Sandy Lane 'road to nowhere' officially opens in Northampton
Work on the project began more than 15 years ago but was halted before completion. Construction resumed last year, during which part of Sandy Lane, between Kislingbury and Duston, was closed.Over the summer, technical checks and safety inspections have been carried out to ensure the road was ready.Richard Butler, cabinet member for highways at the council, added: "This is incredibly useful for local people."[The road] should take a lot of traffic away from the more urban areas and when they start building the new houses, it should make sure that there are no unnecessary delays."
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Scotsman
2 minutes ago
- Scotsman
UK rail fares may rise, leaving commuters facing £100s more
Commuters could face higher costs as Britain's trains struggle with delays and disruptions 🚆 Sign up to the weekly Cost Of Living newsletter. Saving tips, deals and money hacks. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Regulated train fares could rise by 5.8% in 2026, adding hundreds to annual costs An annual Woking to London season ticket may jump by £247 to £4,507 Flexi tickets such as Liverpool to Manchester could rise by £120, hitting £2,195 a year The rise comes as train punctuality hits its worst level since 2020 Passenger groups warn it is unfair to charge more while services decline Rail passengers could be hit with fare increases of almost 6% next year, adding hundreds of pounds to the cost of annual season tickets, even as train punctuality slides to its worst levels in more than five years. The potential hike stems from July's inflation figures, with the Office for National Statistics confirming that the Retail Price Index (RPI) rose to 4.8%. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Historically, the Government has used the previous July's RPI figure to help set the cap on regulated fares the following year. This year, ministers added an extra percentage point, making the 2024 rise 4.6% against 3.6% inflation. If the same formula is applied for 2026, passengers would see fares increase by 5.8%. (Photo:) | Getty Images How much more will my train ticket cost? For commuters, the numbers are stark. An annual season ticket from Woking to London could jump by £247, pushing the cost up to £4,507. Travellers using flexible passes also face big rises. A flexi season ticket between Liverpool and Manchester for two days a week would cost £120 more, taking the yearly total to £2,195.10. 10 examples of potential rail fare rises in England: Annual season tickets Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Route Previous price Price after 5.8% rise Increase Bournemouth to Southampton £3,676 £3,889 £213 Gloucester to Birmingham £5,384 £5,696 £312 Whitehaven to Carlisle £2,508 £2,653 £145 Woking to London £4,260 £4,507 £247 York to Leeds £3,028 £3,204 £176 Flexi tickets for travel two days per week over a year Route Previous price Price after 5.8% rise Increase Bath Spa to Bristol Temple Meads £1,056 £1,117.20 £61.20 Cambridge to London £4,620 £4,888 £268 Ipswich to Peterborough £4,947.60 £5,234.60 £287 Liverpool to Manchester £2,074.80 £2,195.10 £120.30 Welwyn Garden City to London £2,029.20 £2,146.90 £117.70 With around 45% of train fares regulated by governments in Westminster, Scotland and Wales, the increase would affect millions of passengers. Northern Ireland's rail system (NI Railways) is separate, so fares there are not affected by the UK-wide RPI-linked rise. Regulated fares include most commuter season tickets, some long-distance off-peak returns, and flexible tickets for city travel. Unregulated fares – such as advance purchase and first-class tickets – are set by train operators, but usually track closely to regulated increases because of government influence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The prospect of passengers paying more comes as train reliability deteriorates. Problems range from staffing shortages to weather-related disruption. In the south of England, recent dry spells have caused clay soil embankments to crack, leaving tracks uneven and forcing trains to slow down. According to the Office of Rail and Road, only 66.7% of services reached their stops within a minute of schedule in the year to July 19, the worst punctuality since May 2020. The Department for Transport (DfT) has not yet confirmed exactly how 2026 fares will be set, but passenger groups say it would be unacceptable to demand more money for worse services. A DfT spokesperson said an update will come later this year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ben Plowden, chief executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: 'Today's inflation figure could mean a big fare rise for rail passengers next year, especially if the Government decides to go with an above-inflation increase like we saw this year.' 'With the railways now moving under public control, the question is how fares policy will make rail more affordable and attractive to use.' Britain's railways are undergoing sweeping changes, with private operators gradually being brought back under state control as contracts expire. The upcoming Great British Railways (GBR) body will oversee infrastructure, fares and operations, with ministers promising a more passenger-focused system. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad For now, commuters are left with the prospect of paying hundreds more for tickets, while hoping punctuality and reliability start to improve.
