Sending a text message or making a phone call while at the wheel will land drivers with harsher penalties, the tranpsort minister warned. In a move to crack down on dangerous driving, Patrick McLoughlin indicated that fines for a variety of offences would rise by 50%, from £60 to £90.  

The number of penalty points offenders receive on their licence will remain at three. The cost increase will cover fixed penalty notices for the offence of using a hand-held device while driving, the Daily Mail said, and also for speeding and going through a red light.  

A new penalty of three penalty points and a GBP90 fine will also be introduced  for a number of careless driving offences, including cutting up other drivers, eating a sandwich or lighting a cigarette at the wheel, driving at an inappropriate speed and needlessly hogging the middle lane on a motorway.  

New drug-driving laws will also be introduced, and the current drink-drive limit will not be lowered.   Mr McLoughlin, who admitted at a road safety conference in London that he had used a mobile phone to make calls while driving, but would not do so now, said: "We want to send a clear message to dangerous drivers: If you continue to show complete disregard for the safety of other road users, we will catch you - and we will punish you."  

More than a million drivers have been convicted of using a hand-held mobile phone behind the wheel since 2003, when using one other than for making an emergency call was made illegal. Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, said: "With both texting and hand-held use of mobile phones at the wheel causing more impairment than being at the drink-drive limit or under the influence of cannabis, the police need to target the large number of motorists continuing to flout the law."

IAM's response to the fine increase for texting while driving

IAM director of policy Neil Greig said: "An increase in fixed penalty levels is needed to maintain the deterrent effect. But the fear of getting caught is the key to changing driver behaviour and high profile policing must be a top priority. Any income from new fines should be put back into road safety to counter recent spending cuts." 

The Isle of Man Government Department of Economic Development has announced a strategic partnership with the Ace Cafe London that will see the two organisations create a series of commercial, marketing and promotional initiatives around both the TT Races and the new Classic TT Races.

The TT Races are widely acknowledged as one of the world's leading motorsport events while Ace Cafe London, since its inception in 1938, has developed into an internationally licensed brand, with outlets and representatives in USA, Germany, Finland, Japan and, most recently, China.

As part of the partnership, Ace Cafe London will recreate the iconic venue in the Classic TT paddock by offering customers the same menu that can be found in the North West London venue. It will also be decorated with instantly recognisable memorabilia and is expected to quickly become a popular meeting point for bike fans.

The Ace crew will also be taking over the VIP Hospitality facility at the heart of the paddock on Saturday 24th August for the 'Ace Cafe Classic TT Party' that will feature bands playing instantly recognisable rock and roll tracks from the fifties and sixties.

A range of premium merchandise, featuring both the Classic TT and instantly recognisable Ace Cafe 'Clubs' insignia is being produced and will be available at this year's Classic TT meeting at the end of August.

To celebrate the partnership, legendary TT Racer Philip McCallen, who famously made history by winning four races in a week in 1996, will lead an exclusive group of fans in a ride out from the Ace Cafe in London to the Isle of Man Classic TT Races in August.

The 'Ace to Race' package, priced at £2000 plus VAT includes the Classic TT Paddock Carnival on Friday 23rd August, VIP Hospitality for both Classic TT Race Days and a ticket to the Ace Cafe Party on Saturday night and the TT Heroes Dinner on Sunday evening. It also includes five nights accommodation at the four star Claremont hotel on Douglas promenade and return sailings on The Steam Packet from Liverpool. The package is limited to just 8 places.

The partnership will also see the TT and Classic TT promoted globally as part of the Ace Cafe’s event programme at trade shows and other motorcycle events.

The exciting sights sound and smell of Grand Prix Racing to roar into life at Edenbridge, Kent Motor sport legend, John Surtees OBE, the only person to have won world championships on both two and four wheels, will be supporting the Edenbridge Fun Day on Monday 27th May 2013.

