Octavia might be bossy but it's solid and safe

* The Skoda Octavia. 

* The Octavia's rather spartan cockpit.

Skoda Octavia road test by Steve Rogers

This will sound comical but I have just got out of a car where it seemed Big Brother was watching me!

The fictional character in George Orwell's novel 1984 kept a sinister eye on everyone and that was how it seemed in the Skoda Octavia. 

As soon as I turned the ignition a message came up telling the driver not to press the accelerator when starting. Oh, sorry but I always do that.

Then I slipped it into neutral while following a stream of slow moving cars downhill. Another message telling me not to do that either. Later I dared to open the window while driving and was ticked off for doing that as well.

Of course there was nothing sinister going on, the messages that come up in the driver's binnacle are all tips to improve economy, so good for Skoda. The company has always tried to show consideration for its clients and the telescopic umbrella stored under the passenger seat is another example of its caring nature.

Skoda has grown in stature over the last two decades and is doing particularly well at the moment. Being part of the Volkswagen-Audi empire helps but it has worked damned hard to build a solid reputation from the days when its cars were considered nothing more than a joke.

Octavia has played a big part winning over the Brits and is still Skoda's best seller in the UK. At first Octavia carved a niche of its own sitting between VW's Golf and Passat so it was the price of a Golf but nearly as big as a Passat. Now it is more into Passat territory, still offering good value for money and a huge amount of space.

Open Octavia's tailgate and it is like looking into a cave. To give you an idea about what this car can take I travelled three up loaded with three sets of golf clubs and three power trolleys. Impressive or what?

Come to think of it Octavia's boot capacity has always been the main talking point but this time it has been eclipsed by its engine. On the face of it the idea of a one litre petrol, with just three-cylinders, providing the power for a car of this size is barmy, isn't it? I thought so.

One litre three-cylinder petrols are nothing new. They have been popping up faster than weeds offering an alternative to the small diesel, punching well above their weight on performance, economy and, more significantly, puffing out lower emissions. But they are generally used to power smaller city cars or superminis with a few family hatchbacks thrown in like Ford Focus and Honda Civic.

Surely a one litre can't work in a five seater Octavia, a car than transport three hefty adults and all their golf gear? The build up has hardly been subtle so you can guess the answer.

The first thing I did when the car was delivered was check the journey's economy stat. Just over 50mpg at the end of 156 miles so an encouraging start. What I really couldn't wait to find out was whether a one litre could haul this cavernous five seater.

I got the answer within a few hundred yards. Octavia's first job was to pull up a gradient from my cul-de-sac and that is when I knew this engine was something special. Three-cylinder engines are good for picking up at low revs and this was effortless and smooth with none of the putt-putt clatter from engines of the past.

For the next week a day didn't go by when I marvelled at how such a small engine could provide such impressive performance in such a big car. Even Mrs Rogers, who normally finds things to complain about in test cars, could not hold back on her praise for Octavia's sprightly performance.

And the 120 mile round trip to Bull Bay golf course on Anglesey yielded 52.4mpg. I think that just about covers all that's good about this engine.

You do not hear many complaints about Octavia, yes the interior is a bit funereal but that's the way it is when you are part of the Volkswagen quartet. Nothing flash, no creeks or rattles, and everything laid out with typical Germanic precision. 

The inset eight inch touchscreen for navigation, radio etc is quickly mastered and the heating controls are separate. Just how I like it.

Octavia is a solid, safe buy, I would even go so far as to say it is one of the great family cars. And guess what, I stopped pressing the accelerator to start the engine. Well, I didn't want to get ticked off again.

Key facts

Octavia SE Drive

£20,440

1-litre TSI 6sp manual 115bhp

0-62mph 10secs; 127mph

48.7mpg combined

110g/km. 1st year road tax £150

Boot space 1580 litres max

Insurance group 14   

Campaigners question Llangollen public about Brexit

UPDATE ...

* Members of the campaign group in Castle Street with Susan Elan Jones MP 

on the front row, third from right.  

The group has now supplied a higher resolution picture of the results board which, judging by the number of coloured dots cast, shows substantial majorities against Britain leaving Europe with no deal and in favour of Brexit being stopped.

Members of campaign group Denbighshire for Europe were out in Castle Street yesterday (Saturday) with their Brexitometer gauging opinions about Britain leaving Europe.

The group, which describes itself as non-political, has carried out similar exercises at various spots across the county including Denbigh, Rhyl and Prestatyn. The results are fed into a national campaign.

People have been given the opportunity to place a sticker on a variety of questions about how well they think Brexit is going.

Joining the group for the Llangollen session was Clwyd South Labour MP Susan Elan Jones,

Aled Canter, one of the members of the campaign group, said: “We have had a really positive response from these mini Brexitmoters across the county. 

"We welcome having had a local MP there attend. This was an opportunity to let your local MP know how you feel and how they can best represent you at Westminster."

