Morning readers, hope you had a good weekend.

Today we bring you news of a spike in vehicle crime across the borough, bus changes brought in yesterday and a published list of road resurfacing works planned to combat the pothole epidemic.

Best wishes and see you tomorrow.

David Bratton - Editor

Police issue warning to drivers as vehicle crime spikes in Gedling borough

Motorists in Gedling borough are being urged to tighten up their security after police reported a rise in vehicle crime across the area.

Officers say many of the incidents could have been avoided with a few simple precautions — and they’re calling on drivers to take extra care, whether they’re parking up for the night or just popping into a shop for a minute.

Police say too many thieves are still finding cars left unlocked.

A spokesman said: “Even vehicles parked on driveways or left unattended while filling up at petrol stations are being targeted. Drivers are being told to double‑check doors, windows and sunroofs.

“Criminal gangs are also on the lookout for cars with fold‑in wing mirrors. If the mirrors are still out, it’s a clear sign the vehicle hasn’t been locked.”

Modern cars are harder to steal — unless thieves get hold of the key or fob.

Officers warn that criminals are using “fishing” techniques, hooking keys through letterboxes using sticks and wire. Drivers are being urged to keep keys out of sight and away from doors and windows.

Anyone selling a car is also being told never to let a potential buyer walk off with the keys, even briefly, as they could be cloned.

Police say keyless entry systems remain a major target.

Thieves only need to get within a few metres of a key to capture its signal and trick the car into unlocking and starting. Officers recommend storing keys — and spares — in a Faraday pouch and checking regularly that the pouch still blocks signals.

Drivers are also being advised to switch off wireless functions on fobs when not in use and to reprogramme keys when buying second‑hand cars.

Officers say motorists should avoid dark, quiet streets and instead choose well‑lit, busy areas — even if it means a slightly longer walk.

Car parks with the Park Mark safety award are also recommended.

Police say thieves can break into a car in under 30 seconds — and they’ll do it for loose change, sunglasses or a phone cable.

Drivers are being urged to:

• Remove valuables or hide them out of sight
• Take wallets, handbags and bank cards with them
• Wipe away sat‑nav suction marks
• Remove mounts, cables and other clues that gadgets may be inside

Items left on roof racks, tailgate racks or in external tool boxes are easy pickings. Officers say drivers should remove them or secure them properly.

Number plates should be fitted with tamper‑resistant screws, and alloy wheels protected with locking wheel nuts, as both are frequently stolen.

Vans remain a prime target

Tools stored in vans overnight continue to attract thieves.

Police recommend marking tools with a name or company details, storing them in a lockable cabinet inside the van, and fitting small internal cameras.

Registration and insurance documents should never be left in a vehicle. “Thieves can use them to pose as the owner and sell the car on,” A spokesman said..

Major changes rolled out to bus network in Gedling borough

Nottingham City Transport officially rolled out its big network overhaul of services in Gedling borough (21) — and for thousands of bus users, the timetable you thought you knew may look very different.

NCT says every route has been put under the microscope, with the shake‑up aimed at keeping services financially afloat as passenger numbers continue to lag behind pre‑pandemic levels. The operator reports around 1 in 10 fewer riders each year, blaming hybrid working, online shopping and years of disruptive roadworks for the slump. A 50% rise in the national Bus Fare Cap in early 2025 hasn’t helped either, with NCT’s own passenger numbers dipping 3.77% in the last year.

On top of that, the cost of running the network is climbing — from insurance and tax to bus parts and wages — even though NCT locked in fuel and energy prices before global spikes hit.

Head of Operations David Conway said the new timetable reflects “in‑depth analysis of passenger travel patterns”, adding that some quieter routes simply couldn’t be justified anymore. “Whilst there are reductions in some areas, we’ve been able to improve frequencies and connections where buses remain popular,” he said.

What’s staying the same?

If you use one of the main daytime routes, your service level should look pretty familiar — though times may have shifted.

What’s changing?

Expect fewer buses on Saturday mornings before 9am and in the evenings across the week, as NCT trims quieter periods to protect busy daytime services. Parts of several routes — including Lilac 24 — have been replaced or rerouted.

