Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said her party would abandon the planned ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles if it wins the next general election, arguing the policy risks damaging the UK’s car industry. Speaking after a meeting with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, Badenoch described the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate as “well-intentioned but ultimately harmful”. Under the current policy, all new cars sold from 2030 would need to be electric or hybrid as p

More than 240 cannabis plants were discovered growing inside a drainage culvert beneath the M1 near Watford, Northamptonshire, in an unusual and sophisticated setup, police have said. Maintenance workers from National Highways found the grow on Friday, November 28, and reported it to Northamptonshire Police. The culvert, a closed tunnel designed to carry water beneath the motorway, had been boarded up to conceal the plants. Daventry Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Jonathan D

Construction of the longest “green” tunnel on the HS2 line, the 1.7-mile (2.7km) Greatworth Tunnel in south Northamptonshire, has taken a major step forward with the temporary realignment of the B4525 road, HS2 Ltd has confirmed. The tunnel, built using a cut-and-cover method, is designed to minimise disruption to the surrounding rural landscape. Engineers have already completed around 0.6 miles (1km) of the structure, which will eventually be covered with soil, trees, shrubs

Early monitoring data from Oxfordshire County Council indicates that the city’s temporary congestion charge is beginning to improve traffic flow in the city centre and reduce journey times, although some outer roads have experienced increased traffic. The temporary charge, introduced on 29 October at six key points in Oxford, aims to reduce congestion while Botley Road remains closed and the start of a traffic filter trial is delayed. The council is publishing monthly data on

Millions of pounds in extra funding will be available to maintain Norfolk’s roads, including tackling potholes, following confirmation from the government of multi-year allocations for 2025/26 to 2029/30. Norfolk County Council will see its highways maintenance budget rise from £56 million in 2025/26 to over £83 million by 2029/30 , a £27 million increase over the five-year period. The funding can be used for essential works, such as pothole repairs and resurfacing, helping

The A33 northbound between Reading and Basingstoke will be closed overnight after a 1km-long crack was discovered along the inside lane of the Swallowfield Bypass. Wokingham Borough Council , which maintains the route, announced the closure will take place from 8pm to 6am to allow for a temporary repair . The affected section runs between the Hampshire boundary and Mereoak Lane , with a diversion in place via Odiham Road, B3349 Basingstoke Road, and Basingstoke Road . In a

More than £500,000 will be spent to reduce reckless and dangerous driving on Portsdown Hill, Hampshire, where four people have died and 61 others have been seriously injured over the past five years. The improvement works, which will include average speed cameras , aim to reduce speeding and improve road safety along the route north of Portsmouth. Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones , announced the funding at a public meeting in Farlington, stating: “I’ve lis

People living, working, visiting, travelling, or studying in Greater Manchester are being invited to help shape the future of travel in the city region by giving their views on the GM Transport Strategy 2050 and the GM Transport Delivery Plan (2027–2037). Developed alongside the region’s 10 local councils and in consultation with businesses, community groups, and stakeholders, the plans aim to create a world-class transport system while tackling inequality and supporting sust

Traffic officers in Yorkshire and the North East have removed a range of unusual and hazardous items from National Highways’ roads this year, including an abandoned fairground ride. Between 1 January and 30 September, National Highways teams collected more than 49,000 objects from motorways and major A roads across England. Drivers are being reminded to secure their loads and avoid using the roadside as a dumping ground. The M1 was the second most affected road nationally, af

National Highways has successfully removed 35 faulty lighting columns on the Prince of Wales bridge National Highways has completed emergency works to remove 35 defective lighting columns on the Prince of Wales Bridge between junctions 23 and 22 of the M4, allowing the bridge to reopen in both directions. During the works, lighting on the bridge was switched off and a 40mph advisory speed limit was in place overnight to ensure driver safety. “Safety is always our number one p

National Highways said the work had been completed on Friday 5 December A major two-year programme of roadworks on the A1 and A1(M) in West Yorkshire has finally come to an end, bringing relief to drivers who have faced long-running delays. The project, which began in February 2023, involved significant repairs to two bridges at Wentbridge near Pontefract. Throughout the works, both directions of the A1 were restricted to single lanes and the speed limit was cut from 70mph (1

Major A16/A47 highway works take place which includes dualling the A16 between the A47/A16 junction and a new A16 roundabout Plans for major road improvements linked to a large housing development in Peterborough have moved forward, paving the way for thousands of new homes. The Norwood Urban Extension, located near Newborough Road in Paston, is set to deliver around 2,000 homes along with a new primary school and community centre. Although outline planning permission has bee

The Valo aircraft has a capacity for up to six passengers. Electric flying taxis could be transporting passengers to and from London airports by 2028, a British company has announced. Vertical Aerospace's Valo aircraft, designed for up to six passengers, aims for regulatory approval within three years. Initial commercial routes are planned to connect airports with city centres. A full-scale prototype will be displayed to the public at an open house in Canary Wharf on Wednesda

Tube and rail passengers in London are set to face a 5.8 per cent increase in Transport for London (TfL) fares next March, after Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed the rise as part of conditions attached to a major Government investment package. The increase, which is higher than the current rate of inflation, will apply across most TfL services—including the Elizabeth line, London Overground and the cost of Travelcards. This means Londoners will not benefit from the recently announc

Transport for London (TfL) has announced its intention to award the new London Overground operator contract to First Rail London Limited (FRLL), a subsidiary of FirstGroup PLC.   FRLL will take over from the current operator, Arriva Rail London, on Sunday 3 May 2026 and work closely with TfL over the eight-year contract to deliver further enhancements for customers on this hugely popular network.  Under the new concession, FRLL will introduce a range of service and operationa

Transport for London has issued an apology after one of its employees was filmed blasting a loud megaphone siren at a homeless woman who was sleeping inside Leytonstone Underground station. Footage shows the staff member standing over the woman and sounding a high-pitched alarm close to her head for several seconds at around 7:30am on Wednesday 26 November. According to people sleeping rough in the area, this was not an isolated incident, and similar behaviour has occurred at