Three different graphic sets are available, each with its own unique and distinctive personality and coordinated set of floor mats, which also are unique to each theme.

The ‘Pop’ Tag brings out the Spark’s inner Sparkle, with a shimmering star pattern along the car’s doors and rear quarters. It’s the most discreet of the three themes on offer, and is bound to appeal to motorists who want their Spark to subtly stand out from the crowd.

At the other end of the scale, the ‘Sports’ Tag is certainly not for shrinking violets. With twin racing stripes over the bonnet, roof and tailgate, plus matching side graphics, the look sets off the Spark’s dynamic profile and gives it a much more purposeful appearance than many of its city car rivals.

The ‘Urban’ Tag isn’t quite so dramatic, but will still get you noticed. It includes a smart styling stripe on the car’s rear quarter that emphasises its curvaceous lines, plus a distinctive urban street tag graphic on each front door.

Tags are available on all Spark variants and colours, and cost £199 fitted.

The Spark arrives in Chevrolet showrooms on March 12th, and is available to order now.

Frosts4Cars: http://www.frosts4cars.co.uk/chevrolet

Caffyns Chevrolet: http://www.caffynschevrolet.co.uk/

Steeles of Worthing: http://www.steeles.co.uk/

With freezing conditions forecast the county’s gritters will be treating roads where possible. However, because of the pressures on salt supplies nationally the County Council will only be able to treat A and B roads.

Drivers are being warned to take extreme care as fewer roads will be salted than normal.

Derek Whittington, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “Supplies of salt are still being controlled nationally under the Government’s Salt Cell system which means we have to use our stocks sensibly.

“This is frustrating for us as we started the winter season with larger than normal salt stocks and had secured additional deliveries to meet the needs of the prolonged cold weather.

“However, we do understand that as the big freeze continues we need to support Salt Cell and this unfortunately means reducing the amount of salt we are using in order to conserve supplies.

“Therefore, I would urge motorists to drive with even more caution over the next couple of weeks as we see a return of the extreme cold weather.”

The collision happened around 10.10am on the B2110 at Balcombe, close to the junction with Crawley Lane. The woman’s silver Peugeot 206 collided with a DAF 18 tonne flat bed lorry. She was airlifted to the New East Surrey Hospital with what were initially feared to be life-threatening injuries, but she was later reported to have sustained a broken leg.

Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the collision or who may have seen the vehicles in the area in the time leading up to it to contact them on 0845 60 70 999 quoting Op Fernhill.

The recent severe weather has caused considerable damage to the county’s roads including a dramatic increase in the number of potholes.

The County Council is already putting £2.35 million towards the cost of repairs. However, early estimates suggest considerably more cash will be needed.

In a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, Henry says: “It cannot have escaped your notice that following the recent extreme weather local authorities up and down the country are now battling to deal with the damage to highway surfaces that the snow and ice have caused.

“In West Sussex, we have prioritised highway conditions for many years and the results of our investment have been obvious.  At the end of last year the Audit Commission data for NI168 (condition of principal roads) showed that roads in West Sussex are the best in the country.

“All that hard work and investment is being undone by the impact of the winter weather.”

The County Council is working hard to repair potholes and currently has 30 teams repairing approximately 500 holes per day. Once a pothole is reported the County Council aims to repair it within 28 days and for urgent defects on A and B roads within three working days.

The repair teams are being directed to the routes where the greatest numbers of dangerous holes exist. Repairs are listed and worked through in the order they are reported, however, potholes that have reached a depth of 100mm and holes on A and B roads are prioritised as they carry a greater flow of traffic.

In his letter Henry goes on to say: “West Sussex has remained grossly underfunded.  For nearly a decade we have received the minimum increases in grant and our capital investment programmes have been equally badly treated when it comes to Government support.  It is now time for the Government to recognise our plight and to provide additional much-needed funding to help us deal with the impact of the extreme weather conditions.”

The County Council is advising motorists to drive with extreme caution whilst the potholes are being repaired.

People can report potholes by calling 01243 642105.

Over a seven week period from mid-November to the new year, 5984 drivers were breath tested with 225 being arrested as a result. Of these, 28 had been involved in collisions.

The Sussex campaign was run over a slightly longer period than the previous year, so direct comparisons are not possible, but compared with the same seven weeks in 2008/09, there was a slight rise in both numbers tested and arrested. Proportionately, the arrest/failure rate (3.6%) was broadly similar, but more were tested and arrested before a collision and fewer after.

Ch Insp Di Roskilly from Sussex Police’s Road Policing Unit is generally happy with the results. “While it is still disappointing that some people think it is acceptable to take the risk of drinking and driving, we are pleased that a significant proportion have been removed from the roads and that the majority were stopped before they had the chance to get involved in a collision,” she said.

