Somerset Council awaits Department for Transport approval of the business case

Plans to bring a new railway station to rural Somerset remain “sat on a shelf” in Whitehall, Somerset Council has confirmed. Proposals for a new station to serve the expanding towns of Somerton and Langport suffered a major blow in July 2024 when Chancellor Rachel Reeves scrapped the restoring your railway fund in late July that year.

The station was omitted from Somerset Council’s local transport delivery plan, which was given the go-ahead in mid-March and featured numerous pledges to enhance both Somerset’s rail services and existing stations’ connections to buses and active travel.

The Langport Transport Group, which produced the outline business case for the new station, has now called on the council to push the Government for a decision following years of unnecessary delays.

The council said it remained supportive of a new station in principle but could not allocate any funding at this stage, noting that the decision rested firmly with the Department for Transport (DfT).

Langport Transport Group chairman Phil Edge made his appeal when the council’s executive committee convened in Taunton on Wednesday morning (1 April).

He said: “We supports reconnecting 53,000 residents to rail. Serving the towns of Somerton and Langport, along with the surrounding area, a new station will stand on the existing Great Western mainline between London Paddington and Penzance.

“Somerset County Council was our strategic statutory partner in 2021 in bidding successfully for £50,000 from the re-opening your railway fund, acting as the responsible budget holder.

“Disadvantaged communities across the scheme’s catchment – almost ten per cent of Somerset’s population – will benefit, including communities in Curry Rivel, Glastonbury and Street.”

During 2023-24, Somerset’s total station passengers reached 3,348,000 – increasing by 170,000 from 2022-23, and up nearly 600,000 from 2013-14, according to the Langport Transport Group.

The business case forecasts 230,000 journeys annually from a Somerton station, of which two thirds would be ‘new to rail’.

‘Gateway to opportunity’

“It would take 11 minutes to reach Taunton, compared with 50 minutes or more by road,” said Mr Edge. “The environmental, economic, educational and social benefits are myriad, with the rail network as a gateway to opportunity for the next generation.”

The council’s planning department is presently reviewing proposals for 150 dwellings on Foxglove Road in Somerton, situated north of the proposed Somerton railway station site outlined within the business case.

The proposed Langport station location sits east of the A372 Wincanton Road in the neighbouring village of Huish Episcopi Academy, close to the local cricket club and secondary school.

Mr Edge added: “Bearing all this in mind, and given Somerset Council’s stated priorities on connectivity and sustainable growth, why has the Somerton and Langport station re-opening, which is backed by a positive business case and strong local and parliamentary support, been omitted from the delivery plan?

“Will the executive now commit to formally including and supporting this project?”

The local transport delivery plan pledges to provide improved interchanges between Somerset’s current railway stations and alternative transport modes, including buses, walking and cycling infrastructure.

The plan also pledges to create a rural transport hub in Langport, complementing the £3.2m transport hub presently being built in Taunton town centre.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, portfolio holder for transport and waste services, said the council was unable to pledge additional funding or resources to the station scheme until the outline business case had been evaluated.

Mr Wilkins (who represents the Curry Rivel and Langport division) said: “As you know, we’ve been very supportive – and it’s worth noting that local MP Sarah Dyke has been extremely supportive too, bringing this up many times in parliament.

“It is also a priority of the Peninsula Transport sub-national transport body, on which the council sits.

“However, until the DfT approves the business case for this addition to the rail network, we are unfortunately unable to consider any capital financial contribution.

“Needless to say, we continue to lobby hard to get them to look at this business case, because it’s been sat on the DfT’s shelf far too long.”

Unruly passengers flying with Ryanair could now face jail time, as the Ireland-based budget airline continues to crack down on disruptive behavior it says has risen in recent years.

A 61-year-old man from Wales was sentenced to 10 months in a United Kingdom court after his actions — including threatening and verbally abusing a crew member while intoxicated — forced a pilot to abort a landing at Bristol Airport in England last year, the Avon and Somerset Police said Tuesday.  

Ryanair welcomed the conviction and reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on passenger misconduct, introduced in 2024, as it looks to curb delays and disruptions caused by a few disorderly travelers.

“We welcome the Bristol Crown Court’s conviction of this unruly passenger whose inexcusable behaviour disrupted a flight from Krakow to Bristol in November 2025,” Ryanair Communications Director Jade Kirwan said.

MASS BRAWL FORCES RYANAIR ‘FLIGHT FROM HELL’ TO MAKE EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER JUST 36 MINUTES

Unruly passengers flying with Ryanair could now face jail time. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“This demonstrates just one of the many consequences (including travel bans and offload fines) that passengers who disrupt flights will face as part of Ryanair’s zero tolerance policy. We hope this conviction will further deter disruptive behaviour on flights so that both passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and stress-free environment.” 

Police identified the unruly, intoxicated passenger as Stephen Blofield, who was traveling on a flight from Poland to the United Kingdom on Nov. 11, 2025. He was sentenced to 10 months after pleading guilty in February to multiple charges, authorities said.

