Passengers at Netherfield Station are set to benefit from a £600k investment in new waiting shelters for those using regional services.
East Midlands Railway (EMR) say the new waiting shelters will offer better protection from the elements and a more comfortable wait for customers.
The project is bringing a mix of modern stainless steel Macemain shelters and environmentally friendly timber natural shelters.
One of the stainless steel shelters was recently installed at Lowdham Station (IMAGE:EMR)(IMAGE: EMR)
The Natural Shelters, made from high-quality Accoya wood, are not just stylish but also eco-friendly and align with EMR’s Getting There Greener strategy.
They are 100% recyclable and feature built-in water harvesting systems at several locations, collecting rainwater to support local station adoption groups.
Philippa Cresswell, customer experience director at East Midlands Railway, said: “By investing in better waiting areas, we’re making sure our stations serve customers better, providing shelter that is both practical and thoughtfully designed. We have also worked hard to make them as eco friendly as possible in line with our Getting There Greener strategy.
“We are pleased that we could incorporate the water harvesting systems into the design so that our station adopters can continue their brilliant work in keeping the flower beds at the station looking their best.”
The boss of Nottingham City Transport (NCT) says he wants to stay “well away” from any changes in the way the bus company operates under the new East Midlands Combined County Authority.
Under some regional mayoral councils, such as in Liverpool, bus services operate under what’s known as a franchising model.
These models are used because many bus services in the UK are today run under a private operator on a-for-profit basis.
But the research charity Centre for Cities says this has “resulted in poor quality bus networks” in many regions.
Under a franchised system, powers are given back to the relevant public transport authority, which awards exclusive contracts to private operators.
Nottingham City Transport was established as an arms-length Nottingham City Council company in 1986
In this system, the council retains control of key aspects of bus services, including route setting, fares and timetables.
In Nottingham, however, the main bus operator has avoided privatisation.
Nottingham City Transport was established as an arms-length Nottingham City Council company in 1986, and through this arrangement the authority receives a small dividend.
The company is not profit-driven, and typically aims for a margin between five and eight per cent each year, with much of this going back into services.
Its managing director, David Astill, has argued against any potential franchising arrangement under the new East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA).
NCT was named UK Bus Operator of the Year for a record-breaking sixth time in February, and is often praised for the way in which it operates its frequent and punctual services.
He said: “We hope to continue the positive relationship with [EMCCA].
“As we go through the transition into a much larger transport authority, we want to stay well away from franchising.
“We don’t think that is necessary for Nottingham.”
EMCCA will become the single public transport body for the whole region by 2026, starting with transitioning over bus functions in this year.
This means it will gain control of the transport functions that are currently held by Nottingham and Derby City Council and Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire County Council.
EMCCA says the transfer includes setting a clear plan for bus service improvements, concessionary fares, supported bus services, smart ticketing, passenger information provision, planning, infrastructure and more.
When asked about the potential for a franchising system, Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward (Lab), confirmed her preference is to avoid franchising – and instead seek to work with existing operators to make improvements.
Ms Ward told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “One of my firm manifesto commitments is to work with bus companies to increase services and routes.
“As the responsibility for buses moves to EMCCA in the coming months, I have asked for an assessment to be carried out of the whole network so that I have a full understanding of where problems exist and how these might be resolved.
“I have set aside some funding to do this. I should say that a full examination of franchising is not part of this, as my strong preference is to work in close partnership with our existing bus operators to maximise what can be achieved in the short term.
“This will avoid us tying ourselves to what might be a lengthy and costly process towards franchising, which in any event may not provide the best solution for this area.”
Your wedding is one of the most important days in your life, so, understandably, you want to ensure everything is perfect.
Whilst many couples pay special attention to the music they want to have at their wedding, including picking a playlist of their favourite songs, quite often, they don’t consider the sound system needed to play them.
The right speaker system makes all the difference to the wedding DJ and crowd alike, offering you clear, quality audio to ensure every moment of your day is memorable. With this in mind, here is our guide to picking speaker systems for your wedding entertainment.
Why might you need to hire a system?
