January 2013

• 31/01/2013 - Buffalo victim given thousands - A driver left traumatised by a herd of rampaging buffalo was compensated to the tune of £7,000 by the meat factory responsible for the animals in Derbyshire.

• 31/01/2013 - Watchdog fuel report 'lets down' drivers - Motorists will feel let down after the competition watchdog ruled out a full investigation into the UK's fuel market, angry campaigners have claimed.

• 31/01/2013 - A capital show for public transport - Rising motoring costs and congestion charges have resulted in half of London's commuters using public transport to travel to work, according to the latest census data. More than two million people said they regularly use buses, trains or the London Underground system to travel to work in the capital, with 1.3 million people travelling by car, motorcycle or taxi.

• 30/01/2013 - Greener transport needed: LCVP - Transport bosses have been urged to introduce more carbon-cutting measures to reduce emissions, according to a leading advisory group.

• 30/01/2013 - Group wants full fuel investigation - The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is to initiate a full investigation into the petrol industry, after publishing the findings of a review on how the sector operates.

• 30/01/2013 - Boeing asked for more grounded 787 info - Boeing has been asked to disclose the operating histories of the lithium-ion batteries used on its grounded aircraft by transport safety regulators.

• 29/01/2013 - Holidays are good for the health - An innovative medical experiment has provided clinical evidence to support the theory that holidays improve a person's health.

• 29/01/2013 - Crufts allows dog beauty products - Crufts is modifying its regulations so that owners can enhance their canines with beauty treatments.

• 29/01/2013 - Cigarette smoke bad for pet health - It's not just exercise, pet insurance or caring for an animal that pet owners need to worry about, according to a UK vet.

• 28/01/2013 - American Pie singer caught speeding - Singer-songwriter Don McLean has been fined $400 (£265) after he was caught speeding in a school zone.

• 28/01/2013 - Britain braced for torrential rain - Snow turned into rain across the UK over the weekend as the cold snap made way for relatively mild temperatures.

• 28/01/2013 - Five cats poisoned on one road in Kent - Three cats from one road in Kent have died after being poisoned by anti-freeze during the recent cold snap, according to the RSPCA.

• 25/01/2013 - Pupils heard speeding boss swear at cop - A businessman has been fined after swearing at police in front of primary school pupils when his sports car was stopped for speeding.

• 25/01/2013 - Snow tubing craze 'could prove fatal' - Thrill seekers are being urged to shun a winter "snow tubing" craze which police say could prove fatal.

• 25/01/2013 - Under-threat breed boosted by national pride - A breed of dog which recently looked like it could be on the verge of extinction may have been saved by Britons celebrating their heritage in 2012.

• 24/01/2013 - Travel firm offers kids' guarantee - A company is offering a solution to an age-old problem faced by parents going on family holidays - how to pack the countless essentials they will need when they arrive at their destination.

• 24/01/2013 - Snowmen ideal to offer thaw solution - Brits are being urged to turn to an unlikely ally in the war on thaws - the humble garden snowman!

• 24/01/2013 - Somerset drivers rescued by police - Police came to the rescue of 30 people marooned in their vehicles in heavy snow and ensured they had a roof over their head for the night.

• 23/01/2013 - Call for driving charges re-think - Leading academics have called for transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin to consider 'pay as you drive' road charging, in an attempt to tackle congestion and reduce carbon emissions.

• 23/01/2013 - Snow gritters make hit Elvis video - A humorous video made by council road gritters about their struggle with the snow has gone viral online.

• 23/01/2013 - Diplomats racking up big fines - Westminster council has announced that diplomats visiting London from abroad now owe a total of almost £1.4 million in parking fines.

• 22/01/2013 - Brake praises guidance over 20mph zones - A road safety charity has praised Government guidance that paves the way for more residential roads to be given 20mph speed limits.

• 22/01/2013 - Ex-F1 driver wins damages over Porsche - An ex-Formula 1 racing driver has won almost £48,000 in damages after a journalist "blew" the engine of his replica classic Porsche during a test drive.

• 22/01/2013 - Obese drivers risk fatal accidents - A scientific study has found that obese drivers have a greater risk of dying in a car crash than other motorists.

• 21/01/2013 - Charity warns pet owners over salt - Animal charity Blue Cross has warned pet owners to guard against their animals ingesting poison from gritter salt and antifreeze as temperatures plummet.

• 21/01/2013 - Pothole damage compensation revealed - Taxpayers forked out over £22 million last year to compensate motorists whose vehicles were damaged by potholes.

• 21/01/2013 - Average motorist swears at 323 drivers - The average British motorist will swear at 323 other road users while ignoring 87 red lights during their driving life, according to a study.

• 18/01/2013 - New UK driving licence rules to start - UK driving licence rules change starting on January 19, 2013.

• 18/01/2013 - Study of UK dogs' health underway - A picture of the overall health and care of UK dogs is beginning to take shape, thanks to information being collected on Labrador Retrievers and published in BioMed Central's Veterinary Research, an open, online journal.

• 18/01/2013 - Princess ignored red light on tour - Princess Eugenie committed a major driving gaffe when she failed to stop at a red light during a visit to Germany.

• 17/01/2013 - Fall in drink-driving reported - There was a fall in the number of drivers who failed breathalyser tests over the Christmas period, new statistics show.

• 17/01/2013 - Young motorists easily distracted - Many young drivers are easily distracted while behind the wheel, especially if they have friends with them in the car, new research shows.

• 17/01/2013 - Plea over animal shock collars - The Welsh Government has been urged to reverse a ban on collars that give dogs and cats electric shocks.

• 16/01/2013 - Margate wins easyJet apology - Budget airline easyJet has issued an apology to the seaside town of Margate and withdrawn an advertising campaign after an angry reaction from locals.

