves for the Motorhome & Caravan Show 2015. And now you could be amongst them in our latest competition.

The show, taking place between 13 – 18 October, promises exactly what we’ve come to expect from organisers, NCC events, including a sneak peek at all of the new 2016 caravan and motorhome models from leading UK and European manufacturers – all under one roof.

Supported by The Caravan Club and The Camping & Caravanning Club, this year’s show will also feature every other type of leisure vehicle too, including campervans, trailer tents, innovative folding caravans, luxury lodges and holiday homes. There’ll even be a Guinness World Record attempt taking place, with show organisers planning on building the world’s largest LEGO caravan ever seen.

And with a lineup of celebrities on hand to make things even more exciting, including undisputed World Superbike racing legend and current I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! king of the jungle, Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty who will be on hand to open the show in true style, as well as Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker, there’s guaranteed to be something for everyone.

Following on from the success of our last competition, giving away tickets for this year’s show, CaravanTimes has teamed up with Motorhome & Caravan Show organisers, the National Caravan Council (NCC) to offer a further ten lucky CaravanTimes members the chance to win a pair of tickets for the show of the year.

All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets is like our Facebook page here and complete the form below by midday on 9 October.

Good luck!

Terms and Conditions:

Fifteen winners will be picked at random on Friday 9 October and the winners will be notified via the email supplied in the entry form

Competition open to members of CaravanTimes only

Only one entry per person

No purchase necessary

No cash or alternative will be offered

The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over

The Caravan Club Towcar of the Year 2016 winners announced

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by Joe Jeffrey

Find out which cars won in The Caravan Club’s Tow Car of the Year Awards 2016 here

The winners of The Caravan Club’s annual Towcar of the Year competition have been announced.

The awards, organised by The Caravan Club in a bid to advise its members on the towcars to buy in 2016, are voted on by members of the caravan press, national motoring journalists and Caravan Club members and are designed to provide the Club’s members with sound advice for when it comes to hitting the road.

As with previous years, a panel of nine judges evaluated each vehicle by putting them through their paces at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire earlier this summer. This year, 43 vehicles were put to the test, using the same set of criteria which included assessing acceleration, brakes including parking break, reversing, driver ergonomics, hill start, visibility, traction, and the suitability of the gear box.

Cars competed in seven price classes and vehicles with 4-wheel drive features competed in a further two categories split by kerbweight, under and over 1800kg.

The prestigious title of Overall Winner over £50,000, All Wheel Drive over 1800kg was awarded to the Land Rover Discovery HSE LUX.

Additional winners in their classes went to:

Class Winner Vehicles under £17,500: MG6 S DTI-TECH

Class Winner Vehicles £17,500 – £22,000: Renault Captur Dynamique Nav dCi 110

Class Winnner Vehicles £22,000 – £26,000: Volkswagen Jetta SE 2.0-litre TDI BlueMotion Technology 150 PS DSG?

Class Winner Vehicles £26,000 – £30,000: Skoda Octavia Estate Scout 2.0TDI 150PS 4×4

Class Winner Vehicles £30,000 – £40,000: Volkswagen Passat Estate GT 2.0-litre TDI SCR 190 PS DSG

All wheel drive vehicles under 1800kg winner: Volkswagen Passat Estate GT 2.0-litre Bi-TDI SCR 240 PS 4MOTION

Class Winner Vehicles £40,000 – £50,000: Volkswagen Touareg R-Line 3.0TDI V6 4MOTION

CaravanTimes extends its congratulations to winners in each category.

Land Rover seems to be onto a winning formula when it comes to building cars capable of towing caravans to perfection if this year’s results are anything to go by, having won in the ‘Over £40,000’ category last year with the HSE Luxury too. It’s worth noting that no other cars managed to achieve this accolade within additional categories for a second consecutive year for 2016.

What do you think of the results? Did your car come up trumps? Take a look at The Caravan Club’s video below and let us know your thoughts.

Importance of tyre safety highlighted following report on road casualties

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by Daniella Almeida

The 2014 report on road casualties shows an “unacceptable” number, calling for increased importance placed on tyre safety

The Department for Transport‘s annual report of accident statistics was published today revealing the number of deaths and injuries attributed to all classifications of vehicle defects has increased to 3,230. As a result, TyreSafe is calling for renewed vigour in the campaign to raise awareness among motorists of the importance of tyre safety.

The report highlighting road casualties Great Britain 2014, has revealed the number of all casualties from accidents caused by illegal, defective, or under-inflated tyres as being similar to the average number over the last five reported years’ figures.

However, deaths and serious injuries caused by this have gone slightly up. This minor increase in deaths is believed to be a result of motorists neglecting routine checks which could keep everyone safe, according to TyreSafe.

In 2014, the number killed or seriously injured (KSI) motorists due to tyre defects rose to 224 totalling in 1125 casualties. Compare this to the annual average for the five reported years since 2010 which are only 198 KSIs with 1135 total casualties.

