Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
UNKNOWN Councils face running out of cash soon
taking alternative modes of transport.”
But John Murphy, of transport workers’ union Unite, said: “Pictures of overcrowded buses are frightening and action must be taken immediately. The Government is telling people to go back to work but failing to provide the means for them to get there safely.”
Unions have told train and bus drivers to refuse to work if they feel unsafe as passenger numbers rise. A London Underground worker said:
“Social distancing during the peak was a joke.” Manchester and Liverpool city centres were eerily quiet during what would have been rush hour. Liverpool’s Lime Street station was all but deserted. At the normally bustling Queen Square bus station, double-deckers arrived empty or carrying a handful of passengers. Iceland home delivery worker Phil Wynne, 33, said: “I was on the bus for 20 minutes and there was only one other passenger.” Support worker Kim
GARDEN centres got back to business yesterday – and did a roaring trade.
At Marl Pits garden centre in Rossendale, Lancs, owner Mike Nelson was rushed off his feet from 8am helping customers pick plants and shrubs.
He has imposed strict social distancing, only
CRITICISES THE GOVERNMENT
Ncuve, 50, was one of four people on her bus. She said: “It is very quiet.” At 11am on Newcastle Quay- side, the iconic bridges over the Tyne were without traffic.
Nexus, which runs the Metro system in the region, said: “The Metro has seen a very low increase in passenger journeys this week... and nothing that is comparative with the situation in London.” In the West Midlands traffic levels rose on the M6 and M42 but the main route
allowing a maximum of 15 customers in at once, and provided hand sanitiser. Regular customer Sheila Birt, 68, said: “It is absolutely fantastic to see the centre open again.
“We have been staying in as much as possible and it is great to get out and see people.” into Birmingham city centre was near-deserted at 7am. Trains and trams were also far emptier than they would be during a normal weekday in rush hour.
The new rules, which only apply in England, also meant people were allowed to take unlimited outdoor exercise and to sunbathe in parks and public places. Golf clubs, tennis courts and angling centres also reopened.
Fast food giant Mcdonald’s started offering delivery from 15 restaurants yesterday, including in Chelmsford, Essex. Pals Louise and Reagan drove 18 miles there, gave their address as the shop opposite and tucked in.
Garden centres were also allowed to reopen. A customer at the Newbank Garden Centre in Radcliffe, Greater Manchester, reported a queue of around 100 people at 9am, half an hour before the store opened.
A COUNCIL is considering a 30% rate hike and some local authorities could run out of cash within months, MLAS have heard.
The Committee for Communities was told councils had lost 75% of their income and some could face insolvency by August without an “immediate cash injection”.
SOLACE – the body of Northern Ireland’s council chief executives – want the same support as local governments elsewhere in the UK.
Chief executive of Causeway and Glens Borough Council David Jackson said: “A number of councils will run out of cash to pay staff and suppliers within the next couple of months.
“One council mentioned the potential for a 30% rate increase, some councils have 300 staff furloughed.”
Mr Jackson added “significant” redundancies could follow if the sector isn’t given the financial support it needs.
Asked how many staff had been furloughed, and whether their pay was being “topped up”, Belfast City Council chief Suzanne Wylie said they didn’t have a number yet.
She added: “There’s a difference in opinion on topping up [making up the full salary] – I think the vast majority of councils will top up but that will depend on the council’s individual position.”
Sinn Fein MLA Sinead Ennis said she was “broadly supportive” of the financial package proposed but had “some reservations”.
She added: “I would like to see a bit more of a detailed breakdown in terms of individual councils’ financial standing.
“What we can’t have is the ordinary ratepayer having to bear the brunt of the financial impact of this pandemic.”
SDLP’S Mark Durkan added: “What happens if some of our councils go to the wall?
“What are the implications for jobs? It’s hard to believe citizens won’t bear the brunt.”