
A1 central reservation gaps to be closed in Lincolnshire
Phil Shaw from National Highways said the agency had spent more than £19m on safety improvements on the A1 including new road markings, improved signage, the introduction of LED road studs and red high friction road surfaces."There has been a lot of support for closing these gaps and we have heard the concerns of communities along the A1," he said."That's why we are developing a long-term safety plan for this road including shutting off more gaps."He added that closing the gaps was "a complex legal and technical process"."We need to ensure that the problems are not moved to a different location, to consider collision data and the public rights of way," he said.
The work starts on 16 July and will largely be carried out during overnight closures lasting five weeks.Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
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Times
16 minutes ago
- Times
Tag Heuer reclaims pole position as Formula 1 timekeeper
With the blockbuster launch of this year's Formula 1 season, recent dull championships have been well and truly consigned to history. An exhibition in London to mark the sport's 75th anniversary attracted 340,000 visitors, while the F1 75 Live party at the O2 arena drew a crowd of 20,000 to witness all ten teams gather under one roof to introduce their new cars and liveries. Partygoers might also have spotted that the VIP tables were laden with Moët & Chandon champagne. The reason? The pinnacle of motorsport has a new lead sponsor in the form of the luxury goods giant LVMH, the owner of Moët & Chandon. But the most prominent LVMH brand will be Tag Heuer, which is returning to the role of official timekeeper for F1's 24 races, staged around the world from Melbourne to Miami. This bookends an involvement in the grand prix world that dates back to the founding of the F1 World Championship in 1950, when Heuer (as it was called then) supplied stopwatches to leading race teams. It went on to introduce the first timekeeping board comprising a trio of handheld chronographs that could be operated in unison to record successive laps. The maker's first official links with F1 came in 1969 when it made the Swiss driving star Jo Siffert the initial grand prix driver to be sponsored by a watch company, after which it signed a partnership with Scuderia Ferrari. It was at this time that the actor Steve McQueen, a racing enthusiast, also became associated with the brand. Heuer was subsequently appointed the official timing partner of F1 for the first time, a role that ended in 1980 but which recommenced in 1985 after the company was bought by the Saudi tycoon Akram Ojjeh's Tag Group (hence the name change to Tag Heuer). The group supported the Williams F1 team and sponsored the development of Porsche engines for McLaren's grand prix cars in the Eighties, helping to establish the association with the Brazilian racing legend Ayrton Senna that persists today, more than 30 years after his death during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. • This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Tag Heuer takes over the prestigious timekeeping role from the mighty Rolex, which has held it since 2013. LVMH can spread the cost across its multiple brands, all of which will be exposed to F1's global fan base, a large percentage of whom represent the bullseye of the demographic to which Tag Heuer wants to appeal. At a recent forum staged by the sports agency CSM, the discussion focused on how F1 has radically reinvented itself and capitalised on social media, fashion, music and film to appeal to the vital Gen Z audience. All this should be music to the ears of Tag Heuer CEO Antoine Pin, who only took over the job of running the brand last summer. 