Some day ticket prices have increased for the first time in 15 months. City Zone day tickets will increase by 20p for Adults and Under 19s to £5.70 and £3.70 respectively. A Grouprider will be £10 and a Network Grouprider will be £15. The all day ticket for Dogs will increase to £1.50.

But it’s not all cuts. Some areas are actually getting a boost:

• New Red 45 links connecting Carlton, Gedling, Colwick Industrial Estate and Daleside Road Retail Parks
• A tidier, more frequent setup for Top Valley and Rise Park

The full changes are documented in our article HERE

Nottinghamshire County Council has listed the nine worst roads in Gedling borough they want to repair by the end of 2026

Nottinghamshire County Council has published a list of the worst roads in Gedling borough which are due to be repaired.

The Reform-led authority has been steamrolling its various programmes to repair Nottinghamshire’s crumbling, dilapidated roads since early 2026, following a September 2025 survey which found 38 percent of roads were in ‘poor condition’

In February, it announced a £2 million ’emergency’ pot of money would go towards road fixes across sites deemed in immediate need.

The following month, a ‘game-changing’ £122.5 million ‘phase one’ sum was announced to be pumped into fixing the county’s road network in 2026/27.

This total was then brought up to £181.25 million when its phase two scheme for 2026/27 was announced in April, adding an extra £58.75 million.

Around £11.2 million of the phase two pot was already earmarked that month to be set aside for the so-called ‘Worst First’ roads, where each councillor at the authority could submit three key roads in the areas they represent to be put forward for priority works.

More than 150 councillor requests for roads to be resurfaced were put forward and highway officers and staff have now narrowed this down to sites which met the requirements for full resurfacing.

Speaking on the new priority scheme, Council leader, Mick Barton (Reform), said “it’s brilliant stuff”, adding: “All three priority roads by each councillor will be addressed in some way or another.

“The ones that haven’t made this [scheme] for resurfacing or surface dressing will still get maintained in some way by JCB patch repairs or the first time crews.”

In May, the authority’s two new leased JCB Pothole Pro machines began works on roads, where the machines will be trialled by the authority for 12 months.

Cllr Barton said each of the priority works will be done by the end of this year and said Reform UK’s headquarters were using the County Council as an example for what can be done for local roads.

He continued: “Councillors know their areas the best and work closely with their communities, so it’s also the community having a say.

“It’s going to have a massive difference across the county. This year, what we’re doing with highways, that’s the Reform way.”

Here is the full list of the nine locations set for repairs in Gedling borough…

• Resurfacing of A60 Mansfield Road, Arnold – from the Ram Inn near Henry Street to Arch Hill Layby – £200,000 to £250,000
• Resurfacing of A60 Mansfield Road, Woodthorpe, from the junction at Woodthorpe Drive to the junction at A6514 Valley Road – £400,000 to £500,000
• Resurfacing of Killisick Road, Arnold, from Gleneagles Drive to Parry Way – £100,000 to £150,000
• Resurfacing of Valley Road, Carlton, from Marshall Hill Drive to Foxhill Road – £400,000 to £500,000
• Resurfacing of Birchfield Road, Arnold, from Oakdale Road to Homefield Avenue – £250,000 to £300,000
• Gunthorpe Road, Gedling, from Stanhope Road to Bayliss Road – £100,000 to £150,000
• Resurfacing of Hilton Road, Mapperley – whole road length – £250,000 to £300,000
• Resurfacing of Godfrey Street, Netherfield – whole road length – £100,000 to £150,000
• Resurfacing of Whittingham Road, Mapperley, from Haywood Road to Kent Road – £50,000 to £100,000

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🌦️ Weather Update

Dry with plenty of hazy sunshine. Widely warm and humid with light winds. Tonight will become cloudier as a band of heavy, perhaps thundery, showers moves in during the evening. Drier with clearer spells during the later part of the night.

Tuesday will be fine with further sunshine, temperatures continuing to increase to become hot. A warm and humid night to follow.