Published on : 15 January 20204 min reading time
For your car hire in England, you will find a wide choice of vehicles and the best service. Indeed, many experienced car rental agencies in addition to online websites and applications for peer-to-peer car rental like uk.getaround.com in this sector make them highly renowned brokers. With your rental car in London, discover this region of the United Kingdom, which represents two thirds of the UK in surface area. England will fascinate you with its lush green countryside, wide variety of landscapes and historic cities.
Useful information about car hire in England
Before starting your trip, it is important to know beforehand some rules to be respected in England and throughout the UK. Below you will find some guidelines and information that will be useful as you drive through England. A well-informed driver is worth two!
Driving rules and petrol stations
As throughout the UK, driving in England is left-hand drive and overtaking is right-hand drive. Please note that there is no right-hand priority. On the other hand, in roundabouts, committed motorists have priority, as in France.
The maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 0.8g/l.
Distances and speed limits are given in miles: 30 mph in town (about 48 km/h), 60 mph on the road (96 km/h) and 70 mph on the motorway (112 km/h).
For speed control, there are speed cameras everywhere. The English police are very strict about speeding. Note that speeding tickets are issued in France.
The road network is in good condition. Traffic jams are frequent in major cities during rush hours, especially in London.
Double yellow lines indicate that parking is prohibited 24 hours a day, and white lines indicate the approach to a pedestrian crossing.
In England, the cost of fuel on motorways is very high. It is therefore best to make your own arrangements and, if possible, fill up at the petrol station of a hypermarket or supermarket. Petrol stations are open 24 hours a day on motorways.
Leaves
A number of bridges and tunnels are subject to tolls. The Dartford Crossing bridge on the M25 is subject to tolls from 6am to 10pm. Motorways are free except for the M6 motorway section north of Birmingham, which is toll free between €4 and €6. If you plan to drive around London by car, you will have to pay a congestion charge, the “London Congestion Charge”. This charge is designed to reduce traffic in the centre of the capital. It is advisable to pay it the same day (in a car park, petrol station, etc.).
Age required
To be allowed to drive a rental car in England, you must be between 18 and 21 years old (age varies depending on the category of vehicle and the rental company) and have held your driving licence for at least 1 year. Drivers under 25 years of age will be subject to a young driver surcharge (Young Driver Fee) to be paid on site. Please also be aware that some rental companies impose a maximum age limit of 75 years and sometimes require a medical certificate proving the driver’s fitness to drive. Please read the terms and conditions carefully before confirming your booking.
Currency
As in the whole of the United Kingdom, the unit of currency in England is the pound sterling (GBP) or pounds in English. The currency is divided into pounds, pence and penny. 1 GBP is approximately equivalent to 1.214 EUR. You can find exchange offices in airports, train stations and banks. If you withdraw money from an ATM, you will very often be charged bank charges. Please check with your bank to find out about this.
Time difference
There is indeed a small time difference between France and England. When it’s 12 o’clock in Paris, it is 11 o’clock in London.