The government has confirmed that plans to connect Stockport onto the Metrolink are being “actively studied”.
The Greater Manchester borough is one of a few areas that is not currently connected up to the region’s expansive tram network, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed during PMQs in the House of Commons yesterday that the Department for Transport (DfT) is “actively studying” ways to get services running through the town soon enough.
The PM made the comment after Cheadle’s MP said that she now wanted the town on the tram network after the green light had been given for plans to build a new central railway station.
The single-platform railway station is due to open in 2025, and will connect Cheadle to Stockport town centre and beyond.
However during PMQs yesterday, Cheadle MP Mary Robinson said that she now wanted to see the mid-Cheshire line made into a double line with an extension of the Metrolink into the town, as she feels that improving connectivity is “key to economic growth” and the future of the government’s Levelling Up agenda.
The PM’s confirmation comments also come after it was announced this week that nearly £14 million has been secured for Stockport from the government’s Towns Fund – which will go towards the construction of the new train station.
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The government has confirmed that plans to connect Stockport onto the Metrolink are being “actively studied” / Credit: TfGM & SMDC
Money from the funding will also go towards two other projects.
One project being a north-south cycling and walking route – which will link the new station to the town centre – and the other being the building of a new Eco Business Park on Bird Hall Lane.
MP Mary Robinson said in her question to the Prime Minister: “After securing almost £14m in my town’s fund bid for Cheadle, I was delighted last week to get the green light for our new Cheadle rail station, and £4m for our state-of-the-art eco business park.
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“I have had tremendous support from the Cheadle Towns Board and local community who understand how important it is to have connected towns and villages bringing investment and hi-tech jobs to our area.
“I’m ambitious for Cheadle, and I now want to secure the re-doubling of the mid-Cheshire line and the extension of Metrolink through my constituency.”
It comes after nearly £14 million has been secured for Stockport from the government’s Towns Fund / Credit: TfGM
Mr Johnson said in response: “It’s thanks to the massive exertions of this government in levelling up with the £650 billion investment in infrastructure that we’re having a new railway station in Cheadle, for instance Mr Speaker.
“I know that the bids that my honourable friend just mentioned are now being actively studied by the Department for Transport and she should feed in more to them.”
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The extension of the tram network through to Stockport is something that has been discussed as far back as 2004, and in 2020, Andy Burnham announced plans to bring Metrolink to the borough within the next 10 years.
Stockport’s new transport interchange, which is currently under construction on the site of the town’s old bus station, has also been designed to to leave space for the addition of any future Metrolink or Tram-Train extensions.
Featured Image – TfGM
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Price caps and standardisations to be introduced for vet care in UK following major investigation
Emily Sergeant
Reforms to the veterinary industry to help pet owners better navigate the vet services market are set to be introduced this year.
After an independent inquiry group recently found that the current system is leaving pet owners ‘in the dark’, with a lack of information to help make informed decisions leading to weak competition and high prices, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has this week concluded its investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK.
The final report green-lights a package of measures to make the market more competitive, easier to navigate, and more responsive to pet owners’ needs.
It outlines the final remedies and recommendations, which together, will transform the market.
Remedies and recommendations in the report range from price caps and standardisations, through to upfront cost transparency.
We’ve set out major reforms to the UK’s veterinary sector now our market investigation is complete.
Our reforms will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market and will start coming into force later this year.
— Competition & Markets Authority (@CMAgovUK) March 24, 2026
Practices will soon be required to publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options – so pet owners know up-front how much certain services are expected to cost.
They’ll also have to make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business, and provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill.
Written prescription fees are set to be capped at £21 for the first medicine, and then £12.50 for any additional medicines.
Price caps and standardisations are set to be introduced for vet care in UK / Credit: Pxhere
There’s also set to be changes to the complaints process, as practices will now be required to follow a transparent, accessible, in-house complaints process, and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.
The CMA says an ‘unprecedented’ response from both the public and the sector has helped to shape the final report.
The next step is for the Government to respond to the report formally – with Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Emma Reynolds, commenting: “We are grateful for all the work of the Competition and Markets Authority, and we will respond to the report and set out next steps for our proposed reforms in due course.
“This Government is focused on helping families save money on vet services by improving transparency and choice around pricing, so the public can make informed decisions about their pets’ care.”
Featured Image – Pxhere
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Police release footage of Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest by hiding under a bed
Emily Sergeant
Police have released unseen footage of a Manchester burglar who tried to evade arrest and justice by hiding under a bed.
David Dale Thompson, of no fixed abode, appeared at Manchester Crown Court last week (18 March) where he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of residential burglary at an earlier hearing.
The 43-year-old was caught early last year (15 January 2025) following proactive patrols by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) neighbourhood officers across Rusholme and Moss Side, who were in the area due to a high number of reports of burglaries in the weeks prior.
While on patrol, police spotted Thompson ‘acting suspiciously’ while riding a bike just before 5pm, and once officer subsequently followed him to a property on Boscombe Street, before calling for more officers to attend.
After gaining entry to the address, officers suspected something was wrong when they entered one of the rooms, and after lifting up the bed, they found Thompson hiding in the storage compartment attempting to evade arrest.
GMP has now released footage of the moment Thompson was caught.
Speaking following Thompson’s sentencing last week, Detective Inspector Natalie McDonald, of GMP’s Manchester Central Neighbourhood Crime Team, said: “This was a fantastic example of proactive policing, which has resulted in a serial offender now behind bars.
“We know how devastating a burglary in your own home can be and this shows our commitment to tackling them head on.
“If you have any information or concerns about neighbourhood crime in your area, make sure you speak to us. In the meantime, we have officers on regular patrols in areas that need us the most.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th July 2022 
