Innovation

Improvement work on a key road in Birmingham could end up costing £7m more than its original budget, a report has revealed.

Birmingham City Council has been working on the A457 Dudley Road project since 2020 in a bid to improve journey times and enhance public transport services.

New bus lanes and upgraded facilities for pedestrians and cyclists are being provided, but "emerging pressures" have forced the council to request an extra £2.5m of funding.

It brings the total forecast cost to complete the whole project to about £39.6m.

It comes after the authority announced in February it was planning to cut about £148m of spending, while increasing council tax by 7.49% in the coming financial year.

The council's cabinet previously approved the £32.1m original budget for the project in 2022 and then a revised budget of £37.1m a year later "to account for inflationary pressures and design changes".

Government-appointed commissioners, sent to oversee the crisis-hit council's recovery, said it was "disappointing" scheme bosses were now seeking a further £2.5m of funding.

The project has been supported by the Government's Levelling Up Fund.

Commissioners proposed the £2.5m shortfall is met from bus lane enforcement net surplus income.

The council said the revised budget in 2023 was approved to "accommodate wider unforeseen economic inflationary pressures and rising base energy, material and labour costs".

It went on to say that existing issues will be exacerbated if all four phases of the project are not completed.

Four phases

• Phase one: completed in July 2022: improved junction access to the Galliard and Soho Wharf development
• Phase two: completed in late summer 2024: new cycle facilities, footways and "highway realignment" to incorporate bus lanes
• Phase three ongoing: construction focusing on Lee Bridge and Icknield Port Road junction
• Phase four: plans to provide the "missing link" to the segregated cycleway on the frontage of City Hospital to the Birmingham Treatment Centre.

Ahead of a meeting on 29 April, the council's cabinet has been recommended to approve the £2.5m to complete phase four.

Ceredigion Museum is set to close in order to conduct essential repair and maintenance works.

The local council said the Grade II listed building in Aberystwyth will be shut from 19 May and is expected to re-open in spring 2026.

The work will include a new roof, repairs to the suspended ceiling and replastering damaged walls.

Cllr Catrin M S Davies said the repairs are "vital" to ensure "future generations can enjoy" the museum.

A new social group is tackling women's loneliness through friendships and fun activities.

Hull Girlies was launched only in January but already every event sells out within hours.

Mira Rumianceva was the brains behind the group.

"The feedback that I've had is incredible. Some of it has made me cry. It's so nice to know that these events are having such an impact on women," she said.

The girls have done activities ranging from jewellery-making and hiking to goat yoga and pole classes.

Mira, 26, said she was inspired to start the group after seeing a similar one on social media.

"I saw a girl's video on Instagram. I think she lived in Berlin and I remember thinking it'd be so nice if Hull had something like that," she said.

"From there it's just taken off. All the events sell out within a few hours of being posted."

'Just spending time with friends'

She added: "The demand is definitely growing, so I am trying to put on more events just to meet that demand."

Mira wants the group to be a "safe, welcoming and inclusive" space, and it seems to be working.

"I've had girls who wanted to book on to events but felt really anxious, and then afterwards they would message me to say that as soon as they've come in and started chatting with the girls, they felt so safe, comfortable and included, and not once did they feel lonely," she said.

"They just felt like they spent the night with their friends."

Shay Flora, 28, said Hull Girlies was a perfect fit for her busy work schedule.

"I go to work, I come home, I make my dinner, and then I'll do that through the week, and then I'll go down to Sheffield to see my boyfriend," she said.

"So the time for socialising with girls in Hull isn't that much if you're not sure where to look, but this has just been perfect on a weeknight after work."

Daisy Glover, 19, said the group had helped her find friends who shared her interests.

"I've met so many other women who enjoy the same sorts of things as me. I'm not a big drinker, so it's quite nice to meet people and do craft things," she said.

"I have ADHD so I find it hard to keep the same friends, so I think sometimes it's a lot easier to come to these sorts of things and see people who maybe you wouldn't speak to in a normal situation."

Daisy, who is a university student, said it could often be hard when "you haven't stayed friends with the same people through school or you've moved away".

She added that many girls struggled to socialise at university, so groups such as Hull Girlies could really help.

Many of the girls in the group are not originally from Hull and have found the events a great way to meet people in their new home.

Vera Lukashenko, 21, said attending the meet-ups had helped her social skills and allowed her to connect with someone from her home country.

"I'm an introvert so, for me, socialising sometimes can be difficult, so actually going out and speaking to different people has helped me to improve my network and my social skills," she said.

"I actually found a friend who speaks the same language as me. It's so good to have a group such as this, so you don't feel lonely."

The group's upcoming events include a Muay Thai class, speed friending, Pilates and a picnic.

Mira wants everyone to feel welcome.

"All women are welcome here – all ages and all backgrounds. This is a safe space for everyone," she said.

"Whether you're new to Hull or you just want to expand your social network, Hull Girlies is for you."

Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Soundslatest episode of Look North here.

After years of argument and dispute about the meaning of gender, the watchword of Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling has to be clarity.

Equality law has been made clear with the unambiguous statement that the term "woman" refers to a biological woman and does not include biological men who identify as women.

