
Surrey Hills pie and mash shop in Tadworth approved
Councillor Paul Potter said the parking and traffic issues were overstated given the general low levels of cars using the road, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.He added: "For a lot of residents in the mobile homes they walk there, they don't drive. There are hundreds of mobile homes up there."It's a vital thing for the community."The application was approved by Mole Valley District councillors on Wednesday.The site has been used as a pie and mash takeaway with seating area since August 2023.
One speaker told the meeting Porsha's advertised on social media, which they believed would draw in people from outside Box Hill.She said: "Cars park up on the pavement outside our house which is the only pavement by the pie and mash."Indiscriminate parking narrows the road and interferes with the free flow of the traffic and prohibits pedestrians use of the pavement."We also have a lot of teenagers who do their Duke of Edinburgh awards and walk along where the cars are parked with two wheels on the pavement."It is dangerous."The plans were ultimately passed with the unanimous backing of the committee.

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The Independent
30-06-2025
- The Independent
Royal train to be decommissioned following decades of service
King Charles has approved decommissioning the royal train following decades of service. The nine-carriage train, a favourite of Queen Elizabeth II and the late Duke of Edinburgh, will stop running ahead of a maintenance contract ending in early 2027, according to the annual royal accounts. Reasons behind the move include the cost of storing and maintaining the train against its level of use, the significant investment needed to keep the train in use, and that two new helicopters were reliable alternatives for members of the royal family. James Chalmers, Keeper of the Privy Purse, described the move as an example of the royal household applying 'fiscal discipline' in its drive to deliver 'value for money'. The King is said to have fond memories of the train, which features a carriage created for Charles in the mid-1980s, which he still uses now that he is King. The Prince of Wales is said to be aware and supports the decommissioning decision. 'The royal train, of course, has been part of national life for many decades, loved and cared for by all those involved,' Mr Chalmers said. 'But in moving forward, we must not be bound by the past. 'Just as so many parts of the royal household's work have been modernised and adapted to reflect the world of today, so too, the time has come to bid the fondest of farewells, as we seek to be disciplined and forward in our allocation of funding. 'With His Majesty's support, it has therefore been decided that the process to decommission the royal train will commence next year.' The annual accounts showed the Sovereign Grant, which supports the official duties of the royal family, will remain for a fourth consecutive year at £86.3 million, while royal travel increased by £500,000 to £4.7 million and payroll costs were up £2 million to £29.9 million. The rundown of royal finances – from April 1 2024, to March 31 2025 – covers the months following the King and the Princess of Wales 's double cancer diagnosis and the majority of 2024 – the year described by the Prince of Wales as 'brutal'. Charles made a rapid return to public-facing duties in April, while Kate made a more gradual one after revealing in September she had finished her chemotherapy treatment, and later confirmed at the start of 2025 that she was cancer-free. Mr Chalmers said that after returning to public-facing duties in April 2024, the King '… demonstrated remarkable resilience by undertaking a wide programme of public and state duties at home and overseas while continuing to receive treatment, demonstrating not only His Majesty's personal commitment to duty but also the adaptability and resilience of the royal household in ensuring continuity of service, no matter the personal circumstances'. The royal train was decorated and furnished to meet the needs of senior royals. In 2020, William and Kate made a 1,250-mile train journey over three days to thank key and frontline workers and communities for their efforts during the pandemic. Mr Chalmers said: 'Before it finally goes out of service, it is our hope that the train will make further visits to parts of the UK, while discussions will begin on finding a long-term home where some particularly historic elements might go on public display.'