Whilst many venues will have their own sound systems and are happy to use them for your wedding entertainment, they may not offer you the best sound output. These speaker systems may be poor quality, unreliable and poorly maintained, while also being massively overworked. They may also be quite old, and with technological improvements being made all the time, this may mean you’re unable to access the best quality of sound possible.
Hiring a speaker system will give you access to the latest technology, along with better maintenance/insights. These systems will offer you the best sound quality possible for your special day, whether for speeches, entertainment or music.
The right speakers
When choosing the right speakers for your venue, you need to consider a couple of things:
· Size of the venue
· Number of guests
· Type of entertainment
Let’s look at each of these in a little more detail.
Venue size
The venue itself matters when it comes to the speaker system you opt for. If the speaker system is too small, the sound will not travel properly, with specific areas of the venue experiencing poor sound quality, detracting from the joy of the dancefloor. If the speaker system is too large, this may also present a problem with too much size in a small place distorting the audio output (and scaring grandma).
Guests
The human body absorbs sound, so it is also important to factor in the number of people attending your wedding when it comes to your speaker system. The higher the number of guests, the larger the system you will need to compensate for this.
Entertainment styles
Live music will need a different type of speaker system than a DJ and pre-recorded music, so this should also be factored in when you are working out the right system.
With all this to consider, choosing a speaker system can be a complex business. This is why it’s always wise to hire a company that specialises in this field. They will be able to consider all of the factors involved and recommend the best speaker systems for your unique needs.
Other factors to consider
Of course, your speaker system will include more than the speakers themselves. It may include an amplifier and a source for the audio as well. If you have a DJ or are planning some speeches, it should include at least one microphone. All of this equipment needs to be compatible to produce the best results possible.
Give yourself plenty of time to find the right speakers for your wedding. You want to be confident that you have the best sound possible on the day. Your wedding day should be a special time with nothing to worry about, so don’t leave the quality of sound down to chance. Consider discussing your needs with a company that specialises in sound systems – they will be able to recommend the best options possible.
A warning has been issued as Amazon customers in Gedling borough continue to be targeted by phone scammers who claim that iPhones or other expensive items have been added to their shopping baskets.
The scam begins with a phone call from someone pretending to be from Amazon’s fraud department. They claim your Amazon accounts have been hacked by criminals attempting to steal an iPhone 16 costing £799, or other high-value items such as gift cards.
Many people said the callers addressed them by their full names and they could hear the sounds of busy call centres in the background.
When the victim logs in to your account to check, as instructed, they will indeed find that iPhones or other expensive items have been added to their basket. Several people reported trying to remove these items from their baskets, but they kept reappearing. This is because the scammers have already taken over the account and can simply add these items back in each time.
The scammer, taking advantage of the victim’s heightened state of panic, will then try to persuade them to give them access to their device to ‘to secure your Amazon account’ or transfer money if they convince you that your bank apps have also been compromised.
Shoppers are now being advised to ensure they have a two-factor authentication on their Amazon account. This means when you sign in with your details a code is sent to your phone or email to complete the log-in process. Without this, a scammer only has to guess the username and password of the victim.
5 red flags to spot this Amazon impersonation scam
Which? magazine advises consumers to be aware of these five red flags to help you steer clear of most scam callers:
They seem to know lots about you Callers may reel off lots of information that suggests they’re legitimate, but remember they may have already done some digging on you, or gained access to your emails and other accounts.
They create a sense of urgency and panic Scammers fabricate any scenario to reel you in, including pretending your account has been compromised by hackers looking to steal popular and expensive goods such as iPhones.
They want a security code It’s easy for an attacker to trigger a genuine security check from Amazon if they already have your username (your phone number or email address) and password, so never share these codes over the phone (anyone asking for these is a scammer).
They want you to download an app Victims told us they were asked to download remote-access apps such as AnyDesk and Zoho Assist, or payment apps such as Prezzee (a gift card app), Revolut (an e-money firm), Xoom (a PayPal service for sending money to friends and family) and Zing (an international money app by HSBC). Ignore any cold caller asking you to download apps or files until you can contact the business securely to confirm it’s genuine.
