We say buy reliable and roomy Ford Mondeos for less than £2000 while old Rover 200s are classy well made

We say, buy reliable and roomy Ford Mondeos for less than £2,000, while old Rover 200s are classy, well made and well under £1,000.Bad serviceThe Office of Fair Trading (OFT) reported that 39 per cent of garages failed to meet basic service levels and that motorists suffer 1.3 million problems with garages every year at a cost of £170m.Miracle productsThe OFT took action against Clockwork Orange Ltd for producing misleading adverts for its tin-alloy pellet "catalyst" They claimed it lowered emissions and boosted economy Independent RAC tests proved it did no such thing. A much better miracle product is the Ecotek, which really does seem to boost performance as well as economy and reduce emissions thanks to some amazing magnetic-force thingie Ring 01483 204444 for more information.. The Deputy Prime Minister has issued a warning to rail firms about rises in ticket prices and accused them of showing "indifference" to travellers who have endured weeks of chaos. The Deputy Prime Minister has issued a warning to rail firms about rises in ticket prices and accused them of showing "indifference" to travellers who have endured weeks of chaos. John Prescott expressed dismay at the decision of rail firms to raise fares, some by as much as 8 per cent, while passengers suffered cancellations and delays of up to 10 hours.As Mr Prescott accused rail firms of providing a poor-quality service, Railtrack lowered its forecasts for the number of people due to travel by train over the next decade.

The Government's reduction in motorists' taxes in November led Railtrack to reduce its forecast for growth over 10 years from 47 per cent to 37 per cent."Our revised figure does not affect investment, nor does it disagree with the Government's 10-year plan for transport," said a spokesman. "We are still talking about a phenomenal rate of growth on the railways."Mr Prescott, who at Leeds railway station on Wednesday encountered lines of passengers waiting for buses because of cancellations, warned rail operators to watch out. "I'm sure the public are fed up with this poor-quality production. The companies will say they are losing income but it's not fair to put the burden on the passenger," he said on BBC Radio 4's Today programme yesterday.Many operators announced ticket price rises above inflation, although fares have been frozen by Virgin on its west coast main line and cross-country route and by GNER, the east coast operator.

South West Trains put up prices by an average of 4.9 per cent and Connex, which runs lines in the South-east, put up ticket prices by an average of 3.3 per cent. Operators that had not raised prices to cover their costs should be an example to others, Mr Prescott said.He criticised those responsible for leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at Stansted airport after train services to central London were halted before the last flights arrived on Boxing Day "It's absolutely stupid," the Deputy Prime Minister said. "For God's sake, can't you ring up the air companies and ask how many people they've got booked on their planes?". In black calf boots, black coat and handbag over left shoulder, Ann Widdecombe was out and about yesterday in London's trendiest quarter. But as the socialites of Hoxton in east London prepared to lay on some of Britain's most fashionable end-of-year parties this weekend, the hard woman of the Tory party had more serious matters on her mind. In black calf boots, black coat and handbag over left shoulder, Ann Widdecombe was out and about yesterday in London's trendiest quarter. But as the socialites of Hoxton in east London prepared to lay on some of Britain's most fashionable end-of-year parties this weekend, the hard woman of the Tory party had more serious matters on her mind. Tucked behind the bars and clubs around Hoxton Square, the Arden Estate is, in the eyes of Miss Widdecombe, the embodiment of the Government's failure to be tough on crime.With Jack Straw, the Home Secretary, on a seasonal break, his Shadow attempted to seize the initiative in the law and order debate yesterday.Pausing in front of the lime-green metal security grille that protects Vera Faik's ground-floor flat, she lamented that "the innocent are behind bars instead of the guilty".On her second visit to the Arden in a year, Miss Widdecombe said she was disturbed to find no improvements had been made to "one of the worst estates I've seen" Ms Faik was underwhelmed.

"They was in and what did they do?" she asked, as Miss Widdecombe pottered off to inspect a vandalised stairwell.Despite the neighbourhood's new cachet, many of its residential areas still suffer from the social and crime problems that gave it notoriety before the Second World War, when the violent Hoxton Mob was feared all over London.Adam Richards, 33, an architect, bought a former council flat in Myrtle Walk early this year but he admitted he was taken aback by local levels of crime.He told the shadow Home Secretary: "You can only excuse the kids for not having anything to do up to a certain point. Beyond that they start ruining people's lives." Miss Widdecombe assured him a Conservative government would round up the ringleaders of gangs aged 12 to 15 and lock them away. "They need to be taken out of their neighbourhoods and put into secure training," she said, and she promised to create hundreds of extra spaces in child jails for the purpose.Audrey Villas, who chairs the Arden tenants, says 800 crimes are being reported on the estate every year, more than one per tenant. Other tenants relate stories of the prostitute who kept a punter in her flat for a week while she bought crack cocaine with his credit card and the discovery of a body in a car dumped on the estate one lunchtime last year.Miss Widdecombe was sympathetic, swiftly declaring that a principal cause of the problems was the fall of 3,000 in national police numbers under the Labour Government. "Have any of you seen a policeman while we have been walking around?" she asked.At 10.30am on an icy Friday, there was little evidence of police, criminal or any other activity. For some residents, the piles of uncollected Christmas refuse were their main concern."Have you seen this rubbish?" a man asked Miss Widdecombe.

"Have you seen the size of the rats? They are great big disgusting animals. What are the police going to do? They can't clean up rubbish.". Lawyers, accountants and architects could be forced to reduce their fees following an investigation into restrictive practices by the Office of Fair Trading. Lawyers, accountants and architects could be forced to reduce their fees following an investigation into restrictive practices by the Office of Fair Trading. Ministers may use the findings to take on "fat cat" professionals, and want to force professional bodies to focus more on consumers' interests than protecting their own members. The OFT's nine-month inquiry, commissioned by the Chancellor, Gordon Brown, following the last Budget, has looked in to anti-competitive behaviour and cartels with the professions. Its findings will be handed to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Stephen Byers, next month and will reportedly identify three groups of concern: lawyers, architects and accountants.The report will expose anti-competitive practice, including fee-setting by lawyers and architects, and will highlight problems within the professions with industry and access.