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AN AMBITIOUS new project linking two major cities could cut travel time significantly for drivers.

The project hopes to also boost local economies and better protect the environment.

A 14-mile tunnel has been proposed beneath the Peak District Mountains to make it easier to link Manchester and Sheffield.

The Norway-inspired dual carriageway would send traffic underground and potentially cut driving time by as much as 30 minutes.

In addition to this, the Woodhead railway line between the two cities would be restored after decades of being inactive.

The fast line between Manchester and Sheffield was closed to the public in the 1970s and then entirely in 1981.

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Future Works, a group of infrastructure experts, believe this tunnel can be done for just under £2bn and improve the links between key northern cities.

Michael Dnes, the co-founder of Future Works, said he had guilt about not getting this product off the ground years ago when he worked for the Department for Transport.

When he left in 2024, he looked to Norway for a way to get the plan up and running for cheaper than £10bn, the cost of a similar shelved government scheme.

A spokesperson for Future Works, said: “High demand for the route means that the project could pay for itself, without the need for Westminster funding.

“Scandinavian tunnels are often owned by local councils, who recover the costs through tolls. Equally, northern pension funds have hundreds of billions in investment capital that could be mobilised to build the project.

“They aim to create a shovel-ready scheme, and to bring this through the planning system faster than the 10+ year processes that have become the norm in UK planning.

“Work could begin before the end of the decade, with the road and railway open in the mid-2030s.”

PUSSYCAT DOLLS have cut their ticket sales in half across some of their UK gigs following their reunion tour axe. 

Back in May, the trio were forced to scrap their North American shows after failing to sell enough tickets. 

The girl group, featuring Nicole Scherzinger, 48, Ashley Roberts, 44, and Kimberly Wyatt, 44, are due to launch their comeback later this year. 

There are eight scheduled tour dates set up and down the UK for fans to enjoy but it has now been revealed that the price for four of them have been discounted. 

The sale is a part of a promotion for the AXS 2026 Summer Sale, and includes shows in Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle and London. 

The sale will run till July 15, giving fans time to grab the discounted tickets but having slashed ticket prices before it remains unclear whether this will boost sales. 

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For their tour across the pond, the girls struggled to sell tickets despite cutting prices to $30, and several dates still had as much as 80 percent of the seats available. 

They had planned 33 dates across the US and Canada, starting in Palm Desert, California, on June 5. 

Rehearsals were delayed and had not formally started before the plug was pulled.

They then went on to announce the news in a group statement, they said: “When we announced the PCD Forever Tour, we hoped to bring the show to fans across the world.

“After taking an honest look at the North American run, we’ve made the difficult and heartbreaking decision to cancel all but one of the North America dates.”

But speaking about the Europe and UK leg, they added: “We are putting everything into making this show a true celebration of the music and the memories.”

The European leg of the PCD Forever tour is due to begin in Copenhagen on September 9.

And Insiders have insisted their ticket sales have been far better in Europe than in North America, with shows in Warsaw and Paris already sold out.

The cancellation was another setback for the girl group, who also cancelled their last reunion tour.

They announced in 2019 that they were launching a comeback as a five-piece along with former members Carmit Bachar and Jessica Sutta, with shows across the UK, Europe, Asia, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

However, it was delayed due to Covid and was eventually axed due to a disagreement between frontwoman Nicole and the band’s founder Robin Antin, on which they reached a confidential settlement last September following a lawsuit.

The Dolls, who had eight Top Ten hits including No1s Don’t Cha and Stickwitu between 2005 and 2009, announced their return as a trio in March when they dropped their new single Club Song.

AUGUST flights don’t come cheap, but there are some serious savings to be found this summer as airlines slash prices to entice Brits who’ve been nervous about booking because of the Iran war.

Sun Travel has worked with Skyscanner to find some of the cheapest flights that are actually during the school holidays – with some as little as £23 each way.

Follow The Sun’s award-winning travel team on Instagram and Tiktok for top holiday tips and inspiration @thesuntravel.

Working with Skyscanner, Sun Travel has crunched the numbers and discovered where Brits can find the cheapest flights that are actually in the school summer holidays.

Some destinations have dropped prices significantly since last summer including favourites like Venice and Nice.

Starting with Venice, an economy return flight starts from £46pp in August this year – which is down by 14 per cent from August 2025.

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Famous for its waterways, the beautiful city is one of the most visited in Italy.

And if you travel out of the city, there are charming Italian seaside villages peppered along the Adriatic coast.

Don’t forget to stop by Burano an island in the Venetian Lagoon with pretty rainbow-coloured fisherman’s houses.

A little closer to home, return flights to the French city of Nice start from £48pp – which is a decrease of 19 per cent.

The city is perfect for Brits as it can be reached in as little as two hours and August has highs of 27C so it’s perfect for basking on its pretty beaches.

