car hire in the UK

Choosing UK Car Hire

Home James - and don't spare the horses! Whether living in or visiting the UK, gosimply have the right car hire options at the right price.

We recommend opting for a small economical hire car for darting around in city traffic. They are easy to park and they avoid extra charges you can find in some cities, like the London congestion charge.

Choose a 4x4 if you're looking to explore the stunning rural landscapes that the country has to offer. For motorway work we'd go for a diesel saloon.

Car Hire - UK Collection and drop off points

As usual - we've got it covered. We offer collection and drop off points at literally hundreds of locations across the country in almost every major town, city and airport. Here are just a few of the locations where you can pick up a hire car for your own British adventure:

Towns and cities	Airports
London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cardiff, Exeter, Newcastle	Gatwick, Heathrow, Stansted Airport, Luton Airport, Manchester Airport, Birmingham Airport, Bristol Airport, Glasgow Airport, Newcastle Airport, East Midlands Airport

Driving in the UK

Before you set off make sure you familiarise yourself with the local road laws. A little bit of knowledge will help you go a long way.

• Take your breakdown cover and car hire company details.
• Check what fuel your hire car takes.
• In general, rental cars need to be returned with a full tank of fuel or you will be charged extra.
• Take pictures of any pre-existing marks, dents and scrapes on the rental car at the pick up point and inform the supplier of any that aren't documented on the hire paperwork.
• Keep the car reasonably clean - some car hire companies charge an additional cleaning fee if the vehicle is returned unreasonably dirty, i.e. interior and exterior is filthy with mud etc.

Safe driving - you know it makes sense

• Remember - drive on the left.
• Overtake on the right.
• Speed limits differ according to the road you're on.
• UK motorways display matrix signs at regular intervals - advising on any oncoming incidents, road conditions or speed restrictions.
• Check you have a warning triangle in case of breakdown.

Useful links

• http://www.motorwayservices.info
• http://www.highways.gov.uk
• Tackling roundabouts
• The London Congestion Charge. Like it or loathe it, if you're planning on driving into central London then be prepared to pay the London Congestion Charge.

Strange but True

Some strange but true facts about London and the great British people:

• Nowhere in Britain is more than 74.5 miles from the sea.
• There are more chickens than humans in England.
• Although the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the city, only six people were killed.
• The British eat twice as many baked beans per head as Americans do.
• Some 80,000 umbrellas are lost annually on the London Underground.
• There are a dozen secret rivers flowing beneath London. One, the Effra, travels under the Oval cricket ground.