ABD - Media Log

The Association of British Drivers
Media Log

This list details when ABD spokesmen have appeared on TV and Radio, when the ABD has been featured in newspaper and magazine articles, and now includes presentations given by the ABD.

This list is manually updated. For an automated latest feed see: Google News — "Association of British Drivers"

Some TV & Radio appearances may be announced in advance on Twitter if time permits.

Dates are given in reverse chronological order (most recent first).
Bullet colours: ∎ Newspaper ∎ Magazine ∎ Radio ∎ TV ∎ Web ∎ Presentation or Public Meeting
Magazine dates refer to cover date not publication date, which is generally an absurd number of weeks earlier.
(Ł) : Indicates a subscription may be required to access the article.
All external links open in new window.

Date	Media	Details
2009-06-23	∎ Bristol Evening Post	Bob Bull comments on the crackpot idea by Bristol City Council to close the A4 Portway on Sundays
2009-06-15	∎ BBC Radio Bristol	Hugh Bladon on cyclists. Hugh said that we all share the same roads and have a duty to one another; that it was absolutely clear that cyclists frequently ignored the rules of the road by going through red lights, cycling the wrong way on one-way streets, and using the pavements. However, when a car driver runs a red light he is punished, quite rightly, but a cyclist is not.
2009-06-15	∎ Lancashire Evening Post	Hugh Bladon quoted on Wyre Borough Council's decision to fit speed limiters to almost all of its vehicles.
2009-06-13	∎ Lincolnshire Echo	Keith Peat quoted on 8% of parking tickets issued by Lincolnshire Police being cancelled.
2009-06-08	∎ Lancashire Evening Post	Nigel Humphries on speeding prosecutions in Lancashire.
2009-06-05	∎ The Sentinel	Paul Biggs quoted on Staffordshire Police wasting a court's time over a tinted window.
2009-06-04	∎ BBC Three Counties Radio	Nigel Humphries on a report from road safety officers in Hertford who had done a roadside survey and spotted dozens of drivers on phones or applying hair gel, opening post, etc, etc. Nigel said that the focus on speed had reduced driving standards, taken attention away from what is important and taken police off the roads in favour of speed cameras. People who were thinking about what is the safe speed to drive at rather than driving by numbers would be less likely to indulge in these activities. He emphasized that people should not do other activities while driving, but that we were cynical about what these safety officers had seen — were they looking at people in traffic jams? This shows the police should target erratic drivers rather than looking at every car to catch people out in safe circumstances.
2009-05-28	∎ BBC Radio Essex	Nigel Humphries on caravans. Nigel blamed holiday traffic queues on the government for too many single carriageway roads, but also on some people towing with cars not up to the job. He urged caravanners to pull over when possible to let traffic queues past.
2009-05-27	∎ BBC TV News	Brian Mooney speaking about Westminster Council handing over 400 parking spaces to car pool company Zipcar. Brian said this was just another way for councils to discriminate against drivers and take away parking spaces. The Council refused to disclose the financial agreement with Zipcar.
2009-05-25	∎ Yorkshire Post	ABD spokesman quoted in a story about speed camera partnerships in Yorkshire trying to find somewhere to install SPECS cameras. Sounds to us like they are looking a location that will generate loads of money.
2009-05-22	∎ Bolton News	Sean Corker quoted on a dodgy speed indicator in Bolton.
2009-05-20	∎ BBC Radio Northampton	Nigel Humphries on pot holes. Nigel slated the government for failing to maintain roads as a priority; and for failing to build the A14 as a motorway from day 1.
2009-05-19	∎ BBC Radio Leeds	Nigel Humphries on "is driving enjoyable?" Nigel said the government were trying to make it unpleasant and force us all to use the bus — and they were succeeding at the former if not the latter. He also said social changes like working mothers were contributiing to more driving, and some people drove more than they want to.
2009-05-19	∎ Honest John	Brian Gregory quoted on the government's car scrappage scheme.
2009-05-19	∎ BBC Radio Manchester	Nigel Humphries on GMP's Smart spy cars. Nigel said they should be looking for people driving erratically and finding out why, rather than spying on every car looking for an excuse to write a ticket.
