The RAC has a long history of campaigning on behalf of drivers. We were there at the very beginning of motoring and even helped shape the first rules of the road. Today, we know how important driving still is for people, so we remain as committed as ever to improving the lives of everyone who uses the road.
We identify the issues that matter most by listening to our members. We carry out in-depth research via our monthly Driver Opinion Panel and the RAC’s long-established annual Report on Motoring, which has been running continuously since 1989.
We use the findings to campaign for change. We consistently highlight what’s wrong in hard-hitting media stories, give interviews on radio and television, and propose common-sense ideas for what needs to be done. We call on local and central government, MPs and ministers at Westminster for action and liaise closely with the key Whitehall officials, especially within the Department for Transport, to ensure drivers’ voices and our messages are heard.
Fuel prices
We monitor both wholesale and forecourt prices closely via RAC Fuel Watch so we can see if drivers are paying a fair price at the pumps. If we notice retailer margins becoming unreasonably high, we raise it with the Competition and Markets Authority.
Retain 5p a litre duty cut until Pumpwatch scheme delivers fairer prices
The RAC is calling on the Government to ensure the Pumpwatch scheme and price monitoring body, which was enabled by an Act of Parliament in June 2024, is set up as quickly as possible. This should be used to bring an end to the postcode lottery which leads to prices for petrol and diesel being wildly different from place to place and ensure retailers quickly pass on savings to drivers from significant drops in the wholesale price of fuel.
We are also urging the Government to maintain the 5p duty cut – due to be reversed in March 2025 – until the Pumpwatch scheme is delivering fairer pump prices. The discount was implemented in 2022 shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to help drivers with the rising cost of living.
Find out more on the RAC Fuel Watch page
Potholes and the condition of local roads
We monitor the state of the UK’s roads via the RAC Pothole Index, which shows the likelihood of breaking down due to the poor condition of road surfaces based on RAC call-outs for damage shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels – the faults most likely to be caused by potholes.
Deliver a step change in the condition and maintenance of local roads
With a majority of drivers (56%) listing the condition and maintenance of local roads in the UK as their top motoring concern in the 2024 RAC Report on Motoring, the RAC is calling on the Government to change the way it funds local councils. We want to see it increase increase funding for road maintenance over a long-term period – at least for the duration of the current Parliament – and commit to ringfencing some general taxation to pay for this.
Figures from the Asphalt Industry Alliance show the amount of investment now needed to clear the backlog of road repair and maintenance work in England and Wales alone has risen from £14bn in 2023 to over £16bn. We are urging the new government to honour its predecessor’s commitment to invest £8.3bn from the cancelled northern leg of HS2 into local roads over the next 11 years. In addition, we call for 2p per litre of fuel duty revenue to be ringfenced, which would secure £4.7bn additional funding over a five-year period.
With official data showing council road maintenance is at its lowest point in at least the last five years, we are urging the Government to commit councils to significantly increase the levels of proactive road maintenance – surface dressing and resurfacing – and move away from the symptomatic approach of merely filling in potholes.
Road safety
Far too many people are still being killed or seriously injured on the UK’s roads. Government data shows there were 1,711 fatalities in 2022. While this was a 2% reduction on 2019, the reduction in the overall fatality rate has slowed since 2010.
Re-introduce casualty reduction targets
We are urging the new government to reintroduce formal road casualty reduction targets, which were scrapped in 2010, giving the issue of road safety the national focus it deserves.
Reinstate the hard shoulder on smart motorways
The permanent removal of the hard shoulder has been one of the most controversial decisions in the history of motoring. We have consistently opposed all-lane-running smart motorways and called for more emergency refuge areas to be installed when we discovered the distance between them had been increased as more schemes were rolled out.
Drivers have told us they don’t like all-lane-running motorways, with many saying they deliberately avoid driving in lane one.
The RAC is calling on the Government to convert all-lane running stretches of smart motorway to either controlled motorways, with hard shoulders permanently restored, or to dynamic hard shoulder schemes – where a hard shoulder is in place for much of the day and night. RAC research shows ongoing driver dissatisfaction with all-lane running smart motorways, with most drivers deliberately avoiding driving in the inside lane that used to be the hard shoulder.
Introduce a Graduated Driving Licensing scheme
We are urging the Government to launch a consultation on introducing a Graduated Driving Licensing (GDL) scheme to keep new drivers safe. Young drivers, especially young men, are statistically far more likely to be involved in serious or fatal collisions. The RAC has previously supported a Bill by an MP to bring forward a GDL scheme.
Alcolocks for habitual drink-drivers
Data suggests a significant number of drink-drive offences are committed by reoffenders. The RAC is calling on the Government to consider mandating the use of alcolocks for anyone who has been convicted of drink-driving more than once. In many countries around the world courts have the power to order reoffenders to have these breathalyser devices fitted as they prevent a car from being started if there is any trace of alcohol in a person’s breath. RAC research found 53% of drivers are in favour of habitual drink-drivers vehicles being ordered to have alcolocks fitted to their cars.
Understand the true causes of headlight glare
The RAC, which is leading a campaign to address the issue of overly bright headlights dazzling drivers, secured a commitment from the previous government to conduct independent research to find out why so many drivers suffer with glare. We are urging the new government to ensure this research is carried out quickly so that the findings can be used to improve road safety.
