Greater Manchester has won a little over £2.4 million in funding to make streets safer for residents across the region.
The funding allocation has come from the Safer Streets Fund – which was launched by the Home Office, and aims to tackle issues that blight communities by putting measures in place to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, all while supporting victims.
The Manchester, Wigan, and Stockport boroughs have all been awarded funding, following successful bids that were supported by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).
Here in Manchester, the successful bid – which was led by GMCA, and supported by Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) – will see a total of £453,080 from the Safer Streets Fund invested in tackling anti-social behaviour.
It will also improve the safety on the Fallowfield Loop – with community warden appointed to work closely with the local community and support those who use it.
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Greater Manchester has won a little over £2.4 million in funding to make streets safer for residents across the region / Credit: Josh Taylor | Patrick Robert Doyle (via Unsplash)
The installation of new lighting, fences, and guard rails on the Loop will also be delivered with the new funding, as well as working with local schools to deliver cycle training, and site clearance and landscaping, all to help “reduce crime” and “improve feelings of safety”.
“I’m pleased that Greater Manchester will receive more than £2.4 million from the Safer Streets Fund, which will be invested in tackling the issues that local people have told us are blighting their communities and making them feel unsafe,” said Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Bev Hughes.
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“This is the fourth round of funding which has seen more than £4.2 million invested in Safer Streets initiatives across Greater Manchester since August 2020 [and] this additional funding will allow us to build on this work in other parts of the city-region to deliver activity to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and work with local people to strengthen neighbourhoods and keep them safe.”
The funding allocation has come from the Safer Streets Fund / Credit: Steven Roussel (via Unsplash)
Cllr Luthfur Rahman – Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council – added: “Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour is a key priority for the council.
“Everyone should be able to live in peace and without the fear of intimidation or violence [and] that is why with our partners, we have made this successful bid for additional resources to tackle issues in Fallowfield.
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“Collective action is the best way for us to transform communities and make them safe, prosperous and happy.
“I look forward to implementing new measures which can help us fulfil our goals.”
One million UK adults who have never smoked before are now vaping, new stats reveal
Emily Sergeant
More than a million UK adults who claim to have never smoked cigarettes are now vaping.
According to alarming new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), relating to people aged 16 and over, around 2.8 million men (11.3%) and 2.1 million women (8.2%) are thought to be smokers in the UK… but more than a million people, who have never smoked before, have now made the decision to start vaping instead.
People in the 25 to 34 age group were found to be the most likely to vape, according to the data, overtaking those aged 16 to 24, as it was the only age group to see a rise in e-cigarette usage.
Daily or occasional vaping is still higher than the proportion of people smoking cigarettes too, the ONS revealed, at 5.4 million, or 9.9%, versus 4.8 million (8.7%).
One million UK adults who have never smoked are now vaping / Credit: Lil Artsy (via Pexels) | Pxhere
“Fewer than one in 10 adults now smoke,” commented David Mais, from the ONS.
“This is the lowest proportion on record and continues the long-term decline in smoking. [But] at the same time, e-cigarette use remains more common than smoking and has followed an overall upward trend since 2020.
“E-cigarette users are also getting older, with those aged 25 to 34 now overtaking 16 to 24-year-olds as the age group most likely to use them.
“This may reflect existing users getting older, growing popularity among this age group, or a combination of both.”
Overall, the prevalence of smoking dropped in all four UK nations between 2024 and 2025.
Featured Image – Elsa Olofsson (via Unsplash)
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Three Manchester motorways named in UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’
Emily Sergeant
Three motorways in and around Manchester have been named the ‘most challenging’ in the UK.
As part of MoneySuperMarket’s new Great British Motorway Report, new research has found that one in three UK motorists find motorway driving ‘stressful’ – despite more than 70 billion miles being travelled on Britain’s motorways each year.
From delays and congestion to high traffic levels, there are a number of factors that can contribute to driver stress levels.
But are some motorways more challenging for drivers than others? According to the data, yes. And three of the top 10 worst motorways in the UK are in and around Greater Manchester.
To find out which are the most challenging, MoneySuperMarket analysed everything from collision rates and roadworks, to lane closures and driver feedback in order to reveal the top 10.
Manchester is home to three of the UK’s top 10 most challenging motorways – the M602, M62, and M60, the latter of which took the top spot on the list.
Three Manchester motorways have been named in the UK’s top 10 ‘most challenging’ / Credit: pxfuel
Encircling Greater Manchester and linking many of the region’s motorways, the M60 recorded the lowest overall score in the index.
Despite handling significant volumes of traffic, the M60 experienced some of the highest average delays, at 15.58 seconds per vehicle per mile, and alongside this, it saw 34 collisions in the past year alone. But despite these challenges, the M60 remains an essential route for regional connectivity, and often cannot be bypassed.
“If you’re feeling anxious, allow extra time for your journey so you don’t feel pressured to rush or make last-minute decisions,” commented Alicia Hempsted at MoneySuperMarket.
“Plan your route in advance, including where you’ll stop for breaks, as regular rest stops can help you stay alert and reduce stress on longer trips, and if you’re travelling alone, consider sharing your route with someone you trust if it helps you feel more comfortable.”
Emily Sergeant -
29th July 2022 
