Penrith roadworks and closures to be aware of
The map, on the Cumberland Council website, has revealed where Penrith drivers were most likely to get stuck behind roadworks in July.
Users can search by town, postcode or address and view planned works up to 12 months in advance.
The map can also show incidents, live traffic and diversions. You can also filter what level of roadworks the map shows – from high impact to all works.
From Monday to Sunday, 7pm until 6am, the A66 Westbound, from Penrith to Brougham, has lane closures and a layby closure for construction. This is due to be finished at the end of July.
A66 roundabout. (Image: Cumberland Council) Temporary traffic lights have been fitted on the A6 in both directions at the B6262 near Brougham due to roadworks.
On Beacon Edge, a road closure is in place for carriageway resurfacing from Carleton Hill. Pedestrian and dismounted cyclist access is permitted, and access for emergency vehicles only will be maintained. The works are due to be finished at the end of this month.
Delays are likely on Kemplay Bank until the end of July due to roadworks and a road closure. There are also delays expected on Bridge Lane and Carleton Avenue, with diversions in place.
To find out about the road maintenance works in your area, you can visit Cumberland Council's website here: .
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Forbes
4 hours ago
- Forbes
MG IM5 And IM6 Test Driven: Tesla's Model 3 And Y Beaten At Last?
MG has launched cars from its IM sub-brand in the UK. MG has made a reputation for proving that electric cars don't have to be expensive. But the Cyberster convertible sports EV was a step in a different direction, and now MG has more mainstream luxury plans. With the launch of its IM sub-brand, MG is targeting a premium, corporate fleet customer. I took MG IM's first two models, the IM5 and IM6, for a test drive at the UK launch. They're both very good indeed. Why IM And Not Just MG? MG is familiar in the UK, but it's just one of the brands housed under the umbrella of giant Chinese automaker SAIC Motor, which also owns Maxus. You may have seen the latter's electric vans in use by London delivery companies. IM is another of SAIC's originally Chinese-only brands, standing for Intelligence in Motion. It's the luxury marque in the portfolio, like Denza is for BYD, AVATR for Changan, and indeed Lexus for Toyota. MG is making a clear step up into the luxury space with the IM introduction into Europe. While this is an entirely separate brand in China, the decision was to keep these cars under the MG monicker in the UK and EU, although the MG branding is subtle – no logo, just 'MG' lettering on the rear. The Chinese IM symbol is in greater evidence, bearing no resemblance to any language. IM is one of SAIC Motor's brands in China SAIC also has joint ventures with General Motors and Volkswagen to make and sell their cars in China. The latter includes Audi-branded models, such as the E5, revealed at Auto Shanghai 2025. There has been talk that the European IM cars share a drivetrain with the Audi E5, but while there could be shared components, there is no confirmation that the drivetrain is the same, and it's not quite identical to those available with the Chinese IM cars either. To begin with, there are two IM models arriving in the UK and a couple of European countries (Switzerland and Norway, which don't charge the tariffs on imported Chinese EVs of EU countries). The IM6 is the SUV, called the LS6 in China, and the IM5 is the Chinese L6. There are three drivetrain choices, although only two of them are available with the IM6. The base one includes a 75kWh (gross) battery and 291hp motor driving the rear wheels. Then there's a Long Range version with 100kWh (gross) battery and 402hp motor driving the rear wheels. Then the Performance version has the same battery but with a whopping 742hp dual motors driving all four wheels. MG IM5 The MG IM5 is the sedan member of the range, and it's a close facsimile of the Tesla Model 3. That's not necessarily a bad thing, considering how successful that car has been. All three drivetrains are available with this car, and there are no trim levels beyond this, just some rather sober paint choices. White is the basic one, and then there are grey, blue and black for £545 ($730) extra. You can choose grey or white interiors. And that's it for options. It's obvious just getting into the IM5 that this car is a big step up from previous MGs, although they have been improving with every generation. The front seats are heated and ventilated, while the rear ones are heated. The dashboard is dominated by a 26.3in ultra-widescreen that combines infotainment to the left and instrumentation to the right. A second 10.5in portrait display sits lower down in the middle to provide most other interface controls. I'd still prefer actual buttons for key climate controls, but it's relatively easy to find these and accessing them won't interfere with seeing the navigation screen, as with some cars. However, the rear window is more cosmetic than useful in the IM5. I supposed it does let some light in, but you can barely see out of it via the rearview mirror. The MG IM5 is a hatchback disguised as a sedan. There's plenty of room for passengers in the rear, though, accentuated by the large panoramic sunroof. This doesn't have any funky chromatic shade-changing capabilities like the new Nissan Leaf or Lotus Emeya, however. One simple area where the IM5 surpasses the Model 3 is that it's a hatchback, giving you a bit easier access to the rear luggage space. You get 457 