An coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak at Manchester Piccadilly train station has forced dozens of staff into self-isolation after 11 people are confirmed to have tested positive.
Avanti – which runs the West Coast Mainline route from Manchester to London – has confirmed an outbreak at Piccadilly, which is managed by Network Rail.
It’s understood a staff member took a COVID-19 test last Monday before arriving for his shift on Tuesday, and then received a positive test result later that day. It was at this point he informed his managers, and now some 11 Avanti staff members have subsequently tested positive, with a further 25 self-isolating after having contact with the affected individual.
In total, 42 of the 95 Avanti workforce in Manchester are currently now in self-isolation, although it’s thought that not all are linked to this case.
Avanti West Coast bosses say they acted as soon as they were made aware of the positive test.
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The operator retraced the employee’s movements to send “around 10” of their colleagues home, and they said a further 15 workers were contacted via the NHS Track and Trace App and were told to self-isolate.
The area where the affected individual worked was closed immediately and underwent a specialist deep clean overnight.
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Dave Whitehouse – Safety and Security Director at Avanti West Coast – said: “We’re providing support for all of our people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those self-isolating at home.
“We’ve been in regular contact; providing advice and guidance as well as stringently following government guidelines [and] we are cooperating fully with Public Health England North West and the local authority.
“As soon as we were aware of the positive test, we confirmed the member of staff’s movements and sent a number of their colleagues home immediately. A further 15 were contacted via the NHS Track and Trace App and told to self-isolate.’
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He confirmed the deep clean took place and added: “Throughout the pandemic we have ensured our people can carry out their duties in a COVID-safe manner.”
Scott Green – Manchester Piccadilly station manager for Network Rail – said: “We have offered support to Avanti West Coast during its staffing issues due to COVID-19.”
He added that the affected area is separate from other staff areas in the station.
Mr Green continued: “Manchester Piccadilly is open and operating as normal.
“We have regular and rigorous cleaning regimes in place so passengers can travel with confidence. We’d urge passengers to wear a face covering unless exempt for medical reasons, use the numerous hand sanitising points and follow the one-way systems when travelling through the station.”
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Passengers brace for ANOTHER day of ‘disruption’ as train drivers strike again this week
Emily Sergeant
Passengers are being told to brace for yet more ‘disruption’ as train drivers across the UK are striking again this week.
Following on from the announcement back in February that ASLEF train drivers at several train companies and operators, with Northern being one of them, had voted ‘overwhelmingly’ to continue taking industrial action for another six months, members of the union are staging more strikes all throughout this week.
ASLEF train drivers at Northern will walk out this Thursday (9 May).
But, as there are multiple strikes on different days at train operators across the country all this week, this means disruption is also expected in the lead-up to and following the day drivers at Northern actually strike.
Because of this, Northern customers who are connecting onto services with other train operators are being advised to “check before they travel” for all journeys up until this Saturday (11 May).
The company is also warning that its services are likely to be “busier than usual” this week, as it expects people will take alternative travel routes to avoid strikes elsewhere.
“Unfortunately, the action by ASLEF on Thursday 9 May will see our network grind to a halt,” explained Tricia Williams, who is Northern’s Chief Operating Officer.
“On the days when strikes are taking place with other train operators, we will do everything we can to keep our services moving and absorb those extra passengers trying to travel across the region, but we can only apologise, once again, for the disruption this action will cause to people.”
Northern says it’s “disappointed” ASLEF members have chosen to stage more strikes this week, and will continue to do so in the coming months.
Disruption on Northern is also expected on the days surrounding the strike day itself / Credit: Northern
But when ASLEF announced its intention to continue taking industrial action for the foreseeable – which is separate to what is a very long-running dispute with the Department for Transport (DfT) over pay and working conditions – back in February, the union’s General Secretary, Mick Whelan, said he was “fed up to the back teeth with the bad faith shown” by train companies.
He added that train operators like Northern need to “stop what they are doing” and “start to behave properly and honourably”, because their drivers are “no longer prepared to be treated like this”.
For more information on the strikes this week, and to see the latest travel updates for the next few days, check the Northern website here.
Featured Image – National Rail
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‘Stop and search’ powers introduced after several incidents of violent disorder in Oldham
Emily Sergeant
Police in Oldham have been given extra ‘stop and search’ powers following several incidents of violent disorder overnight.
As of 8pm yesterday evening (Monday 6 May) up until 4am today (Tuesday 7 May), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) had authorised the use of Section 60 and 60AA powers across an extensive area of the Royton area of Oldham.
This tactic had been introduced following what police have called “a number of incidents of disorder” overnight in the community.
These include reports of a group of men with weapons, and an incident which has left a man with “life changing injuries”.
Under Section 60, officers have extra powers to ‘stop and search’ people in the area defined within the specific times listed, while a section 60AA allows police to require people to remove face coverings which are used to disguise or conceal their appearance.
#NEWS | Section 60 & 60AA is in place following several incidents of disorder in Royton.
With this authority, police have extra powers to stop & search & ensure people remove face coverings.
Superintendent Phil Hutchinson, of GMP’s Oldham District, says he understands why members of the public would be concerned at “the nature of these incidents”, but has assured the Oldham community that there will be an increased police presence within the coming days as a measure of safety in response to this.
“Please be assured that we are working round the clock to ensure the safety of the local community, and to do this, we have increased visible officers across the district to provide added reassurance to the public,” Superintendent Hutchinson explained.
“If you have any concerns, or would like to share some information with them, please do not hesitate to speak to them, as they are there to help you.”
The area of Royton where the Section 60 and Section 60AA powers are in place / Credit: GMP
He also added that police will “continue to have a presence in the area beyond the conclusion of the additional powers” and urged the public to continue coming forward with any information that will allow officers to “take action to keep our streets safe”, as they are “keen” to gather as much information as possible in relation these incidents.
“We would encourage anyone who may have seen anything, or have information concerning this. to contact us,” Superintendent Hutchinson concluded.
You can contact GMP by calling 101 and quoting log number 1242 of 06/05/2024, or alternatively, if you would prefer to remain anonymous, you can report information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.