On this day in auto history – March 24th

Wed 24th Mar 2021

It was on this day in 1958 that work finally began on the long-mooted M1 - Britain’s first full length motorway.

Though there had been plans before the second world war for a motorway network in Britain, these never came to fruition until the late 1950’s after the passing of the Special Roads Act.

The first section of the Motorway - which would eventually connect London to Leeds - opened between Junction 5 (Watford) and Junction 18 (Rugby) in November 1959 and initially had no speed limits, no central reservation and no crash barriers.

It would be 1972 before the original plans for the M1 were ‘completed’, the same year that thick fog resulted in its most notorious 'pile-up' involving over 200 vehicles in which nine people were killed.

The tax values are provided by a third-party supplier and while every effort is made to ensure their accuracy please double check with your advisor. If the car was registered after 31/03/2017 then it is subject to new tax rules. All prices we display are for the cars second tax payment onwards. You can find out information on the cars first tax payment here

Cars registered on or after 1 April 2017

Rates for second tax payment onwards

Fuel type	Single 12 month payment	Single 12 month payment by Direct Debit	Total of 12 monthly payments by Direct Debit	Single 6 month payment	Single 6 month payment by Direct Debit
Petrol or diesel	£180	£180	£189	£99	£94.50
Electric	£0	N/A	N/A	£0	N/A
Alternative	£170	£170	£178.50	£93.50	£89.25

Alternative fuel vehicles include hybrids, bioethanol and liquid petroleum gas.

Vehicles with a list price of more than £40,000

You have to pay an extra £390 a year if you have a car with a ‘list price’ (the published price before any discounts) of more than £40,000. You do not have to pay this if you have a zero emission vehicle.

You only have to pay this rate for 5 years (from the second time the vehicle is taxed).

Check the list price with your dealer so you know how much vehicle tax you’ll have to pay.

Fuel type	Single 12 month payment	Single 12 month payment by Direct Debit	Total of 12 monthly payments by Direct Debit	Single 6 month payment	Single 6 month payment by Direct Debit
Petrol or diesel	£570	£570	£598.50	£313.50	£299.25
Alternative	£560	£560	£588	£308	£294