'F1 is the perfect fit for us, not only because of our long history in motor racing, but also because the brand encourages people to go beyond, not to crack under pressure,' he says. And if research by the pre-owned platform Watchfinder & Co is right, those Gen Z buyers who have become hooked on F1 won't be able to resist a timepiece from the brand keeping the whole championship on track. Monaco Split-Seconds Chronograph F1The brand also marks another milestone this year by being made the first title partner of the Monaco Grand Prix. This is celebrated with the split-seconds version of the Monaco watch, which features subdials marked with 'Lights out' and 'Away we go' and the F1 logo, and a case made from a combination of sapphire crystal and ceramic. POA Formula 1 SolargraphTag Heuer nabbed Formula 1 as a watch name in 1986. The original, made from steel and glass fibre, remains much loved — hence the brand's decision to relaunch it in 2024. Now a new 38mm version will be available to buy at various grand prix venues. Its trademark 'daisy' bezel is made from bio-sourced castor oil that can be tinted in different colours. From £1,550 Carrera Twin-TimeNamed after the celebrated Carrera Panamericana cross-Mexico road race, the Carrera was launched in 1963. Over time, the Carrera name has appeared on numerous designs of Heuer watches including automatic chronographs and date and dual time zone functions. The new 41mm version combines the last two features in the latest 'glass box' configuration. £4,250 Grand prix watch sponsors are finally reaching out to younger generations, says Scarlett Baker 'One day, I hope to purchase a Richard Mille like [the Ferrari driver] Charles Leclerc wears,' writes the 19-year-old Formula 1 fan Niamh Ball on TikTok. 'Particularly the RM UP-01 Ferrari.' Ball is among 750 million viewers who tuned in last year to watch the sport. We're in an era of total F1 exposure, where you don't need to be sitting at Silverstone to catch the motorsport's buzz. Open social media apps for team strategies, drivers' playlists and the brands they wear; tune in to Netflix's Formula 1: Drive to Survive for an inside look at life in the fast lane. The celebrity-packed Paddock Club has become a catwalk for product promotion, and none more so than watches. F1's racing teams have seven watch sponsors between them, with timepieces on the wrists of their members but also logos emblazoned across overalls, helmets and motorhomes. Tag Heuer has backed Red Bull; Tudor aligns with Racing Bulls; IWC Schaffhausen with Mercedes-AMG Petronas; Richard Mille is linked to both McLaren and Ferrari; Girard-Perregaux with Aston Martin; and the latest tie-up is H Moser & Cie with Alpine. Streamliner flyback chronograph, £52,500, 'F1 has opened doors to a whole new crowd — people who might never have walked into a boutique but are now messaging us asking which watch would best match their racing gloves,' says H Moser & Cie CEO and co-owner Edouard Meylan. But it's the sport's posterboys who truly bring in the fans: McLaren's Lando Norris and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc — each with millions of followers — step out of the cockpit, remove their helmets and immediately fasten a custom Richard Mille to their wrists. Moments later the timepiece is all over social media. More eyes on the sport means more attention on watches. 'We all benefit from the glitz and glam — it's a great environment for watches,' confirms Christoph Grainger-Herr, CEO of IWC Schaffhausen, which is also title watch sponsor for the fictional APX GP team in the upcoming film F1 starring Brad Pitt. 'F1 fans are passionate about the smallest details,' Meylan continues. 'That's exactly the mindset of a watch collector. If they can geek out over the aerodynamics of a front wing, they'll definitely get hooked on a beautifully finished movement.'


BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
M23 closed northbound following serious crash at Merstham
Emergency services have been working at the scene of a serious crash which has closed a section of the said the crash happened near Merstham, in Surrey, at about 06:30 road has been closed northbound between junction eight for the M25, and the A237 at Coulsden, and is expected to be closed for "several hours", National Highways added.A spokesperson said investigation works would be required by the police and that "no re-opening time is currently available". National Highways said South East Coast Ambulance Service was also at the is being diverted via alternative routes.


Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
‘I religiously avoid narrow Cornish roads in my Land Rover, but are they really as bad as I fear?'
