6:50 am, March 17, 2026
Car park operator NCP falls into administration as post-Covid commuting stalls
Car park operator NCP has fallen into administration, putting 682 jobs at risk, after struggling to fill spaces since Covid-19 and grappling with losses.
The 95-year-old company, which is one of the UK’s biggest operators with around 340 car parks nationwide, appointed administrators at PwC.
All sites will remain open as usual and staff will stay in their jobs while administrators consider the options for the business.
Reeves to pledge ‘fastest AI adoption in G7’ and deeper ties with EU
Rachel Reeves will commit the UK to the ‘fastest AI adoption in the G7’ as she sets out her three key priorities to revive Britain’s flatlining economy in a major speech.
Giving the Mais lecture in the City of London, the Chancellor will set out her ‘three big choices’ for the decade to come: deepening ties with the EU, expanding AI and other technology, and ‘growth in every part of Britain’.
In a bid for the UK to ‘lead the quantum revolution’, she will also make a £2.5bn funding announcement for investment in advanced computing, including a quantum procurement programme worth ‘up to’ £1bn.
Twisted unveils first interpretation of Range Rover Classic
Twisted has revealed its first re-engineered version of the Range Rover Classic.
The Yorkshire-based outfit has expertise in upgrading and restoring classic Land Rover Defenders, but has now turned its attention to an original Range Rover.
Priced from £350,000, the Twisted Range Rover Classic is limited to 12 units each year, with all models being hand-built at the brand’s headquarters in Thirsk. All build slots for this year are already accounted for, according to the brand.
FTSE 100 ends higher as oil price gains moderate
tock prices in London closed mostly lower on Monday, after a busy day for those observing the Middle East conflict, with oil prices staying above the 100 US dollar mark.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 56.54 points, 0.6%, at 10,317.69.
In European equities on Monday, the CAC 40 in Paris closed up 0.3%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended up 0.5%.
Monday on Car Dealer
Meet doomed Cazoo’s inspiration: The vending machine car dealer Cavarna
Car Dealer examines Carvana’s dramatic rise, near-collapse and recovery, contrasting it with Cazoo. While Cazoo failed, Carvana survived by cutting costs and is now thriving again after a major turnaround.
Waddell accused of interfering with witnesses in Big Motoring World misconduct investigation
Peter Waddell was accused in court of interfering with witnesses and making threats during an internal probe at Big Motoring World. He denies wrongdoing, while the firm rejects his claims of unfair dismissal and discrimination.
Stellantis injects £35m into its dealer group after a staggering £47.9m loss in 2024
Stellantis & You reported a £47.9m pre-tax loss in 2024, widening from £33.4m, despite £1.49bn revenue. Weak new car sales, discounting pressures and rising costs hit performance, prompting a £35m cash injection from parent Stellantis.
Companies House glitch sparks fraud fears after directors’ details exposed
Companies House suspended online filing after a glitch exposed directors’ personal data via a dashboard flaw. Though limited to logged-in users, concerns were raised about potential fraud risks. The issue has been reported to regulators and services are now secured.
Updated Vauxhall Astra brings price parity across electric, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models
Vauxhall will price the new Astra equally across all powertrains and body styles from £29,995, aiming to boost sales. The range includes hybrid, plug-in hybrid and EV options, with improved electric range and standard tech features.
Trump hits out at UK as Starmer seeks ‘viable’ plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz
US President Donald Trump has said he is ‘not happy’ with Sir Keir Starmer after the Prime Minister said he wanted a ‘viable’ option to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has effectively shut the vital oil and gas shipping route by targeting vessels in response to the US-Israeli air strikes.
Mr Trump has called for countries, including the UK, to join a mission to protect shipping.
Drivers hit with 76m parking tickets since law aimed at stopping rogue firms
Private parking companies have issued 76 million tickets in the seven years since a parliamentary Bill for a still-awaited code of practice became law, according to new analysis.
Motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, which calculated the figure, said it demonstrates ‘something fundamental is wrong with the system’.
The Parking (Code of Practice) Bill received royal assent on March 15 2019.
Weather outlook
The UK will see a generally mild but mixed early-spring day. In the south, expect some sunshine breaking through cloud with temperatures near 14 °C.
The Midlands will be mostly cloudy with occasional brighter spells and highs around 12–13 °C. In northern England and Scotland, it will be cooler and greyer, with patchy cloud and a small chance of light rain, temperatures closer to 9–11 °C.
Overall, conditions will feel calm, fairly dry and seasonably mild, with light winds across most areas.