From Nice, it’s an easy train ride along the Cote D’Azur to some of France’s most beautiful seaside towns like Cannes, Villefranche Sur Mer and Antibes.

Return flights to the German city of Berlin start from £49pp this summer which is 10 per cent less than last year.

The city has plenty of history as well as vibrant murals and nightlife.

And while it isn’t very close to the seaside, Germany and neighbouring Switzerland which is easily reached by train, have stunning countryside and lakeside retreats that are the perfect temperature in mid-summer.

Although, just an hour’s drive from the city centre is Großer Wannsee – it’s a large lake and is actually considered one of ‘Europe’s largest inland lidos’.

It’s a popular summer swim spot and place for a summer daytrip.

When it comes to the flights with the biggest drop in prices return flights to Cape Town in South Africa are down 20 per cent with an average price from £689pp.

It’s not the warmest time of year to visit Cape Town, but in August visitors can enjoy whale-watching and views of Table Mountain.

It’s also one of the cheapest bucket list destinations, with everything from safari to vineyards and stunning seaside towns all easily reached from the South African capital.

Another destination that Skyscanner recommends as being cheap with affordable flights is Dortmund in Germany – with an average flight of £72.

The German city is famous for its football culture and highlights its huge Signal Iduna Park and the exhibits at the German Football Museum.

Thanks to its location, both Munster and Dusseldorf are around an hour in each direction by car for those who fancy other city daytrips.

Meanwhile, in the Calabria region in southern Italy, you’ll find the port city of Crotone – where return flights start as little as £62pp.

It once a Greek colony that was the home of Pythagoras.

Visitors should head to Crotone’s harbour which is central to the city and a lively spot for local seafood markets and restaurants.

The Old Town is the spot for nightlife too, with plenty of bars and a pint can be picked up for only €3 (£2.59).

It’s known for its floating fortress off Capo Rizzuto.

Prices correct at the time of publication

AIRLINES are cutting the price of flights to encourage nervous Brits to book their holidays.

Experts have already warned that in the long term, flights are going to go up in price.

Last week, British Airways owner IAG said prices will inevitably go up, with Virgin Atlantic adding surcharges on its long-haul flights.

However, the cost of flights – especially across Europe – is actually dropping right now because of the ongoing uncertainty.

This includes not only fears of a jet fuel shortage, but also concerns over the cost of living, with food and fuel prices being pushed up as well.

According to the FT, the cost of flights to 27 of the top 50 European destinations when travelling in July has dropped in recent weeks.

Some routes in mainland Europe dropped as much as 44 per cent, while a number of UK routes, such as London Heathrow to Nice, London Gatwick to Barcelona and Manchester to Palma, all dropped by at least 10 per cent.

The Sun’s Head of Travel and expert of more than 30 years, Lisa Minot, explained what this means for your holiday.

She said: “Airlines and tour operators face an impossible choice right now as they attempt to get Brits booking.

“As the US / Iran war drags on into its fourth month, news of jet fuel shortages and fuel surcharges has led to a dramatic drop in bookings as the travelling public is paralysed with indecision.

“While many of our favourite airlines and tour operators are confident in the price – and availability – of jet fuel for the summer months, convincing us to book has proved more difficult.

“When the good times roll, supply and demand can see prices skyrocket.

“Conversely, when the outlook is less sunny, that demand drops and so do prices.”

Chris Webber, Head of Holidays and Deals at TravelSupermarket, told Sun Travel about some of the places that are seeing prices drop.

He explained: “What’s really striking is just how many short-haul European destinations are actually cheaper than they were before the conflict began.

“Italy is leading the way, with the Neapolitan Riviera down £232 per person to £905, the Amalfi Coast £126 cheaper at £1,073, and the Italian Lakes down £122 to £714.

“Spain‘s La Palma has fallen from £120 to £474, making it one of the best-value options on the market right now.

“Turkey is also seeing significant drops across the board — Bodrum is down £118 to £579, Dalaman is £110 cheaper at £492, and Antalya has fallen £90 to £520.

“The Greek islands are following suit, with Corfu down £83 to £568 and Skiathos down £82 to £844, while mainstream favourite Majorca is £86 cheaper at £581.

“Holiday companies are keen to get bookings moving, and that’s likely filtering through into some very competitive pricing right now.”

Wizz Air‘s chief executive József Váradi warned the “level of hesitancy” is causing the drop in bookings, previously telling the BBC: “That level of hesitancy can be overcome through price stimulation. So, short term, you are actually seeing prices dropping.”

Barclays analyst Andrew Lobbenberg backed this up, saying: “People are reluctant to book, they are booking late, and the airline and holiday companies are having to incentivise them with lower prices.”

TUI has some huge bargains for July still, especially to places like Corfu and Turkey.

