A family from Kent have devised a very special goodbye to their beloved ŠKODA this Christmas.

• The Charnleys will travel to Lapland in their ŠKODA Octavia vRS for its final journey
• The journey will take three days across Northern Europe clocking up over 4,500 miles round trip
• The Octavia has been part of the Charnley family for two years

A family from Kent have devised a very special goodbye to their beloved ŠKODA this Christmas, embarking on a 4,696 round trip to Lapland. 

Chris and Gemma Charnley and their two sons Jake (10yrs) and Euan (8yrs) will be driving from their home in Maidstone, Kent, to Lapland as a final send off for their ŠKODA Octavia vRS, which will be traded in for a new model in the New Year.

To date, the Charnleys’ Octavia vRS has played the typical role of family car, with many special memories created, including holidays to Europe, collecting their dog for the first time, and countless school runs and collections following after school activities. 

Creating a memorable trip for their boys before saying goodbye to the faithful car for a ŠKODA Superb Sportline seemed like the perfect ending.

Their adventure started at 5am on Tuesday 20^th December with a drive through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands and into Bermen, Germany, just in time to catch the traditional Christmas market. 

They will then continue on to Denmark for the first night’s stay, before a 14-hour journey from Denmark, travelling north through Sweden for a stopover before the final day towards Lapland where they will spend Christmas.

ŠKODA owner, Chris Charnley, said: “We’ve had some amazing journeys with our ŠKODA Octavia vRS and it’s been an old faithful; always performing well and ensuring we deliver our most precious goods safely at the other end. 

Our trip to Lapland will definitely be one of the most memorable. Although we are sad to see it go, we are all excited to take delivery of our new Superb Sportline in the New Year. I’ve always been impressed with the brand and can’t wait to continue making family memories with our new ŠKODA.”

UK - Mitsubishi continues it's expansion, at a vast pace, with yet another dealership opening.

A new Mitsubishi dealership has opened in Ashford as the brand continues to expand in the UK. Mitsubishi Motors in the UK has been the fastest-growing mainstream car brand two years in a row and Ashford Mitsubishi is the 12^th new Mitsubishi dealership to open in 2015.  

The dealership, which is part of Ashford Orbital, will initially be run from a temporary showroom at its well-established site on Orbital Park, before moving into a renovated showroom on the same site next summer. The new partnership has created a number of jobs, including a new Sales Manager, Simon Lacey.

Dealer Principal Ray Kemp said: ‘We are very pleased to be opening a new Mitsubishi dealership in Ashford. Over the last few years our dealership has undergone a major refurbishment and this is another step in the development of our business. This is an exciting time for Mitsubishi, which has seen fantastic growth, and an exciting time for us. There are a number of new models in the pipeline and we are delighted to be part of this ongoing success story.’

Ashford Orbital is a privately-owned company, which took over the dealership in 2008 and now employs 36 people, working with a number of brands.

Lance Bradley, Managing Director of Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: ‘I’m delighted to welcome Ashford Mitsubishi to the Mitsubishi family at this exciting time. The level of customer service our dealers provide is one of our key strengths and I am confident Ashford Mitsubishi will be a fantastic addition to the network. I wish everyone there success for the future.’

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Mitsubishi Motors in the UK has been the fastest-growing mainstream car manufacturer for the past two years. Leading the charge is the multi-award-winning Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) – the nation’s favourite choice of plug-in vehicle.

It can travel 32½ miles in electric mode alone – more than enough to accommodate most daily average journey distances – and has an official combined fuel consumption figure of 156mpg, while CO₂ emissions are just 42g/km.

Calais crisis is now starting to hurt the Scottish Export business - This must be dealt with NOW.

The continued chaos in Calais is impacting Scottish exports and the French Government must take action on the migrant situation in the port as a matter of urgency - is the message from the FTA today.  

Responding to the Scottish Government’s call for ‘action’ to help alleviate the delays to exports  - the Freight Transport Association (FTA) reiterated that the situation is not just affecting the south east of England but that it is a much wider issue affecting industry nationwide. 

The combination of industrial action and migrant activity in and around the port of Calais has continued to cause chaos both in the UK and France, including the implementation of Operation Stack on the M20 in Kent causing delays for some truck drivers for hours  – some up to 20 hours at a time.

Scottish businesses from the fishing and food processing sectors have raised their concerns regarding the impact of delays and potential delays on their businesses.

Margaret Simpson, FTA’s Country Manager - Scotland said: “The situation in Calais is having a huge impact on the Scottish freight industry.  The delays on both sides of the Channel are causing financial and logistical implications for operators and it can’t be allowed to continue.  Every year we are subject to disruptions of some kind at the French ports and the migrant issue this year has simply compounded an ongoing problem.”

