We all know someone who has racked up a few points on their driving licence, whether it’s a family member of that boy racer mate whose car you always avoid getting in at all costs.
However, it would seem many of our preconceptions about the so-called ‘worst’ drivers are completely misguided, according to a study carried out by confused.com.
Researching Britain’s motorists using Freedom of Information requests to the DVLA, the finance and insurance company found that there are over 2.66 million drivers with points on their licences in the UK.
Even more interestingly, the data seemed to show that despite the relatively common perception that either younger or older people are perhaps not the safest of drivers, neither of these groups ranked highest on the list of those with driving offences. It was, in fact, middle-aged drivers.
Middle-aged drivers commit the most offences
That’s right, despite those who have only recently passed their test or more senior drivers often being perceived as the biggest liabilities on the road, the most common age bracket was 30 to 34, with approximately 6,522 per 100,000 drivers (6.52%) having been given points on their licence.
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Credit: Wikimedia Commons
35-39 came in second with 6,397 and 40-44 came in third with 6,345.
Conversely – and while they obviously haven’t been on the road as long as others – it was found that those under 19 had the least offences; by some distance as well, with just 352 points per 100,000 drivers.
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While drivers with provisional licences may be included in this figure, it’s still worth noting. Moreover, the oldest age group (95 and over) with 2,186 drivers aged 95 and over per 100,000 (2.19%) having been penalised.
Once again, there are obviously far fewer drivers within this age group and making less journeys but as you can see in the full report, motorists with the most penalty points tend to bunch up between the ages of 30 and 59.
In terms of individual ages, those who are aged 32 are apparently the most likely to have points on their licence. The data reveals that 6,615 per 100,000 32-year-old drivers currently have points on their UK driver’s licence.
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Which sex picks up more points?
Their research also indicated which sex tends to be penalised most on the road, with men being over twice as likely to have points on their driving licence than women.
There was actually a fairly big difference in the number of penalty points accrued: only 3,187 out of every 100,000 female drivers (3.19%) have penalty points on their licence, whereas the rate for men was around 7,158 per 100,000 (7.16%).
So, while there are roughly similar numbers of men and women on the roads (26.4 million compared to 24 million), 1.9 million men have points compared to around 766,000 women.
Hey, don’t look at us — the numbers don’t lie and it’s you lot doing the driving.
The most common kind of penalty offence committed in the UK was breaking the speed limit on a public road with 2,158,179 offences, followed by speeding on motorways.
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As for the areas where drivers are most likely to pick up points, you’ll be glad to hear that Greater Manchester wasn’t even in the top 25 most serial offenders. Cheshire was the closest in 19th place, with around 8.22% of drivers in the region currently holding possessing points on their licence.
Do any of these revelations come as a surprise to you or are you simply so good impeccable driver that you assume everyone is just as suspect as each other?
Featured Image — Samuele Errico Piccarini (via Unsplash)
Travel & Tourism
‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
Featured Image – TfGM
Travel & Tourism
First 14 Greater Manchester train stations set to join Bee Network this year revealed
Emily Sergeant
The first 14 train stations in Greater Manchester that are set to join Bee Network before the end of the year have been revealed.
In case you need bringing up to speed, back in December of last year, Andy Burnham – who was then Greater Manchester Mayor, at the time – announced a step-by-step plan for bringing the region’s rail lines into the Bee Network, all with the aim of creating the first truly integrated public transport system outside London.
Eight commuter rail lines will be brought onto the Bee Network in phases through to 2028, with the final additions expected by 2030, so passengers can enjoy all the benefits of joined up buses, trams, trains and active travel.
And now it’s been revealed which stations are set to be the first to join.
The first two lines – which will connect Manchester to Glossop and Stalybridge – will become part of the Bee Network from December 2026, with contactless ‘tap in, tap out’ ticketing also rolled out across 14 stations at the same time.
Here’s everything you need to know.
The first 14 Greater Manchester train stations set to join the Bee Network this year have been revealed / Credit: TfGM
The 14 Greater Manchester stations joining the Bee Network in December 2026
Ardwick
Ashburys
Broadbottom
Dinting
Fairfield
Flowery Field
Glossop
Godley
Gorton
Guide Bridge
Hadfield
Hattersley
Manchester Piccadilly
Newton for Hyde
The 15 stations planned to join the Bee Network in March 2027
Ashton-under-Lyne
Belle Vue
Bredbury
Brinnington
Hyde Central
Hyde North
Manchester Victoria
Marple
Reddish North
Romiley
Rose Hill Marple
Ryder Brow
Stalybridge
Strines
Woodley
The 43 stations planned to join the Bee Network by December 2028
Appley Bridge
Atherton
Bolton
Burnage
Castleton
Cheadle Hulme
Clifton
Daisy Hill
Davenport
Deansgate
East Didsbury
Eccles
Farnworth
Gathurst
Gatley
Hag Fold
Hazel Grove
Heald Green
Heaton Chapel
Hindley
Ince
Kearsley
Levenshulme
Manchester Airport
Manchester Oxford Road
Mauldeth Road
Middlewood
Mills Hill
Moorside
Moses Gate
Moston
Patricroft
Rochdale
Salford Central
Salford Crescent
Stockport
Swinton
Walkden
Westhoughton
Wigan North Western
Wigan Wallgate
Woodsmoor
The remaining 25 stations planned to join the Bee Network by 2030
Altrincham
Blackrod
Bramhall
Bromley Cross
Bryn
Chassen Road
Denton
Flixton
Glazebrook
Greenfield
Hale
Hall-i’-th’-Wood
Horwich Parkway
Humphrey Park
Irlam
Littleborough
Lostock Parkway
Mossley
Navigation Road
Orrell
Pemberton
Reddish South
Smithy Bridge
Trafford Park
Urmston
This means that contactless ‘tap and go’ payments with capped fares will be brought in across bus, tram and train services from 2030.
All timings are subject to ongoing work between Greater Manchester leaders and the Department for Transport (DfT), Network Rail, Shadow Great British Railways, and Train Operating Companies.
Danny Jones -
13th November 2022 
