Uber has made a statement announcing this afternoon that it is introducing a mandatory face covering rule for passengers and drivers as of next week.
Passengers who do not comply with the rule will risk having their ride cancelled.
In an email sent to all registered Uber users, the taxi service stated: “We’re introducing mandatory face coverings as of Monday 15th June to help protect the health and safety of you and your driver.”
“From Monday, if you aren’t wearing a face mask or covering, your driver has the right to cancel your ride.”
“Similarly, you can also cancel your ride if your driver arrives and is not wearing a face covering”.
To help protect the health and safety of you and your driver we're introducing mandatory face coverings from 15 June.
As of Monday, if you aren't wearing a face covering, your driver has the right to cancel your ride. pic.twitter.com/Y7v97Mdcg6
“When wearing a face covering or mask, make sure it covers your face from the bridge of your nose down to your chin.”
“Finally, anyone who is repeatedly flagged for not wearing a face covering will risk losing access to the app.”
Regional General Manager of Uber Northern & Eastern, Jamie Heywood, added: “For months we’ve been urging people to stay home, for their safety and the safety of drivers who make essential trips.”
“Now, as cities begin to reopen and people start moving again, we’re taking measures to help everyone stay safe and healthy every time they use Uber.”
You can find out more information regarding face coverings via the official gov.uk website here.
News
Shocking new study reveals that almost 100 people a day are caught drink-driving
Emily Sergeant
Nearly 100 drivers a day in Britain have had ‘drink-drive endorsements’ added to their licences in the past three years, a shocking new study has revealed.
Alarmingly, it’s people between the ages of 25 and 39 that are the most frequently penalised for drink-driving – with around 48,000 drivers in this age bracket being handed endorsements, followed closely by 40,000 drivers aged 40 to 65.
In contrast, only 15,000 drivers aged 17 to 24 were penalised, and a mere 3,000 over-65s received points on their licence between 2022 and 2024.
It’s all according to a study by road safety charity, IAM RoadSmart, using data obtained from the DVLA via a Freedom of Information request.
A shocking new study has revealed that almost 100 people a day are caught drink-driving / Credit: Pexels
Drivers caught over the alcohol limit face automatic licence revocation, potential imprisonment, and unlimited fines, while the endorsement remains on a driving licence for 11 years.
Another shocking revelation from the study is that fatalities linked to drink-driving have climbed over the past decade, peaking in 2022 at the highest level in 13 years – with the RAC saying this trend ‘raises alarms’ about the effectiveness of current road safety measures.
RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis called it ‘completely unacceptable’.
“These disturbing figures show the twin evils of driving under the influence of drink and drugs are behind a frightening number of lives lost on the UK’s roads every year,” he commented.
A third of Brits want police to immediately ban drink drivers at the roadside / Credit – Vladimir Proskurovskiy (via Unsplash)
“A new approach to tackling these repugnant crimes is desperately needed. We hope this will be a key part of the Government’s forthcoming road safety strategy, [as] we’ve consistently been calling for a change in approach when it comes to reducing alcohol-related road deaths, as it’s clear the status quo isn’t working.”
The RAC has been campaigning for courts being given the powers to mandate the fitting of alcohol interlocks (‘alcolocks’) to offenders’ vehicles to prevent them driving drunk again.
It is also ‘supportive’ of the police being given the powers to immediately disqualify any driver who fails a drink or drugs test at the roadside.
“This has the potential to reduce drink-drive casualties, especially among habitual offenders,” Rod concluded.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
News
Stockport turns into Gotham as The Plaza stars in filming for a new Batman project
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester is being used for big-budget filming once again, as none other than the stunning Stockport Plaza is starring in a new Batman project.
Shared by local page community page, Stockport Online, this past Tuesday, you can see big, old-fashioned Hollywood spotlights hitting the front of The Plaza, a Gotham taxi cab, and plenty more happening just next to the Stockport Interchange.
As explained in the post, the filming outside The Plaza is said to be for the upcoming Clayface movie set within the Batman universe.
Real name Basil Karlo (though there have been many alternatives over the decades), the DC villain has been a sparsely used one in live-action adaptations of the classic comic book characters, but has appeared in plenty of animated Batman material.
Liverpool was famously used for several location shoots for 2022’s The Batman by director Matt Reeves, which saw Robert Pattinson don the cowl for the first time and ultimately helped revitalise the DCU, with the new Superman film releasing earlier this year.
Filming in the North West has been happening all month, but it was only this week that we saw the Clayface set shift to Stockport for these most recent scenes. There has also been some confusion over whether it is for a TV series or a film, but as far as we know, no such show is currently in the works at WB.
You can see more images of how the area surrounding the building was transformed below:
We never thought we’d see the Batman universe filming in Stockport, but here we are. (Credit: Eve Cox/Stop in Stockport via FB)
With its stunning Art Deco design, this is by no means the first time The Plaza has been used for high-profile filming, as it was only a few years ago that we saw the period-appropriate structure as a backdrop for Peaky Blinders.
So far, what we do know about the upcoming Clayface film is that the scenes filmed in SK were actually a fictional movie premiere set as part of the story, which is said to be a rare take on body horror by James Watkins, who also directed Speak No Evil, The Woman in Black and an episode of Black Mirror.
There is plenty of horror/thriller pedigree elsewhere in the crew, too; the screenplay comes from acclaimed writers Mike Flanagan and Hossein Amini, with Welsh actor Tom Rhys Harries starring in the lead role. His particular iteration of the amorphous Batman villain made of, yep, clay is called Matt Hagen.
Other names attached to the project include Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan. Set to release this time next year, just a few months after the new Supergirl movie, which is due to drop on June 26, 2026, it looks like Stockport could have played its part in a very big movie masterplan.
The Joker is once again teased on the set of ‘CLAYFACE’.
The Manc -
12th June 2020 
