Latest news with #NationalExpress
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Broad Street Wolverhampton closed due to early-hours fire
A busy city centre road has been closed after a fire broke out in the early hours. Broad Street in Wolverhampton has been shut in both directions from A4150 Ring Road St Patricks to Princes Square as firefighters tackle the blaze. Cres were called to the scene at around 4.30am on Monday, July 28. READ MORE: Great Bridge fire update as crews remain at scene almost 24-hours on A Staffordshire and West Midlands Fire Control spokesperson said the fire was "outside" and three crews remained at the scene at around 8.50am. West Midlands Fire Service has been approached for more information. National Express West Midlands took to X at 6.30am to warn passengers of "service disruption". The post read: "Ongoing incident closing Broad Street, Wolverhampton. "Services will be using Lichfield Street and Fryer Street in both directions "Apologies for any disruption to your journey." An update on traffic monitoring site Inrix just after 7.30am said: "Broad Street both ways closed due to police incident from A4150 Ring Road St Patricks to Princes Square. "Traffic is coping well. Diversion for local bus services." Stay up-to-date by following our Twitter feed @birmingham_live or liking our Facebook page.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
How to save (or go for free) on a family day out this school summer holiday
A day trip begins with your journey to the attraction, and your savings can begin there, too, if you are using public transport. In London, up to four children under the age of 11 can travel free with a fare-paying adult on the tube, Docklands Light Railway, Overground and Elizabeth line. The kids don't require a ticket – they should be allowed through the gates by staff or can go through the larger gates with the paying adult. Children aged 11 to 15 get free or discounted travel with a 11-15 Zip Oyster photocard. A parent or guardian must apply for the card, which costs £16 and takes about two weeks to arrive. A Friends and Family railcard (£35 for one year) gets you a third off standard anytime, off-peak and advance adult fares, and 60% off child fares across the National Rail network in Great Britain. Some train companies – including Southeastern and Chiltern Railways – offer Kids for a Quid deals where children aged five to 15 can travel for £1 on a single or return journey off-peak when accompanied by an adult on selected journeys. Check whether the deal applies with a railcard as you often cannot use both. Travelling by train can also get you a discount when you arrive – National Rail's website lists 2 for 1 deals in London, and a mix of offers around Great Britain, including two for one at the Black Country Museum in the Midlands. National Express is running a 'kids travel free' promotion that finishes at the end of September. Up to three kids (to age 15) can go free with one adult using the code Kidsfree. Always try to book well in advance to get the best fares and avoid midweek peak times. Many of the most famous museums in the country remain free to enter for the main exhibitions. In London, the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain and Tate Modern are some of the most prominent ones that do not charge. You may have to pay for specific exhibitions and many ask for voluntary donations. Bath Abbey, the National Railway Museum in York, the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester and the Royal Armouries in Leeds are also free to visit. People who are on universal credit can often get cheap entry to museums or other attractions. The Cartoon Museum in London has adult tickets for £3 (normally £12) for anyone on universal credit or jobseeker's allowance. The Cutty Sark in Greenwich has £2 (normally £22 for an adult and £11 for a child) tickets for people on some benefits. Up to six people in a household can claim the cheap tickets. Edinburgh zoo offers tickets for £7. Adults on universal credit, pension credit or UK legacy benefits can get access to the Eden Project in Cornwall for £5, while children's tickets are £1 each. The Society of London theatre runs a 'kids' week' every year with 50 different shows taking part. One child aged 17 or under can see selected shows for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. Up to two more children's tickets can be added at half price. There are no booking fees. The offer is available for selected performances until 31 August. Book through officiallondontheatre. There are also discounts available for shows such as MJ the Musical and Back to the Future through a summer theatre sale at LondonBoxOffice. If you want to see some Shakespeare, the Globe theatre in London has £5 'groundling' tickets for performances, although you will be standing. You can combine theatre with a picnic at the Grosvenor Park Open Air theatre in Chester, with tickets costing £20 to £58 with 20% off for the under-16s. You can bring your own food or buy some there. The Brighton Open Air theatre runs to 21 September and has children's and family tickets as well as concessions for the unemployed. If you want to get out of the sun, there are bargains