City of Wolverhampton Council is implementing new government guidelines designed to combat fake taxis and improve passenger safety – making it the first licensing authority in the country to take such action. From today (1 August), the council will implement the government’s best practice guidance, which requires private hire drivers not to display livery signage, such as that of a private hire vehicle operator, on their doors. This aims to prevent impersonation of private hire vehicles by anyone who prints their own imitation signage and operates as an illegal taxi. There have been incidents reported nationally of fake signs being…

In support of Mental Health Awareness Week, the UK’s leading independent road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, is reminding motorists they shouldn’t just be checking their tyres, brakes and oil levels before getting behind the wheel, but also checking in on themselves and others. Richard Gladman, Head of Driving and Riding Standards at IAM RoadSmart, commented: “Life can be a hard road, and sometimes we need time to put the brakes on and take some time for ourselves. We are living in extraordinary times where the need for mental health support services is definitely on the increase. It’s therefore essential…

City partners are celebrating the completion of construction on the first phase of the council’s City Learning Quarter masterplan. The new £8.1 million City of Wolverhampton College Advanced Technology and Automotive Centre on its Wellington Road campus in Bilston has been handed over by contractor Speller Metcalfe on schedule following an 11 month build. The college will now move its kit into the state of the-art training facility ready to open its doors to students in September when the new academic year starts. It will secure hundreds of jobs in the local economy and create learning opportunities for thousands of…

Councillors have given their backing to a new Education Excellence Strategy which aims to drive further improvements in Wolverhampton’s schools and early years’ settings. The strategy for 2024-2027 replaces the inaugural Education Excellence Strategy 2021-24, which has helped bring about improved outcomes for children and young people in the city over the last 3 years – with 92% of Wolverhampton’s schools now rated either Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Written in collaboration with leaders from schools and other settings, the updated strategy will enable the council to monitor the performance of schools and ensure that, where improvements are necessary, these…

The Sikh Games has selected Loughborough University as its inaugural UK host for this summer’s milestone multi-sport event. Bringing together the Sikh community from across the UK, Loughborough will welcome over 2,000 participants from 35 different regions. Over 20,000 spectators are expected on campus to witness three days of high-level sporting action. Held between Friday 16 August – Sunday 18 August 2024, competitor sports will include football, hockey, kabaddi, athletics, powerlifting, cricket, and more. The University will also host engaging panel discussions, keynote speakers, and Q and A sessions, all covering relevant issues across the sporting landscape. Throughout the festival-style…

The functionality of Škoda’s voice assistant Laura has been significantly expanded thanks to the integration of Chat Pro from technology partner Cerence Inc.. Alongside previously available sources of information, the Chat Pro function is now directly connected to the advanced AI tool ChatGPT to answer questions beyond the scope of Laura’s original knowledge. The feature is now available in Škoda Enyaq family models with the new 4.0 software version released for the 2024 model year, the new-generation Škoda Superb and Kodiaq as well as the updated Škoda Octavia. User and car data are secure at all times. ChatGPT and…

A start-up business that aims to improve the lives of the elderly has won the Ingenuity Impact Entrepreneur of the Year award from Nuffield Health in the Ingenuity Impact Showcase 2024. Run by the University of Nottingham and in partnership with Nuffield Health, the Ingenuity Programme provides start-up skills and training, networking, mentoring, and routes to funding for early-stage impact-driven businesses to make social, health and environmental change. The most impactful ideas are awarded a top prize and receive a share of £75,000 funding to help them in the early stages of their entrepreneurial journeys. The programme supports participants to turn ideas for…

New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that teachers may be attributing signs of age-related immaturity in children, to conditions such as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The results of the study, which are published in the journal European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, showed that the youngest students in a class, with birth dates just before the school entry cut-off date, were overrepresented among children receiving an ADHD diagnosis or medication for the condition. Experts looked at how being one of the youngest children in a class can influence the likelihood of…

acts this year include: Richard Ashcroft, Beverley Knight, Olly Murs, Sam Ryder, Jake Shears, Judge Jules, Reef, Scouting for Girls, Deacon Blue, Kula Shaker, The Feeling and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell. Revealed to the world at the 1989 Chicago Motor Show, the Mazda MX-5 arrived in the UK in March 1990. To celebrate 35 years since its launch, ten examples from across the four generations will take to the CarFest track. Spectators will see a line-up that includes two 1.6-litre Mk1 MX-5s, the incredibly rare 1.6-litre turbo-charged Le Mans Special Edition Mk1 and a later 1.8-litre Mk1 in iconic British…

A package of up to £85 million to support the international community in tackling the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, a global issue that makes infections difficult or impossible to treat, will be announced today by the UK Government. World leaders and experts, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the World Bank will attend a global event hosted by the Royal Society to agree priority actions to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and hear accounts from AMR survivors. His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales will also be in attendance. The UK Government will announce the following initiatives: Up to…