Tag Archives: HM Government

Harper Adams University and York-based Precision Decisions have announced the successful completion of ‘Hands Free Hectare’ – its project to plant, tend and harvest a crop using only autonomous vehicles and drones.

Using this method returned a yield of 4.5 tonnes of spring barley, against a predicted yield of 5 tonnes. It demonstrates that an entire crop can be grown from start to finish without people ever needing to go into the field to directly work the land.

The team believes it’s the first in the world to farm a crop in this way. They now plan to replicate the trial with a winter crop.

Open to all

A number of machines were used in the trial. A lightweight Iseki tractor did the spraying, drilling and rolling. The harvest was then completed with a Sampo combine harvester.

Field work to support decision-making was also done autonomously. Drones with multispectral and RGB colour sensors were used to take aerial images of the field, while a smaller Scout vehicle was used to video at crop level and physically take samples. These were sent back to the agronomist to analyse and assess what chemicals to apply and where, and when the crop was ready for harvest.

All of the machinery is readily available to farmers. The Iseki and Sampo are common models, while the navigation system came from a drone. The technology is open source.

Smaller machines were specifically chosen to limit the impact on the soil, improve precision and plant health. This supports the thinking that in future, farmers will manage fleets of smaller, autonomous vehicles. These will go out and work in the fields, allowing the farmer to use their time more effectively.

De-risking innovation

The whole project cost less than £200,000, funded by Precision Decisions and Innovate UK.

Innovate UK awarded just under £160,000 to support a feasibility study of the modified agriculture machinery. This helped to test the idea, prove its viability and take the project forward.

Clive Blacker, Director, Precision Decisions, said:

“Innovate UK is unique in allowing industry and academia to work on innovative ideas by de-risking projects for the benefit of UK agriculture.”

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A Downing Street spokesperson said:

“Prime Minister Theresa May and Chancellor Angela Merkel this morning held a bilateral meeting at the Tallinn Digital Summit in Estonia.

The Prime Minister began by congratulating Chancellor Merkel on her recent re-election and said she looked forward to continuing to work closely together.

The two leaders agreed on the importance of the Iran nuclear deal in maintaining regional and global security.

On the issue of Brexit, the Prime Minister reiterated her commitment to the UK being the strongest friend and partner to the EU after we leave.

She said her Florence speech had been intended to create momentum in the ongoing talks and that the response from the EU 27 had been constructive.

Chancellor Merkel welcomed the speech, and noted the good progress that had been made in negotiations this week. She looked forward to the next round of talks in early October.

The Prime Minister and the Chancellor both agreed on the importance of settling the issue of citizens’ rights at the earliest opportunity.

The PM pointed to the commitment made in her Florence speech to incorporate the agreement reached on citizens’ rights fully into UK law and make sure the UK courts can refer directly to it.

The PM also stressed it was in everybody’s interests to agree to a time-limited implementation period once Britain leaves the EU, to provide certainty to businesses and others in both Britain and the EU.”

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• Culture Secretary Karen Bradley says Birmingham would put on a “brilliant Games that will showcase the best of Britain to the world and make the entire country proud”

• Birmingham bid team, government and Commonwealth Games England working together to finalise formal bid submission to be delivered to Commonwealth Games Federation tomorrow

Birmingham is to be the UK’s official candidate city for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has announced.

The city’s bid plans have impressed the government which believes that, should Birmingham’s bid be successful, hosting the Games would provide value for the public money that would be invested and have benefits for Birmingham, the West Midlands and the UK as a whole.

Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Karen Bradley said:

The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham would be brilliant. It would showcase the best of Britain to the world and make the entire country proud. Not only would it help grow the economy in the West Midlands and beyond, it would also leave a strong sports legacy, by upgrading facilities to benefit both elite athletes and the local community.

Birmingham’s bid has the backing of the government and our focus now is to work alongside Birmingham’s excellent bid team and Commonwealth Games England to put forward the strongest possible bid to the Commonwealth Games Federation, while ensuring that we get maximum value for money for the taxpayer.

The UK has fantastic expertise in staging major sporting events and it would be a privilege to welcome athletes and supporters from across the Commonwealth to Birmingham and the West Midlands in 2022.

Birmingham’s bid uses competition venues in Solihull, Coventry, Sandwell and Leamington Spa as well as training venues across the region, bringing benefits not just to the city, but to the wider West Midlands.

Sitting at the heart of the UK, and representing the diversity of the Commonwealth, Birmingham is well positioned to attract people to the Games and to ensure that the benefits of hosting extend from the city and region, to across the UK.

Birmingham’s bid showcases its youth and diversity alongside a world class reputation for sport and culture. With 95% of Birmingham’s proposed competitive venues already in existence this is a low risk, high quality proposition that’s well placed to meet the challenge of delivering the Games within five years.

Councillor Ian Ward, Interim Leader of Birmingham City Council and Chair of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bid Committee, said:

We have worked closely with the DCMS and the Treasury to create a compelling, compliant and value for money bid for Birmingham to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games. The support of the UK Government is a great endorsement of our bid and we are excited about finalising our submission and edging closer to the opportunity to bring the Games to Birmingham.

The support we have received from a range of public and private sector partners and from across the wider West Midlands region and beyond has been incredible and we thank everyone for backing Brum’s bid to get us this far.

