Norfolk County Council today (Fri) announced immediate changes to its Postwick works programme to reduce peak-hour pressure on the local road network.
There were significant delays at the Peachman Way/Broadland Way roundabout this morning (Friday 16 October). Norfolk County Council apologises to all those whose journeys were disrupted.
The opening of the new slip road this morning sent traffic around the Postwick Hub access roads. However, the balance of traffic flows at the Peachman Way roundabout was worse than expected and the County Council is therefore taking the following steps:
• Putting traffic control on the Peachman Way/Broadland Way roundabout for the morning as well as the evening peak. This will be manually controlled to be as responsive as possible to traffic build-up.
• Putting signs up at the Plumstead Road/Green Lane junction to warn of potential delays at the Peachman Way/Broadland Way roundabout.
• Changing the planned works programme to now keep the old bridge open during peak hours.
The old bridge had been scheduled for a full closure for up to eight weeks for essential maintenance and upgrading. It will now remain open for use even when the new bridge is open tomorrow morning, (Sat 17 Oct). Keeping the old bridge open will allow traffic from the Great Yarmouth direction to avoid the Postwick Hub access roads and will help to relieve any additional pressure on the Peachman Way roundabout at peak times.
Having both bridges open will also give greater flexibility within the junction, and Norfolk County Council will continue to monitor traffic flows and take further steps to reduce delays if necessary. The maintenance and upgrading work on the old bridge will be carried out under more limited traffic management with off-peak lane closures. Any fullclosures – for resurfacing for example – will take place overnight.
The A47 will be closed at Postwick again tonight (Friday), but the diversion routes will be short, using the junction slip roads.
Motorists are reminded that an overnight closure of the A47 at Postwick on Thursday night, 15 October, will herald changes to temporary traffic flows as the major improvement of the Postwick junction moves into its final phases.
The Thursday night closure of the A47 is to allow traffic to be switched from the old slip road, taking eastbound traffic off the A47, to a newly-constructed slip road.
This change is necessary for the safety of traffic on the A47.
The old slip road is too short, and is being closed and replaced because it cannot be extended. With significant housing and business park development already planned for the area, therewould have beena significant andgrowing risk of traffic queuing back down the slip road on to the 70mph dual carriageway.
The other major change on Thursday night is the closure of the original bridge over the A47 for essential maintenance and upgrading. Traffic will instead use the new bridge for the first time.
These temporary arrangements, which will be for around five weeks, will put pressure on the new access roads and junctions.Temporary traffic lights will be used at the Broadland Way/Peachman Way roundabout.
The changes will be made overnight on Thursday and will come into effect on Friday 16 October. An overnight A47 closure (8pm to no later than 6am)will be necessary. Westbound traffic will have a short diversion up and down the junction slip roads, but for eastbound traffic the A47 will be closed at Trowse, with traffic diverted via the A146, A143 and A12, returning to the A47 at Vauxhall roundabout, Great Yarmouth.
There will be a further closure of the A47 on Friday night (8pm to no later than 6am), when traffic from both directions will be diverted via the junction slip roads.
Norfolk County Council apologises for the delays and inconvenience caused by these closures and the temporary traffic arrangements. Work on the junction remains on course for completion before Christmas.
Further information is available on Norfolk County Council’s website (www.norfolk.gov.uk), including traffic flow plans and a more detailed explanation of the scheme and the reasons for the junction layout.
The latest Norwich Economic Barometer has been published. It highlighted that the Government posted its first budget surplus in July and income from tax receipts grew by 5.3% according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS). The continued strength of the consumer goods sector was offset by a sluggish UK manufacturing sector, which confirmed inthe latest Chamber Quarterly Economic Survey.
The UK domestic market remained the main source of new order growth, as the level of export business decreased. Companies are linking reduced overseas demand to several factors including: the sterling exchange rate; weak sales performance; the Euro Zone; and the slowdown in China.
According to the ONS there has been a 6% rise in the use of zero-hours contracts, although the ONS has said this is “not statistically significant”.
August showed that Britain’s retailers recorded the worst slump in sales since November 2008. Retailers across all sectors from lifestyle and fashion to homewares all recorded lower sales than the previous year.