During the flight, Blofield allegedly became aggressive and volatile after consuming his own duty-free alcohol, according to aviation outlet Paddle Your Own Kanoo. 

Prosecutors said he created a fearful atmosphere onboard when he reportedly began swearing and verbally abusing a crew member and nearby passengers, ignoring instructions to remain seated during landing, and ultimately forcing the pilot to initiate a go-around maneuver, delaying the touchdown to ensure safety, the Bristol Post reported. 

THREE RYANAIR PASSENGERS REMOVED FROM FLIGHT AFTER BRAWL ERUPTS: VIDEO

Stephen Blofield, 61, was sentenced to 10 months in a United Kingdom court on Wednesday. (Avon and Somerset Police)

“Stephen Blofield caused the initial landing to be aborted and continued to be verbally abusive towards cabin crew. He was met by officers at Bristol Airport once the flight had safely landed,” Inspector Christian Gresswell, of the Bristol Airport policing team, said.

“An intoxicated passenger can pose an unacceptable risk to safety, and that’s why we take the offense so seriously.”

Blofield pleaded guilty at Bristol Crown Court to four charges: being drunk on an aircraft, behaving in a threatening and abusive manner towards a crew member, behaving in a manner likely to cause harassment and distress, and failing to comply with lawful commands of a pilot.   

Incidents involving unruly passengers on Ryanair have risen in recent years, with the airline publicly welcoming the convictions of disruptive travelers.

Last year, a passenger was found guilty of exhibiting “inexcusable behavior” that forced a 2024 flight to divert to Rzeszów, Poland, during a journey from Glasgow, Scotland, to Kraków, Poland, the airline said in an announcement commending the conviction. 

In 2024, a Ryanair flight was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after departing Morocco when a mass brawl erupted among passengers.

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In 2023, video captured another brawl that led to three Ryanair passengers being kicked off an aircraft, causing a delay ahead of takeoff from Manchester, England, to Ibiza, Spain.

FOX Business’ Stephen Sorace, Pilar Arias and Greg Norman contributed to this report.

The family-owned estate is set for a huge redevelopment

Hotel and golf resort Rudding Park will use bank funding to carry out a £30m redevelopment.

The award-winning site near Harrogate plans to create a new 60,000 sqft golf and country club along with seven new padel and tennis courts, an accompanying pavilion and a full restoration of the property’s walled garden. There will also be upgrades to existing health and wellbeing facilities, a new swimming pool and general improvements across the resort.

Owners the Mackaness family will now use a seven-figure package from HSBC UK to carry out the plans, which they say could create 75 new jobs and generate an estimated £14m in annual gross value added for Harrogate. Rudding Park is said to have experienced a 4.8% increase in turnover in the last year, that compares to the latest available accounts covering 2024 which show turnover of nearly £28m.

Nick Mackaness, joint managing director at Rudding Park, said: “This is an exciting new phase of growth for Rudding Park, as we continue to expand and diversify high quality experiences for our guests. HSBC UK support will enable us to complete these development works, making sure our facilities exceed the expectations of our guests old and new. We look forward to expanding the team and attracting guests from all over the UK as our plans take shape.”

Tom Sikora, relationships director at HSBC UK, said: “Rudding Park is a fantastic example of an ambitious business in a competive market with a clear strategy for growth. The team has built a well-loved resort over many years, always understanding the next steps needed to keep attracting guests These developments will ensure Rudding Park stays a household name across the UK for many years to come and we look forward to seeing the new facilities open.”

Rudding Park has been owned by the Mackaness family since 1972 and now includes 90 bedrooms and suites, a spa, three restaurants, a kitchen garden, private cinema, two golf courses and conference and events spaces.

“It ensures that work provides not just a pay packet, but a decent standard of living,” says Faith Lydiard of the Living Wage Foundation

A group of businesses, charities and public sector organisations in Sunderland has launched a multi-year plan to boost the number of real Living Wage employers in the city.

The Making Sunderland a Living Wage City Action Group includes Sunderland City Council, housing association Gentoo Group, technology firm Apexon, digital marketing executive Phonetic Digital, Sunderland Voluntary Sector Alliance, communications consultancy Creo Comms, community interest company Active Families NE, community advice organisation ShARP and children’s charity Love, Amelia. Together they have devised a three-year plan to increase the number of accredited real Living Wage Employers on their doorsteps.

There are currently 62 real Living Wage accredited employers in the city, an increase of 42 since Sunderland earned Living Wage City recognition in 2022. The group says that means more than 2,000 workers have received a pay rise that meets real Living Wage level.

That level is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay for those aged 18 and above, based on living costs including rent, bills, food and other things. It is around £13.45 in most of the country, but £14.80 in London.

The action group is also looking to broaden accreditations to include Living Hours and Living Pension and to embed the Living Wage across funding, commissioning and procurement.

Faith Lydiard, North East programme manager at Living Wage Foundation, said: “Paying the Real Living Wage is one of the most effective ways employers can demonstrate a genuine commitment to their people and their communities. It ensures that work provides not just a pay packet, but a decent standard of living, helping individuals and families meet everyday costs with dignity and security.

