Pete Barden - Author

Articles by Pete Barden, editor, content writer, journalist

Twitter: @pete_barden

About Pete Barden motoring and travel journalist

Pete Barden is a qualified motoring and travel journalist who writes and edits for publications including The Sun (thesun.co.uk), New Statesman Media Group, Whatcar? (Whatcar.com) Stuff Magazine (Stuff.tv), Fastcar Magazine (Fastcar.co.uk), Maxim Magazine and UK broadcast stations within the Heart network (Formerly GCAP). Pete is editor on Petebarden.co.uk Motoring and Travel, and he specialises in motoring and travel content, along with news and production roles. You can find out more about Pete Barden on LinkedIn.

Specialising in automotive and travel news guides, you'll find an answer to many of your questions on these subjects while browsing Pete's work. Contact him a Pete@petebarden.co.uk or see more information at petebarden.co.uk 

Motoring-related articles and guides

A guide to charging electric cars in the UK

Seven parking scams to look out for in the UK - and how to avoid

Should I buy an EV? Take our suitability test

What is the ULEZ London Scrappage Scheme, and how much could I get?

What are AI speed cameras and what can they see in my car?

Should you fill up with fuel before the UK Budget?

My driving licence hasn't arrived can I keep driving?

Research reveals petrol still number one for drivers

Why your dog needs a bed for the car

What are the most common driving test questions?

How far can I drive with the fuel light on?

How can I get a refund of my car tax?

Can you use nicotine pouches while driving

What are the rules for driving a hire van in the UK?

Can you ride an electric bike if banned from driving?

Do I have to pay to use the Blackwall Tunnel and Rotherhithe Tunnel in London?

What happens if I am caught speeding in France? Will I get fines and penalty points?

Do I need to pay the ULEZ charge for London airports?

How to drive an electric car in a UK heatwave or hot weather abroad

Charging your electric car when driving in France for Brits

What happens if a cyclist hits my car?

How to pass the Hazard Perception Test

Can I use my driving licence photocard as voter ID - even if it has expired and has wrong address?

Can you park on the pavement across the UK - or what is the fine?

What is one pedal driving? And how does it work?

Can I get fined for not having road tax on my car?

What does a white diamond road sign mean in France?

What is the fine for not wearing a seat belt and who has to pay it?

New driving laws and charges coming for 2023

Can I be fined for stopping in a box junction after new rules on 1 June 2022?

How to check my licence for penalty points

What to do if my driving licence is stolen?

Can I look at the government's emergency alert test or real warnings on my phone while driving?

UK's busiest roads revealed - is your route in the list?

What does the smell and look of my car's engine oil mean?

What do car smells mean and how to get rid of them

Secret motorway exits on the likes of the M25, M6 and other

How fast will trigger a speed camera in London's 20mph zones?

Six ways to legitimately cut your car insurance premium

When can I apply for a provisional licence and how much are they?

Can I tow a car that had now tax, insurance or MOT?

Do I need to tell the DVLA about floaters or flashers in my eyes?

What is the most popular electric car for UK buyers?

Do I need to pay the Birmingham Clean Air Zone in the evening and at weekends?

How old is a car by it's number plate - full list

M25 quiz - can you beat The Road To Hell?

Do I need to pay the Portsmouth Clean Air Zone

Fuel shortages in France explained for Brits (October 2022)

What your driving licence number reveals about you - and why you should never share it

Do I need to tell the DVLA that I have been prescribed glasses or contacts for driving?

Can I drive a camper van on a car licence in the UK?

Are car washes open during hosepipe bans in the UK?

How much will it cost to learn to drive an electric car, UK

Private speed camera cars in France revealed

Will I have to pay the Bristol Clean Air Zone charge and what if I forget?

Why is nitrogen being used to inflate car tyres?

Will I need to pay the Oxford Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) on a Saturday, Sunday or at night?

What are the tough new mobile phone laws for drivers from 25 March 2022?

What do double white lines in the road mean?

How to report a smoky, bus, coach or lorry

Can a Highways England Traffic Officer give me a ticket for using a mobile phone while driving?

How much are driving tests going to by in 2022?

How to contact the DVSA about driving tests

What is section 4b of my driving licence and why it could save me a £1,000 fine?

Find out what all the codes and categories on your licence mean

How can I report an untaxed vehicle dumped on my street?

How to check if my car tax is valid?

With prices at the pump increasing, how can we save fuel while driving?

How to charge an electric car if you live in a flat?

How do I renew my driving licence at 70?

Are driving tests cancelled because of Covid-19?

How much is my road tax going up on 1 April 2022

What is the DVLA contact number - and other ways to contact?

What are the rules covering parent and child parking bays?

New London Congestion Charge times and costs for 2022?