Seven nights at Odysseus hotel just before the summer holidays is £275pp, with other stays coming in under £340pp.

Hard-hit destinations have seen holiday prices plummet, too.

Egypt is still on the safe travel list and hasn’t been drawn into the Iran war, but has seen holiday prices drop.

All-inclusive holidays for a week can be found for under £500pp in July – or ditch the food package, and there are deals from £419 each.

If you can wait until next year, seven-night, all-inclusive holidays for as little as £269pp with loveholidays in January 2027.

Turkey all-inclusive holidays are even cheaper, starting from £229pp for a week’s holiday – or travel in July for breaks still under £330pp.

Brits who are nervous about booking a trip abroad right now should look at booking package holidays instead, Lisa advised.

UK tour operators are ATOL protected, meaning your money is protected if your trip is cancelled.

This isn’t the case if booking flights and hotels separately.

But if you want to take the risk? You could find some mega cheap flight deals, which might be the last time for a while.

Lisa added: “With prices tumbling as the industry tempts us back into the skies, for the late deal hunters, things are looking good.”

PLANNING a holiday, staycation or day out should be exciting but eye-watering prices can turn it into a wallet-draining nightmare.

But you don’t have to pay full whack. From dirt-cheap flights to cut-price hotels and bargain days out, there are loads of easy ways to cut the costs.

Whether you’re chasing a last-minute break, a cheap stay or discounted tickets, here’s how to do it for less and keep more cash in your pocket.

Websites

Secret Flying

The Secret Flying website hunts out super-cheap deals and “error fares” – bargain flights caused by pricing glitches – and links you straight to booking sites like Skyscanner.

It’s free to use and lists offers by region, but you’ll need to be flexible on dates and destinations to bag the best ones.

The biggest bargains sell out fast, so it’s worth signing up for alerts to stay one step ahead.

Holiday Hypermarket

Holiday Hypermarket is owned by the TUI group and is the discount website for TUI holidays where they guarantee that you won’t find a TUI, Marella or Crystal holiday cheaper anywhere else.

With up to 70 per cent off brochure prices, they sell a lot of last minute breaks – but with the same TUI flights, hotels and transfers.

Luxury Escapes

A website that offers high end holidays at affordable prices is Luxury Escapes.

They negotiate directly with hotels to get good deals on holiday bundles, including flights, accommodation and extras like free cocktails, massages and childcare.

Hostelworld

If you’re looking for something cheap and cheerful and don’t mind bunking up with other people then Hostelworld is a useful tool.

It will help you to search for hostels in the destination you’re heading to and compare prices.

It can also find hostels with private rooms too if you don’t want to share.

Cashback sites

While it might not save you money on you’re current holiday – it could save you some cash on the next one.

At Quidco you can get at as much as 3.75 per cent on an EasyJet holiday (which works out at as £11 back on a £300 trip)

Or there is hotels.com, which gives you seven per cent cashback (£14 if you book a hotel for two nights at £200).

Other brands include TUI, British Airways, Trainline and Skyscanner. so it is worth checking if you can claim anything before you book.

Apps

02 Priority

If your phone contract is with O2, then you really should download Priority.

In addition to entering competitions to win holidays, you can often get discounts on holiday packages, concerts, and events.

For example, you can get four tickets to Vue cinemas for £18 or two for £9.

Or save £220 when you spend £2,000 with lastminute.com.

MiXR.

The MiXR. app shows local pubs, clubs and bars where you can reserve a table and pre-book food or drink packages.

But it can also get you savings.

Each time you spend money on your linked card at a partnered bar or pub, you’ll get points.

Get to 5,000 points and you’ll have a £5 voucher (each £1 you spend you get 50 points).

There are also offers on the app including 25 per cent off Camden Hells beer.

Dusk

Dusk dubs itself ‘the free drink app’ and it isn’t lying.

The app shows you which bars and pubs in your area have deals on and the exact route to get there.

If you scroll, you’ll find specific venues have a sticker on them offering a free drink.

For example, it could say ‘free espresso martinis on Monday at 3pm’, which means you can get that drink for free if you visit that specific venue at the given time.

Some of the venues are marked with yellow stars which means you can earn points too.

Once you’ve collected a number of points you can exchange for drinks.

For example, 200 points gets you a free bottle of prosecco at Be At One, 500 points can get you 50 per cent off at Karaoke Room and so on.

You can use Dusk in a number of cities across the UK including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Brighton, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Cambridge, Oxford, Cardiff, Sheffield, Bath, Exeter, Norwich, Bournemouth, Hull and York.

Eat Club

Having only launched in the UK last year, Eat Club is now available in London and Manchester.

The app shows you nearby restaurants that have spare tables, great for last-minute plans.

You can also get great discounts, such as up to 50 per cent off of your bill.

Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is an app that prevents food waste by selling off items leftover at the end of the day.