They are rude or persistent Some scammers become impatient when you don’t do exactly what you are told. Rudeness isn’t reserved for scammers, of course, but they are more likely that a genuine call handler to get there quickly.
Gedling neighbourhood policing team’s Inspector Heather Harding has provided an update on how they have progressed on tackling crime across the borough during and March and what the priorities will be in April.
She said: “April brings a new quarter and with that a new set of priorities that your Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) will be focussing on between now and June. Through analysis of crime, consultation with partners in our Multi agency Problem Solving meeting, the PCC crime survey, and feedback from our community, we have identified the following policing priorities for the next three months.
Burglary:
Harding said: “There are currently no concerning burglary trends in Gedling; however, it is priority due to the detrimental impact it has on its victims and their quality of life. The local NPT teams will therefore be allocating additional time to focusing on repeat offenders and hot spot areas as early as possible to ensure we maximise investigation opportunities and prosecutions, which ultimately leads to victims’ satisfaction and reassurance.
“High visibility patrols, covert operations, pop-up beat surgeries and taking positive action against the offenders will be the main focus of the coming months.”
Shop theft:
“There has been a significant increase in shop thefts over the last few months,” the inspector said.
“This has lead to it being nominated as a priority to allow time to address this and reduce the reports.
“The NPT teams will be conducting additional patrols, proactive days of action to deter and promote awareness of the problem along with working towards Criminal Behaviour Orders for the most prolific offenders. These orders can include conditions such as banning offenders from carrying bags for life, banning them from certain stores and areas as well as positive conditions such as seeking rehabilitative treatment.
“Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order is an arrestable offence and will see the offender put back before the Magistrates Court.”
Begging:
The inspector said: “This remains a priority to enable to team to continue with the work that they have been doing in the local area, identifying and warning prolific beggars as well as signposting them to support and considering their welfare needs as well as the impact on the community.
“There is already an operation in place with a clear escalation process in relation to dealing with beggars, but this will expand to consider cross border offending and more information sharing with partners to find a longer term solution to the problem.”
Two men were taken to hospital after a a serious assault in Arnold.
Emergency services were called to Cornwall Road, Arnold, at 1.49am today (Thursday) after the men – one aged in his twenties and the other in his thirties – were assaulted.
Both sustained knife wounds but their injuries are not believed to be life threatening in nature.
A police cordon remains in place as investigations into what happened continue.
Emergency services were called to Cornwall Road, Arnold, at 1.49am on Thursday morning
Officers are now asking for additional witnesses to come forward.
Detective Inspector James Oakton, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We are working to understand what happened in the moments before, during and after this assault and are asking for the public’s help in tracking down the person or people responsible.
“We are currently following several lines of inquiry and will continue speaking with local residents today. To assist us further we are asking anyone who saw or heard anything of this incident to come forward without delay.”
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 101 quoting incident 26 of 3 April 2025.
The Nottinghamshire County Council elections to select county councillors will take place in May, and the voting registration deadline is next week.
People can vote for the county councillors representing them for the next four years on May 1, and the deadline to register is April 11.
The county council provides major local government services such as education, adult and child social care, highways and transport, leisure, arts and recreation and Trading Standards.
With all 66 seats on Nottinghamshire County Council up for grabs, including 7 seats in Gedling borough, here is a list of the candidates wwho are due to stand across the local seats.