Clamp down on excessive speeding
We are encouraging the Government to work with police forces and road safety organisations to introduce a crackdown on drivers who speed excessively, which presents a disproportionate risk to the safety of all road users.
Use AI cameras to crack down on illegal handheld mobile phone use
We have long campaigned to break this dangerous habit: the alarming levels of illegal phone use at the wheel revealed in the 2016 RAC Report on Motoring sparked two national newspaper campaigns and led to the Government doubling the penalties for the offence to a £200 fine and six points on a licence. More recently, we successfully called on the Government to close the loophole in the law which meant drivers previously caught using handheld phones at the wheel for ‘non-communication purposes’, such as filming videos, playing games or scrolling through playlists, were able to avoid the full penalties for the offence. In 2021 the Government confirmed they would change the law.
We continue to call on the Government to look at use new AI camera technology to reduce incidents of illegal phone use at the wheel.
Commit to EU-wide vehicle safety standards
We are continuing to call on the Government to follow suit with the EU which has mandated all new vehicles to be fitted with advanced safety systems, including intelligent speed assist and autonomous emergency braking. We strongly believe these technologies will improve road safety.
Electric vehicles (EVs)
We continue to support the switch to electric vehicles by working to remove some of the barriers to take-up. As a roadside assistance company we are equipped to deal with EV breakdowns with our EV Boost technology for out-of-charge cars and our flatbed towing capability in our patrol vans, and we were the first to introduce an all-electric patrol van.
Re-introduce a plug-in car grant aimed at cheaper models
With research for the 2024 Report on Motoring and Society of Motor Manufacturer and Traders data showing a slowdown in private registrations of new EVs, the RAC is calling on the Government to reintroduce a plug-in car grant aimed at stimulating the cheaper end of the new car market to make going electric more affordable.
Reduce VAT on public chargers
This year’s Report on Motoring shows a third (32%) of drivers would not be able to charge an electric vehicle where they live. For this reason, it is vital the Government reduces the VAT rate at public chargers from 20% to match the 5% levied on domestic electricity as it will ensure those who can’t charge at home are able to run a zero-emission vehicle cost effectively. This would significantly speed up adoption of EVs by making public charging more affordable. Six-in-10 drivers questioned as part of this year’s research feel the VAT rate discrepancy is unfair.
Meet high-powered charging targets at motorway services
The RAC is urging the Government to ensure the target of having six high-powered chargers at every motorway services in England is met this year, as the original deadline to achieve this by the end of 2023 was missed. Being able to recharge an electric vehicle quickly and easily on a long journey is essential to consumer confidence in zero-emission driving.
Adopt the UK’s first public charging charter
We are calling on the Government and charge point operators to adopt the RAC and FairCharge Public Charging Charter so that chargers are accessible and safe for all, charger locations are clearly signposted, kWh prices are displayed prominently for drivers to see and all chargers work at least 99% of the time. The charter, the first of its kind in the UK, was referenced and recommended to the Government by a House of Lords committee as part of its recent EV inquiry.
Parking and yellow box junctions
While we agree drivers who blatantly commit moving traffic offences and flout parking rules should be fined, there are far too many cases where drivers are treated unfairly.
Ensure councils enforce yellow box junctions fairly
A study commissioned by the RAC has shown many yellow box junctions are too large which leads to drivers being fined unnecessarily. We are calling on the new Government to update guidance for councils and ensure they follow it correctly so that moving traffic offence powers are always used fairly.
Finally introduce the Private Parking Code of Practice
The RAC is calling on the Government to finally publish the revised Parking Code of Practice to prevent drivers being unfairly fined by private parking operators. Despite the code becoming law in 2019, it has been delayed by legal challenges from private parking operators and debt recovery companies. Meanwhile, drivers continue to be issued excessive numbers of fines, with many simply paying up rather than contesting penalty charge notices even if they are in the right. It is vital the code is introduced as it will put caps on parking charge notices and debt recovery fees, as well providing drivers with a single independent appeals system.
With research for the RAC Report on Motoring showing eight-in-10 drivers would struggle to adjust their lifestyles without having access to a car, we believe it is vital that paying for parking is simplified. While there is still a strong desire to be able to pay with cash, the move to payment via app has become increasingly complicated.
Mandate minimum of two parking payment methods
We are urging the Government to ensure drivers can always pay for parking by at least two different means, including contactless bank cards/via mobile phone. Research for this year’s RAC on Motoring found that 57% of drivers think car park operators should always provide a minimum of two different payment options and two-thirds of drivers (65%) still want to be able to pay with cash – the most popular payment method of all.
Roll out the National Parking Platform
To make life easier for drivers who prefer to pay for parking via a mobile phone app, we are calling on the Government to introduce its National Parking Platform at the earliest opportunity. This will enable drivers to pay with just one app, instead of having to download and use a myriad of different ones depending where in the country they are parking.
Insurance Premium Tax
With average insurance premiums up by 33% over the last 12 months, we are calling on the Government to reduce Insurance Premium Tax from its current 12% rate as it is compounding the recent rises in motor insurance. This not only increases the risk of people driving uninsured, it also unfairly places an even greater burden on younger and more inexperienced drivers who already pay the highest premiums.