“It would mean significant reductions in congestion, and there will be less pollution because a lot of pollution is caused by queuing traffic.”We have reached the point where congestion is seriously blighting the lives of an increasing number of people. We cannot build our way out of the problem.” Most travel would not incur charges, he said.It sounds easy, but it is not. For the Government, it is another reminder of the intractability... 

Today representatives of Liverpool’s great and good will travel to the House of Commons to launch the city’s bid to become European Capital of Culture for 2008, the next year when that title will be awarded to an English city. They know that they are up against at least Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Cardiff, Bradford, Belfast, Inverness and ­ you can’t fault them for trying ­ Milton Keynes.Homely Beatles singalongs is not... 

However, existing customers on the SVR in effect pay for the cost of these discounts. Nationwide felt this was unfair to loyal customers so it introduced the lower BMR last March and stopped offering discounted and capped deals.All customers on the SVR were automatically transferred to the BMR so that they were paying the same rate as new borrowers. Customers with time left to run on their discounted or capped deal still had the pay rate calculated... 

What is special about Shropshire? What is special about Shropshire?The largest inland county in England, Shropshire is one of the least crowded and most peaceful regions in Britain. Bordering Wales, it is a country-lover’s paradise, ideal for most outdoor activities. Market towns, some which date back to the seventh century, and medieval abbeys also make it a county with great historical interest. What can I do there?From the gardens and... 

On the one side stand those who regard Dan Sadler as a low cheat – “a morally questionable pot-hunter,” as one insider put it, comparing his actions with those of someone “caught stealing the blind box from a doctor’s surgery”. Dark allusions are made to the mainstream athletes who pretended to be mentally handicapped to win gold medals for Spain in the Paralympics in Sydney two years ago.On the other side are... 

Are they all suggesting that there are too many people out there who are too apathetic to watch television? Isn’t television what you do when you’re too apathetic to do anything else? Couldn’t the truth be that the problem-people are those who are not actually apathetic enough to want yet more television channels giving them yet more reasons not to move off the sofa?Or maybe I see it that way because I’m part of the problem.... 

Rocks qualify with Chester, Sheffield and Newcastle Eagles.Coach Robbie Peers said: “I am extremely proud of the way we have played all season. Now we can relax a bit before gearing up for the play-offs.”Milton Keynes Lions lost the chance of guaranteeing fourth place in the South after losing 82-77 to Brighton Bears.. After a long hard winter on the road followed by the depressing events of last week, England can lift their spirits by... 

How exactly could it have been worse? Well, they could have given a starring role to Jar Jar Binks, one of the most lavishly unamusing creatures ever to pass across a movie screen, but I can’t see how anything short of doubling its length could make Episode II as intolerable as Episode I. If anything to do with the Star Wars franchise can be called good news then it’s that this latest prequel is at least an improvement on The Phantom... 

“Being called the future of rock’n'roll is the worst thing that can happen to a band,” says Vennum “It’s so much to live up to. That’s good enough for me.”Their bewilderment at the Strokes’ success is part of a wider concern at the media scrum that surrounds new rock bands. “I’m glad you want to talk to us but I can’t sit worrying about whether or not you or anyone else likes our album,”... 

Air passengers faced travel chaos today after a software problem at Britain’s air traffic system triggered mass delays and cancellations. By page 498, on balance, one knows just why.The reviewer is writing a life of Ronald Firbank. Though Booth acknowledges the “support and encouragement” of Motion and Anthony Thwaite, Larkin’s literary executors, their effective absence from this project may indicate a certain ambivalence....