liters with the rear seats up, 1,290 liters with them down, and there's a small 18-liter frunk as well – around the same in total as a Model 3. While the basic Standard Range IM5 takes a relatively pedestrian (for an EV) 6.8 seconds to hit 62mph, the Long Range and Performance cars are quick, requiring just 4.9 and 3.2 seconds respectively. One of the key improvements over previous MGs is that the IM cars have four-wheel steering. At lower speeds, the rear wheels turn slightly in the opposite direction of the front ones, making cornering smoother. At higher speeds, they turn in the same direction so that changing lanes is more stable. I found the IM5 to be quite nimble on A-roads and extremely assured on motorways. With IM, MG is bringing its interior design and quality up to a new level. The version of the IM5 I drove at the launch was the Performance, and I mostly drove it in the top Sport mode. My regular driver is Tesla Model 3 Performance, so this is a close comparison. On paper, the two cars have almost-identical performance, but the IM5 doesn't have quite the immediacy of accelerator response that the Tesla offers. But it's still incredibly quick to get going, making A-road overtaking similarly safe and efficient. The ride quality is much better than the pre-Highland Model 3 Performance as well, although the latest version of the Tesla is comparable. Like the MG4 XPOWER, the IM5 isn't set up for the track-level driving. But that four-wheel steering does make for very refined behaviour at speed. I drove a good mix of A-roads, small town and highway, and almost entirely in Sport mode, and it was a very pleasurable experience. You'll still get a more engaging drive out of a BMW i4 M50. The BYD Seal falls behind the IM5 in driver involvement too. As the IM5 is a hatchback, rear luggage space can be quite extensive. The 75kWh (73.5kWh net) car promises 304 WLTP miles, while the 100kWh (96.5kWh net) Long Range offers a much greater 441 miles, and the Performance a still very credible 357 miles. With the Performance car, driving for about two hours quite vigorously, I achieved 2.8 miles per kWh, which would give a real-world range of 270 miles. Charging is also impressive for the 100kWh battery cars, which have an 800V system. The maximum is 396kW, which you will not find in the UK yet. But with a 350kW charger, it will only take 17 minutes to charge from 10 to 80%. The 75kWh battery uses Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) chemistry and a 400V system, so maxes out at a more pedestrian 153kW when charging, taking 26 minutes to go from 10 to 80% on a fast enough charger. MG IM6 The IM6 SUV is likely to be the bigger seller of the two cars, although like the family resemblance between the Tesla Model 3 and Y, the IM6 is essentially an SUV version of the IM5. In fact, both cars have a lot of external resemblance to their Tesla equivalents (at least the previous generation versions). The IM frontal design is a little more interesting, however. The IM6 SUV is only offered with the 100kWh battery, so only with two drivetrains – Long Range and Performance. However, there is a third version of the car called the Launch Edition, which is based on the Performance model but comes with adaptive air suspension. The IM cars have a quite a lot of Tesla resemblance, but the front is more characterful and ... More aggressive. The IM6 interior isn't massively different in style to the IM5. However, the IM6's front seats don't just offer heating and ventilation – they have a massage function too. I found this beneficial over my two-hour test drive, although it doesn't have the range of options you get with a Lotus or BMW massage seat. Your primary reason for buying the SUV is space. There is more of it in the back seats than the IM5, and the rear luggage space is much greater too. The basic capacity is 665 liters (646 liters for the Launch Edition, because the air suspension kit takes up some of the space). This extends to 1640 liters with the rear seats down (1621 for the Launch Edition). This isn't as much as the Tesla Model Y, and the Skoda Enyaqi iV offers a bit more too. But it's still plenty of space for carrying a family's luggage on a holiday trip or DIY materials back from the home improvement store. 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Also, with that extremely fast charging available, you won't need to stop very long to replenish. MG IM Technology Although the general sense of quality of the IM5 and IM6 are a step above what MG has offered before, the tech is the area where these cars feel the most differentiation. Controls are Tesla/Mercedes-like, with a stalk on the right for choose drive and reverse. There are paddles for configuring the adaptive cruise control, which is standard on all models, and the steering wheel only has scroll wheels, no other buttons. I particularly enjoyed the exit mode, where the driver's seat goes back automatically when you open the door, to facilitate getting out. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available, although the built-in satnav is very responsive and usable, with live traffic included. I particularly like the way blind spot detection has been implemented on the IM5 and IM6. Not only do you get an amber light on the wing mirrors, but there's also a camera view that pops up when you indicate and the edge of the wide display glows red. That's plenty of warning to help you avoid an unnecessary accident when changing lanes. MG's IM cars are heavily imbued with cutting-edge technology. There's plenty of other safety tech on these cars, and most of it is a lot more sophisticated than previous MGs. The camera-based driver distraction system is a little... distracting. But the automatic parking options are quite effective. You can detect spaces in a parking lot and the car will pull into one of these automatically and adjust itself right into the middle. The curbside option pulls the car over 6 inches left or right using 4-wheel steering, which is great if you parallel parked too far out. The most impressive capability is how the car will remember the last 100m of your driving. If you hit One Touch Reverse, the car will then back up exactly the way you came. 