“It is gratifying that there is wide public support for the campaign. Despite the fact that they were stopped, a lot of people expressed their appreciation and we also received a considerable amount of information that enabled us to take action against offenders.

“Although the Christmas campaign has now ended, we’re as active as ever, as those who flout the law present a very high risk to other road users. Since January 3 (to January 27) we have arrested 49 drink/drug drivers and I would encourage anyone who has information about anybody who is offending to contact us so that we can intervene and perhaps prevent a tragedy. You can do this through the Operation Crackdown website – www.operationcrackdown.org – or if the offence is taking place immediately, dial 999.”

Neil Hopkins, communications manager for the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership (SSRP) said: “50,000 of our ‘The Worst Christmas Gift’ anti-drink and drug-driving campaign Christmas cards were distributed across Sussex during the festive season. Our campaign alongside the enforcement was highly distinctive and visible. It could also be heard in local radio ads, seen on banners at numerous sites, in local publications, websites and on the back of buses.”

He added: “We recently launched our latest road safety campaign for Sussex – Embrace Life. A positive, child-friendly seat belt advert, which has been designed to be viewed at schools, colleges, Sussex shows and events as well as in cinemas, online and also possibly on TV. The advert was written and directed by Burgess Hill based award-winning film maker Daniel Cox and can be seen by going to SSRP’s website, www.SussexSaferRoads.gov.uk. It will be used alongside Sussex Police’s enforcement of non-seat belt wearing in the coming weeks.”

There have been a number of incidents, particularly around the Uckfield area, including one near the White Hart in Buxted on Tuesday evening (January 26). Three vehicles were involved in a collision that is believed to have caused primarily by ice on the road. The incident happened in Station Road just before 7.30pm and involved a Mitsubishi Shogun, Vauxhall Astra and a Vauxhall Corsa.

The driver of the Mitsubishi, a 63-year-old man from Fletching, was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton with minor injuries; the 42-year-old female driver of the Astra from Hadlow Down and her 22-year-old male passenger from Seaford were treated for minor injuries at the Kent and Sussex Hospital at Tunbridge Wells; the 20-year-old driver of the the Corsa from Crowborough was uninjured.

Watch Manager Simon Neill, from Uckfield fire station, who attended the scene, said that conditions were treacherous. “It was already minus two when we arrived and my crew were finding it difficult to keep their feet on the ice. We have noticed these conditions in a number of places over the last 24 hours. Water that has been draining from surrounding land has been causing localised patches of ice and they can catch even the most cautious driver unawares.”

Sgt David Morgan from the East Sussex Road Policing Unit based at Polegate said that there had been a number of incidents in the Wealden district. “Do not assume that because one part of the road looks dry and clear, this will be the case around the next bend. Similarly, black ice can look just like a wet road, so be sure to remain constantly alert to potential hazards and what’s going on around you,” he said.

“In particular, drivers travelling home in the early evening should be aware that ice may already be forming and in shady areas may not melt away at all on a chilly day.

“Plan your route and leave more time for your journey. Drive slowly and carefully to take account of icy conditions, always leave a good distance between your car and any vehicles in front of you. Low morning sun coupled with a windscreen that you cannot see through properly is potentially extremely dangerous. Ensure that you thoroughly demist the windscreen and do not move off until all of your windows and mirrors are fully clear.”

Released on Wednesday 20 January, Embrace Life has swept around the internet, pulling hits to www.embracethis.co.uk in from across 55 countries around the world.  Facebook in particular is driving traffic to the SSRP’s seat belt campaign and a group has been created by one impressed viewer to have it screened on national TV.

Neil Hopkins, Communications Manager for the SSRP, commented; “I am delighted by the way that Embrace Life has been welcomed by the public.  We developed the concept to provide a talking point around the issue of individuals not wearing their seat belts.

“It appears that we’ve touched a nerve with the campaign, and I’ve received many positive comments concentrating on the way that Embrace Life delivers an emotional impact, but without the use of blood or gore.”

The advert is also being picked up by motoring blogs and public discussion forums, driving further traffic to www.embracethis.co.uk – and many viewers are calling for the advert to be shown more widely on TV.

“We are keen to open the dialogue with the team at the Department for Transport (DfT) responsible for putting out the national road safety TV campaigns,” Neil continues.

“We’ve had individuals from all walks of life – including the creative sector – praising the film and urging us to promote it via TV.  As a local partnership, we haven’t got the financial capability to create a national TV campaign, which is why we’re looking to work with the DfT who already use the medium to get their messages out.”