on cinema tickets. Cineworld is running £1 Family Films where a different film is selected each week and tickets are priced at £1 each. Among them are The Wild Robot and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. The Odeon chain is running kids' screenings every day of the holidays with tickets at £2.75 each. Many country parks offer free entry, although you may have to pay for parking. For example, Wendover Woods in the Chilterns has a wooden sculpture of the Gruffalo for kids to find as well as cycling and walking trails. Moors Valley Country Park and Forest in Dorset is free to enter and dog walkers can take part in a Wallace and Gromit-themed trail with games and challenges. The Earth Photo exhibition, which focuses on the environment and the climate crisis, runs to the beginning of September. Parking fees vary between parks. For example, Moors Valley charges £16.50 a day, while Wendover Woods charges £13. The Beamish Museum near Stanley in Durham tells the history of the region from the 1820s to the 1950s through immersive exhibits, and was recently voted the Art Fund museum of the year. It has family tickets (two adults and two kids) for £82, with access for a full year. If you travel to the museum on any Go North East bus, you can get a 25% discount on a standard individual admission. In order to cool down, lidos and community swimming areas can give some relief. The Clevedon Marine Lake on the Somerset coast is a tidal pool and gets filled with seawater from the Bristol channel every spring tide. Run by a charity, swimmers are asked to donate when they visit. If an attraction charges an entry fee, look out for family tickets and do the sums to get the best value. For example, the Sea City Museum in Southampton charges £42.50 for a family ticket for two adults and three children – it's cheaper than buying individual tickets for two adults and two children. It works out cheaper to buy individually if you are two adults visiting with one child. For one adult and three children there's another family ticket option costing £28.50. Prices for Legoland in Windsor start at £34 each – children under 90cm go free – if bought on the website in advance, compared with £68 if you walk up and pay. Chessington World of Adventures starts at £32 online or £66 in-person on the day. A Twice the fun ticket gives entry to two attractions for the price of one at Legoland, Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park or Alton Towers. Prices start at £32 if you visit Chessington first. Cadbury is running a promotion where you can get between 10% and 50% off entry for up to four tickets at Merlin UK attractions, which include Legoland, Sea Life and Thorpe Park, among others. Many attractions offer annual family tickets but again you will have to do the maths to work out whether the deal works for you. For instance, going to London zoo on an off-peak weekday for two adults and two children will cost £94.20. A silver membership (which gives unlimited visits) runs at £200. It offers entrance to Whipsnade, and with a peak-time visit there you will have paid for the membership.
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Free and cheap things to do with the kids this summer including theme parks
MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry shares the best way to keep the family entertained throughout the school holidays without breaking the bank Summer is a great time to spend with the kids and family members, but that also means expensive days out! The good news is there are lots of ways to stay entertained on a budget, thanks to free events, workshops, and activities. Money-savvy parents can save this summer with some forward planning – try these activities and tips to save money without saving on fun! Visit the library There's a reason this is always on the free activities list! Libraries aren't about dusty old books these days. They offer computer access and printing, as well as run lots of free workshops and events from storytime to crafting and more, for a wide range of ages. You can often also borrow DVDs, computer games, and board games. You don't need to visit the library either, if there isn't one near you. Register for a free library card online and you can borrow ebooks and audiobooks for free! If your kids are impatient and don't want to wait for a book on hold, try free two-month trials of Kindle Unlimited, Readly, and BookBeat to get them access to books, magazines, and audiobooks for free this summer. Free holiday clubs If your child is entitled to free school meals during term-time, the Holiday Activities and Food Programme means you could claim some free childcare, meals, and activities for your child in the holidays. Eligibility varies between local authorities, and some children who aren't eligible for free school meals but have a low income could still be eligible, so make sure you check your local authority website for details. Free National Express coach travel Getting to and from activities can be expensive when you're going with a family. If you haven't already picked up a Family and Friends Railcard look into it, as it could save you hundreds across the course of a year with regular rail travel. But if you