FTA has previously highlighted the detrimental effect on the national supply chain because of lengthy delays to cross the Channel, and warned of the cost to the economy as loads are being damaged by the extensive delays and those being rejected by customers because of contamination when migrants break on board of trucks.

Operation Stack is used to park HGVs on the M20 and can affect 35 miles of the motorway.  The system is normally used during cross-Channel disruption, and has been implemented on 26 occasions in the past six weeks causing subsequent chaos in Kent not only for freight operators, but also for residents, tourist traffic and local businesses.

With the Calais situation getting worse, here are some tips to avoid the queues, and no, not shoot the Idiots.

TMW THOUGHTS

I am sorry, but what the hell are the French doing, if this were any other country in the world, anyone trying to illegally gain access to another country by crossing the border without permission would be be arrested, sent back or shot, Now I am not saying that we should shoot them, but something has got to be done.

The vast sums of money involved in keeping the lorries backed up is now running into hundreds of millions of pounds, at £100 per hour per truck, it can soon build up.

Why are these illegal immigrants not being dealt with on the French side, surely they are illegal in France, so why are they not being taken into custody, processed and sent home, why, well, they French just don't care, they seem to think that if they can lose a few by them coming here, it's less for them to worry about, it seems like they are happy to let them come here, rather than deal with it.

Well NO, I care little if the French like us or not, these immigrants are breaking the law in France, FACT, the French are seemingly doing little to stop it, FACT, it is costing the UK haulage industry Millions every day, and not just us, what about those countries exporting to the UK, they are being hit too, it is about time that fines and compensation should be awarded to the British drivers and companies that are out of pocket.

But it is not just the drivers and associated companies, what about the high street businesses, the shops that can not get their stock, like fresh flowers, our local news had a report where shops were having to close because of a lack of stock and refunds having to be given due to no items to supply.

The French need to get of their baguette filled arses and do something about it, because believe me, if they don't, they will continue to invade the tunnel daily, until they either succeed, or there is a lot more deaths, neither will be acceptable.

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Information and links for anyone affected by travel disruption at Calais. This will be updated as the situation develops.

Border controls in France.

Calais situation: 30 July 2015

There is an ongoing possibility of disruption to cross-Channel services as a result of industrial action and migrant activity in and around Calais.

Check online with your chosen operator and plan your journey to avoid disruption

If you are in the UK and have a booking, check online with your operator for more information before you leave and consider making alternative arrangements if necessary.

If you are in returning to the UK from abroad and you have a booking, check online with your operator for more information. You may also wish to consider alternative routes for returning to the UK.

General travel advice

Cross-Channel passengers travelling from Dover/Folkestone to the Port of Calais are advised to check online with their chosen operator and plan their journey to avoid disruption. You may also want to follow local radio for travel updates.

Cross-Channel passengers planning to travel through Calais are advised to check online with their travel operator. Information about alternative routes and operators is available via this interactive map.

If you require emergency assistance, emergency services in France are contacted by dialling 112. If you require assistance from the British Embassy, please contact 00 33 (0)1 44 51 31 00.

Compensation and exchanging tickets

If you need to exchange travel tickets, contact your operator. For advice on compensation and your rights, visit the ABTA website.

Read guidance on EU Regulation 1177/2010, which establishes the rights of all maritime passengers to assistance in the case of delayed or cancelled departures.

Contacts for cross-Channel operators

Dover/Folkestone – Calais/Coquelles cross-Channel operators

DFDS Seaways also operates out of Amsterdam, Dieppe and Dunkirk:

• Twitter @DFDSUKUpdates
• telephone:
  • Calais, Dunkirk and Amsterdam +44 (0) 344 902 0265 and +44 (0) 871 882 1777 for sailing information
  • Dieppe +44 (0) 844 576 8836, INT 0800 650 100 and +44 (0) 844 576 8836 for sailing information

P&O Ferries also operates out of Rotterdam and Zeebrugge:

• Twitter @POferries for ferry updates
• telephone +44 (0) 800 13 0030

Eurotunnel operates from Coquelles:

• Twitter @LeShuttle
• telephone: +44 (0) 8444 63 0000 (24 hour pre-recorded travel information), +44 (0) 8443 35 35 35, +33 (0) 810 63 03 04

Other cross-Channel operators and routes

Details of alternative routes for returning to the UK. Check availability and book ahead before considering travelling to another port of exit.