As I nervously wind my way along Cornish coastal roads towards beautiful Harlyn Bay, I spot a huge red double-decker bus coming towards us on a small humpback bridge. I freeze. 'How on earth is that going to get past us, Mum?' my 11-year-old daughter says, echoing my thoughts. We close our eyes in terror as the bus gradually edges its way past and heave a sigh of relief as we see it drive away. It's just one of many hair-raising moments I experienced while driving an SUV around Cornwall this summer. That sort of nail-biting encounter is one of the reasons I have been so reluctant to come here in recent years, ever since we bought a second-hand Land Rover in 2023. I never used to be a nervous driver and have fond memories of whizzing along the coastal lanes on my way back from Polzeath in my battered old Renault, Marlboro Light in one hand, during my student days at Exeter. Ever since I hit the perimenopause and bought an SUV a few years ago, however, I have become quite anxious about tackling narrow coastal roads. But when I hear that Watergate Bay Hotel in Newquay, which I've heard great things about, has teamed up with Land Rover to offer guests a complimentary five-seat Discovery Sport hybrid in which to explore the coast, it's the perfect opportunity to overcome my fears. Also perfect, I decide, is that our one-year-old Labrador, Mabel, can make her first trip to the seaside. If she loves it as much as her mum, five-year-old Luna, it's bound to be a hit. Everyday traffic hazards The trip to Cornwall starts reasonably well as the hotel is on quite a wide road, but as we wind our way along the coast through Mawgan Porth towards Padstow, the roads seem to get more treacherous. I get stuck behind a cyclist for what feels like miles and then a car towing a caravan pulls out in front. At one point I find myself driving head on towards one of those cool-looking VW campervans which is bombing along without so much as a care in the world. I pull in towards the side of the road but find the steep banks on either side quite nerve-wracking. And then the situation I've been dreading: a steep hill culminating in a tiny, exceptionally narrow bridge – with a massive bus coming the other way. Accident statistics Are, I wonder, the roads in Devon and Cornwall more dangerous than the ones where we live in the Cotswolds? When I look at the statistics, it seems my fears are not entirely unjustified. Devon and Cornwall police reported a total of 741 road accidents in July 2024, compared with 380 in Feb 2025. The report also showed that there were six fatal accidents in Aug 2024 alone, and a total of 8,752 accidents between Jan 2024 to Feb 2025. By comparison, in London there were 3,696 road casualties in 2024, according to data from Transport for London. In my home county of Oxfordshire, there were 1,064 last year. Influx of 'Chelsea tractors' Is it any wonder, then, that locals get a bit fed up with reverse-shy tourists like me clogging their roads with our Chelsea tractors (because you can almost guarantee that's what they are driving) during the summer holidays? One Cornish resident, who didn't wish to be named, said that they are sick of 'terrified tourists' causing tailbacks on their infamously narrow roads. 'In Cornwall, we say you can spot a tourist car easily… it still has its door mirrors intact,' she noted. Maria McCarthy, motoring journalist and Devon resident, who is also the author of Driving Test Confidence, says tourists often have problems with rural roads, especially if they are driving SUVs. 'They are not used to narrow lanes where they have to reverse for tractors, for example. Also, many have expensive cars on leases and know they will have to pay for every scratch and dent when they move it on, so they are hyper-cautious when it comes to pulling in or letting another vehicle pass.' McCarthy points out, however, that many rural drivers can feel overwhelmed in cities. I have a flashback to one recent nightmarish theatre trip to Birmingham with my teenage son where we ended up driving around Five Ways roundabout at least, well, five times. 'I think the root of this problem can be traced back to the driving test, which doesn't fully prepare people for driving in a range of urban and rural environments,' McCarthy continues. 'Someone can pass their test in rural Cornwall and be navigating Bristol city centre the next day. Or pass in Camden, then drive down to Cornwall for a holiday.' Local writer Rachael Rowe, who grew up in north Cornwall, says she never goes to Newquay in summer. 'There are lots more people and houses in Cornwall now and, although we have the new A30, once you get on the narrow lanes [you realise that] many of the roads have not been improved at all for decades.' So, what would Rowe recommend for nervous visitors like me? Top tips for visitors 'Firstly, slow down. We have blind bends, narrow bridges, blind summits, cows crossing, horses and cyclists, so you never know what will be around the corner. If I'm on a narrow winding bit I always make a mental note of where the passing places are so I know where I'll need to reverse if I meet a tractor, convoy or bus. You really need to have good reversing skills as well, but drivers should have these anyway,' she says. 'It's always worth checking a map for choices of route too, not simply trusting a navigation system to take you down a really narrow lane just because it's allegedly faster when there is probably a better, wider alternative.' Finally, Rowe says, don't park on beaches, slipways or in farm gateways. I realise I may have stopped near a slipway after the close encounter with the bus and make a mental note to brush up my reversing skills before my next visit. And since our dogs and my kids love Cornwall, it won't be too long before I brave these roads again. But, having gained confidence during this brief trip, I'll do it in my own Land Rover.