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Hundreds of e-scooters coming to Rochdale for 12-month trial

Hundreds of e-scooters are coming to Rochdale before April as part of a 12-month trial - with the town council calling it 'the future'.

The Manc The Manc - 11th February 2021
Image: cottonbro / Pexels

Hundreds of e-scooters are set to arrive in Rochdale before April as part of a 12-month trial.

A recent report by Rochdale Online reveals that an electric scooter scheme has been signed off by the local council – with testing set to take place primarily in the town centre and railway station area.

Riders must have a provisional or full driving license to rent one of the vehicles – which will need to be returned to a designated parking point after use.

E-scooters will be limited to 15mph or less and banned from entering certain areas.

Image: Alexander Schimmeck / Unsplash

It is hoped that the introduction of e-scooters can ease congestion on public transport networks and lower emissions in Rochdale, with council members calling the mode of transportation “the future”.

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Councillor Sara Rowbotham, cabinet member for climate change and sustainability, said the pilot was about making sure e-scooter use was “safe and accessible”.

“We are going to keep our eye on it really closely and make sure it works and it works for everybody,” she added.

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Two e-scooter companies – Bolt and Zwings – are apparently set to launch bids to become involved in the Rochdale trial, with hundreds of vehicles being rolled out by mid-spring.

The prospect of e-scooters in Manchester was also considered last year, with the Department for Transport  already sanctioning trials in other parts of the UK.

News

Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Police appeal to find next of kin after man found outside Palace Theatre

Police are trying to track down the family of a man who died after being found unresponsive outside the Palace Theatre in Manchester.

The man, who has now been named as Jonathan Bernard Carroll, was seen outside the city centre theatre at around 6.30am on Tuesday 12 November.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and Mr Carroll was taken to hospital.

Tragically, the 47-year-old passed away a short time later.

A large cordon was in place on Whitworth Street and Oxford Road while police and security attended the incident.

Greater Manchester Police are now appealing to find his next of kin.

It’s believed that he resided in the Salford area of Greater Manchester.

Anyone with any information should contact the Coroner’s Office on 0161 856 1376.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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Greater Manchester public urged to help get people ‘off the streets and on their feet’ before Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Locals are being urged to help get hundreds of people “off the streets and back on their feet” this festive season.

As the temperatures told colder by the day, and Christmas creeps closer and closer, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is bringing back ‘1000 Beds for Christmas’, and the massively-important initiative is aiming to provide 1,000 nights of accommodation to people at risk of homelessness before the big day arrives.

Forming part of the ongoing ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme, this festive fundraising mission is designed to provide food, shelter, warmth, and dedicated vital wrap-around support for those who need it most.

The charity says it wants to build on the “incredible success of 2023”, which raised more than £55,000 and provided 1,800 nights of accommodation.

Stockport-based property finance specialists, Together – which has supported the campaign for the last two years – has, once again, generously pledged to match every public donation for the first £20,000 raised.  

Unfamiliar with the ‘A Bed Every Night’ scheme? Since 2017, when rough sleeping peaked, the initiative has helped ensure a significantly-higher rate of reduction in the numbers of people facing a night on streets in Greater Manchester than seen nationally.

The landmark scheme has given people the chance to rebuild their lives, while also giving them access to key services and opportunities that allows them to stay off the streets for good.

Despite the scheme’s recent success, organisations across Greater Manchester are under “a huge amount of pressure” to meet the demand for their services this winter, and given the current economic outlook, household budgets will continue to be squeezed – leaving people on the sharp end of inequality and poverty.

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“Help us be a lifeline to organisations on the frontline,” Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity urged in it’s public appeal for donations.

You can help make sure ‘A Bed Every Night’ is a reality for all by donating here.

Featured Image – EthelRedThePetrolHead (via Flickr)

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