Police hand out 156 Covid fines

A TOTAL of 156 fines have been handed out for Covid regulation breaches in the Macclesfield policing area during the current lockdown.

According to Cheshire Police figures these fixed penalty notices (FPNs) were among 1,273 handed out countywide between January 4 and March 7.

Among those to be fined were 10 people at a birthday party in Upton Priory and people who have been caught in wintry conditions in rural areas of Macclesfield.

Other breaches of very clear rules include businesses remaining open when they should be closed and multiple people travelling without reasonable excuse.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: “As we move into spring and summer we know that more people will be visiting beauty spots.

“The rules in place remain clear and officers will be supporting the relaxation of the rules and will be enforcing when met with blatant and repeat breaches.”

Police say their approach will continue to be engagement first then enforcement if necessary.

The area where the most fines were handed out was Warrington (280) then Crewe with 186.

Cheshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane said: “Residents have made great sacrifices over the last year but it is really important that we do not damage the hard work we have done in reducing Coronavirus cases.

“There are still strict rules in place which we all need to follow in order to see further relaxation of the national lockdown restrictions.”

The area breakdown of the FPNs is: Chester 176, Crewe 186, Ellesmere Port 73, Macclesfield 156, Northwich 75, Runcorn 113, Warrington 280, Widnes 177, motorway 37.