13/01/2012 East Midlands Today

This is East Midlands Today with Dominic Heale and me, Anne Davies.

Our top story tonight: The road resurfacing work that is a heavy

burden for hauliers. Disruption and diversions as one of the region's

most notorious roads closes overnight for an entire month.

A former police firearms officer accused of assault has his

conviction overturned. Plus, on the day the blockbuster

movie comes out, I have been discovering the tale of the real

great for Warhorse that is still buried right beneath my feet.

And they say Friday you 13th is unlucky for some but I am meeting a

couple who say that today is a Good evening. Welcome to Friday's

programme. First tonight, the Highways Agency has defended its

decision to spend more than �1.5 million re-surfacing a road that is

due to be widened in just three years' time.

Road haulage firms say the night- time closure of the main route

between Nottingham and the M1 will cause major disruption for their

industry and for nearby villages. Mike O'Sullivan is by the A453

which will be shut overnight for a month from next weekend. That is

right. Darkness as fallen here on the A453, a very busy road, used by

more than 30,000 vehicles a day. From later this month, it will be a

lot quieter at night. After 8pm, it will be closed completely for a

month, between Nottingham and the M1 as major roadworks go-ahead.

The main artery between Nottingham, the M1 and the East Midlands

Airport. It will be closed for four weeks at night for resurfacing work.

Warriors and other road users facing long diversion is to get

onto the motorway. This company in Nottingham says it will have a big

impact. The cost could be, if every day a call was delayed, the cost of

overnight parking, the increase in diesel because of the round trips,

the increase in wages, it could be a cost of around �50 per vehicle.

We have got seven vehicles, so �350, per day. This is how the roadworks

will affect the A453. A six-mile stretch will be closed at night for

four weeks from January 22nd. Sometimes, as early as 8:00pm.

Lorry-drivers to and from the power station will be faced with an 80

mile diversion through villages. In Nottingham, there will be a 50 mile

diversion to reach the motorway. This was the reaction in one of the

village is included on the diversion route. The widening of

the A453 I think would be a benefit for everybody. But this is

resurfacing ahead of the widening? What a complete waste of money!

They could have done both things at once to save the can -- to say the

contestants. The Highways Agency says it is essential ahead of a

road-widening scheme in around three years' time. It is not a

waste of time. The A453 is already showing signs of the heavy traffic

that it gets every day in and out of Nottingham. We need to give the

road in a safe and serviceable condition for the next three years

until the new road is opened. years, campaigners were calling for

the A453 to be up graded. Now they are getting two schemes within a

few years. Road hauliers say that all of this will add to their cost

at a time when diesel is costing around one ton-40 Ali Carter. That

does have a word with Frank Taylor from the Road Haulage Association.

I'll road hauliers going to absorb the costs of pass them on -- pass

them on? The larger companies will look to absorb the cost for their

major customers. The smaller operator is going to have to raise

a surcharge and passes on to its customers. How many miles a gallon

do you get from a big HTB? On an average road, you will get about 80

miles to the gallon. Going through the urban roots, that will drop to

around 4.5. What do you think of the spending, the resurfacing of

the A453 so close to the widening scheme? We feel that it could be

better spent elsewhere in the county. If they were to bring the

widening forward. Thank you very much. Business leaders have said

that improving the A453 was the top priority, the top transport

priority for the region. It is certainly getting plenty of

attention now. It certainly is. A former Nottinghamshire police

officer has won an appeal against his conviction for assaulting a

suspect. Timothy Allatt was sentenced to

eight weeks in jail after being found guilty last summer. But today

his conviction was quashed. Tom Brown was at Nottingham Crown Court.