Over the past five years, in accidents attributed to vehicle defects, problems with tyres have been the largest single contributory factor (responsible for 36.1 per cent of casualties). 28 out of the 48 people killed in accidents attributed to vehicle defects were because of defective tyres.

Despite the progress made since its first year in 2006 (with 307 KSIs and 1627 total casualties), TyreSafe is unimpressed with how recent years have fared.

Chairman of TyreSafe, Stuart Jackson said: “While 2014 figures do not reflect a dramatic worsening of tyre-related accident casualties over the past five years, TyreSafe considers the current status quo unacceptable.

“The DfT’s figures support TyreSafe’s findings which shows too few of Britain’s motorists inspect their vehicle’s primary safety feature before taking to the roads. Every day, tyre retailers, the fire service, the police, and breakdown recovery services see examples of this neglect as they come face to face with a substantial number of tyres in appalling, unroadworthy condition.

“Unlike other vehicle components, tyres can easily be checked visually – it is ultimately the driver’s responsibility to ensure that their vehicle is safe and clearly need to take immediate action if tyres are flat, have lumps, bumps, or cut – or if they’re bald.

“Defective tyres dramatically reduce the effectiveness of a vehicle’s steering and braking systems, can potentially suffer catastrophic deflations and potentially add to the numbers of road casualties. With this year’s casualty figures from the DfT being comparable to the five-year average, TyreSafe’s main concern is the slow pace at which drivers are taking this message on board.

“TyreSafe’s enhanced partnership with Highways England is an example of the support we urge all road safety stakeholders to provide, especially now we are approaching Tyre Safety Month – a campaign TyreSafe believes can help drive the reduction of road casualties,” he finished.

Tyre Safety Month begins on 1 October, its aim to encourage motorists to carry out regular #SafeTyreChecks and poses the question, “When did you last do it?” to Britain’s motorists.

The campaign is a result of TyreSafe surveys which have revealed one in five drivers has never checked their tyres, and nearly 10 million dangerous and illegal tyres are likely to driven in Britain in 2015.

TyreSafe is recommending that all motorists ACT at least once a month: check tyres for Air pressure, Condition, and Tread depth.

For more information on Tyre Safety Month, visit Tyre Safe’s website here.

Jobs lost as caravan company goes into liquidation

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by Daniella Almeida

More than 20 jobs have been lost at Stowmarket Caravans & Motorhomes as company goes into liquidation

Suffolk caravan and motorhome company, Stowmarket Caravan Sales Ltd., is set to go into liquidation, forcing many to search for alternative employment.

The company, established in 1954, has given notice under the Insolvency Act of a meeting with creditors set to be held this Friday 25 September. In more recent years, the company has branded further afield and taken to selling both used and new caravans and motorhomes.

Some of the brands the company offered for sale included Coachman, Swift, Sterling, and Sprite caravans as well as Bailey, Chausson, and Autocruise motorhomes. Furthermore, Stowmarket Caravan Sales Ltd. also serviced caravans and motorhomes, offered caravan hire, and supplied awnings, accessories, spares, and parts.

The meeting to be held relates to the Sections 99, 100, and 101 of the Insolvency Act, which cover the appointment of a liquidator as mentioned in the London Gazette.

The liquidator appointed will be Andrew Dix of LB Insolvency Solutions, part of the LB Group. Dix was chosen by the directors of the caravan company, who have been identified at Companies House as Paul Simon Garrod and David Garrod.

According to Dix, most of the company’s employees, numbering at around 25, were made redundant on 14 September. Agents who had been given the job to oversee the disposal of the company’s stock were given a small number of the staff to assist them.

The company will be entering a creditor’s voluntary liquidation. This will allow for them to close their doors voluntarily without creditors launching insolvency proceedings.

Taking a look at the all-new Vision range for 2016 from Coachman

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by Joe Jeffrey

Coachman pulls out all the stops for the Vision range for 2016

To most seasoned caravanners, Coachman is renowned for its innovative, quality caravans – and 2016 looks set to be no different with the release of the company’s new Vision range.

Knocking those nasty myths about excessive weight back where they belong, the 2016 Vision range sees a significant reduction in weight, whilst also introducing a brand new innovative layout to the fold, by way of the Vision 570.

Taking what most of us have come to expect with caravan layouts and flipping it on its head, for 2016, Coachman’s five-berth Vision 570 – weighing in at 1525kgs – sees the introduction of not one, but two lounge areas, situated on either side of the caravan.

As we see in the video, the versatile layout makes great use of space, as well as an ideal opportunity for a comfortable family getaway, providing the opportunity for kids to have their very own space whilst mum and dad are also able to relax and holiday in style.

It’s not just the layout that adds to the family feel of the Vision 570 though, with the range’s light weights, as touched on previously, allowing even more family cars the ability to tow the Vision with ease.

To find out more about what’s new for 2016 with the Coachman Vision, check out our video above and let us now your thoughts.