The vast majority of Plan B restrictions have officially ended in England from today.
The restrictions were first introduced back in December 2021 in a bid to curb the spread of the Omicron variant, but as infection rates, case numbers, and hospitalisation figures were seen to be decreasing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that England would make the move back to ‘Plan A’ this week.
He claimed it’s time to “trust the judgement” of the British public, and said the government would set out its long-term strategy for “living with COVID”.
From today, the wearing of face masks on public transport, in supermarket and retail settings, in communal areas of schools, and “most public indoor venues” will not be required, and you’ll also no longer need to show your NHS COVID Pass at venues and events by law.
The easing of all Plan B restrictions comes after guidance to work from home, and the requirement to wear a face covering in classrooms, ended in England last week.
According to the government, as of today, the lifting of Plan B means:
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Mandatory COVID-19 certification will end, but venues may choose to use the ‘NHS COVID Pass’ voluntarily.
Face coverings will not be required by law in indoor venues.
Local directors of public health are still able to recommend face coverings in communal areas – only in education settings – within their area, but only where the department and public health experts judge the measures to be proportionate.
Face coverings must still be worn in health and care settings, including primary care and pharmacies.
It is still a legal requirement for those with COVID-19 to self-isolate for 10 days with the option to end self-isolation after 5 full days following two negative Lateral Flow tests.
Plan B measures have been lifted following the success of the booster programme.
From today:
▶️ face coverings are no longer mandatory indoors ▶️ NHS COVID Passes are voluntary for large events
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) January 27, 2022
When it comes to the wearing of face coverings, the government says it is still recommending they are worn in “crowded and indoor spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet”.
Some companies and services, however, are continuing to ask people to wear masks.
Face coverings will still be mandatory on Transport for London (TfGM) services, and supermarkets Sainsbury’s and Waitrose will be also be asking staff and shoppers to continue wearing masks in stores.
Speaking on the lifting of Plan B restrictions today, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The tireless efforts of NHS and care staff, and the army of volunteers, as well as the phenomenal response of the British public means over 37 million people have been boosted and I want to thank everyone who has come forward.
“Our vaccines, testing and antivirals ensure we have some of the strongest defences in Europe and are allowing us to cautiously return to Plan A, restoring more freedoms to this country.
“But as we learn to live with COVID, we need to be clear eyed that this virus is not going away so if you haven’t already.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that England would make the move back to ‘Plan A’ this week / Credit: Unsplash
A number of senior medics have criticised the decision to lift Plan B resrictions.
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Dr Chaand Nagpaul – Chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) Council – said scrapping the measures at such a fast pace “risks creating a false sense of security” while the NHS is still under crippling pressure.
He said the decision to move to Plan A was “not guided by the data”.
Matthew Taylor – Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation – said: “We will have greater freedoms, but the cost – at least in the short term – will be that more people are likely to get sick with COVID and that the health service will continue to have to deal with the extra burdens that this creates.”
The legal requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate is due to expire on 24 March, but that date could be brought forward.
Featured Image – Flickr | gov.uk
News
Manchester Airport named UK’s worst in annual Which? survey for third year running
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Airport has officially been declared the worst airport in the UK, according to a new survey by Which?… yet again.
The summer travel season may be drawing to a close now, with hundreds of flights having taken off and landed in our region over the last couple of months, but for any Greater Manchester holidaymakers who are still yet to jet off, an annual ranking by consumer choice group Which? has proved to be pretty grim reading.
That’s because several terminals at the UK’s third largest airport have found themselves at the bottom of the list in Which? latest findings.
Manchester Airport has hit back at the survey and defended itself, saying its own passenger surveys suggest people are “much more positive” about the airport, adding that it was “proud to give people in all parts of the North easy and affordable access to nearly 200 different destinations across the world”.
For its annual survey, Which? spoke to nearly 7,000 passengers to gather feedback about their experiences of flying from UK airports over the last 12 months, and asked them to score the airports across 11 categories.
