Highways England has installed more than 4,500 innovative solar road studs that harness sunlight in the daytime and light up the road at night, helping drivers stay safe.

The beauty of these road studs is that they are also effective in heavy rain, mist or fog and a four-hour charge from daylight can power the devices for over 200 hours.

The studs have been introduced as part of £8.5 million worth of improvements to journeys along the A38 between Ripley and junction 28 of the M1 near Mansfield – a stretch that is used by more than 23,000 vehicles every day.

The improvements also include high visibility lane markings that make it easier for drivers at night or in adverse weather conditions, and coloured high friction surface that reduces the risk of skidding.

Highways England project manager, Matthew Carruthers, said:

We’re always looking for new ways to further improve journeys and safety for drivers and this is a great example of that.

This section of carriageway has no street lighting so the solar road studs and improved lane markings make a real difference.

At the same time the new technology is more durable, meaning less disruption for motorists in the long term thanks to fewer roadworks.

Standard road studs require car headlights to illuminate their reflective surface – typically this means that the headlights can be seen up to 90 metres away, giving drivers travelling at 60mph around three seconds to react to conditions on the road.

The new road studs are powered by solar energy, with a panel absorbing power during the day. Throughout the night they generate their own light through a battery powered LED and can be seen up to 900 metres away, giving drivers travelling at 60mph more than 30 seconds to react.

The new studs are also more durable, lasting up to five years longer than standard studs, require less maintenance during their lifetime and at only 4mm in height means are they safer for motorcycles.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

More projects to steer young people away from serious violence will be supported by the government after the Home Secretary announced the doubling of the early intervention youth fund.

The scheme, which opens for bids today (Monday 30 July), is a key commitment in the Serious Violence Strategy, and will allow communities to intervene early in the lives of more vulnerable young people.

The government will double the funding, which was originally set at £11 million. Now £22 million of Home Office money will be made available to support vital early intervention work in England and Wales over the next two years.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) who work in partnership with Community Safety Partnerships (CSPs) or the equivalent can bid for funding to deliver projects which steer young people away from violent crime.

It is a prime example of the public health – or multiple strand – approach set out in the strategy, which is aimed at addressing the causes of violence. Robust policing remains very important, but the Home Office is also working in partnership with a range of key sectors, such as education, local government, health and social services, to tackle serious violence.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said:

Intervening early in the lives of vulnerable young people can help focus their talents on positive activities and steer them away from the dangers of serious violence.

This is why we are doubling our Early Intervention Youth Fund to £22 million. The fund will support groups at the heart of our communities who educate and interact with youths – and provide them with an alternative to crime.

We all need to work together to tackle this worrying issue and our Serious Violence Strategy is helping this joined-up approach.

Doubling the funding will allow successful PCCs and local partners to plan their work over the two years and maximise its impact in expanding existing programmes, developing innovative new schemes or drawing in additional funding.

The early intervention youth fund is one of 61 commitments which are already being delivered from the Serious Violence Strategy.

Last week the Home Secretary chaired the third serious violence taskforce, where it was announced that teachers in England would receive anti-knife crime lesson plans as part of the #knifefree campaign to teach young people the dangers of carrying knives.

Another commitment – the Offensive Weapons Bill – is currently passing through Parliament.

The Australia-UK Trade Working Group met in London on 25 and 26 July 2018. This was the group’s fourth meeting since it was established in September 2016 by the Rt Hon Dr Liam Fox MP, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade and the Hon Steven Ciobo MP, Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism, and Investment.

Delegations were led by officials from the UK’s Department of International Trade (DIT) and Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). It was attended by representatives from a range of UK and Australian government departments.

Discussions continued to focus on the UK and Australia’s future trade and investment relationship; a recognition of the shared ambition, after the UK leaves the European Union, to start bilateral FTA negotiations. Conversations built upon the previous Trade Working Groups, with officials continuing to develop a deep and shared understanding of each other’s domestic systems and trade policy across a number of areas.

The Trade Working Group also provided an opportunity for the UK to set out the work under way to establish its independent trade policy. Officials discussed the recently announced UK consultations on future free trade agreements, of which Australia is one of 3 prospective bilateral deals where the public’s views are sought.

