New Park Village estate today saw a historic milestone as the excavators moved in to start demolishing decaying 1960s maisonettes and pave the way for new homes. It is part of a major redevelopment of council housing in the area that will see 205 outdated residential properties flattened and replaced with 188 new energy efficient homes. Poor quality bungalows on Valley Road have already been removed by contractor DSM Demolition and now the main flats at Ellerton Walk, which sit within 8 linked deck access blocks each with integral garages at ground floor level are being pulled down. The regeneration…

The event, hosted by Connexions Sandwell, saw 2,542 young people/parents attending, which easily beat the previous record attendance of 2,329 in 2024. The record number of visitors were able to meet 50 exhibitors, all keen to inspire, recruit and educate the next generation of Sandwell young workers. Connexions advisers were on hand to give independent careers information, advice and guidance. In addition, and one young person on work experience with Connexions helped the event to run smoothly. Sandwell Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Jalal Uddin, said: “Sandwell’s young people are the future of the borough. We…

EVs take more than a fifth of new car registrations as overall market contracts by -2.5% to 139,345 units. Slowdowns recorded by both fleet and private buyers against backdrop of weak economic confidence. Industry calls for halt to EV tax hikes as latest outlook anticipates 23.7% market share for 2025 below government targets. The UK new car market fell by -2.5% to 139,345 units in January, according to data released today by the Society of Motor manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), as weak consumer confidence and tough economic conditions combined to deliver the fourth consecutive month of decline. Registrations by both…

According to the latest data from Auto Trader, the used car market has begun the new year on firm footing despite concerns around the economy, with cars selling at a record pace, engagement on Auto Trader accelerating to seasonal highs, and retail prices continuing to stabilise. Based on over 800,000 daily observations across the whole retail market, Auto Trader’s Retail Price Index reveals the average retail price of a used car (£16,774) was flat in January on a month-on-month (MoM) and like-for-like basis; a contrast to the -1.9% recorded in January 2024. And with trade values recently trending above retail,…

If you have a short film incorporating a car theme in some way, or you’re planning to shoot a film in the next month or so, why not enter it in the recently established International Auto Film Festa?Created in Japan in 2023, and now entering its third judging and awards season, the International Auto Film Festa is arguably the only annual film festival focused on cars and car culture.In 2024, the festival received over 470 entries from 65 countries, with Portugal’s director Mario Bock winning the Grand Prix award for his film ‘Gears & Dunes: The Old Road To Dakar.’…

Milton Keynes – The Volkswagen Polo has started 2025 with a bang, after being named the Best Car of the Half Century as part of the Best Cars of the Year – The New Car World Championships. It means the UK’s number-one motor manufacturer can celebrate back-to-back wins for this prestigious award, after the Golf received the same accolade last year. The Best Car of the Half Century title plays a significant part in the annual British Motor Show, which this year is due to take place at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre from 15 to 17 August.…

Milton Keynes, UK, 28 January 2025 – 86% of UK van drivers have resolved to make healthier choices in 2025, prioritising better eating habits, more regular exercise and taking steps to improve their mental health, according to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ latest study.1In 2024, the lunch of choice for on-the-go UK van drivers was homemade sandwiches, snacks and wraps (56%), followed by fast-food options (42%), shop-bought meal-deals (39%), microwaveable meals (31%), and instant noodles or pasta (26%).1However, of the 1,000 UK van drivers surveyed in the annual study, 65% intend to make healthier food choices in the coming year.1More than half…

Have you ever gone through a whole night worrying about your new job, tossing and turning while your over-worked mind broods over a million things all at once: how well will you perform in your new job or if the new colleagues will respond to you well or are you good enough for the job. It’s pretty scary stuff- walking through the double-sliding doors on your first day, and there it is- that shrinking fear clouding your mind from thinking clearly and positively. But it’s normal to feel high levels of anxiety in situations like this because 1) your about…

Charities and community groups from across the UK can apply now for funding from the Security Industry Authority’s ‘grants for good causes’ programme. The Security Industry Authority (SIA), an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the Home Office, is the regulator of the UK’s private security industry. Each year, it offers a small number of grants from the money it confiscates from criminals through proceeds of crime confiscation orders. Last year, the SIA gave more than £72,000 to support seven projects, including human trafficking awareness workshops, employment and training opportunities for disadvantaged groups and training for volunteers in emergency first…

A total of 11 automotive leaders will feel the heat next month in Ben’s Industry Leader Challenge Sahara Desert Trek which is taking place from 26th February to 5th March.The following teams are tackling the Sahara challenge:Stuart James, RMIF Director; Kevin Flinn, RMIF Chair and Rob Collison, IGA Chair and Peter Whieldon, independent garage owner and photographerNeil Grant, Managing Director and Spencer Grinham, Sales Director – Hella LimitedMelanie Lowe, European Finance Director and Chris O’Rourke, Managing Director – LKQ Euro Car PartsIan Leedham, European Vice President Compliance, Legal & Public Affairs and Dave Brookfield, Vice President Human Resources Europe -…