Fitness is costly in the city on low income
INEVITABLY after the Christmas and New Year blow out, public health commentators in the media will complain about the obesity crisis and the burden it places on the NHS and Social Services.
Few will have noticed how exorbitant public fitness provision has become in Manchester for those on low incomes.
At the city’s flagship Aquatic centre one visit to the gym is £8 with proof of local residency via an MCR Active card it can be reduced to £5.60.
Visiting the pool is £4.70 with MCR card reduced to £3.30. More than one health visit a week is obviously prohibitive for those on Minimum & Living Wage rates. Admittedly, yearly costs can be reduced by making upfront annual membership payments of £224.91 gym and swim and £179.91 pool. But again difficult for the poor and even the alternative direct debit option has the deterrent fear of generating a possible overdraft problem, attached to it.
In any case bizarrely, membership of one council sports facility like the Aquatic Centre does not also translate to equal access to other centres – like Moss Side for example.
You have to question these rates given that Manchester council has privatised its management of sports facilities. Consequently, some of the money that should be in the system as funding for local provision, is leaving it in the form of profits and executive salaries. Hardly functional for society. Sport for All – M21
We’ll always stand united
I STRONGLY condemn the terrorist attack at Manchester Victoria Station, it was a despicable and evil attack at a time when there should have been joy and happiness at the New Years celebrations.
The terrorist’s aim was to kill and injure as many people as possible but due to the bravery of the police, he was stopped. I have @/fpay tribute to the Police and emergency services as so often they put their lives at risk to protect the country.
My prayers and thoughts are with the three victims and their families.
The threat from terrorism is real and has not disappeared - whether it is the evil ISIS or Al Qaeda or far right terrorists. Their ambition is to divide communities and our aim should to be united against their evil.
For as long as the evil ideology of justifying using violence against innocent people exists the threat exists. The Ramadhan Foundation has hosted three counter terrorism conferences in Manchester, has been engaged in countering the terrorist narrative for over ten years and will continue our work.
Finally I urge for calm in Manchester and across the country and call for people to support the Police and Intelligence Agencies as they investigate this terrorist attack.
Manchester is a vibrant city and will never to cowered by terrorists. We will always stand united” Mr Mohammed Shafiq, chief executive of the Ramadhan Foundation
Time for free transport?
I HAVE just visited London for the new year. On New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day it was FREE transport on buses and tube.
When are we in Manchester going to follow suit? K Parr, Eccles
On track for rail bias
THE Calder Valley Railway line runs from Leeds to Manchester via Halifax and Rochdale. Trains serve seven stations within Greater Manchester and ten in West Yorkshire.
On Sunday, December 29 a sudden programme of cancellations led to the total cancellation before 10pm of any trains serving Smithy Bridge, Castleton, Mills Hill and Moston, all within Greater Manchester. Would-be passengers could only stand and watch the hourly trains run through without stopping. Every single West Yorkshire station enjoyed their normal hourly Sunday service to Manchester, even the little used stations at Walsden (close by Todmorden) and Mytholmroyd (near Hebden Bridge).
It doesn’t take a mathematical genius to decide that if the two little used stations in West Yorkshire had a two-hourly service, a couple of very busy Greater Manchester stations, Mills Hill and Castleton could also have got a two-hourly service. Two-hourly is not brilliant but it’s better than none at all.
This decision to discriminate against Greater Manchester stations is endemic in the service decisions dictated by Rail North. At every turn West Yorkshire gets a better service than the stations in Greater Manchester. No doubt Transport for Greater Manchester try to stick up for stations this side of the Pennines but they never seem to get any joy. Rail North are based in Leeds as is the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive. Northernrail is based (you’ve guessed it) also in Leeds. And that magnificent provincial daily newspaper, The Yorkshire Post, is based in Leeds. Hardly a day goes by without at least one rail orientated article in this paper.
No doubt it is compulsory reading for those who work for the three Leeds-based outfits who hold the ultimate power over our local rail services. No wonder Transport for Greater Manchester cannot get us a proper service.
Eighteen months ago a new station opened in West Yorkshire not far from Bradford, at Low Moor. Its purpose was said to be to serve local passengers to/ from Leeds, Bradford, Halifax and Huddersfield. Amazingly the only proposed development of rail services on the Calder Valley line for 2019 is for Low Moor to get a through service to Manchester. Richard S Greenwood, STORM (Support the Oldham Rochdale and Manchester lines)