The event in Surtees' home town will celebrate his achievements on two and four wheels as well as the success of Team Surtees which gained worldwide success winning American and British championships with its Formula 5000 cars and the European Formula 2 Championship in 1972 (runner-up in 1973). There were also race wins in non-championship Formula 1 races and podium and points winning positions in Grand Prix races.

The special event will feature static displays and a parade of rarely seen race cars and bikes as well as veteran and classic vehicles along Edenbridge High Street. The Edenbridge Fun Day will raise awareness and funds for the Henry Surtees Foundation which was established by John Surtees following the tragic death of his son Henry while competing in Formula 2 race in 2009 aged just 18. The Henry Surtees Foundation aims to give young people from the community at large opportunities to experience the emotion, disciplines and learning that the world of motor sport offers.

The Team Surtees and John Surtees related vehicles taking part in the Edenbridge Fun Day and parade will include:

·       A TS7 Formula 1 car which John Surtees raced at the British Grand Prix in Brands Hatch in 1970. John Surtees will drive it.

·       The TS14 Formula 1 car which Mike Hailwood drove to second place in the 1972 Italian Grand Prix. It will be driven by McLaren Formula 1 team reserve driver Oliver Turvey.

·       The TS15 2-litre Formula 2 car which won the prestigious Interlagos race in Brazil in 1973. Past Formula 3 British Champion and A1 Grand Prix runner-up Robbie Kerr will drive it.

·       A 1960 MV Agusta four-cylinder GP motorcycle – John Surtees won seven motorcycle championships riding for MV Augusta.

·       A 1954 BMW Rennsport twin-cylinder motorcycle – John Surtees raced for the factory team at the Nurburgring in 1955. Engineers associated with John Surtees’ career on two wheels will ride the motorcycles.

The vehicles will be displayed throughout the day outside the Bradford shop, Station Road, where they were built and designed by predominantly local residents.

Road cars and motorcycles in the parade range from two TVR sports cars to several Lambretta and Vespa scooters. There will be a 1968 Jaguar S Type Police car is in its original black livery and is complete with radio, bell, klaxons and two 'uniformed officers' (mannequins) in the back! The 1932 Alvis Firefly is one of the first that was built and was displayed on the company's stand at the Motor Show of that year – where it was sold for £495 (more than four times the price of a new Austin 7). A 1995 Reliant Scimitar Sabre Mk2 is one of just 30 still in use – only about 60 of them were made. Even rarer is the 1938 Scott Prototype Clubman Special, of which only four were built.

Spring Holiday Monday 27 May 2013

For more information about the Brooklands karting event and the Henry Surtees Foundation please visit: www.henrysurteesfoundation.com

The Isle of Man Government, Department of Economic Development has attracted a huge entry for the Classic TT Races, the new motorcycle race meeting which takes place in August this year on the Isle of Man.

Entries for the Classic TT, which forms part of the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling, closed on the 3rd May with two of the three main races oversubscribed. In total there were over 300 indivdiual entries and the line-up comprises a truly international field of riders including competitors from Australia, New Zealand, the USA, France, Germany, Belgium and Holland.

Racing will get underway on Saturday 24th August with the 500cc Classic TT Race, which attracted an oversubscribed entry for the maximum 90 places on the Glencrutchery Road starting grid. The 500cc Race will turn back the clock with an array of racing machines from the 1960’s, with exotic multi cylinder bikes from manufacturers such as MV Agusta, Honda and Paton going up against the single cylinder British machines from iconic names such as Norton, Matchless and AJS.

The second day of racing on the UK Bank Holiday - Monday 26th August - starts with the combined 350cc / 250cc Classic TT Races. There were over eighty entries across the two races, with the 350cc Race expected to be a battle between the host of Honda machines entered versus bikes from Aermacchi, Norton and AJS amongst others. The 250cc race entry is dominated by Suzuki machines, with a smaller number of Hondas, Ducatis and Kawasakis also featuring.