2009-05-14	∎ Cambridge News	Brian MacDowall on the congestion charge being proposed for Cambridge, despite falling congestion levels.
2009-05-13	∎ Daily Mail ∎ Daily Telegraph ∎ Sky News	Paul Biggs quoted on Intelligent Speed Adaption.
2009-05-13	∎ Daily Express	Brian Gregory quoted regarding a study that claims speed cameras have cost 10,000 lives.
2009-05-08	∎ Ealing Gazette	Brian Mooney quoted on the experimental removal of traffic lights at 7 junctions to improve traffic flow.
2009-05-08	∎ Yorkshire Post	Nigel Humphries on profiteering from speed awareness courses.
2009-05-07	∎ Daily Express	Hugh Bladon quoted on SERCO chief executive Tom Riall being banned from driving after being caught doing 102mph on a 70mph dual carriageway by one of the cameras his company maintians.
2009-05-02	∎ Daily Express	Hugh Bladon on roadworks.
2009-05-01	∎ The Scotsman	Peter Spinney on prices at motorway service stations.
2009-04-30	∎ Edinburgh Evening News	David Legge on roadworks in Edinburgh that are planned to last 23 years!
2009-04-30	∎ BBC Three Counties Radio	Hugh Bladon discussing potholes with a presenter who seemed to think they were a good thing.
2009-04-29	∎ Edinburgh Evening News	David Legge on Edinburgh City Council's roadwork strategy.
2009-04-28	∎ Birmingham Post	Paul Biggs quoted on petrol prices and fuel tax.
2009-04-27	∎ East Kilbride News	ABD mentioned in an article about the Galileo satellite system.
2009-04-22	∎ TechRadar	Peter Spinney quoted on electric cars.
2009-04-22	∎ The Columbian Washington state, USA	ABD mentioned in editorial about speed humps.
2009-04-21	∎ Maidstone & Medway IAM	Brian MacDowall gave a presentation on speed limit setting policy.
2009-04-21	∎ BBC Radio WM	Nigel Humphries on 20mph and 50mph speed limits; also insurance hikes for drivers caught eating whilst driving.
2009-04-21	∎ Daily Mail	Nigel Humphries on insurance companies hiking premiums because of trivial 'careless driving' offences such as eating an apple.
2009-04-21	∎ Channel 5 news ∎ BBC News 24	Brian Mooney on blanket 20mph and 50mph speed limits.
2009-04-21	∎ Classic FM news	Hugh Bladon on 20mph speed limits.
2009-04-21	∎ BBC Radio Leeds	Nigel Humphries on 20mph and 50mph speed limits.
2009-04-20	∎ The Scotsman	Bruce Young quoted on cars and public transport.
2009-04-17	∎ My Finances	Nigel Humphries quoted on the possible car scrappage scheme.
2009-04-16	∎ BBC Radio Cambridgeshire ∎ BBC Look East ∎ Cambridge Transport Commission	Brian McDowall on the proposed congestion charge for Cambridge.
2009-04-16	∎ BBC Radio Northamptonshire	Brian Gregory discussing mandatory driver retesting for older drivers. Brian suggested that compulsion was not the right way to go, rather make it attractive to take regular additional training and education.
2009-04-16	∎ Sky News Online	Brian Gregory debating electric cars with Sian Berry.
2009-04-15	∎ Cambridge News	Brian MacDowall on the proposed congestion charge for Cambridge.
2009-04-11	∎ BBC Breakfast Time ∎ BBC Radio 5 Live	Brian Mooney interviewed about the police spy cars.
2009-04-10	∎ Daily Star	Brian Gregory quoted on potholes and transport funding.
2009-04-09	∎ Totally Motor	Coverage of our press release 662 on Esure and Twitter; which the rest of the media ignored — not wishing to let the facts get in the way of a good story.
2009-04-09	∎ BBC Radio WM	Nigel Humphries debating cycling. Nigel criticized local authority traffic calming schemes that made things dangerous for cyclists. He also praised cycling proficiency, suggested all children should do it, and said that the biggest thing cyclists needed from drivers was room.
2009-04-08	∎ BBC Radio Cambridgeshire (x2)	Nigel Humphries on the national speed limit petition.
2009-04-07	∎ Click Liverpool	Nigel Humphries on our press release 660 regarding Brake and Direct Line's invalid use of statistics.
2009-04-07	∎ BBC Radio Humberside	Nigel Humphries on the spy cars being used by Greater Manchester Police. Nigel said that the way to tackle erratic driving was to look for it and then take appropriate action. The best way to do this was the police, who knew how to spot someone drawing attention to themselves. However if these cameras were used like this - filming the traffic in general then zooming in on someone driving erratically to find out why, then we would support them. What would happen in reality is they would snoop through everyones window and "You're holding an apple, you are knicked".