The Independent
32 minutes ago
- The Independent
Gareth Southgate ‘enjoying life' and not actively seeking management return
Former England boss Sir Gareth Southgate says he is not actively looking at a return to management and was puzzled to see himself linked with the Poland job over the summer. It is 13 months since the former defender called time on his successful eight-year stint as national team boss in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain in Berlin. Southgate led England to back-to-back European Championship finals, as well as runs to the World Cup semi-finals and quarter-finals, after stepping up from the under-21s role in 2016. The 54-year-old suggested during his time out of the game that his next job could be away from football and says he is in no rush to return to the dugout. 'I'm enjoying my life,' Southgate told the PA news agency. 'I've got quite a lot on. 'I'm in the middle of writing a book, I've got several business interests. I do some work on leadership, help with some young coaches. 'But I've also got time to travel and play a bit of golf, play a bit of paddle tennis, so yeah, I'm very much enjoying that balance.' Asked whether he is looking at returning to management or if the future lies in something else, Southgate said: 'You can't say never to anything because 15 years ago I left Middlesbrough and I wasn't certain I would manage then. 'Then I ended up on a strange path into managing the national team. But it's not something I'm actively looking at at the moment.' Southgate's sojourn meant eyebrows were raised when speculation emanated from Poland in June that his return to management could be with their national team. 'I am kind of used to it,' he said of the rumours about him. 'I mean, I was linked with the Poland job, which I knew nothing about, so that was a strange one. 'Something gets written and then it's reported everywhere, but yeah, there's probably a lot of others, but I kind of accept it now for what it is.' Southgate was speaking at the PFA Awards in Manchester, where he picked the PFA Merit Award recognising his contributions to football and achievements with England. Thomas Tuchel is looking to build on those foundations and lead the team to glory at next summer's World Cup and was another in attendance at the event at the Manchester Opera House. 'I think they've obviously got lots of good players,' Southgate said of the current England side. 'There is, as always, some exciting young players coming through. 'It's important for me not to say too much more than that, really, because I don't want to step on Thomas' toes at all.'
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
I ditched ‘miserable' UK for sunny Croatia – bills are 33% less & I rent a posh villa for same price as 2-bed back home
A MAN has quit the "miserable" UK for Croatia, and is on a mission to encourage others to do the same. Scott McClure, from Scotland, made the decision to up-sticks and relocate to the Balkans nation six months ago, and has no regrets about his decision. 2 He revealed that the sunny country is "so much safer" than Britain, claiming that the crime rate is "double" back home. "You feel way safer when walking home at night", he said, in a TikTok video, posted to his account @thecreatoroperator. "Whereas when you're in the UK, you don't know what could happen". The cost of living is another reason why Scott is head over heels for Croatia with his bills costing 33% less than they did in the UK. "You can rent villas like this for the same price as a two bedroom flat in the UK", he beamed, proudly showing off his posh pad. Of course, the baking heat was also a major factor in Scott's move, with the content creator stating that "you're guaranteed 30 degrees plus in the summer. "In the UK, it's miserable all year around." Another of Scott's qualms with his home country is that it is "run terribly." "And it's only going to get worst", he said. He added that people don't treat the country with respect, citing the example of people throwing litter out of their cars. I ditched the UK & bought a house for the same price as a summer holiday "You don't see this in Croatia!", he claimed. Scott's video has likely left many people intrigued as it has gone viral, racking up 30,000 views and hundreds of likes and comments. TikTok One person said: "Whoa! You had me at the villa rentals! How easy is it to move abroad? Brexit means British citizens now have to apply for visas to move to countries within the EU. While some countries residency restrictions are easier than others, here's what you need to do at home before moving: Notify HMRC about your upcoming move. Let your local authority know and provide a forwarding address. Contact your mortgage and utility providers and bank before leaving. If you have paid enough UK national insurance contributions, you can qualify for a state pension abroad - contact the International Pension Centre. You can sign up to the Royal Mail's redirection service. If you have outstanding student loans, contact the Student Loans Centre. If you have children, give due notice to childcares and schools. "Great breakdown. I arrive next week and I'm thinking of getting a Croatia digital nomad visa!" A second person said: "It's the best place to live!" "The authentic living culture is more attractive than the UK."
