Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio

The new Dunstable bypass which opened this morning will be the springboard for major development around the town, according to Central Bedfordshire Council. 

The £160m project, linking the A5 to the M1, also includes the new junction 11A on the motorway.

The executive member for regeneration at Central Bedfordshire Council, Nigel Young, says the road will result in new homes and jobs.

"There's somewhere between 7,000-7,500 homes going up, and a new retail and commercial centre at junction 11A," he said.

While speaking to BBC Three Counties Radio, Councillor Young revealed a road linking the A6 to the M1 is next on the agenda.

"We have long talked about an A6-M1 link road to complete that circle across the north of Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Luton, and we've already got about £35m of government funding," he said.

Sarah Jenkins
BBC Local Live

The Dunstable bypass, which links the A5 to the M1, has opened to motorists this morning.

The road provides a connection from the A5 north of Dunstable to the new motorway Junction 11A close to the village of Chalton.

It's hoped this will ease congestion through the centre of Dunstable.

The executive member for regeneration at Central Bedfordshire Council, Nigel Young, says a lorry ban through Dunstable will be enforced by cameras and off-duty police officers.

"The ban started this morning, but there's still work to do," he said. 

"We've still got a lot of signs to uncover and erect.

"The signs are up banning lorries from going through Toddington. Signs will have to go up to prevent lorries going through Woburn."

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Airlander 10 landed successfully at 20:15 last night after its first flight since it nose-dived on landing in August.

The pilots did a practice run to check the approach before landing safely. 

The Hybrid Air Vehicles company was active on Twitter:

Simon Oxley
BBC Three Counties Radio

A woman pedestrian has died after being hit by a lorry in Buckinghamshire yesterday.

The 69-year-old died at the scene on Station Road in Bourne End near Marlow, just after 17:00.

Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses.

Lee Agnew
BBC Three Counties Radio

The long awaited Dunstable bypass has opened to traffic this morning, linking the A5 to the M1, north of the town.

The two-year, £160m project, also includes the new J11a on the M1 - which is also open.

Image source, Highways England

After decades of traffic congestion, it's hoped that the new bypass will ease the pressure on Dunstable town centre.

It provides a connection from the A5 north of Dunstable to the new motorway junction close to the village of Chalton.

An additional road, the Woodside Link, has also been built, giving lorries a direct route from Dunstable's Woodside industrial estate to the new junction.

Speed restrictions, which have been in place on the M1 during construction, are also being lifted today.

Image source, Highways England

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Shortly after Airlander 10 landed last night, Hybrid Air Vehicles, external (HAV) said "all objectives of the planned flight were accomplished". But what were they?

Well, there were three - all "successfully achieved":

• To conduct a full test flight – i.e. complete a safe take-off, flight and landing of the aircraft
• To establish basic handling characteristics of Airlander within a well-defined flight "envelope" including assessment of the new auxiliary landing system (ALS) - the giant inflatable feet
• To collect flight performance data such as handling, airspeed and all vehicle systems for post-flight analysis (this increases the understanding of the aircraft’s performance, capabilities and operating envelope)

HAV said the ALS performed as expected on landing, and the flight test team were very pleased with the initial analysis of this new addition to Airlander’s landing system.

Image source, Terry Harris

BBC Look East cameraman Andy Meeson took this footage of Airlander taking off yesterday at about 17:30.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

The world's largest aircraft - based in Bedfordshire - has successfully flown for the first time since it nose-dived on landing nine months ago.

The £25m Airlander - a combination of plane and airship - took off at about 17:30 yesterday at Cardington, and - more importantly - landed safely at 20:15.

Image source, Terry Harris

No-one was injured in last August's accident, but the airship's cockpit was effectively destroyed. The accident was due to the Airlander climbing to an excessive height because its mooring line caught on power cables, an Air Accidents Investigation Branch report found. 

