A new free app aimed at ensuring Manchester is a safe city for everyone is set to launch, and it’s being described as “game-changing”.
In what has been dubbed “another positive step” in the city’s ongoing journey to making sure everyone is welcome and feels safe, following the of publishing a 10-year plan to protect women in 2021, and the launch of the Women’s Night Time Safety Charter in 2022, Manchester City Council has announced that the brand-new WalkSafe app will go live next week, and it’s going to be free to download.
WalkSafe is an initiative aimed at helping people make safe journeys, no matter the time of day.
The app lets people pick known ‘safe routes’ through Manchester city centre, as well as allowing them to share their location with family or friends, and send an automatic alert out if a person fails to reach their intended destination.
A game-changing new app is launching to make sure Manchester is ‘a safe city for everyone’ / Credit: Manchester City Council | WalkSafe (via Facebook)
The Council says it’s “understandable” that in the years following the “tragic and avoidable” murders of both Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa, that a huge amount of focus has been placed on how cities can be made safe for people at night, and now, with the launching of WalkSafe, it’s hoped this will “help and empower” even more people to feel safe, no matter who they are or where they are going, day or night.
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The launch of the app – which is the brainchild of Emma Kay, the daughter of a Metropolitan Police officer – will also work to promote venues and businesses that are making womens’ safety a priority too.
Councillor Joanna Midgley, who is the Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council said, the arrival of WalkSafe to Manchester is “a huge development” and one which she believes will “strengthen” the work the Council is doing around safety.
“In an ideal world, anyone should be able to go where they want, when they want,” Cllr Midgely commented, “but until then, it is important we put measures in place to protect and empower our residents.
“In the coming months, we will be working with partners across the city, as well as within our burgeoning nighttime and events sector, and our universities, to make sure that anyone has the tools to keep themselves safe.”
WalkSafe will launch in Manchester on Wednesday 4 September, and you can find out more here and download it on the App Store and Google Play.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
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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.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th August 2024 