Manchester Airport has been named the worst in the UK for the third year running / Credit: The Manc Group
Some of these categories including seating, staff, toilets, and of course, the queues we all dread at check in, bag drop, passport control, and security.
And just like in both 2022 and again in 2023, it was Manchester Airport Terminal 3 that ranked right at the bottom, receiving the lowest customer satisfaction score of 37%.
Manchester Terminal 1 ranked one place above that with a score of 40%, while Manchester Terminal 2 was a little further up the the list with a score of 51%, and just saw Luton Airport, London Stansted, and Belfast International Airport sandwiched in between it.
According to Which?, some of the complaints it received about Manchester Airport from passengers who responded to the survey this year was that older people struggled with long walks due to travelators being broken since 2021, difficulties with finding a seat, and “horrendous” queues with people apparently being “corralled like cattle”.
As mentioned though, Manchester Airport has slammed Which?’s findings in a formal statement.
The UK’s third largest airport has hit back at the survey results and defended itself / Credit:
Describing the survey as “disappointing to see”, Manchester Airport’s statement reads: “We understand not every experience is perfect and want all passengers to feel able to raise their concerns directly with us. That is why we speak to them on a daily basis, surveying hundreds of people a month to get in-the-moment feedback from a full range of perspectives.
“That is in stark contrast to Which?, which conducted a tiny and unrepresentative survey of its members six months ago, asking them to recollect airport experiences that could have been as far back in time as April 2023.
“Which? fully understands that its readers form a narrow group of passengers whose views cannot in any way be taken to represent those of the travelling public at large, but chooses to promote its survey findings as if they do.”
Manchester Airport says it’s disappointing see Which? “chase cheap headlines” with its “sensational and over-simplified characterisation of airports” and the different roles they play, adding: “To make matters worse, it has printed inaccurate statements about our facilities and security waiting times that paint a more negative picture than reality.
“This is completely unacceptable.”
Featured Image – Manchester Airport Group
News
Ambitious plans unveiled to create a new river path connecting Salford Quays with the city centre
Emily Sergeant
Ambitious plans to connect Salford Quays with the city centre via a new ‘active travel route’ along the River Irwell have been unveiled.
And the Greater Manchester public is now being asked for their thoughts on it.
Salford City Council has been working in partnership with Manchester City Council and Trafford Council on the original ‘Irwell River Park’ scheme since 2008, and since then work on the project has taken place over the years, usually as and when opportunities have arisen.
Some of these works include the improvement of access to green space at Crescent Meadows, a riverside path alongside the Urban Splash development at Springfield Lane, and the refurbishment of Peel Park and the transformation of Riverside at Chapel Wharf – the latter two made possible thanks to securing Heritage Lottery funding.
Another exciting project was the completion of a new riverside space and a pedestrian/cycling footbridge connecting with Aviva Studios, which was finished last year.
Ambitious plans have been unveiled to create a new river path connecting Salford Quays with the city centre / Credit: Salford City Council
Through the ‘Irwell River Park’ scheme, Salford residents have been able to take advantage of an “improved network of accessible paths close to the river” over the last few years, but now, it’s time for a new chapter.
Salford City Council says its ambition has remained to “further deliver projects alongside the river” following completion of the initial works, which is why plans to create a new active travel route between Salford Quays and the city centre have been unveiled this week, ahead of them going to out to public consultation these next two months.
This consultation will focus on a so-called new strategy that has recently been drafted for Irwell River Park, as well as plans to improve access to the river.
The plans have been unveiled ahead of a public consultation later this month / Credit: Salford City Council
Taking place for six weeks, the consultation will both invite feedback from the public via an online survey from Monday 23 September, as well as three in-person drop in sessions in Salford on 8, 10 and 26 October.
“This refreshed strategy for Irwell River Park is so important,” commented Councillor Mike McCusker from Salford City Council.
“It will focus on making the River Irwell attractive, safe, and easily-accessible from surrounding neighbourhoods and by public transport, and also by connecting local neighbourhoods with the rich history, culture, public spaces and parks that surround the river.”
The Manc -
27th January 2022 