The app is partnered with a number of brands including Greggs and Pizza Express.

If you jump onto the app and use the map function, you will find stores near you that have bags of food to sell for a few quid before the end of the day.

Having used the app numerous times, I usually pay around £3.50 for a bag that contains over £20 worth of food.

I have even used it in New York, when finding a budget lunch option seemed impossible.

Unidays

If you are a student or recent graduate, you should sign up to an account with Unidays.

It is free to joing, you’ll just need your student email and then you can make savings such as getting two Cineworld tickets for £13 and 30 per cent off Hilton hotel stays.

Student Beans

Similar to the above, Student Beans is a discount app for anyone studying. With a student email you can benefit from discounts such as 25 per cent off of National Express travel and 10 per cent off of Ryanair flights.

Cheapskate London

Cheapskate London is a free newsletter released each Monday that shares the best free and cheap things to do across the capital.

It’s a really useful tool for the school holidays too.

Previous free events include educational talks, family activity sessions at museums, and even building your own wormery.

Accor

If you subscribe to the Accor newsletter, you will typically get 10 per cent off hotel stays.

You’ll also get exclusive offers and personalised deals.

Nectar

If you shop at Sainsbury’s and don’t have a Nectar account then you’re really missing out.

When you do your weekly food shop, you’ll rack up points which you can then use on your holiday.

For example, you can spend your points on Eurostar journeys, British Airways flights and more.

Avios

Avios are loyalty points that you can collect and use mainly with British Airways for flights, hotels and upgrades.

You can earn them by flying with British Airways or its partners, as long as you have an account.

If you build up enough points, you can purchase flights and pay only a small cash fee for admin such as tax and fees.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy’s hotel loyalty programme is free to join and covers around 10,000 destinations across the globe.

Members earn points with each stay and then the points can be redeemed on free nights at Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

Hilton Honors

Hilton Honors is free to join, and much like Marriott Bonvoy, is the hotel’s loyalty programme.

Members earn points on stays and everyday activities which can then be redeemed on free stays and experiences as well.

Members tend to get 10 points per £1 spent.

Paid-for memberships

The Nudge

Costing just £5 per month The Nudge is an insider’s guide to London and often reports on the latest openings in the capital.

The discounts are easy to find on the app and include deals like 40 per cent off at Greek seafood restaurant Kimu in Marylebone or 50 per cent off food at The Culpeper in Spitalfields.

There are also discounts on events such as 50 per cent off of tickets to Burger Fest in Richmond and even pampering treatments like £50 off facials at Skinwork in Soho or 40 per cent off access to Lowlu open-air sauna in Kentish Town.

The Nudge will also run member events such as exclusive supper clubs.

Blue Light

If you work in the NHS or the emergency services, you probably already know about Blue Light.

Blue Light, which costs £4.99 for a two-year membership, gets you discounts at major brands, restaurants and entertainment venues as well as £100 off your TUI holiday or 15 per cent off Away Resorts.

You can even get a discount on airport parking, such as five per cent at London Gatwick.

Railcard

Railcards aren’t just for youngsters, there are all sorts of railcards you can get.

In general, they will get you a third off most rail fares and cost between £30 and £35 each year.

Different railcards include 16-25-year-olds, 26-30-year-olds, Senior (over 60 years old) and Disabled Persons.

There’s also a Family and Friends Railcard which gets adults a third off their rail fare and then 60 per cent off kids’ rail fares if they are aged between five and 15 years old.

Trusted Housesitters

Accommodation costs can bump up the total cost of your holiday, but there is a way around this.

With Trusted Housesitters, you can head to someone’s home and stay there while they are away and all you need to do is look after their pet.

It operates in 180 countries and essentially is a win-win system as the person going away needs a pet sitter and you want somewhere to stay.

Members pay an annual fee to use the platform, which range from £99 to £199.

Dis-loyalty

Dis-loyalty is a travel and food membership that costs £12 a month to join.

In return, you’ll earn points and get discounts on hotel stays, such as 50 per cent off newly opened hotels.

You can also grab a free hot drink each day at one of the membership’s participating locations.

Days Out with the Kids

Days Out with the Kids is the perfect site if you are looking for inspiration during the weekends or school holidays.

The website is partnered with over 8,500 attractions across the UK, and offers members access to exclusive discounts.

The membership costs £4.99 per month, but according to the website, it saves families an average of £12.99 per trip.

Hols from £9.50

If you want to head to a holiday park in the UK or Europe, The Sun’s Hols from £9.50 has over 20 holiday parks to choose from.

To benefit from the £9.50 deal, you have to collect five codewords printed in the paper over a set period of time and enter them on the Sun Holidays website.

Alternatively, to avoid needing a passcode you can join Sun Club for £1.99.

For more offers on holidays travel companies have revealed the cheapest places to book – with week-long holidays from £189.

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