The hearing lasted two days. The ordeal lasted more than a year-and-

a-half. Five months after being found guilty of assaulting a

suspect while on duty in Nottingham, today Timothy Allatt left court,

his conviction overturned. Timothy Allatt wishes to express his thanks

to his family and friends, including his police colleagues and

the Police Federation who have been a considerable support to him and

his wife during a very difficult times. My client has always stayed

Farsley asserted his innocence -- stead Farsley. The allegation arose

while he was carrying out his duties as a police officer. He now

feels vindicated as his appeal has been vindicated. He was sentenced

to eight weeks what allegedly assaulting a car thief. He was

accused of using excessive forced - - false when making the arrest. The

judge said there were two key issues. Firstly, where that Timothy

Allatt believed that force was necessary. Secondly, whether the

force he used was justified. Timothy Allatt made clear that he

felt that the man was a threat and he took the appropriate action to

arrest them. The judge said that that the prosecution did not do

enough to disprove this and ultimately a group -- ruled in

favour of Timothy Allatt. Nottinghamshire Police said it

acknowledges and supports the court decision but that he was dismissed

over a separate and unrelated assault on a member of the public

and will not reap returning to be false. -- will not be returning to

the farce. For Timothy Allatt, today was about clearing his name.

Still to come on the programme, Sally with the weekend weather.

have got a bitterly cold weekend to come, starting with tonight. You

A campaign to reconnect a town to the region's rail network appears

to be picking up speed. Ilkeston in Derbyshire used to have

four railway stations but now it doesn't have any. Simon Hare

reports. Look closely and there are signs of

a railway heritage here. But this road no longer lives up to its name.

Ilkeston has the dubious honour of being Britain's biggest town

without a train station. It is hoped a station could boost the job

prospects of residents by making it easier to commute to neighbouring

cities. As well as bring in more visitors to ton itself. Do you

think Ilkeston suffers without one? We have good bus links. Does it

warrant it? Yes. The local MP says it is worth spending �5 million on

a new station. This is a relatively modest sum of money compared to the

longer term benefits that this would bring to Ilkeston and the

wider area more. The train goes past but never stops! We want to be

trained to stop! Mansfield used to have the largest station this town

claim to fame. The trains do now stop here. The Robin Hood line

replaced what was axed. Accessibility is improved. I still

think it is undervalued. For Ilkeston I think it would be

critical. Their positioning between Nottingham and Derbyshire, it is in

steamy important that they battle for the rail link. -- it is

extremely important. Mansfield is also getting a new bus station.

Back in Ilkeston, they will be ready to raise a toast should it

get reconnected to the railway map. Our political editor John Hess is

with us. So what are the chances of Ilkeston getting its own railway

station again? The first stop on this journey is to get the new

Transport Secretary on board. Justine Greening may be supportive

but it is the Chancellor George Osborn who has got the cash. Now

money may be tight, but actually the government has been looking

around for smaller scale infrastructure projects to fund.

That is why the duelling of the A453 was given the go-ahead. I

think also there are some other intriguing redevelopment news. In

Mansfield, the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council has

suggested that Mansfield should be the location for the government's

new enterprise zone. They are making a strong case for Mansfield.

There are areas that need some investment in Mansfield. The

brewery site, for example. In need some real effort to get together

with all interested parties. I know the city has been very well-funded

compared with the counties but the deprivation can be just the same.

Mansfield is a town of about 100,000 people and I think higher

profile. These enterprise zone is give huge incentives. We have to in

the East Midlands already. Put Mansfield be next in line?

The English Defence League says it wants to march through Leicester

next month, 18 months after it staged a major rally in the city.

The group was forced to hold a static demonstration in 2010, but

it descended into violence. 36 people were arrested. Policing it

cost an estimated �850,000. The group wants to return on 4th

February. The city council is discussing the request.

Police investigating an armed robbery where a shop assistant was

threatened with a stun-device are questioning a 22-year-old man. It

follows an attack at the Sainsbury's store at Newhall in

Derbyshire yesterday morning. Police say a woman who worked there

needed treatment after an electrical device was held to her

neck. Cash was taken. A man from Midway near Swadlincote was

arrested this morning. A builder says hundreds of

construction jobs are likely to go in the East Midlands, unless the

government reduces the rate of VAT on house extensions and conversions.

