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Motorists warned of common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines

Don't fall victim.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 10th November 2026

With the temperatures drastically dropping now as we head into winter, motorists are being warned against a common driving habit.

On a wintry morning when the windscreens are frozen and your hands are equally as frozen too, it’s pretty common for drivers to start the engine, turn the heater right up, and remain stationary for several minutes to warm the car up before setting off on their journey… but did you know that doing this could see you, inadvertently, fall foul of the law?

That’s right – as ridiculous as it sounds, leaving your car engine running ‘unnecessarily’ while parked on a public road is illegal.

And to make matters worse, the rules on ‘engine idling’, as it’s known, apply regardless of whether the driver is using the heating, waiting for someone, or simply sitting in the vehicle.

Known as a stationary idling offence, Rule 123 of the Highway Code states that drivers must not leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while it is stationary on a public road, and according to the rule, a fixed penalty of up to £80 can be issued, right there and then.

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Motorists are being warned of a common winter driving habit that could land them with annoying fines / Credit: PickPik | Wikimedia Commons

Fines will only be handed out if a motorist is stopped by a police officer who asks them to switch the engine off, and they fail to comply.

“However tempting it might be to sit in a vehicle with the engine running and the heater on to warm up, we strongly advice against it,” commented RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis.

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“As well as polluting the air and wasting fuel, drivers who leave their engines idling unnecessarily on a public road also risk an on-the-spot fine of £80. On cold mornings, the best approach is to clear any ice or snow properly and ensure windows are fully de-misted before setting off, then get on your way and let the car warm you up.”

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There are some exceptions to the rule, however, as keeping the engine running is permitted in certain circumstances.

This includes when a vehicle is stationary because of traffic conditions, when the engine needs to run so a mechanical fault can be investigated, or if certain work is being carried out on the side of the road.

Featured Image – Freerange / Unsplash

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Manchester has been named the most ‘pet-friendly’ city in the UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A new index has revealed the best cities for pet owners in the UK, and it’s great news for Manchester.

Millions of us share our home with a pet, and making sure we give them the best possible life is often at the forefront of our minds, right?

While there’s a lot people can control about their pet’s lifestyle, many of the factors that affect their happiness are determined by location, and sadly for the 83% of the UK population who live in more urban areas, the challenges to give a pet a good life can feel even greater – with less access to green space, and fewer social spaces to take dogs, for example.

But when it comes to cities, which are the best ones to own a pet in? Well, pet insurance firm Lassie has decided to get to the bottom of this and do some updated research.

Lassie analysed data across nine metrics that determine a pet’s wellbeing to create a ‘Pet-Friendliness Index’, and using this index, the UK’s five most populous cities were each assigned a score out of 100 and ranked to determine which is the most and least pet-friendly.

Person walking dogs
/ Credit: Gustavo Fring (via Pexels) | Manchester City Council

The index looks at four main categories to gauge how suitable each city is for pets – green space, environment, health, and infrastructure.

Then, within these, experts compared a range of measures, including air quality, temperature, costs, access to vets, road safety, pet-friendly rental housing, social opportunities, and many others.

And Manchester has taken the stop spot, with a score of 66.

The UK’s Most Pet-Friendly Cities

  1. Manchester
  2. Birmingham
  3. Liverpool
  4. Leeds
  5. London

In-keeping with its general growing popularity as a city, Manchester leads in the health category, with a high number of vets per head and the lowest rate of serious road collisions, while also ranking highest in terms of publicly listed dog friendly venues per resident.

“We tend to think that being a good pet owner comes down to what we do at home, but your postcode could be playing a much bigger role in your pet’s happiness and health than you realise,” commented Hedda Båverud Olsson, who is the CEO and co-founder of Lassie.

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“Our findings show that not all cities are created equal when it comes to pets. The difference between living in Manchester and London isn’t just about green space or somewhere to walk your dog, it can mean higher vet bills, poorer air quality and fewer veterinary practices nearby.”

Featured Image – Paul Harris / National Trust (Supplied)

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The cheapest Christmas Markets in the world for mulled wine have been revealed

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine

The most affordable Christmas Markets for drinking mulled wine have been revealed – and Manchester is nowhere in sight.

With Christmas markets across Europe preparing to welcome millions of visitors, festive fans looking to enjoy a warming cup of glühwein without breaking the bank might want to take note of the latest findings.

Festive experts at Christmas Tree World have analysed mulled wine prices at Christmas markets around the world to discover where visitors can enjoy the seasonal favourite for less.

Topping the rankings is Brussels’ Winter Wonders, where mulled wine is available for as little as £2.14 – about a third of the price of a mulled wine at the Manchester Christmas Markets.

Cologne Cathedral Christmas Markets and Strasbourg’s Christkindelsmärik share second place, with starting prices of just £2.56.

Other European favourites also feature prominently in the rankings. Budapest’s Christmas Market at the Basilica takes fourth place, with mulled wine costing £3.19, while Prague’s Old Town Square Christmas Market comes in sixth at £3.55.

Germany makes another strong appearance, with Dresden’s Striezelmarkt and Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt (which handily just launched new direct flights from Manchester) both offering mulled wine for £3.85.

Meanwhile, Vienna’s Christmas World rounds off the European entries in ninth place, with prices starting at £4.28.

For those planning a festive adventure further afield, Tokyo’s Christmas Market also makes the top five, with mulled wine costing £3.22.

However, not every destination offers such a bargain. Across the Atlantic, New York City’s Winter Village takes the title of the most expensive market in the study, with mulled wine costing a rather less festive £11.74. Chicago’s Christkindlmarket isn’t far behind, charging £8.80.

Manchester Christmas Markets start on Friday 6 November – we’ll see how our prices stack up then.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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