1978 Goldwing Gl1000 Backrest Handle on 2040-parts.com

Call for reform over road repair funding

FUNDING patterns mean most road maintenance is being carried out in "less-efficient, cold and wet" times, a report from a Government spending watchdog has said. The current pattern of funding, combined with the need to spend money within the financial year, means that most maintenance work goes on between September and March, said the report from the National Audit Office (NAO). It went on: "Although this is less disruptive for road users, it is less efficient than carrying out the work at other times of year because materials can be more difficult to handle in cold and wet conditions, and daylight hours are shorter." The report went on: "As a result of the additional funding for emergency repairs, which is made available at the end of the financial year, almost all highways authorities need extra capacity from the market at the same time, which makes it less likely that they will get value for money." The NAO report said there was a "lack of predictability" over road spending adding that historically, local highway authorities spent more revenue on maintenance, but were now carrying out fewer routine activities such as clearing gullies which are essential to preventing water seeping into roads' sub-structure.

Mercedes SLS AMG (2009): official photos and sketches

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 08 April 2009 09:55 These are the first interior photos and exterior design sketches of Mercedes’ SLS AMG, the 563bhp gullwing-door successor to the SLR that will be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2009.  The official sketch reveals a bold grille with – you guessed it – the three-pointed star hogging centre stage, sweptback headlamps (Nissan GTR, anyone?), deeply scalloped side gills and a low, pillarbox-style glasshouse. Not forgetting, of course, the gullwing doors that ape the 1950s original. That it’s a mixture of unique fixtures and fittings, plus a couple of disappointing parts lifted from lesser Mercs.

Toyota 1/X

By Jonny Smith Motor Shows 25 October 2007 11:05 What is the point of this contraption exactly? Toyota has a habit of building mind boggling concept cars that fire up the public imagination and then deliver forgettable production dross. The 1/X may just change that.