How much is the Tamar Bridge toll and when do I need to pay it?

Do I have to report my Covid-19 to the DVLA?

What happens to a car when the owner dies?

Is the M6 Toll Road free on Christmas Day?

Do I need to wear a mask in my car under Plan B restrictions?

Can I vape in a car with children?

Is the Itchen Bridge free to use in the evening, at weekends and on Christmas

What documents do I need to drive in France and Spain 2021

Can I be fined if the parking ticket machine was broken?

Someone has registered a car I don't own to my address and I am getting tickets - what should I do?

M25 alternative routes and diversions for all junctions

Is red diesel being banned on 1 April 2022 and how will it affect me?

Why do some cars have green number plates?

How much to recover a broken down car from a motorway

How to spot unmarked UK police cars and if they're real or fake 

What are the black dots on my windscreen for? 

Ten Secret parking crimes and offences you're committing

Find M6 motorway alternative routes 

Can I use my extended driving licence to drive abroad? 

Are my sunglasses legal or illegal for driving 2021

Will I get a speed awareness course instead of points? 

 Find A303 alternative routes and diversions to Cornwall 

How old are my tyres? The tyre age code explained, UK

Will my MOT be extended because of new Covid restrictions?

What speed will get a speeding ticket, fine and points UK?

Find M1 motorway alternative routes to avoid traffic jams

Are electric scooters good Christmas presents 2021? 

Ashdown Forest car park charges plan revealed

How can I find the owner of a car that crashed into me? 

Park and ride airport parking explained 

Do I need road tax during the pandemic 2021 - 2022? 

Can I hire a car in the new lockdown after tier 4? 

Can I use a hand car wash after 12 April lockdown changes

Do I need an electric car licence and driving test UK? 

Public electric car charging points at UK airports

Can I drive in sliders and socks in the UK?

What happens if I forget to pay the Tyne tunnel toll? 

Is the Dartford Crossing free on Christmas Day 2021 

Can I use lawn mower petrol or diesel in my car?

Are space saver spare wheels safe for long journeys 2021?

Do I have to pay to drive in London on Christmas Day 2021?

How to swap my green paper driving licence for a photocard?

Travel-related articles and guides

Can you fly with flu - what the airlines say

Who can sign my passport photo for me and my kids 2021

Autism help at UK airports 2023

How to beat mobile phone roaming charges in France, Spain and other EU countries

Brits warned of toxic algae threat on French beaches

Do I need to wear a mask on a plane?

What is the new EES for entering the EU?

When are the Gatwick Airport strikes in August 2023?

Full list of WiFi logins for UK airports

What are the safest airlines 2023?

What drink tastes best on a plane - revealed

Speeding fines in Spain and other driving offences

Can I carry medications in my hand luggage - what airlines and airports say

How clean are the planes we fly in? Airline's tell us how they keep their plane's safe

When can I fly after having a heart attack?

Where should I pack my vape when flying on a plane

Which countries in Europe use the euro as currency?

Can I take smart bags on to a plane so I don't lose my luggage? What the airlines say

Us this interactive map to find the cheapest petrol and diesel in France

Can I carry human ashes on planes? What the airlines say

Best place to eat breakfast at Gatwick Airport North and South Terminal

Can I fly with Shingles

New speed camera in France - what is the Nano Parifex and how does it work?

How to get a DVLA licence check code for my holiday hire car?

Can I catch monkey pox on a plane?

Why do people wrap their bags in cling film at airports?

How much are extra legroom seats on airlines such as easyJet, Ryanair and others?

How much are new passports and renewals UK?

What Gatwick Airport terminal does my flight depart from?

Do I need to tell the Passport Office that I have moved, married, or changed gender?

How much to change my name on an airline ticket?

How to find something you've left on a plane

Can my child or an adult fly with chicken pox?

Where are free drop off points at UK airports 

Do I need a VE103 form to drive a hire or lease car abroad?

Top 12 scary plane noises explained for nervous flyers

How to get an EU passport after Brexit 

Can I take Christmas crackers on a plane Xmas 2021 

Do I need a new passport photo? I've grown a beard, put on weight...

What airlines carry defibrillators on planes 2021? 

Claim compensation for flight cancellations after Covid and Brexit

Can I fly with a broken arm, leg or other bone? 

Where can I keep my car keys when parking at Stansted Airport?

Other content from Pete

Grace: Looking Good Dead - who's in it? When is it on TV?

Grace: Not Dead Enough - who's in it? When is it on ITV?

What is the Good Friday Agreement? A two-minute guide

How to set up a Property Alert to keep your home safe

Should I cut my lawn in autumn and winter 2021? 

Brew you own beer at home for Christmas 2021 

How to speak to someone at Amazon this Christmas

Watch how to cook and bone a fresh herring