Gas pipe work will cause traffic disruption

Wales & West Utilities has given details of forthcoming work to upgrade gas pipes in Acrefair and Trevor which will affect Llangollen people travelling through these areas.

The work is being undertaken as part of a multi-million-pound 30-year programe by the company to replace old metal pipes with plastic ones within 30 metres of buildings across Wales and the south west of England.

Work will start locally on September 9 on Llangollen Road and is expected to last until the end of November.

The company says it has worked closely with Wrexham Council to keep disruption to a minimum.

A two-way traffic light system will be in use throughout the works and this will temporarily change to three-way lights as work passes the junction of Station Road.

There will also be a two-week road closure in place on Tower Hill from both junctions off Llangollen Road.

Access to residents will be maintained via Tower Hill by the Towers Nursery and there will be a diversion route in place on the opposite junction towards the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct car park. This diversion will be via King Street and will be clearly signposted while the company is working.

More fantastic GCSE results for Ysgol Dinas Bran

Dinas Bran students celebrate their GCSE successes ...

Delighted students celebrated their great results today at Ysgol Dinas Brân.

A spokesperson said the school had achieved some fantastic results again this year with more students gaining A*/A grades. 

"There are so many more students to congratulate for all their efforts and achievements."

There are some superb individual performances. 

Sian Williams achieved 10 A*, 2A grades and a distinction in additional maths. 

James Nicholas achieved 8A* grades, 3A grades and a distinction in additional maths. Sadie Reynolds also achieved 8A* grades and 3 A grades. 

The following all achieved at least 9 A*/A:

Phillipa Bolton

Idris Carney

Cara Hesketh

Lauren McFarlane

Beth McSpadden

Lily Shepley

Rebecca Smales

Emma Smedley-Jones

Kristina Thornton

Headteacher Mark Hatch, said; ‘I am so pleased for all the students that have worked so hard to achieve their results. We are very pleased with the results and we have more A*/A grades than last year, which is fantastic. 

"There are so many students that have achieved great personal success and I wish them all the very best in their futures. I would also like to thank all the staff and parents for their hard work and support for the students."

Denbighshire County Council has congratulated students in the county on their successes in this year’s GCSE examinations.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Denbighshire's Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children’s Services and Public Engagement, said: “I would like to congratulate the young people that have received their examination results today (Thursday).

“Whilst acknowledging the enormous achievements of the most able is very important, what gives me the greatest pleasure is the consistent progress that many of our students make irrespective of their ability or starting point.

“The fabulous support of our students from teachers and parents over the last 5 years, especially over the last few months of their schooling is also very much appreciated. 

“The support that has been shown through attendance and ensuring their children have the right working environment at home has enabled our students to flourish and subsequently celebrate these wonderful results.

“These results further build on improvements seen in previous years and will allow our students to follow the path of their choice, whether that be to further education, apprenticeships or further training.”

Latest Citizens Advice column

Q: I am renting and have an assured shorthold tenancy. I have been struggling to pay the rent for a few months. I am working full time but my wages aren’t enough. I am only just managing with my other bills and spending. Now I am falling behind on my payments and I am worried about losing my home. What can I do to stop this from happening?

A: It’s good you’ve looked for help. This is the first step to staying in your home.

Rent arrears, like council tax debt or mortgage arrears, are a priority debt. Non-payment can cause serious problems, such as losing your home.

If the landlord says they plan to evict you, have served you with an eviction notice, or you have letters from court, get advice urgently.

Go through correspondence from your landlord. Compare payments you’ve made to the amount of arrears due, to make sure the numbers agree. Speak to them about why you’re struggling with your rent.

Create a budget by adding up your essential living costs, such as food and energy, and take these away from your income. Use the Citizens Advice budgeting tool and benefits calculator to see if you can increase your income. Try to find cheaper deals on your energy, phone and broadband. Put any spare money towards your debts.

If you’re able to pay off some of the arrears, your landlord may agree to a payment plan, enabling you to pay smaller amounts. Be clear and realistic about your budget. If they don’t agree a plan, or if you feel unable to negotiate alone, go to Citizens Advice.

The payment plan should be written down and signed by the landlord. They can’t evict you without going to court. But if you do get evicted, ask the council for help with housing and benefits. Contact them immediately, they can help you stay in your home.

For help with your budget, negotiating a rent payment plan, or eviction advice, contact your nearest Citizens Advice.

FoE wants comments on possible development sites

* The football field next to the Youth Centre which is on the candidate list.

Friends of the Earth Llangollen is inviting people to have their say on the important issue of developments in the town.

Eleven local "candidate" sites were recently published by Denbighshire County Council for possible inclusion in its next Local Development Plan which is currently under preparation and will outline how the county should take shape over the next 15 years. 

The candidate sites are put forward by their owners for consideration by the council and the majority of those in Llangollen have been suggested for new housing.

When llanblogger revealed details of the list recently, a number proved controversial, particularly the site of the Youth Centre and adjacent football field the inclusion of which has angered the area's two county councillors who have asked officers to remove it.