2009-04-07	∎ Daily Express	Nigel Humphries quoted on Britain's potholes.
2009-04-06	∎ BBC Three Counties Radio	Nigel Humphries on the daft idea of fluorescent seat belts. Nigel said that we thought it was an April fool when we heard about it and that it might start a trend for making it uncool to wear a seatbelt. He supported seat belt wearing, and said that whilst the seat belt law was the nanny state forcing you to do something that should be nobody's responsibility but your own, it wasn't something that the ABD campaigns on because we all wore our belts and it was second nature. There were only two reasons for not wearing belts — forgetting, which is universally dealt with in modern cars with horrible chimes, or deliberately not wearing the belt, and if people were determined enough to get around the chime then surely they would simply wear a flourescent band...
2009-04-06	∎ BBC News ∎ Daily Mail ∎ Daily Telegraph	Nigel Humphries quoted on GMP's spy cars.
2009-04-06	∎ Channel 4 Motoring	Coverage of our press release 659 on the EU's car tracking plan.
2009-04-04	∎ Manchester Evening News	Nigel Humphries quoted on the Smart spy cars being operated by Greater Manchester Police.
2009-04-03	∎ Dumfries & Galloway Standard	Coverage of our Press Release 657 on DVLA fee increases.
2009-04-03	∎ politics.co.uk	Nigel Humphries quoted on government plans for better controls on clamping companies.
2009-03-30	∎ Edinburgh Evening News	Bruce Young quoted on the number of botched road repairs by utility companies on Edinburgh's roads.
2009-03-27	∎ Daily Express	Nigel Humphries quoted on the increase in cost of driving licence renewals and driving tests.
2009-03-27	∎ Sky News	Hugh Bladon counters NCP's corporate spin exercise with a simple truth.
2009-03-24	∎ Calgary Herald (Canada)	Brian Gregory quoted on the 'big brother' mentality.
2009-03-21	∎ Dundee Evening Telegraph	ABD mentioned regarding DVLA selling driver's data to parking enforcers.
2009-03-18	∎ BBC TV News London ∎ BBC News	Brian Mooney interviewed on Islington introducing a borough-wide 20mph limit.
2009-03-16	∎ BBC Radio Stoke	Nigel Humphries on residents' parking bays where the council had painted out some superfluous lines and the paint had worn off so people were contesting tickets and winning.
2009-03-16	∎ National Post (Canada)	Brian Gregory quoted on average speed cameras.
2009-03-13	∎ Honest John	Coverage of our press release 656 regarding the DVLA selling driver's details to clampers.
2009-03-13	∎ West London Gazette	Brian Mooney quoted on residents' difficulties with parking and loading bays. Brian said he felt that the authorities can get on the wrong side of legislative detail, and residents might need to know the law at least as well.
2009-03-12	∎ Daily Star	Nigel Humphries quoted on government plans to dish out Ł2,500 to replace old cars for new ones.
2009-03-10	∎ BBC Radio Coventry & Warks	Nigel Humphries on Warkwickshire County Council's decision to "not necessarily" put signs up for speed cameras. Nigel said cameras that were placed near hazards like dangerous junctions had some effect because they made people pay attention, so they should be as visible as possible.
2009-03-10	∎ The Scotsman	Bruce Young quoted on Perth & Kinross council equipping its parking wardens with head cams.
2009-03-10	∎ BBC Radio Berkshire	Nigel Humphries on the proposed reduction of the national speed limit.
2009-03-07	∎ Klaipeda (Lithuania)	ABD mentioned in an article about the driver pulled over by police for laughing. Don't ask us what it says, it`s in Lithuanian, if you know do tell. Still, at least we know how to write ‘Association of British Drivers’ in Lithuanian now (britu vairuotoju asociacija).
2009-03-06	∎ BBC TV — Reporting Scotland	Bruce Young interviewed about Aberdeen City Council using "community wardens" to raise cash through parking enforcement.
2009-03-03	∎ Daily Mail	Brian Gregory quoted on a Mersey Tunnel Police cop displaying a complete lack of humour.
2009-03-03	∎ Daily Mail	ABD spokesman quoted in an article about an ex traffic cop who is making a million pounds a year running 'speed awareness' courses.
2009-02-20	∎ BBC Three Counties Radio	Hugh Bladon on government proposals to allow police to hand out 3 points and Ł60 fines whenever they feel like it, and threaten drivers with Ł5000 fines and 9 points if they have the audacity to take the case to court.