Kevin Ellis from Leicestershire says his firm's turnover has gone

down by 20% since VAT went up last January. And he is warning he may

soon have to make redundancies. Carolyn Moses reports.

At work on an extension in Leicester, some of the 19 staff

employed by a construction company who have recently won master

builder of the year. The firm accepts that the recession has hit

the construction trade hard but the owner believes that the extra VAT

that came in last Enry has made things worse. The number of

inquiries we get is down by 90%. In difficult times when people are

trying to put money together to have extensions built on their

houses, the straw that breaks the camel's back is the extra 2.5%.

association, the Federation of Master Builders, believes the VAT

rise has meant 10,000 UK building and supply jobs were lost last year

but at the Treasury says there is support for the construction

industry with no VAT charged on new-build housing and a reduced

rate applying to residential conversions and the renovation of

certain buildings that have been vacant for at least two years.

would like to see the government do something with VAT on extensions

because it is the staple diet of the average build up. I think the

black economy will have been boosted by the increasing VAT and

we come across situations where on the odd occasions when we are

quoting somebody else, the prices that are being quoted are

outrageously low and could only be done for cash. If VAT is not

reduced and there is no upturn in business, he says he may have to

The 8th next, the growing demand for foster-parents, because across

a region there is a big increase in the number of children coming into

local care. In Nottinghamshire it is on -- the emphasis is on all the

children. -- older children. This goal is one of 1,800 looked

after children in the region. She has been in care since five, she

has been ever present foster parents for five years. She says

fostering has turned her life around. You sit back and think what

would happen if you're not in care. I know for a fact I would not be

going to university. My foster carers, they have been really

supportive, I class them as my own family. If you give the right kind

of nurturing, the children pick that up, and they feel better about

themselves. Their self-esteem is a lot better. There has been a 22%

increase in the number of children are put into care. It is a similar

picture in this region. Over half of the region's children are over

the age of 10. Those children can be a lot harder to place where

families. The survey says the rewards can be considerable.

Watching a shy child coming to your home, someone who doesn't want to

spend the time anyone else, sing a song, dance, have friends over 30,

it is amazing to watch them grow and flourish. There is no better

reward. It is very rewarding, children are very grateful when

they get a nice family. fostering service is hoping to

recruit an extra 10 family's following an appeal.

Isn't that great? It has proved a great sensation on

the London stage, but the film version of Warhorse could take the

story to a whole new level. Detail of the horse that ends up on the

front lines of the First World War is actually the story of hundreds

of thousands of horses at that time. Sadly, most of them have died in

obscurity, but one from Leicestershire lived on to become a

legend. We can all watch Warhorse from

today, as the story of jelly, the horse that goes to the Great War,

goes on general release. Some will be watching more closely than

others, among them will be Griff Morgan-Jones, who showed me a

remarkable dray. -- grey. Songster was a Leicestershire horse he was

mobilised in 1914. He was assigned to Trooper Bert Main, and much like

the horse in the film, he face the horrors of war there -- warfare.

faced shelling, gun fire, all of the horrors of war. To make it

pretty the end, that is quite remarkable. Here at be

Leicestershire Yeomanry Museum -- there. They tickets to camp. Appal

Descartes into Loughborough market. The owner said he did it just to

keep the horse out of trouble. Astonishingly, Songster lived up to

1947. The musician or who wrote the songs for the stage play thinks

that Steven Spielberg will do the horse is proud -- horses. He's a

great storyteller, he has access to child like storytelling qualities.

That looks brilliant. The play is good, the film must be good, too.

A brand new political programme starts this week.

Welcome to the new home of The Sunday Politics, to get it off will

be looking at council tax. Why the government is offering to freeze it,

and a trap that you may fall into. Join us on Sunday.

That looks good. It is on BBC One at Sunday lunchtime.

Time Out of the sport. -- time now for the sport.

It is January, the minute the transfer window opens, there is a

lot of speculation about who is coming or going. It has been slim

pickings are so far. We have been taking a look at the state of play.

