Transport crossing the Pennines from York, Leeds, and Huddersfield to Manchester could be improved by two multi-billion-pound rail and road schemes. The budget secured funding to deliver electrification of rail links and an upgrading of the A57 between Sheffield and Manchester, both of which are said to boost critical connectivity between some of the country’s biggest economic centres. The main line between Manchester and York, via Leeds and Huddersfield, will be an electrified railway with more frequent, faster and greener journeys, and there are expected to be more trains, but journey time will reduced by no more than ten minutes. The A57 scheme will see the creation of two new link roads and will be integral to growing the region’s economy, making jobs more accessible but also accelerating the delivery of goods. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Investment in our transport infrastructure is vital to delivering our growth mission. Without improvements to our roads and rail we won’t be able to create jobs and boost business, which is why I prioritised projects like the Transpennine Route Upgrade and the long awaited A57 upgrade in the Budget last week.

“Securing the delivery of these two important schemes brings our key northern economic centres closer together. This government is ending 14 years of neglect of the north, instead bolstering the region’s immense growth power to benefit the whole country.”

Alongside guaranteeing the start of works on the A57, last week’s budget saw further funding committed to transform local road networks; providing a £500 million cash increase for local highways maintenance to support everyday journeys and to help local authorities fix up to an additional a million potholes every year.

Improved information on business rates valuations is to be shared by the Valuation Office Agency, which will by 2026 allow ratepayers to see more tailored information about their property, and by 2029 to see more specific valuation information and evidence. This follows last year’s consultation in which ratepayers, agents and others what information they wanted to see disclosed about how properties are valued. Carolyn Bartlett, the VOA’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, said: “We understand the importance of greater transparency in business rates valuations. The consultation showed there are different views about what property valuation information should be disclosed. “We’ve balanced the desire for greater transparency from some with the concerns of others about the confidentiality of their data and a preference for simplified information.” This is part of a wider set of changes that are coming to business rates in England over the same period, and which are said to support the VOA to deliver more frequent property revaluations. The changes include a new duty on ratepayers to provide information about their property to the VOA. The new information duty on ratepayers is expected to be introduced after 1 April 2026. It will be tested with small numbers of customers in phases from that point so we can make sure the system works for all ratepayers. The duty will then be formally activated and mandated for everyone by 1 April 2029. There is no action you need to take now. We will tell you about the changes and when you will be affected. The new duty means ratepayers will have to tell the VOA within 60 days when there are changes to their property. These include changes to:

• the occupier
• their lease or rent
• the property.

For a small number of ratepayers, they will also have to provide trade information once a year, if it is used to value their property. Once a year ratepayers will also be asked to confirm they have told the VOA of any changes to their property. Carolyn Bartlett aded: “These changes will help us revalue properties every three years. More frequent revaluations mean fluctuations in the property market are reflected in business rates bills more quickly. This will make the system fairer.”

Hull-based Spencer Bridge Engineering has finished the latest instalment of refurbishment works on the Menai Suspension Bridge ahead of the crossing’s bicentenary. The team replaced and painted 168 of the 208 wire rope hangers on the bridge, a crucial road link between mainland Wales and the Isle of Anglesey, to restore its structural integrity and remove the critical risk to public safety which forced it to close in October 2022. Project Manager Tom Inglis said: “The project posed a number of significant challenges, including working in a harsh environment with strong winds and wet weather, but we have a large and diverse skillset which enables us to draw on past experiences to develop solutions. “We have decades of experience working on a range of complex bridge and infrastructure projects, and with a very collaborative attitude, allowing us to utilise expertise from right across the team to deliver the most efficient and effective results. “One of the factors which made this project so successful was the close relationships we have developed over a number of years with the client, UK Highways A55 Limited, and our suppliers. Those relationships were especially important to deliver this challenging project on time.” Opened in 1826, the Grade I listed structure is the second oldest suspension bridge in the world still carrying vehicle traffic, and teams from Spencer have been carrying out a series of works over the past four years to revitalise the crossing ahead of its 200^th anniversary.  

In her new role as Minister for Crime and Policing Hull MP Diana Johnson has announced changes in the law to make it easier for farmers to grow industrial hemp. Under the changes, licence holders will now be able to grow hemp anywhere on a licensed farm, reducing the unnecessary burden on farmers who currently have to set out the exact field where they will grow the plants within a farm. This change is expected to come into effect for next year’s growing season. In time for the 2026 growing season its planned to extend the maximum period for a licence from three to six years, subject to compliance with the licence terms, and to allow those applying for a licence to defer its start date by up to a year, helping farmers to make business planning easier. She said: “These reforms will bring an important boost to this industry and cut down the unnecessary burdens that have been placed on businesses.

“We want to make it easier for licence holders to capitalise on the economic potential of legally growing hemp.”

Hemp is a variety of cannabis with low-THC levels, which is currently defined as a maximum of 0.2%.  The plant is legally grown for the construction and textiles industries, and only farmers with a licence are allowed to plant it.