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There's a speaker in the head rest as well, mostly used for navigational directions, which takes some getting used to. Can IM Take MG To The Next Level? Both IM cars are very credible, refined and mature vehicles. After all, they're only new to Europe – they've been on sale in various forms in China for a few years now. But even the infotainment seemed devoid of rough edges, as I've often seen with other new Chinese brands I've tested. Both cars are priced competitively too. The base Standard Range IM5 undercuts the Expensive Car Supplement in the UK at £39,450 ($53,000). It's over £5,000 ($6,700) cheaper than the entry BYD Seal Design, while the IM5 Performance is almost identically priced to the BYD Seal AWD Excellence at £48,495, while being faster and offering a lot more range. The BMW i4 is a lot more expensive than any IM5 for any model and then goes considerably further north as you move up the range. The true competitor is the Tesla Model 3, which starts at under £40,000 ($54,000) as well and offers more range, much more efficiency, and better performance. However, the Long Range RWD is almost identically priced to the IM5 Long Range, with the same performance, although it gets almost the same range with 75% of the battery, so still wins out on efficiency. The MG IM5 and IM6 could be popular fleet choices. The true 'cat amongst the pigeons' therefore is the IM5 Performance, which undercuts the Tesla Model 3 Performance by over £10,000 ($13,000) while offering similar acceleration and top speed, but more range. That is with less efficiency again, but this may not concern those with cheap home power or with fleet charging. Considering SUV sales, however, the IM6 could be the bigger seller. This starts at £1,000 ($1,300) more than the BYD Sealion 7, but you get better performance, a bigger battery and 88 more miles of WLTP range. It also undercuts the Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive while offering the same range and performance. The IM6 Performance is priced below BYD's dual-motor options with comparable or better range and better performance. The Tesla Model Y Dual Motor is still the range king, but as there's no Performance version yet, it lags behind the IM6 in speed. It's not a clearcut win for MG, but both in sedan and SUV form the IM cars are clear contenders against other Chinese brands. They put up strong competition against the Tesla Model 3 and Y too. If MG can tempt fleet buyers to add the IM5 and IM6 to their offerings, they're likely to be popular, high-quality alternatives.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
National Highways and council warned over flood-prone road after fatal crash
A coroner has warned National Highways and a county council about providing 'more regular maintenance' for a flood-prone A road after a man died in a crash. James Scott, 25, lost control of his car after driving through an area of standing water on the A33 southbound near Kings Worthy, Hampshire, on the evening of July 5 last year. The car then turned sideways and collided with another car travelling the other way after it crossed into the opposite carriageway. Mr Scott sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene. An inquest into his death heard that two of the drains by the southbound lane were compacted with vegetation that caused 'little or no surface drainage' from the road, despite the area being a known flood risk for several years. Annual scheduled maintenance which included clearing gullies and catch pits on either side of the A33 had taken place in May and November 2023. A temporary 'Flood' warning sign was located some eight metres north of the flooding on the grass verge, but had been in that location for about five years. Ownership of the sign is debated between National Highways and Hampshire County Council. In a prevention of future deaths report sent to both organisations, Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp, area coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, said: 'Whilst the precise cause of the flooding is unknown, a more regular maintenance schedule may have prevented the build-up of vegetation within the gullies and therefore assisted in the drainage of the heavy rainfall experienced that day, thus reducing the amount of surface water present on the road.' The coroner said the fact that only a temporary sign was being used by the road when the area was known for years to be a flood risk was a matter of concern. A forensic examiner concluded the standing water on the road was a contributory factor in the crash and in Mr Scott's death. Copies of the report were sent by the coroner to the chief executives of both National Highways and Hampshire County Council, with both parties compelled to respond by September 18. Ms Rhodes-Kemp added: 'In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.' National Highways and Hampshire County Council have been approached for comment.
