Are elections ripe for change?
Peter Stanyon, chief executive of the Association of Electoral Administrators, sets out some recommendations for boosting turn out in local elections.
Highways: A French connection to link Tyneside communities
A consortium led by Bouygues Travaux Publics has been appointed preferred bidder for the New Tyne Crossing project.
The French group was chosen ahead of the Balfour Beatty-led consortium, Connect North East, to develop the second Tyne vehicle tunnel.
Connect North East has been placed on stand-by should Bouygues and Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority fail to reach an agreement.
The New Tyne Crossing will complete the dualling of the A19, a strategic road which links the Northeast’s three largest conurbations.
TWPTA chair, councillor David Wood, said: ‘Bouygues’ commitment to the project to date has been impressive, and we look forward to signing the preferred bidder letter with the firm, negotiating the final contract, working with its staff on the construction of the second vehicle tunnel, and being its partner for the 30 years of the concession.
‘The New Tyne Crossing is vital to the prosperity of the people of North and South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear and other communities along the A19.’
A legal challenge attempting to block construction of the crossing was thrown out last May. Bryan Atkinson, a member of South Tyneside Friends of the Earth, said the plans failed to deal adequately with waste-management issues.
