Palletforce has strengthened its network by adding York Warehousing & Distribution (YWD) Transport to handle the YO postcodes in north-east Yorkshire. The new addition will cover a wide area, including Malton, Pickering, and Scarborough, bringing over 30 years of market experience to ensure a high-quality service.

YWD’s transport operation, launched five years ago by Joe Wilkinson and Matt Potts, has grown steadily despite industry challenges. Their expertise in haulage and distribution makes them well-positioned to handle the demands of the region. The move into Palletforce’s network is aimed at further expanding their capabilities and driving sustainable growth.

YWD’s extensive warehousing infrastructure, consisting of four storage sites, handles goods for a variety of well-known high-street and consumer brands. By joining Palletforce, YWD Transport aims to leverage its local knowledge while offering the operational support and resources of a larger network.

The partnership highlights Palletforce’s ongoing strategy to enhance its coverage by integrating experienced local players, ensuring operational stability and superior service standards across its network.

EarthScale, a new initiative designed to help climate tech startups scale up, is now accepting applications for its first cohort. This three-year programme is backed by a £5 million grant from the Research England Development Fund and led by Imperial College London, in collaboration with five other UK universities: Nottingham, Cranfield, Derby, Exeter, and Leeds.

The aim of EarthScale is to bridge the gap between the prototype phase and market-ready deployment for climate tech ventures, addressing the challenges startups face in scaling innovative technologies. The programme offers participants access to specialised research, manufacturing facilities, and a network of experts across various technical fields.

The support provided will also include business development assistance, talent acquisition, and help navigating the complexities of regulations and policies. Startups that are selected will have the opportunity to enhance their operations and bring their climate solutions closer to commercialisation.

Applications are open until 7 September 2025, with the programme set to start on 1 October.

West Yorkshire’s bus services are set for a major transformation, with franchising expected to roll out across various regions starting in 2027. The move, supported by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), will allow for greater control over routes, schedules, and service delivery.

The region will be divided into nine zones, each undergoing a series of franchising rounds. The first to see franchised services will be the Heavy Woolen area, Kirklees, and West Leeds/Ilkley. Following that, Five Towns, Leeds, and Wakefield will be franchised, with Bradford, Calderdale, and Keighley scheduled for the final round.

A key part of this shift involves negotiations to secure depots across the region. As depots are vital for service delivery, the Authority aims to acquire strategically located facilities to ensure competition, especially for larger contracts. If these negotiations fail, compulsory purchase orders could be used to acquire the depots.

The goal of the franchising programme is to enhance service reliability, address route cancellations, and improve the passenger experience, particularly for communities with previously unreliable or under-served bus networks.

Law firm Ward Hadaway has merged with The Endeavour Partnership LLP, a Teesside commercial law firm. Now operating under the Ward Hadaway name and identity, all of the existing team from The Endeavour Partnership will continue to operate from offices on Teesdale Business Park near Stockton. Clients will benefit from legal expertise across a broader range of practice areas, including succession planning, matrimonial advice, construction and tax, as well as having access to the extended networks and opportunities of the wider firm. Meanwhile, The Endeavour Partnership team will benefit from the resource and business services support of Ward Hadaway, whose combined headcount will now stand at nearly 600. Lee Bramley, The Endeavour Partnership’s managing partner, will become executive partner of the Teesside office. The addition of a Teesside office will mean Ward Hadaway now has five regional centres, after the firm recently announced the opening of a Birmingham office in June to add to its established offices in Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle. Steven Petrie, Ward Hadaway’s managing partner, said: “I am delighted that The Endeavour Partnership decided to merge with Ward Hadaway. The move is part of our strategic plans to grow revenue by 100% over the next 10 years. I’ve been clear about our ambitious growth plans since I became Managing Partner in 2024, and I’m proud to see our strategy coming to life. “The alignment between our two firms has been obvious from those very first conversations. The Endeavour Partnership’s commitment to client service excellence and to its people, close attachment to the Teesside region, and straightforward, commercial approach mirrors our own vision and values. “We have worked closely together for many years, and so it was a natural progression to merge, adding additional services and support to the clients of Teesside and beyond.” Lee Bramley added: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Ward Hadaway. We have worked extremely hard over the past 25 years to create a firm trusted by valued clients and colleagues. The merger gives us an opportunity to build on that, adding scale and further expertise to our offering as part of Ward Hadaway.”