Brittany Ferries operates out of Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre, Roscoff, St Malo, Bilbao and Santander:

• Twitter @Brittanyferries
• telephone +44 (0) 1752 648 637

Condor Ferries operates out of St Malo and Cherbourg:

• Twitter @CF_Travel_News
• telephone +44 (0) 1202 207 216, St Malo +44 (0) 825 165 463, Cherbourg +33 (0) 233 88 44 88

Stena operates out of Hook of Holland:

• Twitter @StenalineUK
• telephone +44 (0) 8447 70 70 70

Additional contacts

• Port of Dover, Twitter @Port_of_Dover
• Foreign travel advice: France
• British embassy in Paris

Road traffic information

UK road traffic

• Highways England traffic information or on Twitter: @HighwaysSEAST

France road traffic

• autoroutes.fr
• Bison Fute

What the government is doing (SOD ALL -ATM)

We are working closely with the French government to seek an urgent return of normal services. We have also increased security and Border Force operations at the port.

We continue to closely monitor the situation and will update travel advice accordingly.

The government’s COBR emergency committee has met to discuss the situation in Calais and review implementation of our contingency plans.

Law and order in and around Calais is the responsibility of the French authorities, but the UK continues to work with its French counterparts to strengthen the security of the border to stop migrants entering the UK illegally.

Border Force put its well-rehearsed and practised contingency plans into operation to ensure security is maintained during this period of disruption to cross-Channel services and as they return to normal. 

We have deployed additional Border Force staff and sniffer dogs in northern France as well as bolstering screening checks at Dover for both tourist and freight vehicles. This is on top of already rigorous border controls, which include 100% freight screening at Coquelles and Calais.

The government:

• has agreed to additional funding of up to £7 million towards increasing security at the Channel Tunnel railhead at Coquelles
• is providing funding to bolster the security and infrastructure of ports in northern France and Belgium – this includes a £2 million upgrade of detection technology, a £1 million extension of dog searching capacity and an additional £12 million to reinforce security at the juxtaposed border
• has installed new fencing in Calais to enhance security at the port and help protect traffic on the road leading to it
• has announced there will be a new secure area for freight at Calais port
• is tackling the roots of this problem by increasing joint intelligence work with the French to target the organised crime gangs behind people smuggling
• has granted an exceptional temporary relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules for drivers delayed due to Operation Stack in Kent

More than 39,000 attempts to cross the Channel illegally were prevented in 2014 to 2015 – more than double the previous year.

Skoda UK is delighted to announce it's agreed a multi car contract with the East Coast Ambulance Service.

ŠKODA UK is delighted to announce the beginning of a new contract with South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb). The deal will result in ŠKODA Octavias being deployed as front-line rapid response vehicles across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and North-East Hampshire. 

With 35 Octavias already delivered and 20 more on the way later this month, the ongoing fleet modernisation programme within SECAmb is fully under way.

The ŠKODA Octavia 2.0 TDI 4x4 Estate SE will be incorporated into the SECAmb rapid response fleet, which covers an area of 3,600 square miles and responds to more than 800,000 life-threatening incidents every year. The cars will be driven by Clinical Operations Managers and Paramedics.

The ŠKODA Octavia was unanimously chosen from a lengthy list of competitors – all five-door estate cars, with either 4x4 or all-wheel drive. The right vehicle had to be responsive, capable of holding standard clinical kit and sophisticated diagnostic equipment, as well as be able to operate reliably during inclement weather. 

The Octavia 4x4 stood out due to its cavernous interior space and extensive technology, as well as representing great value for money.  

With the operational fleet answering 800,000 calls and completing in excess of 17 million miles across the South East every year, SECAmb's staff are required to work at a speed that is often critical to saving lives.

Those driving the ŠKODA Octavia will now benefit from a car that returns a combined 61.3mpg, has up to 1,740 litres of boot space and which emits just 120g/km of CO₂.

SECAmb Head of Fleet Operations, Justin Wand, said: “It was really important to recognise the versatility we required from a vehicle fulfilling the front-line rapid response role.

"Our patients need the reassurance that we are able to get to them in their hour of need and our staff deserve to operate in a comfortable space, with all the kit they need to be clinically effective. We saw theŠKODA Octavia as the perfect match, as it is built to a high specification, is environmentally efficient and is great value for money."

Patrick McGillycuddy, Head of Fleet at ŠKODA UK, commented: “We are extremely pleased that SECAmb has chosen to supply its paramedics with ŠKODA Octavias. Spacious, functional and capable of high performance the Octavia 2.0 TDI 4x4 Estate SE is the ideal vehicle to take on the rigours of front-line ambulance service."

SECAmb Driving Standards Manager, Simon Macartney, added: "Space, good tech, value and above all 4x4 capability were the essentials for our rapid response vehicles. The ŠKODA Octavia Estate 4x4 fulfilled all of these requirements and more, but it was our relationship with ŠKODA and the excellent package they offered us helped to seal the deal."  

The ŠKODA Octavia Estate was recently honoured with the label ‘Best Estate Car’ at the annual Fleet Newsawards and is available with P11D values from just £16,230 and BIK of just 16 per cent.