Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Drastic cuts for public transport
PSNI rules out car checkpoints Spike in calls to Childline service
THE PSNI has no plans to set up vehicle checkpoints to see if people are breaking Covid-19 rules on leaving the house, a senior officer said yesterday.
ACC Alan Todd moved to clarify how police will deal with the epidemic as he and Chief Constable Simon Byrne held a joint press conference.
Mr Byrne insisted his officers will be using “common sense” on social distancing guides but warned “equally, if we have to we will enforce the law”.
The PSNI is set to gain new powers to help enforce social distancing.
People who refuse to comply may face a fixed penalty notice of £60, which will be cut to £30 if paid within 14 days.
Mr Byrne also described as “reckless” reports of people coughing or spitting at officers amid claims they may have Covid-19.
THE number of children seeking help from the Childline charity because of concerns about the coronavirus has surged, it has emerged.
The NSPCC help and advice service provided 101 counselling sessions with young people concerned about the global pandemic at Northern Ireland’s two bases in Belfast and Derry.
Support for children worried about the virus hit a peak on March 18 – the day Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed UK schools would shut.
One teenage girl told a counsellor: “I feel really anxious, upset and lonely. The news has made my mental health worse but my CAMHS appointment has been cancelled and school has closed.
“I’m stuck at home having a horrible time because my sisters are bullying me because I’m autistic.”
PUBLIC transport is to be drastically reduced in volume from tomorrow as Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon put further measures in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Disability Action Transport Services was stopped yesterday while Dial-a-lift is now “essential journeys” only.
Minister Mallon said: “In normal circumstances, community transport plays a very significant role in bringing people together and addressing social isolation in particular, for some of our most vulnerable friends and neighbours.
“But at this critical time, I have to take every step I can to protect the public.
“This is not a decision which I have taken lightly, but one that I am making with the health and well-being of service users and the staff and the volunteers within each of these organisations.”
AS police used drones and roadblocks to enforce rules against non-essential travel, they were yesterday given new powers to arrest and fine anyone guilty of ignoring the lockdown.
Officers can now issue on-the-spot £60 fines, with the amount doubling for each repeat offence. Magistrates can then impose unlimited cash penalties on those who fail to pay.
Announcing the powers, Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “The Prime Minister has been clear on what we need to do: stay at home to protect our NHS and save lives.
“That’s why I’m giving police these new enforcement powers, to protect the public and keep people safe.”
As her announcement was made, extraordinary steps were being taken to enforce the social distancing rules.
In the Peak District, police used a drone to collect number plates from parked cars and trace their owners. Spotting walkers, they tweeted: “Walking your dog in the Peak District: Not essential.”
WARNING
They added: “Some number plates were coming back to keepers in Sheffield, so we know that people are travelling to visit. Daily exercise should be taken locally to your home.”
In North Yorkshire, police carried out spot checks near Harrogate.
North Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Mike Walker, said: “The message is clear and the warning stark. Stay at home, save lives.” The force said the checkpoints could appear anywhere, any time.
Road-blocks were also set up in Plymouth, Devon, while in Cornwall 150 vehicles were checked in Penzance, Hayle, and St Ives.
In Shepherd’s Bush, West London, police were seen telling sun worshipers to go home. And at Cardiff railway station passengers were asked for proof of travel plans.
Tourists in campervans and caravans are barred from entering the Lake District. Cumbria Police said the crisis is “no excuse for a holiday”.
On Tyneside, Northumbria Police stopped a football game, the players breaking the rule of only two people together at a time.
A family of five who travelled from Merseyside to Llanfairfechan, Conwy, for a day at the beach were ordered back home.
And bikers who gathered at a cafe in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, one of them travelling 120