Alycia Mcnamara

A proposal for a 14‑mile tunnel beneath the Peak District aims to link Sheffield and Manchester via a combined road and rail route, potentially reducing travel times by up to 30 minutes. Inspired by Scandinavian tunnel models, the project is estimated by infrastructure firm Future Works to cost just under £2 billion and could be financed through local tolls or northern investment funds rather than national government funding. The scheme is intended to ease traffic through the National Park, support regional economic growth, and accelerate planning processes, with construction possibly starting before the end of the decade and opening in the mid‑2030s.

Thunderstorms and unsettled weather are forecast across southern England and parts of Wales after weeks of hot conditions. The Met Office warns of showers, thunderstorms, blustery conditions and intermittent sunshine through the week, with very warm temperatures especially in the southeast. A shift to more unsettled weather is expected later in July, with heavy and thundery showers likely across southern areas. A full list of 15 locations expected to experience storms includes cities and coastal towns across England and Wales.