The Independent
30-06-2025
- The Independent
New rules to remove safety devices from semi-trucks could let them zoom down the nation's highways at top-speed
The U.S. Department of Transportation has scrapped a rule mandating speed-limiting devices on heavy-duty trucks, allowing them to race along the nation's highways at top speed. The devices in question, also known as governors, place a limit on the maximum speed at which large trucks can travel by preventing their engines from running any faster than a preset number of revolutions per minute. This typically means they cannot go faster than 55 to 70mph in the interest of safety and improving fuel efficiency. But their requirement is now being dropped as part of a new DOT package intended to ease conditions for long-haul truckers. It also includes a $275m investment in expanding truck parking spaces and simplifying the wording of federal regulations. 'Mandating speed limiters on heavy-duty trucks isn't just an inconvenience – it is a safety hazard when drivers are forced to go slower than the flow of traffic,' the DOT said in a statement announcing the package. 'The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration [FMCSA] and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are withdrawing a joint rulemaking that proposed to require speed-limiting devices on heavy vehicles. 'This decision respects the professionalism of drivers and acknowledges the proposed rulemaking lacked a sufficiently clear and compelling safety justification.' Donald Trump 's Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said: 'Truckers keep America running. While the country sleeps, truckers grind through the night to help keep shelves stocked, families fed, and businesses humming. 'It's a job that requires grit and dedication. But for too long Washington, D.C., has made work harder for truckers. That ends today. Thanks to President Trump, we're getting Washington out of your trucks and your business.' Duffy's release explaining the package is headlined 'America First, Safety First' and represents a move to entrust drivers with more responsibility and reduce government overreach. However, it could be argued that dropping speed-limiting devices increases the likelihood of road accidents by removing a barrier to faster driving and allowing for a greater degree of risk on the highways. According to FMCSA statistics for the last five years, the U.S. recorded 143,000 truck accidents in 2020 (a low figure due to the Covid-19 pandemic restricting movement), rising to 166,000 in 2021. The total fell slightly to 165,000 in 2022 and was at 155,000 in 2023 and 151,000 in 2024. For the year to May 1 2025, there have been 39,000. Of the total 819,000 accidents between 2020 and this spring, just six percent involved a fatality. Duffy's announcement follows Trump's executive order in late April stipulating that English should be the official language of American trucking, calling it 'a non-negotiable safety requirement for professional drivers.' The order said it was 'common sense' that drivers 'should be able to read and understand traffic signs, communicate with traffic safety, border patrol, agricultural checkpoints, and cargo weight-limit station officers.' It instructed the DOT to introduce new testing and enforcement to ensure that drivers can speak English 'sufficiently to converse with the general public.'

South Wales Argus
29-06-2025
- South Wales Argus
Newport property gets new lease of life as social club
The site, at 119-121 Chepstow Road, Victoria Ward, Newport, will see its ground floor converted from its previous retail/community use to a club featuring seating, a bar, and the sale of coffee, snacks, and alcohol. The application was approved with conditions on May 28, and will operate on restricted hours of 8am to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to midnight Saturday and 10am to 11pm on Sunday and Bank Holidays. The property's location is notable, situated in Maindee District Centre, and it falls within a Flood Zone 3 (defended) and an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). The premises have a varied history of use, having been an estate agent from 2008 to 2015, a bridal shop and estate agent post-2015, a Kurdish community centre, and most recently, a retail unit. The surrounding area comprises a mix of commercial properties, including a restaurant, barbershop, and nail salon, with some residential properties located at the rear on Duckpool Road. The proposal was assessed against several planning policies, including the Future Wales – National Plan 2040, Planning Policy Wales Edition 12 (2024), and the Newport Local Development Plan (2011–2026), among others. The assessment highlighted that the club's presence is in keeping with a district centre location and does not undermine retail functionality. Parking and accessibility requirements, which necessitate one commercial space and eight car spaces based on the club's size, were considered. However, due to the premises' existing community centre designation and the proximity of public transport and pay/display parking, these concerns were mitigated. The club will be subject to several conditions to minimise its impact on the surrounding area. These include restrictions on the use of the rear external area to protect the residences on Duckpool Road and limitations on opening hours. The club will only be allowed to open from 8am to 11pm from Monday to Thursday, 8am to midnight on Saturdays, and 10am to 11pm on Sundays and bank holidays. Any cooking of hot food will also require prior approval for extraction systems. Five objections were raised in response to the proposal, primarily concerning potential alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, gambling concerns, and parking issues. However, authorities, including Gwent Police, Highways, Natural Resources Wales, and Waste services, raised no objections. The police also had no concerns about potential anti-social behaviour. The proposal was ultimately deemed to align with planning policies, particularly given its location within a district centre, sustainable transport access, and the absence of significant harm to amenity or infrastructure.