2009-02-19	∎ BBC Three Counties Radio	Hugh Bladon on public transport.
2009-02-18	∎ BBC TV East — Inside Out	Malcolm Heymer on the technology being used on our roads. BBC iPlayer (temporary availability only)
2009-02-15	∎ Kent on Sunday	Letter by Terry Hudson about seat belts on buses.
2009-02-13	∎ Local Transport Today (Ł)	Paul Biggs quoted in an article about Edinburgh imposing CO2 emission based parking charges on residents.
2009-02-13	∎ Local Transport Today	Letter from Nigel Humphries about the statistical invalidity of the claims behind Intelligent Speed Adaption.
2009-02-12	∎ Kentish Gazette	Letter by Terry Hudson challenging policies that demonise drivers.
2009-02-08	∎ BBC Radio Kent	Nigel Humphries on speed camera vans being used to take photos of people not wearing a seat belt or using a mobile phone. Nigel said that such remote enforcement was a bad thing, just like with speed cameras, not least because it took police off the streets and undermined public confidence in the law. The best thing for safety was the police dealing with erratic and inattentive driving whatever the cause, not someone hiding in a van taking pictures looking for absolute offences which may or may not be affecting peoples driving.
2009-02-08	∎ Kent on Sunday	Letter by Terry Hudson on 20 mph zones.
2009-02-06	∎ Portsmouth City Council	Presentation by Brian MacDowall and Idris Francis on the cost ineffectiveness of speed cameras.
2009-02-05	∎ Tamworth Herald	Letter from Paul Biggs on Warwickshire's plethora of reduced speed limits.
2009-02-03	∎ BBC Three Counties Radio	Nigel Humphries on snow. Nigel praised the efforts of individuals in councils to keep things moving, derided the "close the schools at the drop of a hat" attitude, and blamed man-made global warming theory for cutting snow budgets.
2009-02-03	∎ Click Liverpool	ABD spokesman on the lunacy of suggesting that people who spread grit from council bins might be sued.
2009-02-03	∎ Daily Telegraph	Nigel Humphries quoted on the failure of local authorities to cope with a bit of snow.
2009-01-31	∎ Daily Star	Hugh Bladon quoted on Richard Brunstrom's latest barmy idea — removing wrecked cars from accident scenes with dead bodies still inside them.
2009-01-30	∎ BBC Radio Northampton	Nigel Humphries on the new speed adverts from the DfT. Nigel said that they were a waste of money and counterproductive as they implied that nobody need feel any remorse if they killed a child at the speed limit.
2009-01-30	∎ Daily Express	Nigel Humphries quoted on the fuel tax increase planned for 1st April.
2009-01-30	∎ West London Gazette	Brian Mooney quoted on the possible creation of box junctions near the Target roundabout in Northolt.
2009-01-29	∎ Kentish Gazette	Letter by Terry Hudson taking Kent Green Party to task over their claim that drivers are subsidised by taxpayers.
2009-01-29	∎ Daily Telegraph ∎ Daily Express	Nigel Humphries quoted on speed camera prosecutions increasing 7 fold in the last 10 years.
2009-01-28	∎ BBC Southern Counties Radio	Hugh Bladon on 'speed awareness' courses costing more than paying the fine!
2009-01-25	∎ Kent on Sunday	Letter by Terry Hudson on traffic calming.
2009-01-19	∎ Lancashire Telegraph	Coverage of our press release 652 regarding the pensioner hounded to death over a speed camera fine.
2009-01-19	∎ BBC Radio Northampton	Nigel Humphries on hard shoulder running and road building.
2009-01-16	∎ Local Transport Today (Ł)	Letter from Paul Biggs replying to previous letters about road pricing.
2009-01-16	∎ Surrey Advertiser	Nigel Humphries quoted on claims by Surrey speed camera partnership that speed cameras have reduced accidents.
2009-01-16	∎ Bristol Evening Post	Hugh Bladon quoted on a police operation to fine drivers using bus lanes in Bristol.
2009-01-15	∎ Kentish Gazette	Letter from Terry Hudson about a class deal for motorists; criticising a council transport manager whose priorities seem to be public transport, walking, and cycling.
2009-01-15	∎ The Scotsman	Bruce Young on a Scottish government backed eco-driving campaign.
2009-01-05	∎ Which	Coverage of our press release 651 on speed limiters.
2009-01-01	∎ Daily Mail	Hugh Bladon on charges being imposed on drivers at some airports just for picking people up or dropping them off.

MediaLog for previous years:

year-month : Monthly publication,