Britain has become the first country in Europe to approve a car with self-driving technology for use on motorways nationwide.
Is the future really here then?
Less than a month after residents in Greater Manchester got a taste of futuristic life as they spotted little robots began delivering Co-op shopping around the region, it’s now been confirmed that the Department for Transport (DfT) has this week granted Ford permission to use driver assistance technology in some of its Ford Mustang Mach-E cars on the country’s motorways.
The DfT’s approval of the self-driving technology – which is named BlueCruise – comes after Ford carried out a number of tests on British roads, and on 100,000 miles of European roads in total.
Hands off to be more hands on. #MustangMachE drivers can now activate BlueCruise subscription for hands-free driving on pre-mapped motorways in Great Britain.
According to Ford, the testing process in Britain featured routes with several hazards presented along the way – including worn-out lane markings, poor weather and roadworks – all to see how the technology would react and deal with the situation.
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Now that the groundbreaking BlueCruise technology has been approved, it means that motorists could soon see the self-driving cars travelling on the 2,300 miles (3,700 km) of motorways in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Ford claimed the DfT’s approval is a “watershed moment for drivers”.
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The company said it expects the new technology to be rolled out in other European countries in the coming years, so drivers should keep their eyes peeled.
Britain becomes first country in Europe to approve self-driving car on motorways / Credit: Flickr
Transport minister Jesse Norman says he’s “delighted” that Britain is “once more at the forefront of innovation”, and adds that the latest advanced driver assistance systems “make driving smoother and easier, but they can also make roads safer by reducing scope for driver error”.
But, how exactly does it work then?
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Well, as Ford explains, the technology in the car monitors road markings, speed signs, and traffic conditions to control steering, acceleration, braking, and lane position, and is activated when the car detects that it’s on a motorway and then deactivates when it senses the car has exited.
To make the experience safer, the driver of the car is able to set the speed and the distance they want to travel from the car in front of them.
It’s also pretty crucial to note that, although it’s considered as self-driving technology, the car still requires motorists to pay attention to the road at all times, but the driver is able to take their hands off of the wheel and move their feet away from the pedals.
A 90-day free trial is to be offered for owners of a Ford Mustang Mach-E 2023 model car to subscribe to.
Featured Image – Ford
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The Premier League is keeping its crucial cap on away game ticket prices – for now
Danny Jones
The Premier League has announced it is extending its crucial price cap for away games, as the general cost of match tickets continues to creep up all over the country.
Most season card holders, be they here in Greater Manchester or elsewhere, are likely looking at their annual spending going up simply, so steps like these are key in keeping first division football as affordable as possible.
And that’s just the ongoing cost of living, let alone the clubs that are continuing the trend of charging more each year and, unfortunately, even pricing some supporters out entirely.
With that in mind, the news of England’s top-flight sides voting unanimously to keep the £30 cap intact for at least another two years comes as relief to those who spend most of the year putting their hard-earned cash towards following their team home and away.
BREAKING: The Premier League extend £30 cap on away tickets for another two seasons 🚨 pic.twitter.com/L336aZwmn3
Now confirmed to remain in place until the end of the 2027/28 campaign, travelling fans obviously still spend plenty of money on transport and so on every year, but at least they don’t have to worry about rising general admissions.
At least not for the time being…
Writing in a statement, the Premier League said: “Away fans help create the incredible atmosphere Premier League matches are renowned for. Since the cap’s implementation in 2016, it has contributed to attendance at away games increasing from 82% to 91%.”
They also acknowledged the significant and regular funds that supporters still spend on these trips, with plenty of people online also praising the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), which helped spearhead the campaign over a decade ago.
With so many other obstacles still getting in the way of fans making it to games either at their usual stadium or on an away day – not least of all the constant and increasingly frustrating rescheduling of fixtures – it’s good to see this isn’t an area the Prem are trying to target.
As always, the multi-billion-pound business can always seek out other, newer money spinners, and we’re absolutley certain they will. For instance, there’s at least one happening over in Spain that we’d happily see carried over here.
Following the news, this now means that fans will ultimately have enjoyed 12 back-to-back seasons of the benefit, and long may it continue.
Nevertheless, the biggest barrier for people to watch the beautiful game at its highest level in the UK remains the cost of standard tickets.
The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Leeds and more have already let matchgoers know that their season ticket prices will be going up, and the likes of Man City have already seen backlash for increasing rates amid the expansion of the Etihad Campus.
Greater Manchester’s fire service officially rated ‘outstanding’ following inspection
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s fire service has officially been rated ‘outstanding’.
His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) has awarded published its latest inspection report, and has awarded Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) two ‘Outstanding’ ratings for the first time in the service’s history.
One ‘outstanding’ rating was given for the preventing of fire and emergencies, and one for values and culture.
Some of the areas of strength noted in the report include outstanding prevention work, acknowledging the service’s innovative partnership activity and targeted risk reduction programmes, and a ‘strong, positive, and inclusive’ culture, with strong communication and a clear focus on values, staff voice, and transparent decision making.
The service was also commended for having high levels of operational preparedness, and ‘effective’ governance and scrutiny, with ‘clear’ performance reporting and strategic direction.
In addition to the two ‘Outstanding’ ratings, inspectors also rated GMFRS as ‘Good’ in seven of the eight other inspection categories – including responding to fires and other emergencies, training and developing the right people with the right skills, and ensuring fairness and diversity across the workplace.
Inspectors also acknowledged the ‘significant capacity pressures’ on fire safety regulation across the UK, and the unique challenges posed by Greater Manchester’s complex and fast-changing urban environment.
“Greater Manchester has a fire and rescue service we can be proud of,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham, as the inspection report was published this week.
Greater Manchester’s fire service has officially been rated ‘outstanding’ following its latest inspection / Credit: GMFRS
“I’ve often said that GMFRS is one of the best services not just in this country, but anywhere. The inspectors’ findings reinforce this belief. I’m pleased that this strong inspection report recognises its outstanding prevention work as part of Greater Manchester’s Live Well approach, its outstanding culture and values, and consistently good performance across almost every other area.”
Chief Fire Officer, Dave Russell, added: “I am really pleased that the inspectors have recognised our progress towards this goal, by awarding us ‘Outstanding’ ratings for the first time in our service’s history.
“I am particularly pleased to have been awarded these for our nation-leading work on prevention, helping us to use our resources in the most effective way, and in our service’s culture, which I made my number one priority when joining the service.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th April 2023 
