logo
Road works paused after four-hour queues at Broomfield Hospital

Road works paused after four-hour queues at Broomfield Hospital

BBC News4 days ago
Hospital road works have been paused and rescheduled after motorists described being stuck in "horrendous" traffic for up to four hours.Hospital Approach, the entrance and exit to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, was partially closed on Monday, making it a one-way entrance while exiting traffic was diverted down Court Road.Graham Hayden, 62, sat in traffic with his mother-in-law for more than four hours and said "we had the engine turned off for an hour and a half, it was just stationary". A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: "The developer and Essex Highways will work closely to ensure any future works have minimal impact on traffic going in and out of Broomfield Hospital."
Mr Hayden, who works in IT for emergency road transport systems, said he has experience with traffic management and attempted to contact the construction firm carrying out the works. "The other annoying thing is the housing developer who is responsible for it all, come 16:00 BST they're all shut up and gone home.""There were even ambulances stuck in the traffic... I think at one point there were three ambulances trying to get out of hospital that were just stuck in traffic [and couldn't] go anywhere."
Mr Hayden explained that the cars leaving the hospital were having to join queues with all the cars coming in."Everyone was complaining and moaning, but people were in quite good spirits," he said.
Mr Hayden told BBC Essex that his mother-in-law was OK after the experience. "I think she was there to get home and get a cup of tea."The BBC has contacted contractors CGS Construction and Broomfield Hospital for comment.
Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Range Rover to remove convenient feature for next-gen model as designer bizarrely calls it ‘dirty'
Range Rover to remove convenient feature for next-gen model as designer bizarrely calls it ‘dirty'

The Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Sun

Range Rover to remove convenient feature for next-gen model as designer bizarrely calls it ‘dirty'

THE ELECTRIC Range Rover will not feature a front trunk, according to the designer of the hotly anticipated SUV. The vehicle is yet to officially debut, with only teasers of its design revealed so far - although fans will be pleased to know the EV version closely mirrors that of the combustion-engine model. 4 4 But one convenient feature found in many electric vehicles won't be included - in a decision partly based on customer feedback. The car's designer, Lynfel Owen, recently referred to the front of the car as the "dirtiest part" and questioned why anyone would want to lean against it to use a front trunk. In an interview with CarExpert, Owen said: 'Why would I want to lean against the dirtiest part of the car to put stuff in?' He explained his reasoning in greater detail: 'We spoke to our customers… none of them have an issue [with] lack of storage space. 'The rear cargo space is exactly the same. We haven't had to raise the floor. The only compromise we have to make is we're not able to offer a seven-seat derivative.' Owen has spent the last decade overseeing JLR's transition to electric power, having risen to chief engineer of vehicle engineering for the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender models. 'I pretty much only ever worked on Range Rover,' he said. 'I've done a few other projects. I didn't work on the [Jaguar] I-Pace. I was working on the previous-generation Range Rover.' To that end, the I-Pace - launched under the Jaguar brand as the first premium all-electric SUV from any manufacturer when it was revealed in 2016 - became infamous for reliability issues, particularly with its electric drivetrain and battery pack. Its poor customer satisfaction prompted Jaguar Land Rover to learn from its failures, focusing on reliability, improved thermal management and customer-centric design in the development of the Range Rover Electric. Owen said: 'We're making sure we learn from, you know, our mistakes with respect to I-Pace. 'So we're testing all aspects of the car… we've just had a northern hemisphere winter that we've completed, so we've been doing our low-mu testing on the frozen lakes.' He added: 'Some people have got [chargers] bolted on. Their garage might have two or three cars… [so you don't have to use a] 15 metre cable. 'Cabin comfort. Battery temperature. Whether it's to cool it down, whether it's to warm it up. Recovering heat from the air at minus 15… It also reduces the heating energy consumption by over 40 per cent [compared to I-Pace].' This includes the decision to forgo a front trunk, with the rear cargo volume remaining unchanged from the combustion-engine version and the 117-kWh battery pack accommodated without raising the floor. This approach contrasts with the I-Pace, which offered a small front storage compartment. Indeed, due to packaging constraints, the electric Range Rover will only be available with two rows of seats - which rules out a seven-seat option. While a spare wheel will be offered, it will reduce luggage capacity as it will sit above the cargo floor. Much like the upcoming Range Rover, Mercedes' electric G-Class also lacks a front trunk - although they compensated with a uniquely styled tailgate-mounted cargo box. The electric Range Rover will not compete with the G580, Owen claims, as it offers unmatched off-road capabilities, combined with Range Rover's famed luxury. The electric Range Rover's world premiere is expected later this year, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026.