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Forbes
End Of The Road: Bowmore, Aston Martin Toast Five-Year Partnership
The Bowmore ARC-54 features rare 54-year-old whisky in a handblown decanter that is inspired by the ... More F1 Valkyrie. Only 130 decanters available globally, at a suggested retail price of $80,000. A five-year collaboration between Bowmore and auto maker Aston Martin officially comes to an end this month, a partnership that added some luxurious luster to the Scotch whisky brand. Nathalie Phillips, the senior director of prestige brands in the U.S. for Suntory Global Spirits, the parent company of Bowmore, tells me during a virtual interview that the brand's positioning has strengthened over the past several years. Back in 2020 before the Aston Martin partnership kicked off, Bowmore was in a rarified group of Scotch brands that can access decades-old whisky, making the brand highly coveted by collectors. But this heritage and history wasn't always appreciated by the broader population. 'That disconnect was something that we wanted to fix,' says Phillips. 'We should be getting that credit on our base, because our whiskies are incredible.' Bowmore, she adds, 'really is a coveted brand no matter what price point.' This explains why over the last half decade, the distillery has reinforced time and time again a connection with Aston Martin. Both are brands that Phillips says have British heritage, craftsmanship and tradition. This history goes back well over a century for Aston Martin, which was founded in 1913, and even further for Bowmore distillery, which was created in 1779. Bowmore, Aston Martin Collaboration Takes A Final Lap Limited edition offerings have been a particularly important through line that's connected the brands. 'That collectibility is something that's really important to our core,' says Phillips. 'So finding another partner that could help us amplify that globally was important.' The brands' first creation kicked off in 2020 with the launch of the Black Bowmore DB5 1964. Only 25 bottles were sold, marking momentous moments for each brand. For Bowmore, 1964 was significant as it was when a new boiler was added to the distillery that allowed for steam in heating the stills, rather than coal fires. And while the Aston Martin DB5 launched in 1963, it became most known when driven by the fictional spy James Bond in the 1964 film Goldfinger. Bowmore distillery dates back to 1779. It is the oldest distillery on Islay. The partnership has taken several other twists and turns over the years, including the DBX Bowmore Edition luxury cars that were painted in 'Bowmore Blue' and in some cases, featured Bowmore-branded copper inlays using copper from the original whisky still. Interior accents included Bowmore tweed, a nod to the brand's Islay roots. Only 18 of these vehicles were sold. The final lap of the Bowmore-Aston Martin collaboration was recently marked with the second, and final, release of the ARC series, the Bowmore ARC-54. Sold at a suggested retail price of $80,000, the ARC-54 was distilled in November 1968 and is described as having zesty citric tones, delicate floral notes, along with salty caramel sweetness, spiced ginger and cinnamon. Only 130 decanters were made available globally. Each of the vessels were handblown and took inspiration from the terroir of Islay and the F1-inspired aerodynamic exterior of the Aston Martin Valkyrie hyper car. 'This rare creation truly demonstrates just how Bowmore ages exceptionally over time, with unmatched precision and clarity,' says Calum Fraser, Bowmore's chief blender, in a statement at the time of ARC-54's release. 'As guardians of this spirit, we strive to harness the power of the past in every drop that we create – whilst constantly reimagining Bowmore for the next generation that will experience our whiskies.' Over the course of five years, Bowmore and Aston Martin launched a series of collaborative products, ... More including rare bottles and Bowmore edition luxury cars, that were crafted for collectors. Phillips says that the vision for ARC-54 was that it wasn't crafted to just be another rare whisky bottle. Brands like Bowmore must compete not only with the luxury offerings from other Scotches, but also with any collectible that luxury shoppers may desire, ranging from watches to purses to automobiles. 'We didn't want to just create a package that was beautiful, but something that actually was related to the partnership,' says Phillips. 'That was something that was unprecedented for us.' How Aston Martin Has Helped Bowmore When asked to gauge how Bowmore views the success of the five-year partnership with Aston Martin, Phillips says the brand looks at collectability rankings. Over the past few years, Bowmore says it has seen a rise in how 'collectible' it is deemed by consumers. The limited-edition sales runs for the bottles also sell out, another sign that Bowmore is crafting the right quantity of expensive, limited-edition bottles to meet demand. There is also a halo effect that Bowmore says it sees for the more accessible offerings, which can sell for under $60. Phillips says Bowmore is keen to keep a close eye on which bars and restaurants are selling the brand and if it is prominently displayed behind the bar and on restaurant and hotel menus. 'That's really important to us, because that helps to build a sustainable brand,' says Phillips. 'And that's when the sales guys say, 'I love what you are doing. Please keep doing more.''