The biggest entry overall comes in the combined Formula 1 / Formula 2 / Formula Classic Race which was significantly oversubscribed. Over 120 entries were received for the third and final race of the inaugural event. These three races run concurrently and will recreate scenes from the '70s, '80s and '90s with a mixture of Grand Prix racing two stroke machines and early Japanese Superbikes doing battle once again over the challenging TT Mountain Circuit.

Some of the biggest names in modern day TT racing head the entry list with riders such as John McGuinness, Conor Cummins, Michael and William Dunlop, Gary Johnson, Cameron Donald and Bruce Anstey amongst many others all confirmed to appear. They won’t have it all their own way however, with Classic Racing specialists such as Roy Richardson, Alan Oversby, Olie Linsdell and Chris Palmer just some of the riders likely to be in contention in all of their races.

The Classic TT has also drawn in the biggest teams and most respected machine builders from all over the world to compete. The Yamaha Classic Racing Team will make their one and only competitive racing outing at the Classic TT, with Team Classic Suzuki, a factory team from Norton Motorcycles, leading TT teams Padgett’s Motorcycles and CSC Racing and multiple Manx GP winners Team Winfield also taking part.

The line up reads like a who’s who of classic racing royalty with individuals such as New Zealand’s Ken McIntosh and British engineering greats Dick Linton, Andy Molnar, Fred Walmsley, Tony Dunnell and John Davies all either entering their own machinery or heading up one of the major teams.

Trevor Hussey, Head of Motorsport, Department of Economic Development commented: “Now the entry has closed for the first Classic TT Races we can start to get a real feel for the type of racing we can expect this coming August. A lot of hard work has gone in to assembling what we believe will be the best entry for a classic motorcycle race in the world this year, both in terms of numbers and the quality of riders and machinery and the Classic Racing community has really got behind what we are trying to do. There has been huge interest in the event for many months and we already have lots of enquires for 2014, never mind 2013.

The Classic TT, along with the 90th Anniversary Manx Grand Prix, the Vintage Motor Cycle Club activities as well and the two off road trials events which together form the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling look set to provide a welcome boost to visitor numbers. Early booking figures suggest significant numbers of visitors will attend the Festival whilst commercial interest, particularly in the Classic TT, has also been encouraging.”

Over 600 Veteran and Vintage motorcycles will ride together when the Heritage Motor Centre hosts the 65th nostalgic Vintage Motor Cycle Club Banbury Run™. 

For the first time the event will run over two days with a Vintage Training Day taking place on Saturday 15 June offering Vintage Virgins the chance to ride Veteran & Vintage Motorcycles in a safe “off road” environment. The main Banbury Run™, which will take place on Sunday 16 June, is the largest gathering of pre-1931 Motorcycles & 3 Wheelers in the World.

The Banbury Run™ is aimed at those who enjoy the thrill of riding with other Vintage, Veteran & Pioneer bikes. Visitors can see the bikes in all their glory as they set off for their annual Run around the countryside. The exact route is kept top secret until the day, but we can exclusively reveal that it will venture through the villages of Cropready, Knightcote and Arlescote. In addition to the Run, there will also be Club and Trade Stands, over 100 Autojumble pitches and special interest displays.

Tom Caren, Show Manager for the Heritage Motor Centre stated “The Banbury Run is a fantastic day out and we’re delighted to be hosting it again with the Vintage Motor Cycle Club.  All the machines were manufactured before 1931 and to watch them ride together is a really wonderful spectacle to see!”

The Museum will be open from 9am – 5pm with the Banbury Run™ beginning at 10am. Tickets costs £15 for adults, £8 for children, £13 for concessions and £42 for a family with museum entry included to entrants and spectators. Discounted tickets are available in advance online. Gift Aid Season tickets, Tesco Club cards or any other promotional offers are not valid on this day.

www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk

For more information about the Vintage Training Day contact Sam Brown [email protected]