• 16/01/2013 - New non-EU driving licence rules - The Government is planning to tighten the rules to prevent foreign drivers who have taken a sub-standard driving test from receiving a British licence.

• 16/01/2013 - Mercury's old car turns to gold - Freddie Mercury's old Rolls-Royce has sold at auction for £74,600, nearly seven times its £11,000 guide price.

• 15/01/2013 - Robbie Williams tops emergency poll - Robbie Williams has topped a poll of celebrities that people would like to help out in an emergency situation this winter, according to a new study.

• 15/01/2013 - Cat rescued after five-day ordeal - Firefighters who spent five days trying to get a cat down from a tree have finally reunited the pet with its owner.

• 15/01/2013 - British hotel rated world top for service - It's not just the essentials such as travel insurance which holidaymakers rate. A hotel in Llandudno, North Wales, has been voted the world's best hotel for service by travellers worldwide.

• 14/01/2013 - Python clings on to aircraft wing - Shocked Qantas Airways passengers might have thought they were in a scene from the film Snakes on a Plane when they spotted a python in-flight

• 14/01/2013 - Diet key to cat's 25 years, says owner - An East Yorkshire woman claims her cat is the oldest kit on the block in Britain.

• 14/01/2013 - Drivers warned ahead of cold snap - Motorists are being urged to follow the ABC of winter driving over the next few weeks as a cold snap sweeps across the UK.

• 11/01/2013 - Car MPG figures are 'exaggerated' - Cars are often falling well short of their advertised miles-to-the-gallon (MPG) performance, according to new research.

• 11/01/2013 - Penguin colony greets first humans - The expedition leader of a team of experts that became the first people to visit a colony home to 9,000 emperor penguins described the first contact as "an unforgettable moment".

• 11/01/2013 - By Jimny, OAPs hit Europe road - Five pensioners are to embark on a 28,000-mile fundraising trip that will see them attempt to travel through Europe and Asia in a pair of Suzuki Jimnys, according to reports.

• 10/01/2013 - Lynx unveil moon trip competition - American astronaut Buzz Aldrin has offered Britons the chance of a lifetime to compete for one place to blast into space.

• 10/01/2013 - UK braced for snow as mercury drops - Motorists have been warned to expect a shift in weather conditions over the next few days, with mild temperatures set to make way for snow and freezing mornings.

• 10/01/2013 - Honesty comes in shades of brown - Males with piercing blue eyes and sharp features should possibly avoid careers in sales, as these are the facial characteristics that many people instinctively distrust.

• 09/01/2013 - 'Two in three' men ogle other drivers - Around two-thirds (64%) of male drivers ogle fellow motorists and passers by when stuck in traffic, a new survey has claimed.

• 09/01/2013 - Keats poem fragment to be auctioned - A fragment of a hand-written poem by John Keats is expected to sell for around £45,000 when it goes under the hammer.

• 09/01/2013 - Famous celeb motors up for auction - Former Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury's vintage Rolls Royce and a green Ford Capri used in TV sitcom Only Fools and Horses are to be auctioned off as part of the Autosport International show at Birmingham's NEC this weekend.

• 08/01/2013 - New-car sales in 5.3% increase - Sales of new cars showed a 5.3% increase in 2012 - the highest since 2008, according to new figures.

• 08/01/2013 - Australia wildfires 'catastrophic' - Wildfires raging across south-east Australia have been described as "catastrophic" - the most severe threat level - by a local fire service chief.

• 08/01/2013 - Holidays booked on office time - More than 20% of holidaymakers book their breaks at work, a new survey has found.

• 07/01/2013 - Sooty the dog going strong at 26 - The owner of one of the world's oldest dogs has revealed the secret behind her longevity - two holidays each year, a sensible diet and lots of exercise.

• 07/01/2013 - More drivers 'taking deadly risks' - An increasing amount of British motorists are putting themselves in danger by texting, speeding and grooming while driving to work, according to new research.

• 07/01/2013 - Cannabis kit designed to test drug drivers - A cannabis-detecting kit that has been approved for use in police stations across the UK could mean harsher testing for drivers suspected of being under the influence of drugs.

• 04/01/2013 - Service sloth puts young drivers at risk - Younger drivers are taking their lives into their own hands by putting off basic car maintenance - with one in 10 never getting their vehicle serviced.

• 04/01/2013 - Thousands spent on kids into adulthood - A new study has revealed some parents continue to bail out their children into their 40s, with one in 10 offering support in the form of more than £30,000.

• 04/01/2013 - Last year among wettest on record - The Met Office has confirmed 2012 was the second wettest year in the UK since records began over a century ago.

• 03/01/2013 - Councils 'plan more 20mph zones' - More than a third of councils have introduced 20mph zones or are planning to do so, figures suggest.

• 03/01/2013 - Antique treasures found at house - A treasure trove of antiques has been uncovered by auctioneers at a house in Staffordshire.

• 03/01/2013 - Python Monty left behind in hotel - A pet python named Monty has claimed the top spot in a list of the most unusual 'items' left behind in hotel rooms last year.

• 02/01/2013 - Smelly pets blamed for love trouble - A new survey has found that some dog owners think their pets' smell is responsible for relationship problems with their partner or friends.

• 02/01/2013 - 8,000 houses flooded this year - The wettest year on record saw nearly 8,000 homes and businesses flooded, after England and Wales were hit by 10 different flooding events between April and December.

• 02/01/2013 - Bad eyes take 5,970 drivers off road - Almost 6,000 drivers' licenses were stopped in 2011 because their vision was so poor they could not pass a standard eye test, new figures reveal.