Arnold North
Edward Jayamaha – Conservative and Unionist Party Tad Jones – Liberal Democrat Wendy Lukas – Reform UK Darren Maltby – Conservative and Unionist Party Sarah O’ Conner – Labour Party John Semens – Reform UK Patrick Shannon – Liberal Democrat Jim Stuart – Green Party Margret Vince – Green Party Henry Wheeler – Labour Party
Arnold South
Tony Burnett – Green Party Adam Chadwick – Green Party Alisha Chambers – ReformUK John Clarke – Labour Party Liz Clunie – Labour Party Mark Dillon – Conservative and Unionist Party Andrew Ellwood – Liberal Democrat Steve Higgins – Reform UK Paul Key – Independent Tracy Maltby – Conservative and Unionist Party Robert Swift – Liberal Democrat
Calverton Division
Maggie Dunkin – Liberal Democrat Boyd Elliott – Conservative and Unionist Party Andy Meads – Independent Oscar Power – Green Party Jody Stoll – Reform UK Dean Wilson – Labour Party
Carlton East Division
Mike Adams – Conservative and Unionist Party Ian Barlow – Green Party Sam Boultby – Reform UK Cate Carmichael – Labour Party Richard Fife – Liberal Democrat Russell Whiting – Independent
Carlton West
Paul Brill – ReformUK Jim Creamer – Labour Party Andrew Dunkin – Liberal Democrat Charlie Godwin – Conservative and Unionist Party Errol Henry – Labour Party Paul Hughes – Liberal Democrat Charlotte Leask – Green Party Will Richardson – Green Party Jim Vernon – Reform UK Carol Walker – Conservative and Unionist Party
Newstead
Stuart Bestwick – Conservative and Unionist Party Eddie Stubbs – Reform UK John Sutherland – Liberal Democrat John Taylor – Labour Party Ian Whitehead – Green Party
Porchester Ward
Pauline Allan – Labour Party Mark Dillon – Conservative and Unionist John Semens – Reform UK Richard Sutton – Green Party Robert Swift – Liberal Democrat
A former detective constable who was based at an Arnold police station has been charged with non-recent counts of rape and sexual assault.
Neil Bellamy, aged 60, of Keyworth, will appear before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday (4) charged with four counts of rape.
The former constable has also been charged with assault by penetration and misconduct in a public office.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between 2006 and 2007 and relate to the same woman.
Bellamy, who retired from Nottinghamshire Police in 2019, was attached to a Domestic Abuse Support Unit (DASU) based at Oxclose Lane Police Station at the time of the alleged offences, which have been investigated by the force’s Public Protection unit.
His last posting was within the force’s Fraud unit.
Due to ongoing court proceedings, Nottinghamshire Police said they were unable to make any further comment in relation to the case at this stage.
Bus passenger journeys in Notts are showing no sign of returning to pre-Covid levels as more people choose to work from home and study online long-term.
David Astill, managing director of Nottingham City Transport (NCT), says the smaller number of passenger journeys by bus have reached a “new normal” following the pandemic.
Between April 2018 and March 2019, before the pandemic, NCT’s buses carried 49.1m passengers, compared to 48.8m the year before.
Passenger journeys now sit at around 45m per year, averaging 94 per cent of pre-Covid levels, according to the latest figures.
During a Nottingham City Council Companies Governance Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday (April 1), Cllr Linda Woodings (Lab), chair, asked Mr Astill how services had changed pre and post-Covid.
The committee was told passenger numbers had been increasing over the past four years, but had started to “trail off”.
“People are not commuting to work five days a week in the numbers they used to, and whilst the peaks have returned they have not returned to the same level,” Mr Astill said.
“Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are noticeably the busiest days, which suggests people are working at home on Mondays and Fridays.
“There has been a big change in the student market, probably the most interesting of all. Students are not going to lectures on campus five days a week.
“It is very noticeable in the morning peak that we used to have to get students to campus by 9am.
“We think that is probably the new normal.”
NCT was established as an arms-length Nottingham City Council company in 1986, and through this arrangement the authority receives a small dividend.
The company is not profit-driven, and typically aims for a margin between five and eight per cent each year, with much of this going back into services.
It has been in public ownership for almost 128 years, longer than most bus companies across the country, and was named UK Bus Operator of the Year for a record-breaking sixth time in February.
Cllr Neghat Khan (Lab), leader of the council and member of the committee, asked Mr Astill if an increase to the Government’s bus fare cap had proven problematic for recovering passenger numbers.
The £3 fare cap replaced the previous £2 cap from January 1 this year.
Mr Astill added: “When that came in at £2 we did not detect any noticeable increase in patronage, and I am pleased to say with the fare going back up to £3 we have not noticed any noticeable drop off.
