Swansea v Cardiff

Take me to the Vetchfield, way down by the sea!

Some might say that the big match of the weekend is Man C v Man U.  Some might say Chelsea v Arsenal.  Some may even suggest Wales v Australia in the rugby.  However, at Vansdirect you’ll only hear one answer to such a question - Swansea versus Cardiff - the derby!

Cardiff City, sponsored by Vansdirect, travel the short distance down the M4 to commence battle.  6th agaisnt 8th.  The original Welsh high fliers against the new comers to the division.  The first Welsh derby for 9 years!

Tesco Compare Now Does Van Insurance

Tesco Compare Van Insurance

We’ve all used it for our home and car insurance but now you can try the checkout for your van insurance!  The service, launched by Tesco this week allows you to compare prices on a like-for-like basis and find the best deal for you.  Of course, this is something Vansdirect has been doing for quite some some anyway!  Why not give the site a go and then call us on 0845 021 0333 or click here for a call back.

Geoff Hoon Announces Investment

Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon has announced that an additional £1bn is to be invested in major transport projects next year.  The recent pre-budget report accounts for £700m (one of the many fiscal stimuli suggested).

A further £300m will be made available by the government to target the “bottlenecks” on our motorways and other major roads.  Congestion is the obvious target of the expenditure but safety is also a consideration.

Cardiff 2 - 2 Reading

The Bluebirds, sponsored by Vansdirect, twice conceded the lead to title contenders Reading last night at Ninian Park.  The point secures 6th in the table for another few days, but the Bluebirds will be ruing their chance to have elevated themselves above Plymouth who lurk in 7th.

On-loan Wayne Routledge opened the scoring after linking up again with other loan signing Michael Chopra.  The pair, from Aston Villa and Sunderland respectively, have had an immediate impact on the Cardiff team - so much so that Dave Jones’ team sheet included both premiership stars alongside returning strike duo Ross McCormack and Jay Bothroyd.

Pump Prices Fall in Wake of Credit Crunch

Prices Fall

Motorists can enjoy cheaper fuel as prices at the pumps continue to spiral downwards.  The fall in demand for oil has sparked a massive price drop on world markets with the knock-on effect creating lower prices on the high-street forecourt.

In recent weeks, the average price per litre of unleaded has fallen to 94.8 pence.  Similarly, a litre of diesel will now only cost you 109.1 pence - petrol was at this price only 3 months ago!

The Summary

The average price per litre is currently:

Plymouth 2 - 1 Cardiff City

Cardiff conceded two poor goals

Two first half strikes from the home team were enough to see off fellow promotion rivals Cardiff.  Cardiff, sponsored by Vansdirect.co.uk, remain in the playoff spots but are now level on points with Plymouth and an incredible 15 points behind league leaders Wolverhampton.

Darren Purse was outmuscled by Plymouth’s Emile Mpenza in the 39th minute to allow the former Belgium international to open the scoring.  The opener was quickly followed by the second when Paul Gallagher responded quickest to the ball rebounding off the cross bar from Chris Clarke’s cross.

Match Preview: Plymouth v Cardiff City

Chopra & Purse - A Winning Combination!

Cardiff City, sponsored by Vansdirect.co.uk, travel to Home Park this weekend with a view of continuing their assent up the Coca-Cola Football League Championship table.  After beating Crystal Palace last weekend, Dave Jones’ side will go into this fixture full of confidence.

Memorial Concert for the Victims of Thailand Plane Crash

Bethan Jones

Alex Collins

Vansdirect are proud to support the ‘Bethan & Alex Memorial Concert’ as we all remember the lives of Bethan Jones and Alex Collins who tragically lost their lives in a plane crash in 2007.  The couple were only days into a round-the-world trip when their plane crashed in Phuket.  This will be the second concert in their honour and again, all proceeds will go to the Headway Charity and Morriston Burns Unit.

New Ruling Sets The Standard

New Ruling A Concern For All Drivers

Van and car drivers should revise their use of mobile phones in light of recent court case ruling.  The driver in question wasn’t even making a call!  A police officer saw the driver merely switching off an alarm whilst driving and this invoked the arrest.

In conclusion, the judge ruled that “it didn’t matter what the driver was doing, because any use of the phone (such as switching off an alarm) amounted to ‘using a hand-held phone’” (Fleetnews).

Ford, GM & Chrysler Call For Handout

The State of the US Car Giants

The so called “Big 3″ car manufacturers are “losing money at such an alarming rate that at least one may be bankrupt by Christmas” reports the Times today.  The credit crunch has taken its toll, and the manufacturers’ inability to steer with the demand for economical cars rather than gas guzzling MPVs and SUVs now means they are begging for their survival.