It is a "victory for common sense", according to the chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

Baroness Falkner added: "If a male is allowed to use a women-only service, it isn't any longer a single-sex space."

This is a world away from the carefully chosen language which has been used to navigate gender issues for much of the last decade.

The Equality Act, which protects people who have been through gender reassignment from harassment, discrimination and sex discrimination, is enforced by the EHRC.

It is now updating its statutory code of conduct to take account of the judgment, saying that, with this new framework, it should be in a better position to enforce the law where it finds breaches.

It was directly involved in the Supreme Court case because it said inconsistencies over whether the term sex included or excluded transgender people with gender recognition certificates (GRC) was making equality law unworkable.

The ruling removes any ambiguity. Now, a GRC will not change a person's legal sex for the purposes of the Equality Act.

What does the ruling mean in practice?

Public bodies – from the NHS and prisons to sports clubs and businesses – will already be reviewing their policies.

Women's toilets, changing rooms and other single sex spaces will be for biological women only.

In theory, that means a transgender man or woman should use facilities that correspond to their biological sex.

However, this is likely to present other difficulties as the person will be presenting as their gender identity to the outside world.

Baroness Falkner argues that transgender people should use "their power of advocacy" to persuade organisations to provide third spaces such as unisex toilets.

Cases such as that of the nurse, Sandie Peggie, who was suspended after refusing to share a changing room with a transgender doctor, are likely to be reviewed.

NHS Fife, the health board involved in the case, told the BBC that it noted the clarity provided by the ruling and would "carefully consider the judgment".

Two Conservative councillors in Derbyshire have quit the party to start their own group, claiming some of their former colleagues have "forgotten where they come from".

Councillors Gareth Gee and Nigel Edwards-Walker, Conservative members of Derbyshire Dales District Council, left the party to form Derbyshire First.

This leaves the Conservative group on the district council – which is controlled by a Liberal Democrat-led alliance – down to nine councillors, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Councillor Sue Hobson, deputy leader of the Derbyshire Dales Conservative group, said it was a "shame" individuals elected two years ago "changed their political allegiance".

'The right time'

The councillors, who represent Bakewell and the Dovedale, Parwich and Brassington wards respectively, made the move following a stark local election campaign for the Conservatives.

Gee also stood in last week's Derbyshire County Council elections as a Conservative candidate in Matlock but was unsuccessful, with Liberal Democrat Sue Burfoot winning the seat.

Gee said: "This is not a decision I have made lightly but it is the right time for me at this part of my career. Politics needs to change and be more local."

He told the LDRS the core aim of the new Derbyshire First party was to campaign against new housing targets and to ensure districts and boroughs were not divided through local government reorganisation.

The council has had its housing targets increased from 216 per year to 580, under reforms announced by the government.

Hobson, former group leader and now deputy leader of the Derbyshire Dales Conservative group, said: "It is a shame that individuals who have been voted in by residents just two years ago have broken that trust and changed their political allegiance.

"Rest assured that Derbyshire Dales Conservatives will continue to work hard for their residents."

Edmunds-Walker was approached for comment.

A number of smart hubs which include access to defibrillators are set to be installed in and around a seaside town.

The Urban Innovation Company has submitted an application to Cornwall Council to site 14 of the hubs, which also offer the chance to make free phone calls, in and around Newquay.

The application is being supported by the town council and Newquay Business Improvement District, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Some residents posting in community groups on social media have expressed concerns about obstruction on the streets, increased digital advertising and light pollution.

'Not in keeping'

"They're totally unnecessary and will just add to the already overwhelming and messy/ugly street furniture in the town", one local resident said.

Commenting on the application on the council planning portal, another person said the digital signs were "not in keeping with the surroundings".

The respondent said this was particularly the case in terms of the one proposed for Headland Road, "as visitors to Newquay get their first glimpses of the view across the Fistral beach".

The smart hubs, produced by a company called Pulse, would include touchscreens providing free phone calls and free wi-fi.

They would also include along with a built-in defibrillator and access to emergency treatment in the event of a drug overdose, as well as an emergency safety button to support anyone who is vulnerable and a 999 emergency button.

A planning report said the proposals were supported by the Safer Cornwall Partnership, which recognised the hubs would deliver a range of benefits for residents, businesses and visitors to Cornwall.

The 14 proposed locations, which have been developed in collaboration with Newquay Town Council, Newquay BID, Devon and Cornwall Police and Cornwall Council, include Bank Street, Berry Road and Newquay Railway Station.

The new owners of Glasgow Airport have announced plans to drive a huge increase in passenger numbers.

AviAlliance aims to add more than a million passengers per year by 2030, by boosting the number of short-haul holiday flights and and increasing its transatlantic business.

The company completed a deal to buy AGS – the owners of Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports – in January for £1.53bn.

It has now announced a £350m investment in the three sites – with the bulk of it going into Glasgow.

'Costing them money'

AGS Airport CEO Kam Jandu hopes the investment will signal a new era for the terminal, which has lagged behind its east coast rival, Edinburgh Airport, since the pandemic.

