Prime Minister Boris Johnson has officially announced the government’s ‘roadmap’ to take the country out of lockdown in 2021.
The PM made the much-anticipated statement on February 22 – seven weeks after reintroducing national restrictions in England for a third time.
Johnson previously said his intention was to adopt a “cautious and prudent” approach for removing measures, claiming this exit strategy was designed in such a way as to be “irreversible”.
The roadmap will see the economy open over a number of weeks, lifting measures for separate sectors at four different stages.
June 21 is being touted as the date on which social contact limits will be completely lifted.
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Boris Johnson's roadmap:
March 8: Schools reopen
March 29: 2 households can meet outdoors Outdoor sport
Two people will also be able to meet outdoors socially from March 8.
Rules around social mixing will be relaxed further from March 29 – with two families or groups of up to six people permitted to gather outdoors.
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The ‘stay at home’ rule will also be removed from March 29.
Schools
School pupils in England will return from March 8.
Sports
Outdoor sports – such as golf and tennis – will return from March 29.
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Sports venues, such as football stadiums, will stay shut to spectators for the time being with games continuing to take place behind closed doors. There is a plan for fans to return from May.
Non-essential retail
Non-essential retail – including gyms and hairdressers – may resume trading from April 12.
Public buildings will also open from this date.
Pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels
Outdoor hospitality venues such as beer gardens will be allowed to reopen from April 12.
The preliminary date for the resumption of indoor service at pubs, bars and restaurants in England is May 17.
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Hotels will also be able to resume trading from this date.
Nightclubs are expected to open by June 21 – along with all remaining sectors.
Travel
Travel abroad could be allowed from May 17, dependent on the data.
BREAKING: The 4 steps to lifting lockdown in England.
There will be weeks between each step: 4 weeks to reflect on the data followed by 1 week notice to be given to relevant sectors and the public. pic.twitter.com/7RTql0pV7S
Johnson has repeatedly stated he would be guided by the data in lifting lockdown – which could result in swift alterations being made to the roadmap if coronavirus cases stop falling.
However, if the current plan succeeds, most social curbs in England will be lifted by the end of June.
More than 17 million have now received a coronavirus vaccination – with all adults expected to be offered a jab by July 31 at the current pace of the rollout.
News
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free bus travel to and from school
Emily Sergeant
Children who are currently living in temporary housing in Greater Manchester are set to get extra support with school travel.
In a move that was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) at the end of last week, and following years of campaigning, homeless children living in temporary accommodation are now set to get free school travel on all Bee Network buses.
TfGM says it understands that some children end up a long way from their school when placed into temporary accommodation, and this leaves parents or carers with the difficult choice of either having to move them to a closer school, which ultimately disrupts their education, or having to pay unexpected travel costs.
While the Greater Manchester Strategy – which is the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and measures are also being taken to make sure residents have the support they need to ‘access, improve, and retain’ a decent, affordable home, this doesn’t tackle the immediate issue.
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free school bus travel / Credit: TfGM
So, to help those families when they ‘need it most’, free bus travel to and from school is set to be provided, as subject to approval of this year’s Combined Authority budget.
The move comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asked TfGM last year to look at options to help with the cost of travel.
“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do,” Andy Burnham commented.
Of course, the long-term solution is no kids in TA and we’re working with our councils to achieve this in the next few years.
We can do it because GM will soon hit the point where we are building more council and social homes every year than we’re losing through right-to-buy. 👍🏻
“A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.
“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”
The Manc -
22nd February 2021 