Anyone wishing to lend their support to the campaign can join the dedicated Facebook group – either search for ‘Embrace Life TV’ in Facebook, or type http://tinyurl.com/EmbraceTV into your browser.

The campaign is also gaining attention through some of its more unorthodox promotional techniques.  Working with a prominent graffiti artist has seen sites in Brighton previously littered with unsightly tags turning into large scale public place artworks to support the campaign.

Furthermore, the SSRP team contacted members of the media and creative industries throughout Sussex prior to the launch with thermoreactive postcards, bearing a cryptic message directing the recipients to www.embracethis.co.uk.

These unusual tactics helped the site to smash through 1,100 page views the day after the advert went live, and the total is still climbing – currently sitting at over 4,500 visitors who have viewed www.embracethis.co.uk a total of over 6,000 times.

For all of the positive comments and promotion of Embrace Life, it is important not to overlook the reason that it was created.

“Not wearing a seat belt can make what should be a minor accident into a major one,” concludes Neil Hopkins.

“On the morning of the launch, we heard from a Clinical Fellow in A&E who had been treating a driver thrown through his windscreen because he was not wearing his seat belt.

“It’s likely that he’ll never walk again, nor be able to provide for his family and all because he didn’t spend a moment clipping his seat belt in.  We hope that Embrace Life reminds everyone how important it is to be properly belted in, whether you’re the driver or a passenger.”

A family of a man, woman and a baby were reported to have collided with a sports car whilst walking on the pavement in Ashford Road in the town. The father suffered serious head and leg injuries and was taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital along with the mother and one-year-old baby girl who suffered minor injuries.

The 20-year-old male driver of the car who was arrested on suspicious of dangerous driving has been released on bail until March 22 pending further enquiries.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident to call 0845 60 70 999 quoting Operation Copeland.

Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson commented; “With limited orders as we near the close of scrappage there is a risk of disappointment for car buyers. I would urge people who are still keen on taking part to put their orders in as soon as possible as time is running out”.

In exchange for scrapping your old vehicle and buying a new one the Government and Manufactures will contribute a total of £2,000 towards the purchase of a new vehicle.  The scheme started on May 18th 2009 and on September 28th 2009 the scheme was extended to include an extra 100,000 vehicles.

The scheme is open to cars or commercial vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and to be eligible, the vehicle you scrap must have been first registered on or prior to 29 February 2000 or before, while for vans it will change to 28 February 2002 or before.

To claim the Scrappage Scheme, the owner must be the registered keeper of old vehicle for at least 1 year and the vehicle must have an up to date MOT. It will be available to the first 400,000 eligible claimants or until 31 March 2010, whichever is sooner.

Now, Caffyns Dealers will take care of everything for you, including claiming the incentive on your behalf and arranging scrapping of the vehicle In order to benefit from the cash incentive.

See http://www.caffynscitroen.co.uk for more details.

Martin Swabey, 24, of College Road, Southwater, was given the maximum term of two years in custody when he appeared at Brighton Crown Court on Tuesday, January 19.

Swabey had pleaded not guilty to the charge but had been found guilty after a three-day trial in December.

The court heard that Swabey, who worked as an HGV driver based at the Viridor Waste Management depot in Horsham, felt that Ford Mondeo driver Gary Sutton had pulled out in front of him too quickly on the A281 on January 27 last year.

Swabey then chased Mr Sutton and his five-year-old son in his 26-ton Scania waste disposal tanker for three miles before deliberately driving into the side of the Mondeo damaging the passenger and rear windows.

Mr Sutton tried to get away but Swabey caught up with him and ploughed his tanker into the side of
the Mondeo as they reached the roundabout at the junction of the A281 and the A29 at Horsham, causing it to hit a tree.

Mr Sutton and his son were left trapped in the car wreckage and suffered shock and bruising.

Swabey was also banned from driving for four years and ordered to take an extended driving test by Judge Anthony Scott-Gall.

After the case PC Jim King, of Haywards Heath Road Policing Unit, said: “The sentencing of Martin Swabey reflects the serious nature of this incident. Swabey turned his lorry into a weapon, which was used to crush a family saloon car containing a father and his young son into a large tree. It is only by sheer luck, that serious physical injury did not take place. That said, the child involved is still undergoing treatment for the mental scars left, which has cause a strain on his family.

“The Road Policing Unit look carefully at the amount of collisions involving commercial vehicles, along with all other road users. We would encourage people to contact us and report any form of poor and anti-social driving, from drink drivers, uninsured drivers and any other behaviour which causes distress to the law abiding road user. This can be done by Operation Crackdown website of phoning 0845 60 70 999, so we can target these people.”