Now Friends of the Earth is asking - on its website and social media - for local people to express their feelings about each of the 11 sites in turn.

FoE says: "The LDP will steer development within Llangollen and the whole of Denbighshire over the next 15 years.

"This is an important chance for you to influence how that development takes place. A number of sites in Llangollen have been submitted as ‘Candidate Sites’ for development.

"The full list and maps for of Llangollen sites can be found here. You can use the boxes below to comment on any of the sites. You don't have to comment on all the sites.

"If you need more space, or want to make other comments, please visit the council's online consultation page by clicking here.  For all submissions; your contact details are required by the council, but will NOT be published, however your name WILL be published in the public domain.  The deadline for all submissions is 30th August 2019.

"You might like to talk about;

• Loss of vital green space
• Reduced facilities for young people
• Increased vehicle traffic and congestion
• Strain on local services
• Loss of agricultural land
• Too far out of town centre to allow people to walk into town"

* To see FoE's survey, go to: http://www.llangollenfoe.org.uk/ 

Tarraco - more engaging than its many rivals

* SEAT Tarraco front and rear views.

Seat Tarraco road test by Steve Rogers

Feast your eyes on this folks, it's another SUV and a rather smart one at that.

This is the new Tarraco from Seat and sits at the top of the Spanish car company's SUV line up alongside the little Arona and mid sized Ateca.

As with most Seat models the name represents the Spanish homeland and Tarraco is the Roman name for the port of Tarragona, a wonderful city famed for its Roman amphitheatre, Santa Tecla festival, and the nerve racking human tower competition.

Now you are thinking Tarraco looks familiar. Yes, it is closely related to Skoda Kodiaq but is a bit better looking thanks to its snazzy front grille and headlight design, and it is a smidgen lower although that is more difficult to spot.

Both cars are joined at the hip to the Volkswagen Audi group so just about everything you can't see comes from the VAG parts shed and that is no bad thing given the excellent chassis and range of engines.

It also makes life difficult when trying to find a unique selling point; VW and Audi hardly need to sell themselves while Seat and Skoda have to push harder.

Seat has always fancied itself as the more sporty arm appealing to a younger, more adventurous audience and that is definitely the case compared to Skoda although VW might argue the toss. Audi doesn't count because it is up with the gods in the premium seats.

You can hardly expect to turn a big SUV into a hot hatch, although BMW and Audi have made a pretty good fist of it, nevertheless Tarraco is a good, if not great drive, and a bit more engaging than most of its rivals.

My Tarraco followed the Honda CR-V which is not a direct rival but was good for making a comparison on ride and handling. The Seat's stiffer springing and sharper steering was a winner with me because I prefer cars with a more dynamic set up, but that is not to say the Tarraco is better than the CR-V, it is better for me.

Seat is having the time of its life with record sales helped by the runaway success of Ateca and there are high hopes for Tarraco. Confidence is high, so much so that the company has established a stand alone Cupra brand so who knows what's in store on the sporting front.

For now Tarraco is offering itself as a family package with seven seats standard across the range but do not be lulled into thinking you can haul seven adults in comfort. The third row is best reserved for children given the limited leg and headroom and getting to them is not easy, another reason for leaving agile kids to squeeze through the narrow gap.

With the rearmost seats folded flat the storage area is generous but some people, like me, might like the option of a five seater to gain even more space. However I did like the special under floor space created for the boot cover, saves leaving it in the garage when going on holiday with a full load.

Once on the move the Tarraco's seats provide plenty of comfort. The cushion accommodates long thighs, is nice and wide and well padded while getting the ideal position is easy thanks to the side wheel adjuster. Sadly most companies have switched to a lever which is next to useless and a good reason for paying extra for powered seats.

With most of the bits and pieces coming from Volkswagen the Tarraco's cabin has a familiar Germanic look although Seat has gone for a floating touchscreen infotainment centre rather than inset with digital symbols for the functions to make it look bang up to date. Trim and build quality are of a good standard although it did fall short of the Honda CR-V in some areas.

Seat say the engine of choice is the 1.5 litre entry petrol which, given the size of Tarraco, is surprising. Even though people are deserting diesel in droves it is by far the most economic option for a large SUV particularly if travelling with a full house yet I was surprised and more than satisfied with the performance of the 1.5.

It does not have the swift mid range pick up of a diesel but then again does not feel particularly lacking or feeble, performing above expectations and never getting flustered when pushed to the rev limit. Expect to average around 37mpg.

Tarraco is in a market where there is a heck of a lot of choice and Seat will always be looking over its shoulder at the cheaper and virtually identical Skoda Kodiaq, but Tarraco has a better spec and you don't pay for metallic paint! I think the best deal will win the day.

Key facts

Tarraco Xcellence

£30,640 (starts £28,550)

1.5TSI 6sp manual; 147bhp

0-62mph 9.7secs; 125mph

35.3-36.7mpg combined

152g/km 1st year tax £530

Boot: 700 litres 3rd row flat, 1775 max

Insurance group 19