Major car dealership group with more than 100 UK sites ‘threatens job losses' as firm blames Reeves' tax raids
Major car dealership group with more than 100 UK sites ‘threatens job losses' as firm blames Reeves' tax raids

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

Major car dealership group with more than 100 UK sites ‘threatens job losses' as firm blames Reeves' tax raids

A MAJOR car dealer giant with over 100 UK sites is planning job cuts despite reporting hefty profits. Group 1 Automotive says it will 'streamline' operations by cutting costs and axing duplicate roles. 2 The dealership doubled its gross profit in the first half of 2025, with sales soaring 94% - boosted by a stronger sales mix and improved aftersales operations, according to Car Dealer Magazine. Sales soared, with new vehicle retail sales up 90% to 32,960 units and used vehicle sales rising 89.5% to 41,580 units. As a result, Group 1's revenues skyrocketed from £1.18bn to £2.3bn in the first half of the year - with gross profit going up by 109.6% to a whopping £313m. The company also reported its UK gross margin improved from 12.6% to 13.6%. This performance comes amid Group 1's ongoing restructuring efforts since August last year, which included integrating Inchcape UK's dealerships after a £346m deal last year. The shake-up is expected to put 370 jobs at risk as of the end of June this year, though exact numbers have yet to be confirmed. A spokesperson for Group 1 said: "In line with other retailers, we continue to face cost headwinds relating to tax increases announced in the last Budget, and in response we have identified opportunities to remove duplication, streamline processes and decentralise certain roles to drive efficiencies across the business." During this quarter, Group 1 shut down two Mercedes-Benz dealerships in a bid to improve the group's UK portfolio. It took a $7.6m (£6.1m) hit tied to layoffs and dealership closures, and has reported spending $18.7 million (£14m) so far this year on restructuring its UK operations. Daryl Kenningham, Group 1 president and CEO, said: 'The U.K. market continues to be challenging in terms of industry volumes and with BEV mandate-related margin pressures.' He added: 'Integration efforts are largely complete and most UK brands are performing to expectations, with positive momentum anticipated in the second half of the year. "SG&A leverage improvement remains a focus in the U.K., with room for further gains. "We'll continue to pursue balanced growth while executing opportunistic share repurchases. "Additionally, we're actively reviewing underperforming stores and developing appropriate plans." US giant Group 1 Automotive operates one of the biggest car dealer groups in the UK. The UK division runs over 115 dealerships and employs more than 7,000 staff. The group represents over 21 brands, including Audi, BMW, Citroën, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. It comes as Group 1 recently announced the closure of its Volkswagen Telford dealership - just months after shutting down three other sites. 2

M25 and M26 closed in both directions over ‘police-led incident' as drivers face long delays
M25 and M26 closed in both directions over ‘police-led incident' as drivers face long delays

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

M25 and M26 closed in both directions over ‘police-led incident' as drivers face long delays

DRIVERS have been warned of traffic chaos as both the M25 and M26 have been shut down after a "police-led incident". The M25 has been closed anti-clockwise between Junction 6, at Godstone, and J5, at Sevenoaks. National Highways confirmed Surrey Police are still at the scene. It comes at motorists have also been hit with a closure on the M26 this evening. A National Highways spokesperson said: "The M25 is now CLOSED anti-clockwise between J6 (Godstone) and J5 (Sevenoaks) due to a police-led incident. "Surrey Police are working on scene. Please note; the M26 is also closed from J3." According to Inrix, traffic is building in three parts of the M6. There are queues forming on the northbound between Junction 11, Cannock and Junction 12, Gailey, due to an earlier crash. Meanwhile there's 80 minutes of congestion backed up southbound before Junction 8 for the M5. Delays have also been reported at Junction 11. Inrix reported: "All traffic being temporarily held and queueing traffic due to accident on M6 Northbound at J10 A454 Black Country Route (Wolverhampton / Walsall). "Queueing traffic due to earlier accident on M6 Northbound from J11 A460 (Cannock) to J12 A5 Watling Street (Gailey). "Delays on M6 Southbound before J8 M5 coming from the M54. Travel time is 80 minutes." 1

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store