Ian Metcalfe, Chair of Commonwealth Games England said:

Anyone who experienced Manchester in 2002, London in 2012 or Glasgow in 2014 will know just how special major sporting events in the UK can be. I am sure that Birmingham can stage an unforgettable Commonwealth Games in 2022. Birmingham’s exciting bid shows that the Games will not only deliver a sport programme of the highest calibre but also provide an amazing platform for the country as a whole.

On behalf of Commonwealth Games England I would like to thank both the Government and Birmingham 2022 for their hard work and support to date.

Alongside the Birmingham 2022 team, we look forward to presenting the strongest possible bid to the Commonwealth Games Federation in the hope that we can welcome the whole Commonwealth movement to England for the Games in 2022.

The government’s decision follows an extensive three phase assessment process that has tested Birmingham’s hosting credentials. This included being subjected to scrutiny from an independent assessment panel and officials from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the submission of two formal applications and two site inspection visits.

Previous major sporting events hosted in the UK, such as the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 Rugby World Cup, have all shown how major sporting events can generate a positive return on investment.

Work on the expected cost of hosting the Commonwealth Games 2022, if Birmingham was selected, is ongoing. Should Birmingham win the right to host the Games, the government will present to Parliament a full budget, once it has been finalised. This budget will include staging, the cost of constructing and upgrading facilities, security and a prudent contingency. If the bid is successful, the government will be the major funder with Birmingham City Council contributing 25 per cent to the cost of the Games. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport would manage the financing of the Games and will bear down heavily on costs to ensure value for public expenditure.

The government, Birmingham 2022 bid team and Commonwealth Games England are finalising the formal bid submission. Commonwealth Games England will submit the bid to the Commonwealth Games Federation tomorrow.

For further information contact:

Jose Riera at Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport 020 7211 6971

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The CMA has cleared the merger of Dawn Meats’ and Dunbia’s UK businesses, following an investigation.

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Among the recommendations of the multi-partner panel is the need for a Good Design Guide and design being central to a review of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges which is used across the world. (See the published report).

The panel was set up to support the development of a culture where good design is at the heart of everything within Highways England and the wider road sector. This coincides with Highways England delivering the biggest programme of Government investment in a generation. The panel’s focus is on strategic input rather than scheme specific details, targeting where its expertise, insight and guidance will have most positive impact and wider benefit such as standards, procurement and evaluation.

Highways England Chief Highway Engineer Mike Wilson said:

As we continue to successfully deliver the first Road Investment Strategy, I share the aspiration that as well as our roads being safe, efficient and affordable, that they are also beautiful. I do not underestimate the challenge of this; it requires a culture shift for Highways England and the wider roads sector. We will now review the recommendations and provide an update in due course.

The Panel has made the following key recommendations:

• Highways England should publish the design vision and principles recommended by the Panel and should work to develop a Good Design Guide.
• Highways England should ensure that its design vision and principles are implemented effectively and that the Good Design Guide becomes a practical tool across its projects and wider operations.
• Highways England should establish a specific objective aimed at ensuring that a design led approach, as set out in the design vision and principles, is at the heart of the review of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.

The panel members come from a range of disciplines and represent stakeholders who have a passionate interest in the design of the Strategic Road Network:

• Campaign for Better Transport
• Design Council/Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE)
• Transport Focus
• Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation
• Institution of Civil Engineers
• Landscape Institute
• Historic England
• The Prince’s Foundation
• Institution of Structural Engineers
• Royal Institute of British Architects
• Campaign to Protect Rural England
• Natural England
• National Trust

Sarah Weir OBE, Chief Executive, Design Council said:

Highways England are to be congratulated on the approach they have taken in establishing its Design Panel and having it focus on the strategic aspects of design, and we are delighted to have contributed to its work and proud to be a part of it. The Design Panel’s report sets a design challenge for Highways England that puts design processes and thinking at the heart of the planning and development of the strategic road network. The Design Council fully endorses the Design Vision and comprehensive ’10 Principles of Good Design’ and welcomes the focus on valuing both the beauty of the places through which roads pass and the experience of people that live with and use road infrastructure. The Design Council supports Highways England’s use of these principles through its planned Good Design Guide for the review of it’s overarching Design Manual, and encourages Highways England to use these as the means by which designs for future road infrastructure are measured, so that the full benefits of good design can be released through their work.

Phil Carey, Policy Advisor to Transport Focus, said:

As the Panel’s report makes clear, at the heart of good design must be a road that works well for users – one that puts safety first, is easy to use, and is as far as possible a pleasure to travel on.

Clare Warburton, Senior advisor for Transport at Natural England and one of the report authors said:

Consideration for communities, the natural beauty and character of places as well as their surrounding landscapes in road design, is essential if we are to create a lasting, resilient transport legacy that contributes positively to the natural environment.

Ian Wilson, Assistant Director Operations (South West), National Trust, said:

The National Trust is hugely supportive of Highways England’s emphasis on improving the design and environmental standards of our roads. Building or improving roads in sensitive landscapes such as World Heritage Sites or AONBs is not easy. We are delighted to be working with Highways England and other partners to lift the standard of design and ensure that our roads function well and respect the places and communities through which they pass.

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

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

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