Everyone in the UK with a mobile phone is set to receive an emergency alert notification as part of a nationwide test this month.
The Government has today confirmed the date and time that the test alert will be issued.
Following what the Government has called “successful pilots” in East Suffolk and Reading, it has now been confirmed that the test of the new “lifesaving” Emergency Alerts system will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April.
Those with a 4G and 5G compatible mobile phone will receive a message on the home screen of their mobile phone, along with a sound and vibration for up to 10 seconds.
As this is only a test, and as the alert will state, the public does not need to take any action when they receive the message, as the sound and vibration will stop automatically stop, so all you’ll need to do is swipe away the message.
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You can also click ‘OK’ on your phone’s home scree, just like you would for a ‘low battery’ warning or any normal notification, and then continue to use your phone as usual.
The new Emergency Alerts system will be tested on April 23.
The system will warn people when their lives are in danger. An Emergency Alert is a loud, siren-like sound with a message on your mobile phone screen.
Emergency Alerts have already been used successfully in a number of other countries, including the US, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, and the UK Government claims the system has been widely-credited with saving lives.
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In the UK, alerts could be used to tell residents of villages being encroached by wildfires, or of severe flooding.
The Government says it has worked together with the emergency services and partners – including the Football Association (FA) and London Marathon – to make sure the national test has “a minimum impact” on the several major sporting events taking place on the day.
Cabinet Minister Oliver Dowden is urging the British public to “put the date in your diaries”.
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“Getting this system operational with the national test means we have another tool in our toolkit to keep the public safe in life-threatening emergencies,” he added.
“It could be the sound that saves your life.”
Everyone in the UK will get a ‘test’ emergency alert on their phone on this day / Credit: GOV.UK
Emergency Alerts will “transform the UK’s warning and informing capability”, according to the Government.
This is because they will work with mobile broadcasting technology to provide a way of getting urgent messages quickly to nearly 90% of mobile phones in a defined area when there is a risk to life, and will then provide clear instructions about how best to respond.
The best practice of Emergency Alerts in other countries have shown that they work more effectively in a real emergency if people have previously received a test.
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This is so they know what an alert looks and sounds like.
According to the Government, the Emergency Alert system will be used very rarely here in the UK, and will only being sent where there is an immediate risk to people’s lives.
This means we may not receive an alert for months, or even years.
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Featured Images — Emma Farrer (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
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All Greater Manchester boroughs to have 24-7 night buses from next month as new services launch
Emily Sergeant
Extra night buses, new routes, and more frequent bus services are being rolled out across the Bee Network at the end of this month.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy, and now plans to introduce these from September onwards have been confirmed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford will all get a 24-hour bus service by next month, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that once the new services have launched, it will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
Some of the other changes set to be introduced from next month include a selection of brand-new bus services, and more frequent buses during the day and at the weekends.
All Greater Manchester boroughs will have 24-7 night buses from next month / Credit: TfGM
There will also be better connections overall to key employment and leisure destinations like Manchester Airport, Trafford Centre, MediaCity, Middlebrook Retail Park in Bolton, Kingsway Business Park, and Logistics North.
“The Bee Network belongs to the people of Greater Manchester and it needs to work for every community,” explained Mayor Bev Craig.
“As we build it, we’re listening and responding to what residents want with the biggest set of improvements we’ve ever made in one go.
🚌 More improvements are on the way across the #BeeNetwork.
36 service changes will benefit around 740,000 people across Greater Manchester, helping more communities access reliable, convenient public transport.
“We’re bringing night buses to every borough, launching new routes and ensuring buses run more often in the mornings, evenings and weekends. In doing so, we’re making it easier than ever for people to get around the city region by bus, but we’re also supporting our businesses, whose staff and customers need a reliable and safe way to reach them.
“Almost three quarters of a million people live within walking distance of a bus route we’re improving over the next few months, and we’ll continue improving connections for even more communities based on the feedback we get.”
Emily Sergeant -
6th April 2023 