He sees budget airlines as a key to growth and wants to make it smoother for short-haul jets to land, turn around and take off.

He told BBC Scotland News: "For the low-cost airlines, it's key to them. If their airplane isn't in the air, it's costing them money.

"So they want to be able to touch down, disembark, then embark within the space of 35-40 minutes."

That means re-arranging the stands at the terminal building so passengers can get on and off planes more easily.

His goal is 5-6% growth in passenger numbers year-on-year, until Glasgow handles over 10 million passengers a year by 2030.

As well as European sunshine destinations, they want extra flights to America – and it seems Donald Trump's turbulent spell in the White House might enable that.

Glasgow Airport struggled during Covid.

It was forced to shed thousands of staff when flights were grounded for months on end.

Since then it has bounced back, but it still sits behind Edinburgh, which carried almost 16 million passengers last year.

By contrast, Glasgow airport expects 8.5 million passengers this year.

So there's catching up to do.

The new plans focus on improving the terminal building – more seats, shops, cafes and restaurants for waiting passengers in smarter surroundings.

It is hoped that among them will be passengers from Glasgow postcodes who currently head east to Edinburgh to take a flight.

"Our goal is to regain share that we've lost to Edinburgh. We have the golden ingredient – demand, from the wider Glasgow catchment area," said Mr Jandu.

"We want to get back what we've lost, and also drive new markets to short-haul European destinations, which we haven't really recovered since Covid".

The airport is eyeing up transatlantic flights too.

They see Scottish passengers flying to America via Heathrow, and they want to offer a direct option.

But could Donald Trump's presidency put off Scottish passengers from travelling Stateside?

"Yes it does concern me, but it lends itself to an opportunity," said the CEO.

With American airlines carrying fewer passengers to and from Canada, Mexico and Europe, aircraft are going spare.

And these could potentially operate on routes to and from Scotland.

Time will tell how that works out.

The investment has been welcomed by the Scottish government.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes joined AGS bosses at the airport.

Her presence alone suggested a change of tone for the SNP government since it parted company from the Greens in government.

The Greens were, and remain, unenthusiastic about air travel, because of the greenhouse gas emissions that go with it.

But Ms Forbes insisted this investment was compatible with Scotland achieving net zero by 2045.

"This is hugely exciting for Scotland", she said. "Our priority is to attract inward investment and see infrastructure develop.

"To see the level of investment here is exactly what we're trying to achieve as a government," she said.

She added that the extra spending would hopefully increase the number of routes.

"That will hopefully increase the number of people travelling – because we're a small nation, an island nation and therefore having that international connectivity is critical for our prosperity. "

A university has apologised after students sitting a three-hour physics exam were only given two hours to complete it.

The University of Bath said an "administrative error" meant first-year students sitting the Foundations of Physics exam on Tuesday had an hour less.

They added the issue was identified shortly before the start of the exam, but said subsequent room bookings meant it was not possible to extend the session.

Head of the university's physics department, Professor Ventsislav Valev, said: "We are deeply sorry for the confusion and concern this has caused."

He continued: "Our priority is to ensure that no student is disadvantaged. We are reviewing our processes to ensure such an error does not occur again."

A University of Bath spokesperson added results of all assessments are "considered and finalised" by Boards of Examiners but students would be continued to be supported.

The committee that runs a 120-year-old village hall is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for what it describes as "essential refurbishment".

The work on Leckhampton Village Hall would cost £410,000, but its committee is still £100,000 short on funds for a "scaled-down version of the project", totalling £230,000.

In addition to an extension, improvements would include a refurbished kitchen, improved disabled access, energy efficiency upgrades, and new multi-purpose rooms with changing facilities.

Village hall chairman Daniel Peacey said the committee may have to "make difficult decisions" regarding its future if they cannot secure funding.

While the village hall is "a well-loved community asset", it is in "desperate need of improvement, mainly for accessibility facilities", Mr Peacey said.

"Wheelchair users can barely get in, there is a ramp but… some wheelchairs don't even fit on the ramp and once you are in, you can just about get a wheelchair through to the toilets," he said.

"The main points are improving what we can offer to the local community – better facilities to be able to offer more coffee mornings, perhaps a warm space or a lunch club."

Mr Peacey added the committee carried out a survey among residents who agreed that the hall needs improving.

The committee is appealing to local businesses, grant providers, and individuals for donations and sponsorships.

Mr Peacey said the committee's fundraising events have "barely made a dent" in the required amount.

"The project isn't just about improving a building; it's about safeguarding the future of a vital community space that brings people together," Mr Peacey said.

"While downscaling remains an option, without urgent financial support, the future of the hall is at serious risk.

"We are determined to deliver these improvements but without the necessary funding, we may be forced to make difficult decisions that could impact the long-term viability of the hall and its ability to serve the community."

Police are investigating after a man was stabbed near a tram station.

The attack happened on playing fields near the Abraham Moss station in Crumpsall at about 21:00 GMT on Friday, Greater Manchester Police detectives said.

The victim, said to be in his 20s, was taken to hospital for treatment for what police said were serious injuries.

Forensics teams were still at the scene earlier, and GMP has asked anyone with information to contact them.