The aircraft, which is the length of a football pitch (roughly 100 yds), was given a pair of "giant inflatable landing feet" as part of a package of improvements following the crash.

After last night's flight, Hybrid Air Vehicles, external said it was "delighted to announce a successful flight of the Airlander 10".

The company said that all objectives of the planned flight were accomplished and the aircraft was safely back at its masting site.

Chief test pilot, Dave Burns - who was on board with experimental test pilot, Simon Davies - said: "It was truly amazing to be back in the air.

"I loved every minute of the flight and the Airlander itself handled superbly. 

"I am eager to get back into the cockpit and take her flying again.”

Elizabeth Rizzini
BBC Look East weather

A chilly start to the morning with sunshine turning hazier as clouds spread up from the south.

A mostly dry day, although there's the chance of showers later.

Over the next few days it'll turn unsettled, with rain.

Temperatures reaching 20C (68F)

BBC Weather has more local forecasts.

Katy Lewis
BBC Local Live

Good morning and welcome to Thursday's live page for the three counties where we'll be bringing you the latest news, sport, travel and weather until 18:00.

There's a distinct transport feel to the page today. Not since the opening of the Baldock bypass has there been so much anticipation over a new piece of road. Well, this morning we can confirm that the long-awaited Dunstable bypass - linking the A5 to the M1 - has opened to traffic.

Plus, just as we were leaving the live updates last night, the Airlander 10 - the world's largest aircraft - had successfully taken off for the first time since it was damaged during a "heavy landing" nine months ago.

This morning, we'll let you know what happened next and how the company behind it feel about the test flight.

Image source, Terry Harris

Meanwhile, you can contact us at any time via email, Facebook, external or Twitter, external.      

A £25m aircraft completes a test flight for the first time since crash-landing nine months ago.

Boo. I know - I'm afraid that's it from us today. 

We'll be back with regular live updates again from 08:00 tomorrow.

Keep an eye on the Beds, Herts and Bucks site for more tonight on Airlander and any other breaking news in the region, and we'll recap on the giant aircraft's journey in the morning.

See you all again soon!

The £25m aircraft measures 302ft (92m) long and is about 50ft (15m) longer than the biggest passenger jets.  

Christened the Martha Gwyn, the aircraft was first developed for the US government as a surveillance aircraft but the project was shelved amid defence cutbacks.

British firm Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) launched a campaign to return the Airlander 10 to the skies in May 2015.

The huge aircraft will be able to stay airborne for around five days during manned flights.

HAV claims it could be used for a variety of functions such as surveillance, communications, delivering aid and even passenger travel.

The company hopes to be building 10 Airlanders a year by 2021.

It's been hoped for weeks that the Airlander 10 would return to the skies.

If you can cast your minds back to last year, its maiden flight was on 17 August and it captured the hearts of aircraft fanatics and the general public.

However, the 302ft (92m) long aircraft - which is part plane and part airship - nosedived on its second test flight while landing back at Cardington Airfield and suffered damage to its cockpit. 

A subsequent report found it crash-landed after climbing to an excessive height because its mooring line became caught on power cables.

To solve the problem, engineers built giant inflatable feet and it's undergone many tests in its hangar since.

Last month it was given permission to fly again and today, the weather's been good, and it's up, up and away!

Louise Hubball
BBC Look East

We've been waiting for weeks and weeks and finally the world's longest aircraft - the £25m Airlander 10 - has taken to the sunny skies over Bedfordshire.

Louise Hubball
BBC Look East

After a long wait, Airlander has taken to the skies...

BBC Weather

It will stay fine and dry this evening but a clear night with chilly spells follows. 

Rural locations could see a ground frost with lows of about 3C - that's 37F. 

Image source, BBC Weather

Tomorrow will start sunny but it will turn cloudier from the south later. 

Staying mostly dry with a few spots of showery rain later. Highs of up to 20C, that's 68F. 

BBC Weather has more local forecasts.