Campaigners have held a demonstration outside the Department for Transport (DfT) headquarters in London, calling for the publication of reports evaluating the safety and effectiveness of smart motorway schemes. The protest was organised by Claire Mercer , founder of the Smart Motorways Kill campaign, who claims that the DfT is withholding a series of Post Opening Project Evaluation (POPE) reports . These reports are intended to provide data on safety, value for money, and env

In the North East of England, the single carriageway stretch of the A1 in Northumberland has long been a source of concern for local residents, businesses, and politicians. With frequent closures due to accidents and an alarming record of casualties, calls to upgrade the road to a dual carriageway have been made repeatedly over the years. Yet, in 2024, the government officially scrapped plans to dual this “dangerous” road, citing funding constraints and deeming the project “u

Councillors in North East England have renewed calls for the government to reconsider its decision to cancel plans to dual the A1 in Northumberland, a single carriageway described as “dangerous.” The proposal was abandoned in 2024 after the Department for Transport cited funding constraints and deemed the project “unaffordable.” Speaking at a Northumberland County Council meeting on Wednesday, Liberal Democrat councillor Isabel Hunter stressed the urgency of upgrading the r

The Long Stratton bypass is now officially open, relieving persistent traffic congestion in the Norfolk town and preparing the local road network for future development, including the planned 1,800 new homes in the area. The scheme was delivered by Octavius . The £47 million project, designated as priority infrastructure by Norfolk County Council , comprises a 4km single carriageway and includes two new bridges to enhance pedestrian and cycling access into Long Stratton. Jami

Founded in memory of Thomas Samuel Theyer, who passed away aged 18 in 2013, The Thomas Theyer Foundationbecame a registered charity in 2015 with a mission to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) or those facing challenging life circumstances — as well as their families and carers. Rooted in Thomas’s own love for exercise and the outdoors — he lived with dyspraxia and ADHD and found solace in physical activity — the Foundation champions the m

Work to upgrade Junction 5 of the M65 in Blackburn is set to begin in January, marking the start of a £30 million investment to boost road capacity and sustainable travel across South East Blackburn. The scheme, part of a wider £100 million transport investment package for the borough, aims to improve traffic flow around Junction 5 and neighbouring routes. Balfour Beatty has been appointed as the main contractor, drawing on its experience delivering major motorway upgrades ac

A £50 million renewable energy facility that will produce sustainable fuel for the UK’s largest infrastructure scheme has been given the green light. Medway Council has approved plans for a major expansion of the Syntech Biofuel plant at Kingsnorth Industrial Estate on the Hoo Peninsula. The development includes a new 1,600 sq/m production building and supporting infrastructure to convert waste cooking oil into advanced “smart biofuel” — a low-carbon alternative to traditiona

A Banbury councillor has criticised Oxfordshire County Council after being told that, on average, local roads are resurfaced once every 103 years. Councillor Andrew Crichton , who represents Banbury Hardwick , has urged the council to resurface Horsham Close , which residents claim has not been resurfaced since it was built in 1983 . The issue was raised at a council meeting on Tuesday, where Councillor Andrew Gant , the Cabinet Member for Transport, responded to Cllr Crichto

A Nottingham community centre has been given a smart new facelift after volunteers from a nearby road improvement scheme offered to lend a hand. Volunteers from National Highways’  A52 Priory to QMC improvements scheme grabbed their paint brushes and overalls to help redecorate the Heathfield Community Centre which is the home of The Pythian Club. Willing helpers came from National Highways and its scheme contractors, with Morgan Sindall providing the materials to brighten up

AA President Edmund King has warned that plans to end London’s congestion charge exemption for electric vehiclescould have unintended consequences — potentially damaging air quality and slowing electric vehicle (EV) adoption. In a letter obtained by the London Evening Standard , Mr King urged Mayor Sadiq Khan to reconsider the proposal, saying the move “has come too soon” and “could backfire on London’s drivers, EV uptake, air quality, and your admirable ambition to be the f

Hull City Council has appointed Mason Clark Associates, a Hull-based engineering consultancy, to progress works on Sutton Road flyover.   A principal inspection carried out in October 2020 revealed extensive concrete spalling on the soffit and exposure of the deck’s main reinforcement.   Therefore, to maintain safety and reliability, the council needs to implement a comprehensive strengthening scheme on the structure – which crosses over the TransPennine Trail – between Leads

Dorset Council has unveiled a new plan that could see up to £115 million spent on local roads over the next four years. The aim is to make journeys safer, greener and more reliable for residents and visitors. This plan covers all parts of Dorset, with more projects planned as funding is confirmed. The Highways Capital Programme Strategy explains how Dorset could benefit from government funding. This includes the Local Transport Grant, the Highways Maintenance Block, and a ne

A Central Bedfordshire councillor is campaigning to get road safety education included in the national curriculum. Liz Childs, who represents the Independent Alliance party, and covers the Barton-le-Clay and Silsoe wards, launched the campaign on Tuesday, November 4, during the National Road Safety Conference held at Wyboston Lakes near Bedford . Liz, who also works as a teacher, has launched the campaign as she strongly believes that teaching an agreed syllabus of road safe

The Welsh Government is being called on to introduce wide-ranging changes to road layouts and traffic signal systems across Wales in a bid to tackle congestion that is slowing down bus services. The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has presented its new ‘Driving Wales Forward’ manifesto to the Senedd , outlining key priorities to improve bus and coach travel ahead of next May’s election. Launched at a bus depot in Cwmbran before being delivered by bus to Cardiff

Alongside the new eHGVs, Amazon is also adding more than 800 new electric vans to its delivery fleet Amazon is launching its largest-ever electric vehicle expansion in the UK, deploying a major new fleet of electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) and hundreds of electric delivery vans as part of its wider decarbonisation strategy. The online retailer has begun rolling out the first batch of electric trucks in a large-scale order that will bring its UK eHGV fleet to 160 vehicle

Overtaking is to be banned on roads through a Herefordshire village. The new restriction in Lea, near Ross-on-Wye, will be imposed under a traffic regulation order (TRO) announced by Herefordshire Council. The ban includes the main A40 through the village, currently limited to 30mph, as well as the B4222, which will also be limited to 30mph southwest of the junction with the A-road The move is the latest by the council aimed at controlling speeds and improving road safety in