Highways England flies to the rescue of animal charity when tyres dumped next to A45

Press release

Highways England pulled off quite a coup to help an animal rescue charity when faced with a pile of tyres dumped by the side of the A45 by fly-tippers.

Image showing tyres dumped next to a layby on the A45 — The tyres that were dumped next to a layby on the westbound carriageway of the A45 near Higham Ferrers.

Around 70 tyres were left on an embankment next to an A45 layby in Northamptonshire and on the edge of a popular fishing lake.

When the offence was flagged to the project team at the nearby Chowns Mill improvements scheme they immediately thought of NANNA (Northamptonshire Animals Needing Nurturing and Adoption). Much to the charity’s delight, they were able to donate some of the dumped tyres which are being transformed into sand baths for the chickens and geese and will also be used as planters.

Highways England Project Manager Dean Holloway said:

Fly-tipping and litter is damaging for the wildlife and the environment, these tyres were left next to a fishing lake. Clearing it up takes up workers’ time and resources which would be better spent getting on with improving the network. But at least in this instance we were were able to ensure something good came out of the reckless fly-tipping.

We are always grateful for people’s patience when carrying out major projects such as the Chowns Mill roundabout improvements and therefore like to ensure we are being a good neighbour and to support local communities.

We had previously visited NANNA to see if we could support them and they had mentioned needing a few tyres. So when these tyres were illegally dumped we knew they would appreciate some.

NANNA helps all animals great and small from wildlife through to domestic pets and farm animals and have around 750 animals on the site at Irthlingborough.

Co-founder and trustee Petrina Alderman said:

We were over the moon that Highways England were able to help us. It was perfect timing as we needed a few tyres for our birds.

We will paint the tyres and fill them with sand and soft soil for the birds to use as baths. It helps their plumage to stay nice and deal with any parasites.

The improvements scheme will tackle congestion at Chowns Mill roundabout where the A45 is crossed by the A6. It also provides access into Higham Ferrers and Rushden.

The junction is now being redesigned as a half hamburger layout with a new link road connecting the A6 South and A5028 with the existing roundabout. In addition all approaches will be widened to provide extra lanes and capacity bringing safer and more reliable journeys for drivers.

More information about the Chowns Mill improvement project can be found on the scheme website.

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.

Published 24 July 2020

UKEF supports college as it offers female education in Saudi Arabia

About the transaction: Burton and South Derbyshire College
Region	Staffordshire
Sector	Education
Export location	Saudi Arabia
UKEF support	Export insurance

Burton and South Derbyshire College is a local college in Staffordshire with a global outlook. A programme of international partnerships has allowed it to build a global footprint with a presence in 15 markets. It now generates about 9% of its turnover as exports.

The organisation turned to UKEF when it wanted to expand into Saudi Arabia. The college wanted to make sure it was protected against the risk of non-payment. Unable to find cover in the private sector, the organisation approached one of UKEF’s regional export finance managers, who found a policy fit for its needs.

Secure in the knowledge that their exports would be covered, the college set up the first international female college in Saudi Arabia, “Highbury Burton Saudi Arabia”.

Chief Executive and Principal, Highbury Burton Saudi Arabia, Sunaina Mann OBE, said:

The world-leading support provided by UKEF gave us the confidence and security we needed to expand into an exciting market and to dramatically improve the employment prospects of young Saudi women. Successfully fulfilling this order is allowing us to continue our growth across the Middle East.

Putting the right finance and insurance in place can give you the exporting edge, helping you to win contracts, fulfil orders and get paid.

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Spotlight falls on Gallipoli memorial as restoration work completed

The Stretton on Dunsmore monument in Warwickshire commemorates where King George V saluted troops from the 29th Division, billeted in the area before they embarked on active service in Gallipoli in the First World War.

The avenue has been a landscape feature in this area since the early 18th century. It was saved from being felled when the monument was built to become a living memorial to the soldiers. Today it includes over 100 mature lime trees.

Working with the Dunsmore Living Landscape Scheme on the restoration, Kier first carried out a detailed survey on the health of the trees. Of the 136 trees scanned there were two, on the roundabout, that were found to be unsafe and were felled.

Twenty-three new lime trees have been planted where there were gaps in the avenue as well as two to replace those felled.

Some of the new trees will be dedicated to VCs awarded to the 29th Division later in the year.

The loose-gravel surface surrounding the memorial has been upgraded to resin-bound gravel and, in addition to the poppies planted, native wildflower seeds sown in the verges surrounding the memorial.

How the memorial looked before the works began at the start of the year

Next month a new interpretation board will be installed at the site with details about the 29th Division and King George V’s visit to see the troops at Knightlow Hill in 1915.

Funding for the work came from the Highways England Designated Environment Fund, a £225 million ring-fenced fund allocated for 2015-2020 to spend on such areas as enhancing landscape and biodiversity along roads, reducing the impact of traffic noise and improving the cultural assets on and around the road network.