Finally, the Working Group affirmed the UK and Australia’s shared desire to promote and continue to champion free trade and a robust multilateral trading system.

The rules about automatic disqualification for trustees are changing, more reasons are being added and the rules will also apply to some charity senior manager positions (chief executives and finance directors – and those in equivalent roles).

New reasons for disqualification include being in contempt of court, being named under particular anti-terrorism legislation or being on the sex offenders register.

Individuals

If you’re a trustee or senior manager (at CEO or finance director level) at a charity, check that you’re not going to be disqualified by reading the guidance for individuals.

If you apply for a waiver before 1 August, you won’t be disqualified until you get a decision from us, or the tribunal if you appeal against our decision.

You can read more about how we make waiver decisions.

Charities

Make sure you read the guidance for charities to help you understand what is changing. This guide also includes a handy disqualifying reasons table that you can download.

Ask your trustees to check that they won’t be affected by these changes. Senior managers (at chief executive or finance director level) should also check if the disqualification law will affect them from 1 August.

We’ve produced sample declarations for senior managers and trustees to state that they won’t be disqualified from acting in these positions after the 1 August. You can download these from the preparing for the rule changes section of the charity guidance.

Update the checks you make before appointing someone to any of these positions.

If someone is going to be disqualified, tell them that they can apply to have their disqualification waived. They can find out more in the guidance for individuals.

Further support

Unlock is an independent charity that provides support for people with convictions. They have a dedicated charity page with further advice and support.

Mr Mundell is visiting the North and South Islands to promote UK-New Zealand trade as the UK prepares to forge its way in the world after EU exit. He will also be promoting Scottish food and drink exports and working to strengthen ties between the two countries.

The links between Scotland and New Zealand are well established – Dunedin and Edinburgh are twinned and there is a large and active Scottish population across the country. The two countries have much in common, including rural tourism, agricultural technology, culture and education.

Mr Mundell will visit a variety of locations across New Zealand including Wellington, Christchurch, and of course, Dunedin. He will spend time with academics and government leaders, as well as businesses and entrepreneurs.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Mr Mundell said:

As we embark on a new era for Global Britain this is an important opportunity to promote Scotland and the wider UK overseas.

New Zealand is a country which already enjoys strong ties to Scotland. Our shared history goes back many years and we retain unique business and academic links. I believe our two countries can also learn from each other in areas such as agri-tech and tourism. I am looking forward to visiting Lincoln University’s Research Dairy Farm to witness innovations into agri-tech such as herd welfare and the environmental impact of farming.

I’ll also be meeting senior New Zealand government ministers and business leaders as part of our effort to deepen our links. The visit will be a great opportunity to promote Scotland’s world leading exports such as whisky. Scotland’s skills, products and services are exceptional, and I’m confident this visit will help develop trading opportunities as we leave the EU.

British Deputy High Commissioner Helen Smith said:

We are delighted to be welcoming the Secretary of State for Scotland to New Zealand. Mr Mundell is the third UK Cabinet Minister to visit New Zealand in just over a year, a sign of the strength of our bilateral relationship. Coming so soon after the launch of consultations on a bilateral free trade agreement once we leave the EU, the visit will be an opportunity to further enhance our business links. It will also be an opportunity to celebrate the strength of Scottish heritage in New Zealand and our historical and cultural ties.

UK exports to New Zealand were worth £1.3 billion in 2016, and it is clear that there is a market for high quality goods and products from the UK. While in Wellington Mr Mundell will attend the High Commission’s Annual Parliamentary whisky tasting, which brings together influential businesses and trade figures.

He will also be discussing education links between the University of Otago and Scottish institutions, particularly Strathclyde University, which has a strong program of engagement both with visiting students and research.

Mr Mundell will also spend some time at the University of Otago’s Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies, to hear about their research on linguistics.

In Dunedin, Mr Mundell will meet with several high profile Scottish expats and discuss the strong links between the two countries. The first Scots to visit New Zealand arrived with Captain Cook, and it is thought that as many as 20 per cent of the first wave European settlers there came from Scotland. With a nearly 30,000-strong Scottish diaspora in 2016, it is clear that those connections are still strong.