Daragh Corcoran
BBC Radio Leeds

Businesses in West Yorkshire are warning customers will have to pay more to cover the extra costs of paperwork for the latest customs checks required following Britain's departure from the EU.

Image source, Getty Images

Although the United Kingdom left the EU in January 2020, most customs rules were not imposed on the British side until 1 January this year.

There are now full border checks, and importers on both sides of the Channel have to fill out more complex paperwork.

BBC Radio Leeds has spoken to several companies who said 45 pages of documents had to be filled out to import some products, such as swordfish.

Jamie Kellet (pictured above) runs a food import/export business in Morley, Leeds.

Mr Kellett said: "It's probably going to mean more queues at ports, longer wait times. Prices are going up 10 to 20%."

Daniel Darassi, who runs a company which imports food from Italy, told the BBC he has had to stop importing anchovies because the "the cost is almost double" what it was before.

And fresh food could be stopped at the border, according to customs agent Grant McWilliams from Bosun Logistics in Leeds, jeopardising "yoghurt being exported from Holmfirth out to Europe".

However, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the government would "go further and faster" to take advantage of the "enormous potential that our new freedoms bring" in 2022.

Tributes have been paid to a "dedicated" York student after a body found in the River Thames was confirmed to be Harvey Parker.

Image source, Met Police

Mr Parker (pictured), 20, from Lambeth, south London, was last seen leaving Heaven nightclub by Charing Cross station in Westminster at about 02:15 on 17 December.

Officers recovered the body near to Embankment, Westminster, after being alerted by the RNLI shortly before midday on Tuesday.

Dr Aine Sheil, music department head at the University of York, said: "Staff and students in the Department of Music are deeply shocked and saddened by the death of our student.

"Harvey was a dedicated BA Music student who will be remembered in particular for his wonderful flute playing and all-round musicianship."

Dr Sheil added: "Harvey was an active member of instrumental and vocal ensembles, and was very popular with his peers.

"He had a bright future ahead of him and our thoughts at this very sad time are with his family and friends and the students and staff he got to know at the university."

Local Democracy Reporting Service

A new gyratory through a former park in Barnsley will open to traffic next week.

Image source, LDRS

Thousands of people signed a petition in 2018 to stop the new road scheme being built on the site of Penny Pie Park in a bid to ease congestion from J37 of the M1 into the town centre.

The gyratory is now due to open to traffic on 14 January.

The council says journey times into the town centre have almost trebled in less than two decades, from a morning rush hour average of 10 minutes in 2000 to around 27 minutes today, and a “long-term” solution was needed.

Ahead of the planned opening, Pogmoor Road will be closed overnight from the railway bridge to Garden Court, from 11 January to 14 January, the council says.

It will be closed from 20:00 to 05:00 for road surfacing and traffic will be diverted.

Image source, Google

Councillor Tim Cheetham said: "Works will include connecting the existing road to the new gyratory.

"To enable this to happen, the gyratory will be opened in phases that will coincide with the switching on of the new traffic controls during the spring."

An extra £3m for the project was granted in October 2020, taking the total cost of the scheme to £7.4m.

Port Vale sign Huddersfield Town's 19-year-old striker Kian Harratt on loan for the rest of the season.

Former workers at the Bridgewood plastics factory thank the local community for its support.

Lincolnshire's "pothole plague" comes as the council faces a big gap in funding to repair roads.

A man arrested after a woman's body was found at a residential property in a North Yorkshire village is a 33-year-old from Leeds, police have confirmed.

Image source, Google

Police said they were called to a "serious incident" at a house in High Street, Thornton-le-Dale, near Pickering, shortly before midday on Wednesday.

Officers said they believe the death of a local woman, which is being treated as a murder, is an isolated incident.

The force says continued policing activity will take place at the address in the coming days and the public can expect to see an increased police presence in the local area.

Anyone with information which could assist the investigation has been asked to contact police by calling 101.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice in parts of West, South and North Yorkshire.

The officer is recovering from cuts and bruises after crashing into a car which failed to stop.

BBC Radio York

An £11m investment plan to cut traffic and open up more public space in Harrogate town centre will help boost the local economy, North Yorkshire County Council says.

Image source, North Yorkshire County Council

Councillor Don Mackenzie, who has responsibility for highways, told BBC Radio York: "We believe it's both good for the environment and very good for the local economy because it will encourage more people to visit and spend their money in the town.

"The plans are designed to encourage people not to get into their cars, but to use alternative means of transport, especially for short journeys, or to use public transport."

Image source, North Yorkshire County Council

Campaigners want the town's proposed Gateway project to be scrapped.