Highways England Environment & Wellbeing Designated Fund lead, Tina Barrington, said:

This memorial on our road network clearly has historical and sentimental significance and we were delighted to be able to help restore the landmark which is so cherished by the community.

As well as the environmental and landscape improvements, these works will protect the memorial for many generations to come. It truly is a fitting tribute to those it was created to honour and remember.

David Cook, Assistant Landscape Architect at Kier Highways, said:

We worked in a truly collaborative way with the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to improve this memorial and the surrounding landscape with funding from Highways England Environmental Designated Funds. Additional thanks also to contractors AC Landscapes and Treeworks for their efforts.

We hope that the local community can enjoy the benefits the project will bring to them and that the improvements are seen as a fitting tribute to the bravery of the servicemen, allowing the local community to honour them for years to come.

Lucy Hawker, Dunsmore Living Landscape Scheme Manager, said:

As we reach the centenaries of the nation’s WWI memorials, it’s fantastic to see this unique monument and living memorial, so valued by the local community and the Gallipoli Association, getting the care that will help it continue through its next century.

The new surfacing and lighting make such a difference and the wildflower sowing shows how areas around heritage features like these can be used to help improve the local biodiversity.

Ian Binnie, education officer and trustee at The Gallipoli Association, said:

This work highlights the 29th Division memorial, thus keeping the memory of the Gallipoli campaign alive. This proud division, nicknamed the Incomparables, served in Gallipoli and then went on to fight on the Western Front. The casualties they suffered during World War One were equivalent to four times the initial strength of the Division. They were awarded more VCs than any other division.

At the dedication of the memorial in 1921, Sir Ian Hamilton, who commanded British forces in Gallipoli said, ‘if you want to see a monument raised to tenacity, you do not need to go to the Dardanelles. Come to Warwickshire and look here’.

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.

Disabled people exempt from wearing face coverings under new government guidance

Press release

Government has set out a list of face covering exemptions, as they are mandatory in additional enclosed spaces from today (Friday 24 July).

The public are asked to be mindful of people who are exempt from wearing a face covering. The list of exemptions, which has been in place since face coverings became mandatory on public transport, includes hidden conditions such as anxiety or panic disorders, autism, breathing difficulties, dementia, reduced vision or if you are with someone who relies on lip reading to communicate.

Under the regulations, members of the public will need to wear face coverings that cover the nose and mouth in shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and transport hubs, to help curb the spread of the virus.

People are not required to prove they are exempt and it is for individuals to choose how they would want to communicate this to others. For those who would feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering, exemption cards are available to print or display on mobile phones from gov.uk.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Justin Tomlinson said:

The new regulations are an important step forward in our efforts to defeat coronavirus but I would urge the public and businesses to be mindful of people who are exempt from wearing a face covering – particularly those with disabilities and health conditions.

Some disabilities are hidden and not immediately obvious and everyone must play their part and act sensitively towards people who may need additional support.

I will continue to work across government to ensure our guidance and responses to the pandemic are as inclusive and accessible as possible.

The government has been working with a wide range of disabled people’s organisations and charities throughout the pandemic to better understand the concerns of disabled people and to ensure that government guidance continues to be as inclusive as possible.

Published 24 July 2020

Pausing of lockdown easements in Blackburn with Darwen, and Luton

Press release

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock responds to pausing of lockdown easements in Blackburn with Darwen, and Luton.

Blackburn with Darwen and Luton councils are doing excellent work with their local communities to address an increase in coronavirus cases and we continue to work collectively with them. Strong community engagement, major boosts in testing and increased support are already underway to manage outbreaks in these areas.

The latest data shows the incidence of COVID-19 in these areas is higher than in other areas of the country, and we have today agreed to support both local authorities to pause the further easement of lockdown measures in these areas. This means indoor gyms, swimming pools and other sport and exercise facilities will not reopen in Luton or Blackburn with Darwen on 25 July.

I appreciate this will be disappointing for many people and some businesses in the area but we are in complete agreement with local leaders that the priority must be to protect local residents by stopping the spread of this virus.

I have every faith in the local leaders’ ability to help their areas return to normal as soon as possible and in local communities coming together during this time.

Blackburn with Darwen and Luton local authorities have agreed that increasing rates of coronavirus in the areas means further measures are required to prevent further transmission of the virus.

From 25 July indoor gyms, pools, and other sport and exercise facilities will remain closed in these areas until at least the review date. The changes apply to all organisations within the upper-tier local authority boundaries of Blackburn with Darwen, and Luton.

New regulations will be signed by the Health Secretary to make the local authority regions exempt from the national changes taking place on 25 July.

Both areas will now be categorised as an ‘area of intervention‘. This means these areas will receive increased national support, capacity and oversight, alongside partnership working and detailed engagement with high-risk groups and sectors to help increase the effectiveness of testing and tracing at a regional level.

These areas will also benefit from extensive communications, expanded testing, and the new regulations signed today. The new categorisations are set out in more detail in the PHE surveillance report published yesterday afternoon.

The government will keep these regulations under review and will make changes as necessary.

Published 24 July 2020