A huge majority of business, school and college leaders want ministers to recognise the importance of pre-16 work experience, according to a new surveypublished today (Wednesday) by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
The survey of over 3,500 business bosses and education leaders found that 82% of business respondents, and 73% of respondents from schools, colleges and universities believe secondary schools should offer work experience for pupils aged under 16.
Work experience is not offered universally across the UK and in England, in particular, it has been deprioritised.* However, the survey found that 79% of employers think work experience is the most important activity to equip young people with workplace skills, followed by paid part-time work (69%) and volunteering (55%).
While the majority of businesses offer some form of work experience, a third of businesses (36%) offer no work experience of any kind. Micro and small businesses, in particular, need greater support to offer work experience.
Caroline Williams CEO Norfolk Chamber said:
“The message from this survey is clear, both education and business feel that work experience is beneficial to our young people.
“However I feel here in Norfolk due to the close relationship we have between schools and businesses that we can provide experience of work differently and more effectively.”
“The new curriculum demands on schools make it challenging for students to be released from school so in addition to offering work experience, businesses need to spend more time in schools alongside teachers making the curriculum subjects relevant to the world of work. It would also enable businesses to bring to life what great opportunities there are here in Norfolk.”
Further findings from the survey:
Businesses should prioritise delivery of work experience.
50% of firms identified work experience as the top priority activity for businesses to offer young people, over business mentoring (15%), part-time paid work (14%) enterprise activities (9%), volunteering (6%), and other (6%).
48% of educational establishments identified work experience as the top priority activity for businesses to offer young people, over enterprise activities (18%), mentoring (13%), volunteering (7%), part-time paid work (6%) and other (8%).
There’s no single ideal work experience model – businesses that offer work experience value a variety of models.
66% of firms offer one to two week term-time work experience placements, 47% offer work placements during school holidays, 30% offer flexible work placements and 27% arrange visits to their businesses for groups of pupils.
Two-thirds of businesses offer work experience of some form. Those that don’t say that they need more support and encouragement to offer work experience.
36% of businesses offer no work experience of any kind.
Firms that don’t currently offer work experience would be encouraged to do so by having more information about what is required (36%), someone to facilitate the relationship with the school (33%) and clarity on the benefits to their business (19%).
Micro, small and medium sized businesses are less likely than larger firms to offer work experience. 59% of micro businesses (0-9 staff) offer no type of work experience at all, compared to 29% of small (10-49), 16% of medium (50-249) and 12% of large firms (250+).
Commenting, John Longworth, Director General of the BCC said:
“Business and school leaders are clear: we won’t bridge the gap between the world of education and the world of work unless young people spend time in workplaces while still at school.
“It was careless of Government to end compulsory work experience in 2012, but it is not too late to correct the mistake – and work with companies and schools to ensure that every school pupil has the chance to feel the energy, dynamism, buzz and challenge of the workplace for themselves.”
“Work experience is crucial to bringing down our stubbornly high youth unemployment rate. It will help ensure more young people are prepared for work. It will help close the yawning skills gaps reported by frustrated businesses across the UK, who face huge difficulty filling vacancies at every level.”
“The Government must act to bring compulsory work experience for under 16s back in England. Devolved administrations must ensure that it is available to all in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We pledge to work with governments in all four nations to ensure that more and more businesses then engage with schools, offer work placements to young people, and help the next generation get the start that they deserve.”
The UK does very little business with countries in South East Asia, currently trading more with Belgium than with Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam combined.
Business Secretary Sajid Javid will be hoping to correct this imbalance when he speaks at the UK-ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Dialogue conference being held on 13 October at Asia House in London.
ASEAN is attracting global attention, with Prime Minister David Cameron having paid a recent visit to South East Asia, where he was accompanied by Mr Javid. With a population of over 600 million, a growing middle class and a combined GDP of about US$2.4 trillion, ASEAN is already a dynamic and exciting market for the global business community and is set to be a long-term driver of global economic growth.
The UK-ASEAN Dialogue will explore the challenges and opportunities in the region, looking specifically at the political climate, infrastructure development and financial services.
Other confirmed speakers at the conference include Lord Mandelson, Chairman and Partner, Global Counsel LLP; Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia; and David Sayer, Chairman – High Growth Markets, KPMG.
The conference will be followed in the evening by Asia House‘s annual gala event – the Asian Business Leaders Awards – that is to be held at The Banqueting House, Whitehall.