don't want to travel by rail to your family activities this summer, consider the coach instead. National Express is offering for up to three under-15s to travel free with every paying adult until September 30th – just book tickets online and use the code KIDSFREE to claim the free tickets. Kids eat free or cheap deals Feeding a family gets a lot more expensive in the holidays – but it doesn't have to. There are lots of restaurant and café chains that run special offers in the summer to help families with their food bill. Some, like Bill's Restaurants, have holiday-specific deals. Others, like TGI Fridays, IKEA, Morrisons and Asda cafes, and Brewers Fayre venues run year-round deals to keep costs low for families throughout the year. Check out your local restaurants and cafes to find out where kids eat free or cheap to feed the family on a budget! Save up to 45% on theme parks The summer means lots of deals available for theme park entry, saving huge amounts on your entrance fees. If you're a Lidl customer with the Lidl Plus app, scroll to the Partner Offers tab to find and claim a free thirty-day Day Out With The Kids pass to claim up to 45% off entry fees at theme parks like Drayton Manor, Flamingoland, DiggerLand, Crearly Theme Park, Blackpool Pleasure Beach and more. Or, check out National Rail if you're planning to get the train to a theme park. You can claim up to 33% off Merlin attractions and more by booking your voucher through their Days Out Guide and showing your train ticket on entry. Finally, check out Kellogg's cereals and snacks for up to 25% off at major attractions – visit their website for more details. Have a Garden Cinema Night Gather friends and family together for a cinema night – in the garden. It's easy to set up a space with a white bedsheet and a projector. Dangbei offer a range of projectors, from the Freedo to the new MP1 Max, depending on your budget and needs. If you want to set up a cinema room at home, or replace your TV in the living room, it's definitely worth investing in a higher-end projector for the best experience. Get everyone to bring their favourite cinema snack, or set up a popcorn station where you make your own and add toppings you prefer. A drinks station – with one for the adults if you want cocktails! – adds to the fun and gives kids independence to choose what they want. Pick some family-friendly films, drag the sofa cushions and throws outside (or use outdoor blankets like those from Night Lark in case the drizzle starts), and enjoy movie night with friends as the sun goes down. Game of rounders in the park Every summer should include a competitive game of rounders! Gather up your friends and family for an afternoon in the park. Take a picnic, brush up on the (very simple) rules, and create a tournament for a whole afternoon of fun. Check the rules of your local park regarding ball games and gatherings first, of course. Free mindful jogging community If you love to exercise with your kids, consider joining the free Joy Runs community. With a theme each week, such as trees or water, you can jog together while contemplating the theme to stay mindful as well as get those endorphins going. If you're more competitive, check out free Park Runs each weekend in your area – and see if you can encourage your kids to improve on their time between the start and end of the summer holidays! Cricket and music combined The Hundred is a sporting event that makes the most of everything cricket has to offer. Global cricket stars combined with headline music acts make it a fun event of sport and music combined. The tournament starts on 5th August, with eight matches taking place at Lord's and the Kia Oval throughout the month. It culminates in The Eliminator on Saturday 30th August and The Final on 31st August – with a family-friendly fun-filled weekend. Tickets are £21 an adult, £5 for junior and under threes go free! Cheap cinema tickets Take your family to see a film from just £1 a ticket this summer. Cineworld is running family friendly screenings with £1 tickets, and films such as The Minecraft Movie and Disney's Snow White. If you don't have a Cineworld near you, check out the cinema deals available in your area. It could be £6 showings with O2 Priority, or adults paying kids prices at Vue, or Odeon Member Mondays for a fiver. There will be all kinds of deals at your nearest cinema, so make sure to check them out for a cheap afternoon out with the kids. Quick tips for a cheap summer Whenever you're planning cheap summer activities, keep these things in mind to keep the cost down. Book tickets in advance for cheaper prices and special offers or discounts Enter freebie contests and giveaways to try new activities Shop via cashback websites to get some money back on your spending Take picnics instead of buying food at venues Invest in reusable water bottles for all the family to keep hydrated without spending lots of money on drinks Get together with friends to take advantage of group discounts Finally, having children around for six weeks can increase your household bills a lot! Keep the cost of groceries down by shopping at the cheapest supermarket in your area and making the most of loyalty card price cuts and offers.