They say the plans, which include more pedestrianised areas, external, would be bad for business and make congestion even worse in the town.

A petition calling for it to be halted has been rejected by councillors ahead of a final decision on the £10.9m scheme later this month.

Harrogate Residents Association, external delivered the 714-signature petition to a North Yorkshire County Council meeting on Thursday.

The group’s co-founder, Anna McIntee, has accused the authority of "ploughing ahead" with the project without listening to concerns.

The Gateway is being funded by the government’s Transforming Cities Fund and construction could start in spring.

A cat rescue charity says it has has seen a large increase in strays due to lack of neutering.

Reaction to the day's FA Cup third-round matches.

Universities in Sheffield are helping to develop new technology to help identify hazards on railway lines such as "leaves on the line" which can prevent trains from running.

Image source, Ruby Kempka/Unversity of Sheffield

So-called low-adhesion hazards on railway lines are estimated to cost the industry £350m a year.

Network Rail said the aim was to develop a system that would capture data from across the network.

The system is being developed by Loughborough and Sheffield universities and engineering firm Perpetuum.

Engineers said the new software would use sensors located near train wheels to pick up small changes in how the vehicles respond to different track conditions.

This data would be fed into a computer system which will create a real-time map of the kind of biological, chemical or physical factors that cannot be easily monitored or controlled.

Engineers said the map would allow network operators to react quickly to potential risks, meaning services could run more safely and smoothly.

If the testing is successful, the technology could be deployed within five to 10 years.

North Yorkshire County Council figures show that almost 700 new places will be needed by 2025.

The family of a woman missing for eight months have renewed their appeal for the public to keep looking out for her.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

Sarah West (pictured), 46, from Scarborough, was last seen walking towards Filey on the A165, near Cayton Bay, at about 07:30 on Sunday 25 April 2021.

North Yorkshire Police's Sgt Jon Dillon said: "It’s been eight months since Sarah was first reported missing and we’re asking everyone to re-familiarise themselves with her photo and description so they can stay vigilant for any sightings.

"Every piece of information can help so please don’t hesitate to get in touch."

Ms West is described as 5ft 5in, very slim with dark blonde/brown hair and may be wearing glasses.

Image source, North Yorkshire Police

When she went missing she's believed to have been wearing jeans, a light-coloured blouse top and brown flat boots.

At the time of her disappearance her mum Valerie and her sister Rebecca said: "Sarah, please come home. We love you and we are here for you no matter what.

"We know you are worried about your health and our health and we just want you to come home so we can support you."

Anyone with information about Sarah's whereabouts is urged to contact police immediately.

Rail services are being reduced across northern England due to the impact of Covid on staffing.

TransPennine Express said it would be introducing an amended timetable from Monday "due to disruption being caused by increased levels of sickness".

Services between Scarborough and Manchester will be replaced with an hourly service to York, and extending to Leeds at peak times.

Routes, including between Newcastle and Liverpool, Cleethorpes, Sheffield, Hull and Manchester, are also affected.

The firm's managing director Matthew Golton said the timetable changes would affect all routes and was due to "the ongoing impact of Covid and the Omicron variant, as well as some industrial relations issues".

On Thursday, 22 TransPennine trains were cancelled and another 15 terminated before their planned destination.

Passengers are advised to check the firm's website, external for the latest information.

The locations of the barriers will be chosen to minimise impact on businesses, York council says.

Overnight snow has caused the closure of the A66 in North Yorkshire, according to National Highways, Yorkshire.

Image source, Traffic England

The road's shut in both directions between the A1(M) at Scotch Corner and the A685 at Brough.

It comes as the Met Office warned snow may cause some travel disruption over higher routes.

A yellow "be aware" weather warning for snow and ice is in place until midday.

The wintry weather has forced a number of schools in West Yorkshire to close on Friday.

Image source, WeatherWatchers/BoardWalk

In Kirklees, Berry Brow I&N and Castle Hill have both indicated they will not be open today. A number of other schools are also starting later., external

In Bradford, the council has indicated three schools, external are currently affected, two with late starts and Oldfield Primary School not opening due to snow and ice on the site.

Two schools in Calderdale have closed their doors, external due to the weather. Norland CE and St Mary's CE J&I in Sowerby Bridge have both shut their doors.

There are no snow-related closures reported in Wakefield and Leeds.

For the latest on the weather, visit the BBC's weather page for your area.

Yellow "be prepared" warnings for snow and ice are in place for some parts of Yorkshire.

Image source, Met Office

The warning is in place until 12:00 Friday.

Frequent sleet, hail and snow showers may lead to some disruption to travel, the Met Office has said., external

Some roads and railways are likely to be affected, with longer journey times by road, bus and train.