On Friday 9th October over 100 delegates joined the Norfolk Chamber for a morning of economics, networking and a delicious breakfast at Dunston Hall, Norwich. With the opportunity to hear from two leading experts, Lindsey Rix, Chief Operating Officer for Aviva UK and Antony Jackson, Lecturer of Financial Economics at the University of East Anglia.
The morning was hosted by the event sponsors Steeles Law who took delegates through a busy morning of icebreakers and networking. They started with an economy themed activity which got people talking and networking with others on their tables created a great atmosphere in the room. The talking and networking carried straight on through breakfast and into safari networking where all the delegates got re-seated and had the opportunity to meet a whole new table of contacts.
After this it was then onto the main part of the morning to hear from our two key note speakers; Antony Jackson spoke first about the challenges of the global Economy and explained how to best use Risk Parity portfolios. Lindsey Rix then spoke about the era of digitalisation and how we can create growth in our businesses to benefit our economy using both innovation and digitalisation.
The breakfast then finished with a Q&A session where delegates got the chance to get some of their questions and concerns answered by the experts.
Now in its 5thyear, thelargest and most senior gathering of Kurdistan-Iraq’s oil & gas industryis returning toLondon! The event,held under the high patronage of Kurdistan’s Ministry of Natural Resources, remains the one place where you will hear from the most well-known personalities of the global oil & gas industry, and also constitutesthe meeting place of choice for thought leadersdiscussing crucial issues of paramount importance for bothexisting operators and future investors in the Region.
Following the huge success from 2014, theExhibitionis also featured in this year’s programme, giving you the opportunity toshowcase and see the latest cutting edge technology, and to hear from leading providersfor upstream, midstream, power and downstream.
Following the Chamber’s October economic breakfast, the organisation then held their Annual General Meeting. It was a busy agenda, with the new board members being ratified; the 2014/15 accounts being signed off; and a new Treasurer, President and Vice President being sworn in.
Norfolk Chamber’s new Vice President is Peter Foster, Managing Director of Hugh J Boswell Ltd; and the new Treasurer is Simon Watson, a Partner at Lovewell Blake.
Caroline Williams, CEO of Norfolk Chamber thanked Daren Moore, the outgoing Treasurer for all his hard work over the last 5 years. She also gave thanks to Ian Hacon for his support during his Presidency.
Pete Goodrum interviews Jonathan Cage, newly appointed President of Norfolk Chamber of Commerce
As Managing Director of Create Consulting Engineers Jonathan Cage doesn’t exactly have an empty diary. And it’s going to be an even more crowded schedule for him in the coming months. A few days prior to his official appointment he found time to talk about his thoughts and aspirations for his presidency.
We begin with how he will approach the job. He has clear views on what he wants to achieve. ‘My ‘day job’ is in the construction industry and I believe that helps me see what needs to be done. My first, overriding priority is to promote Norfolk. And that goes hand in hand with improving our infrastructure. By which I don’t just mean road and rail – I most certainly mean broadband.’
‘I want to do what I call a ‘tower crane count’ he says. ‘Counting the number of sites on which tower cranes are operating is a good barometer of what’s happening in a region’s economy. There aren’t enough here, and promoting Norfolk will be very much about attracting inward investment.’
He’s forthright in his views. ‘It’s true that Norfolk is in some ways isolated. My opinion is that we can either moan about that – or get on with expressing the positives. Positives that include the facts that this is a good place to live; it has a fast moving commercial lifestyle – but one that’s conducted in an unspoiled and hugely attractive place. A place with a world class cultural life to balance the commercial demands.’
His passionate advocacy of the region is, he says, fueled by attending international construction exhibitions. ‘It’s eye opening. There is business to be done with people who don’t know where we are. We have to make our mark.’
A brief digression into his personal life produces another plank in his presidential platform. ‘I have two teenage children, so I’m acutely aware of the need to build bridges between education and commerce. I believe the Chamber can be a valuable conduit in that.’
Jonathan Cage sees his role as President as an opportunity to make an impact. ‘I want to attract people to the Chamber, and I want to attract business to Norfolk. I want both to be long term relationships.’