Daily Mirror
19-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
All the freebies parents can claim during summer holidays including swim lessons
MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry warns parents to act now to prepare for the September school term by claiming these free things The summer holidays are a lot of fun… and expense. And then there's the back-to-school costs to consider on top of that! To make sure you save money during the summer holidays and stick to your budget for September prep, check this round-up of free things you can claim as a parent this summer. Free coach travel all summer If you're going out and about with the kids this summer, try going by coach. National Express is offering free travel for up to three children aged 15 and under until September 30, 2025. All you need to do is book your tickets online, including one paying adult, and use the code KIDSFREE at checkout to claim the free tickets. Kids eat for free and cheap Make sure you're not over-spending on the entertainment budget this summer by planning your trips to venues and restaurants with great free kids meals options. There are loads of places where kids eat free this summer, such as Yo! Sushi and Bill's restaurants. But make sure you know where you can take the family to eat free or cheap in the term-time, too. TGI Fridays, Hungry Horse, Brewers Fayre, and even Travelodge have some great deals that can keep family feeding costs down all year round. Claim benefits for parents You might think you aren't eligible to claim state support (aka free money) – but when did you last check? The rules change quite frequently, and that could mean you're missing out on things like free childcare. Check your eligibility for benefits using the Turn2Us calculator to find out if you could be entitled to support. Remember that being eligible for some, such as Universal Credit, may also entitle you to further support like free school meals. Children in reception, Year One and Year Two all automatically get free school meals, but if you think you're eligible beyond those years make sure you claim with your school before term begins. Free school uniform Uniform Exchange is open to every family in the UK. They provide good condition second-hand school uniform items to anyone that needs them. You can help support them by washing and sending in your child's old school uniform that they've grown out of, too. Visit the Uniform Exchange website to find out more and request free uniform. Your local authority may also be able to help with funding for some or all of your child's school uniform. They will usually identify parents in need and contact them directly, but if you are on means-tested benefits and a low income and think you might qualify, get in touch with them. Your school may also offer an exchange or bursary scheme for those in need. Free books and audiobooks Whether you want to help your kids get into reading during the summer holidays, or help them access study materials during term-time without breaking the bank, your local library is the place to go. Libraries offer so much free stuff! From free books, e-books, and magazines to free DVD and computer or board game rental, it's easy to get a library card online to get started with borrowing straight away. With e-book and audiobook borrowing, this can be done as soon as you have your card and download the Libby, Hoopla and/or Borrowbox app (depending on which your library uses). The library can also offer a safe and quiet place during term time for older children with study needs, or to go on the weekend to participate in workshops or events. As well as a library card, try some free trials during the summer, too. Bookbeat is a streaming service for audiobooks, meaning you can listen immediately without needing to go on the borrow list for popular titles at the library. If you use the code TRY75 when signing up, you can try for 75 days (40 hours) of free listening before you decide if it's a service you want to pay for. Free swimming lessons Most local authorities and some privately-run leisure centres offer free swimming lessons for children. These may run for a short time during the summer holiday, or be a weekly term-time activity. Look for information on your local council's website and make sure to check out your leisure centres too, as they might run similar programmes for other sports such as football and tennis, too. Free school stationery and supplies Sign up to deals and discounts newsletters now, to stay alert of upcoming offers. It's a good idea to create a separate email address to avoid your main email being filled with offers every day! As August rolls around, keep an eye out for these emails with free school supplies, stationery, even backpacks and lunchboxes. You'll be amazed at how much free stuff you can get – just make sure to act fast, as numbers are often limited.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Police incident in Sutton Coldfield shuts down major road as Birmingham railway line also closed
A police incident in Sutton Coldfield closed down a railway line with a main road also shut. An incident took place in Jockey Road shortly before 7pm yesterday, Friday, July 11. The road was closed from Birmingham Road to the junction with Somerville Road. READ MORE: Boy who died at Sutton Park lake named as school pays tribute A cordon also went over the Cross City Line between Wylde Green and Sutton Coldfield stations. Traffic was being diverted around the cordon with a number of police vehicles and personnel in the area. West Midlands Railway has said: 'Emergency services dealing with an incident near the railway between Sutton Coldfield to Erdington. 'Ticket acceptance is in place between Birmingham New Street and Four Oaks stations. 'Road transport will be in place between Four Oaks and Lichfield with minibuses between Lichfield City and Lichfield Trent Valley in both directions.' National Express West Midlands was diverting bus services 5 and 907 due to the incident. It posted on X: 'Service disruption. Incident ongoing on Jockey Road/Birmingham Road junction Sutton Coldfield 'Services 5 & 907 are diverting in both directions via: 'Boldmere Road, Chester Road & Birmingham Road 'Apologies for any disruption to your journey.' Our reporter saw police conducting house-to-house enquiries in Braemar Road in Sutton Coldfield. There was also a police scene in Roxburgh Road with several police officers and police vehicles. It was not known at this stage if the two police scenes are connected. BirminghamLive has contacted West Midlands Police and it has said British Transport Police is leading on the incident. Transport police have been contacted but have yet to respond.