“We consistently see that businesses who adopt the real Living Wage benefit too. They experience higher staff retention, improved morale, and increased productivity, alongside a stronger reputation as responsible employers. In a competitive labour market, it is a clear signal that an organisation values its workforce.”

She added: “At a time when the cost of living remains a real challenge for many, we encourage more employers to step forward and join the growing movement. Paying the real Living Wage is not just the right thing to do — it is a smart, sustainable choice that delivers long-term value for both people and business.”

The group says it’s not just businesses who are making the case for paying a real living wage. Jess works as a digital marketing executive at Sunderland based Phonetic Digital, a B-Corp based in Mackies’ Corner that provides a spectrum of digital services to enhance the digital presence and operational efficiency of its clients across the UK.

She said: “Being paid the real Living Wage means I can say yes to social engagements which makes the difference between having a routine and having a life.”

The chain is planning to invest further in Padel

Health club and hotel operator Bannatyne Group has hailed record revenue and profits in the face of economic headwinds.

The County Durham-based spa chain headed by former BBC Dragon Duncan Bannatyne says it is poised to make further investments in padel courts throughout this year. In 2025 results seen by BusinessLive ahead of their publication at Companies House, the firm showed it had grown revenue to nearly £158m from £149.6m the year before.

Operating profits were up from £25.8m to £27.2m as Ebitda edged up slightly from £43.6m to £43.7m. Meanwhile pre-tax profits rose from £14.4m to £15.7m. The positive numbers came as memberships also climbed from 219,500 to 219,743.

Founder and executive chairman, Duncan Bannatyne said: “The business has delivered impressive results against difficult economic headwinds brought about by Government policy from April 2025. Nearly 3,000 staff throughout the UK have worked together to maintain a growing business, delivering popular services to a large cohort of loyal members.

“The company has been an active investor in the market. It has closed underperforming clubs in some areas and opened new clubs in areas where demand was stronger. It has also invested substantial sums in new products, including advanced, all weather padel courts, which are also available to non-members.

“We will be announcing further investments in padel throughout 2026 in Norwich, Livingston, Basingstoke, Chafford Hundred, Stratford on Avon, Colchester and Grove Park. The success has been achieved in the face of an increase in the rate of employer’s National Insurance, which added £2m to the company’s costs. Meanwhile, the Government’s energy policies have failed to deliver any control on spiralling business energy tariffs at a time when energy represents 11% of the cost base of Bannatyne Group.”

Bannatyne Group now operates from 70 locations including five in the North East: Darlington, Ingleby Barwick, Coulby Newham, Durham and Chester le Street. Its portfolio includes 67 health clubs, 45 spas and three hotels.

Last year it acquired the former Beechdown Leisure Club, a premium health and wellbeing facility in Basingstoke, opened its first padel courts in Ingleby Barwick, and progressed several planning applications for 20 additional courts across its estate, and closed a site at Whitworth Street, Manchester.

Mr Bannatyne also added: “Our investment in people has been focused on a sector leading apprenticeship programme, which facilitates progression within peoples’ roles. A long-term career is achievable at Bannatyne Group. Our business is led by people who have real expertise in the field of health and fitness and have introduced some ground-breaking programmes, which are popular with members.”

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Shares of the company extended ​gains to trade up nearly 7%.

U.S. tech giants are under pressure to prove their massive AI outlays will pay off. The stakes are especially high for Meta after it hired Scale AI CEO Alex Wang last ‌year under a $14.3 ⁠billion ⁠deal and offered some engineers pay packages of hundreds of millions of dollars to staff a new superintelligence team.

Superintelligence ​refers to AI machines that could outthink humans. Muse Spark is the first in a new series of ​models from that team, and is part of a family of models known internally as Avocado.

The model will initially be available only on the lightly-used Meta AI app and website, and ​in the coming weeks, replace the existing Llama models powering ⁠chatbots on ‌WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Meta’s collection of smart glasses.

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“This initial model is ​small and ​fast by design, yet capable enough to reason through complex questions in ⁠science, math, and health. It is a powerful foundation, and the ​next generation is already in development,” the company said in a ​blog post.
It did not disclose the model’s size, a key measure typically used to compare an AI system’s computing power with rivals. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg had tempered expectations for performance, telling investors in January that he thought the team’s first models “will be good but, more importantly, will show the rapid trajectory that we’re on.”

“I expect us to steadily push the frontier ‌over the course of the year as we continue to release new models,” he had said.

FOCUS ON EVERYDAY TASKS

Muse Spark can help users with tasks ​such as estimating ​the calories in a meal ⁠from a photo or superimposing an image of a mug on a shelf to see how it looks.

Meta also released Contemplating mode, which runs multiple AI agents in parallel to boost ​reasoning power, allowing Muse Spark to take on the extended thinking modes of Google’s Gemini Deep Think and OpenAI’s GPT Pro.

The company is betting that applying superintelligence to everyday personal tasks will help it tap its more than 3.5 billion users across its social media platforms, potentially giving it an edge over rivals with a smaller reach.