Our clubs have till the end of this month to do their business. The

question is, will any of them be taking a gamble? Leicester City

have had a bid accepted bodily sharp -- are barely. That has been

interest in their defender. They now, he is staying. They say they

have cash to spend, but when be silly. To bring people in who don't

strengthen your team, that can be to the detriment of the club.

Derby County have had inquiries about midfielder Paul Green, they

may decide to cash in, his contract is up at the end the season. It is

a case of wait and see. We are carrying too many players at the

moment. The priorities to work with those. If we have any breathing

space we will work with it. Nottingham Forest have so far

fought off all interest for their players. They have signed their

former striker, but if they want to bring in any other players, some of

the current squad will have to go. Manager Steve Cotterill says it

makes for a stressful month. This window is a real problem. It is

right, smack bang in the middle of your season. Just another 18 days

to go, I wonder if any of our side will hit the jackpot? -- sides.

Notts County have taken defender Kieron Freeman on a one-month deal.

There is a lot of the ball this weekend. Southampton come to Forest,

Coventry visit Derby County. In League One, Notts County are away

to Bournemouth. Commentary on your local radio stations.

This evening, a big match for Leicester Tigers, if they want to

get to the knockout stages of the Heineken Cup, their match at Ulster

is a must win. The magnitude of tonight's game

cannot be underestimated. Leicester are taking on Ulster, to power

houses of European rugby. -- two power houses. It is going to be

tough for them tonight? It is a big game. They have been in five files,

10 quarter-finals, they have beaten Munster. -- five are finals. Both

sides could come out on top. It is very exciting. There are lots of

clashes, one to 15, the battle will be on the front row. It will be

dirty and there? It will be. Everybody has to give 100%.

both sides, defeat is not an option. It is a must win. Tigers might rue

the day that they did not get that bonus point. If you are not one of

the 500 who have come over, do not fair, live commentary on BBC Radio

Leicester. All the build up starting at seven o'clock.

Just before I go, a reminder that the Football League Show is back

tomorrow. Late Kick Off also returns on Monday. It is the first

of a new run until the end of the season.

It is all happening here at the BBC. Friday the 13th, normally

associated with bad luck, but not full one Nottingham couple. Career

and Craig White had their first date on that day. They also got

married on the day. Wearing something old, new and

borrowed. Emma Ward is superstitious about some traditions,

but not about the date. Our first date was on Friday the 13th, it is

always been a good luck for us. said 13th January, we could not

tell anyone it was a Friday. couple met whilst travelling in

Australia. They will not make the date bother them -- they will not

let the date bother them. I'm not worried. Yesterday, stress started

to appear, last-minute details, maybe it is catching up on the? I

have no worries about its, whatsoever. -- worries about the

day. Usually, it is quite quiet, but couples stay away from it. It

is all about making a personal, a celebration for the couple.

Friday the 13th may be viewed as unlucky, but not by this couple.

is me great pleasure to announce soon as husband-and-wife. They are

looking forward to a lifetime of wedded bliss.

wedded bliss. I feel a bit eerie now. -- I feel a

bit emotional now. Time for the weather.

It has been a cold day. It is turning even colder, temperatures

plummeting. A widespread frost. Across the weekend we are likely to

see a little bit of fog. This is the sun to rise -- this is the sun

rise in Leicestershire. Thank you for the pictures, keep them coming

in. If we take a closer look, the high pressure is sitting right over

the UK. That is keeping conditions settled, dry, but bitterly cold.

Tonight is no exception. You can see that blue, that is depicting

frost. Most places will wake up to frost tomorrow morning.

Temperatures will plummet, minus three. Into minus figures. Tomorrow

morning, bitterly cold, frosty, the White Apaches will show fog -- b

White Apaches. Tomorrow, up to five Celsius, clear skies in the evening.

A rather more widespread fog expected. Sunday, waking up to fog,

some sunny spells developing in the afternoon, temperatures continue to