St Helens has been crowned the “most car friendly town in the UK” for the second year running.
According to research conducted by Virgin Money Car Insurance, St Helens came top in a list of 65 towns and cities, coming out well for its petrol prices, the level of vehicle crime and the cost of parking over two hours. The number of speed cameras and the number of car parks in a town were also taken into consideration.
It overcame competition from West Bromwich and Telford, while Reading was voted as the most unfriendly town in Britain.
Grant Bather, of Virgin Money, said: “The cost of petrol has risen by almost 20 per cent over the past year due to VAT and fuel duty increases, and combined with the constant issue of parking problems, speeding tickets and vehicle crime, the UK’s 24 million drivers can be forgiven for feeling as though they need to steer clear of urban areas. However, not all towns and cities are the same and many local authorities do their best to ensure drivers aren’t treated like second-class citizens.”