demolished

A Victorian train station is closing down for over two years amid network upgrades.

Rail commuters are bracing themselves as the station is set to be demolished.

Ravensthorpe station, near Dewsbury, will be shutting down from Sunday, December 14 until the summer of 2028.

Brits traveling between Ravensthorpe and Dewsbury will be offered a rail replacement bus service during the closure.

The new, modernised station will re-open 200 metres west from its current location.

Ravensthorpe station will boast a step-free access, shiny new lifts, and a modern footbridge linking platforms.

NIGHT FLIGHT

Major UK airport to get £30m upgrade but your late flight could be cancelled

ALL CHANGE

Strict new rules introduced for two MONTHS across popular winter sun spot

A revamped forecourt will make it easier for cars to drop off passengers, while a longer island platform means bigger trains and more seats for commuters.

It’s all part of the massive Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) which focuses on rebuilding huge chunks of the northern rail network.

Engineers are putting in a new four-track railway through the old and new station sites, plus a brand-new Baker Viaduct.

Once complete, it’ll let faster trains overtake slower ones, cutting journey times across the North.

Electric lines are also going up, paving the way for greener, quicker services in the years ahead.

The Ravensthorpe triangle, one of the largest civil engineering sites in the nation, is currently the subject of extensive work.

As part of the road and track realignment work, notable projects to date include the placement of piers for the new Baker Viaduct, the installation of concrete beams to form the new Calder Road bridge, and utility diversions on Thornhill Road.

Andrew Allwright, TRU Programme Delivery Lead for Northern, said: “The work to upgrade Ravensthorpe railway station will support the efforts that the Transpennine Route Upgrade is doing to deliver a fully accessible railway that is fit for the 21st century.

“When Ravensthorpe station closes, from Sunday 14 December until the May timetable change in 2026, Northern will be running a rail replacement service between Ravensthorpe and Dewsbury, connecting to services for a number of destinations, to ensure our customers can continue to travel with as little impact to their journeys as possible.

“We recognise that the work taking place will lead to extended journey times for customers travelling from Ravensthorpe and thank them for their continued patience.”

WASHINGTON — The entire White House East Wing has been demolished as President Trump moves forward with a ballroom construction, Associated Press photos on Thursday showed.

The East Wing, where first ladies created history, planned state dinners and promoted causes, is now history itself. The two-story structure of drawing rooms and offices, including workspace for first ladies and their staffs, has been turned into rubble, demolished as part of the Republican president’s plan to build what he said is now a $300-million ballroom nearly twice the size of the White House.

Trump said Wednesday that keeping the East Wing would have “hurt a very, very expensive, beautiful building” that he said presidents have wanted for years.

He said “me and some friends of mine” will pay for the ballroom at no cost to taxpayers.

Trump allowed the demolition to begin this week despite not yet having approval from the relevant government agencies with jurisdiction over construction on federal property.

Preservationists have also urged the Trump administration to halt the demolition until plans for the 90,000-square-foot ballroom can go through the required public review process.

Superville writes for the Associated Press.

The crackdown on “illegally built” buildings at the world-famous Bingin Beach in Uluwatu, Bali began on Monday, drawing huge crowds of angry locals and surfers to gather

Huge tearful crowds formed as hordes of officials destroyed villas and restaurants at a beloved beach.

The crackdown on “illegally built” buildings at the world-famous Bingin Beach in Uluwatu, Bali began on Monday.

The destination is incredibly popular among Australians and global surfers in southern Bali, yet has become a source of frustration for local politicians. Local government officials say none of the buildings have been built with the correct permits, ABC News reported.

Bali’s governor, I Wayan Koster, marched to the beach alongside demolition workers armed with crowbars and sledge hammers. “The buildings for tourism businesses here are illegal — that’s it. We should not let this practice continue. If we let this go on, Bali will be damaged,” he said.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email [email protected]

Owners of the targeted businesses wailed and screamed in distress as their livelihoods were torn apart by the workers. As they were unable to bring in heavy machinery due to the buildings’ steep cliff-side construction, they smashed tables and doors to smithereens during the government-enforced demolitions.

ABC News reported that a Balinese woman screamed out: “This is how the bureaucrats work. They’ve demolished our livelihoods.” News.com.au reports that some travellers have had their bookings voided at the popular destination due to the demolition works.

Authorities have denied rumours that the demolition was carried out so a high-end resort can be built.

Eleven-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater took to social media to condemn the move. He wrote: “Awful to hear and see that the beachfront at Bingin in Bali has been bought up and all the local (eateries) and other businesses will be demolished to make room for some kind of beach club and not sure what else?

“Bali has been completely mishandled and ruined by foreign interests in recent years. I hope something can be done to retain the culture and beauty of what attracted everyone there in the first place.”

Known as the “Island of the Gods,” Bali is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. Yet, the influx of visitors has also led to numerous problems, including disruptive behavior from tourists drawn to the island’s idyllic beaches, vibrant food scene, rich cultural heritage, affordable accommodation, and the promise of luxury indulgence.

While tourism has been a major economic driver—accounting for over 60% of Bali’s economy in 2019—many locals have developed mixed feelings about it. The island has struggled with overwhelming traffic, uncontrolled development, and a growing number of poorly behaved tourists.

In 2023, more than five million foreign tourists visited Bali, which has a population of just four million. The island has had several tourist scandals recently, including a visitor who was criticised for posing naked in front of a sacred tree in 2023.

American travel publication Fodor’s has placed Bali on its ‘perennial no list’, urging people not to travel there and further add to the island’s woes. “This post-pandemic travel rebound has only intensified the strain on the island. While this influx has boosted the economy, it has also placed overwhelming pressure on Bali’s infrastructure. Once-pristine beaches like Kuta and Seminyak are now buried under piles of trash, with local waste management systems struggling to keep up,” Fodors writes.

Earlier this year, faced with the challenges of overtourism, officials in Bali proposed introducing a daily tourist tax, similar to Bhutan’s $100 (€£79) Sustainable Development Fee, which is charged to most international visitors.

Wayan Puspa Negara, head of the Bali Marginal Tourism Actors Alliance and a lawmaker in Bali’s Badung regency, told the South China Morning Post that he envisions Bali “selecting” tourists, much like Bhutan does. The Himalayan nation restricts its annual tourist intake to just 400,000 people and has previously charged up to $250 (£198) per day for visitors, Euronews reports. Tourists are also obliged to hire a guide, driver and transport from any official tour agency.