Reflecting for a moment he talks about the Chamber itself. ‘We’re a network of people who want to do business with each other. That’s something we must cherish. But more than that we have the drive and opportunity to enhance and promote business in and for Norfolk. We are seeing more promises being delivered, often as a result of Chamber activity. We’re often asked what we think – now I want to take our influence to another level.’
Throughout the interview, in the boardroom of his business, Jonathan Cage has never once looked at notes or hesitated in answering my questions. He’s seized the opportunity to say what he believes in.
There’s a lot of his construction engineer’s terminology in a conversation with Jonathan Cage. He speaks of infrastructure, bridges, conduits and tower cranes. In this enlightening interview he’s certainly laid clear foundations for his new role; they’re inward investment, improved infrastructure, links between education and commerce, attracting business to Norfolk and increasing the Chamber’s influence.
There’s little doubt that he will build on them to create an impactful and exciting presidency.
The August deficit reduction is welcome, however taking the July and August figures together, they point towards a deterioration in the trade deficit in Q3 2015. Greater efforts are needed to support our region’s exporters and to secure a long-term improvement in our trading positon. The services sector, which recorded a surplus in trade, will be increasingly relied upon to help improve our trade deficit.”
Also commenting on the trade figures, David Kern, Chief Economist of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:
“While it is welcome that the deficit declined in August, we now know that the July deficit was larger than previously estimated. This confirms our earlier assessment that the significant improvement seen in Q2 was only temporary. The large trade deficit remains a major national problem. This is particularly true when we consider that other areas of our current account, notably the income balance, remain statistically insignificant.”
British firms looking to develop e-commerce sales in China are to get a helping hand from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) after it signed a partnership agreement with the Shanghai Cross-Border e-Commerce Public Platform.
Agreed as part of UKTI’s e-Exporting Programme, the deal will support UK exporters and help promote their online sales in China by helping them to find new customers, build brand awareness and analyse Chinese consumer requirements.
Under the agreement, the Shanghai Cross-Border e-Commerce Public Platform will work with UKTI to provide help to UK companies wishing to sign up to e-commerce platforms registered in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (SFTZ).
It will also encourage e-commerce platforms registered in the Zone to run a marketing campaign promoting UK brands on their platforms, and will share information to help UK companies understand the opportunities in China and how they can be optimised through e-channels in the SFTZ.
UKTI will help increase the volume of UK online exports to China through the SFTZ e-marketplace by delivering a programme with UK partners to increase the number of companies seeking to export through global e-marketplaces, and promoting opportunities for UK companies to grow their business in China through electronic markets.
In addition, the UK agency will work with partners and private sector experts to provide peer-to-peer mentoring for British companies seeking to export through e-channels, and will deliver a retail and brands campaign across relevant e-commerce platforms in the SFTZ.
Developed by the Shanghai municipal government, the Public Platform aims to share information and jointly solve problems associated with counterfeit products, customs procedures, and cross-border foreign exchange settlement.
It links regulatory bodies such as customs and tax authorities, with sellers, consumers, payment institutions, logistics companies and a China e-Port Data Centre.
A massive trade deal is being negotiated – the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – which involves the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Vietnam, Chile, Brunei, Singapore and New Zealand.
From the US point of view, it will solidify relationships with that country’s allies and firmly establish the United States as a leader in the Pacific.
The European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE), an independent and non-profit policy research think tank dedicated to trade policy, has drawn the European Commission’s attention to the implications of the TPP and the need to maintain the EU’s position in the Pacific region.
It has highlighted that, although the EU is now negotiating with all TPP countries except Australia, New Zealand and Brunei, that “blind spot” is worth US$1.5 trillion in GDP.
“The idea of an FTA (free trade agreement) with New Zealand already enjoys the support of key EU Member States,” Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, Director at ECIPE, said. “New Zealand is consistently ranked number one on economic and personal freedom indices and, despite accounting for only 0.2% of EU external trade, New Zealand’s economy is still on par with previous EU FTA partners like Peru and Vietnam.”
Indeed, measured in final consumption, New Zealand is larger than Chile, Malaysia and Singapore. Pointing to the existing duty-free treatments with the Pacific country, he went on: “If an FTA cannot be done with New Zealand, it cannot be done at all.”
A move in that direction is vital, he concluded, as this could very well be Europe’s last chance of overtaking the TPP.