Low Cost Vans

Bristol – a city synonymous with the Suspension Bridge, Massive Attack and Banksy. But is it better known these days as a city with an army of van dwellers? There are apparently 68 official van dwellers living in the city, with the majority said to be under the age of 35. They’re able to choose a four-wheeled home because as long as their van has an MOT and is taxed, the authorities can’t demand that it moves. But there are some people who aren’t that happy with the new homes in the city – there has been name calling, heated meetings and one women even reported going back to her van to find somebody with a knife. It’s a far cry from the glamorous #vanlife lifestyle which is projected by Instagram photos of attractive couples choosing to live an alternative lifestyle, leaving the responsibilities of conventional life behind in order to see the world. Van dwelling in Bristol seems to be less of a choice and more of a response to the cost of living in the city – not unlike the situation i...

    Getting your first vehicle used to be a right of passage – the opportunity to get about without asking for a lift; the chance to explore places beyond your local bus route, and precious moments when you could pull up at college with music blaring out the window. But it looks like this version of adulthood is becoming less appealing - or at least feasible - for younger drivers. Recent research shows that the number of teenagers with driving licences has dropped by nearly 40% in comparison to two decades ago. There seem to be different responses to this news: some rejoicing in the fact that this will mean less cars on the road, while others focus with some nostalgia about the end of the era when a car meant your ticket to adulthood. The costs certainly are prohibitive, from driving lessons through to buying and running a car. And that’s without even factoring the £1,000 + insurance that young drivers need to pay. This is certainly the perspective that the AA has, with presid...