News

Manchester Airport warns of ‘illegal’ parking scams during busy summer holiday season

The airport is also taking action to "combat congestion" caused by the increased number of taxis and private hire vehicles in the area.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 9th August 2022

Manchester Airport and Manchester City Council is urging all passengers travelling throughout the busy summer holiday season to be aware of “illegal” parking scams.

The fresh warning has been issued after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Cheshire Constabulary joined forces back in June in an attempt to tackle “rouge” carparks and the fake firms running them by launching Operation Cicero – a multi-agency crackdown.

Operation Cicero was launched after an increase in the number of holidaymakers reporting issues relating to meet-and-greet car parks over the last six months.

Some of the reports police forces have already received this year include more than 55 incidents at the Lode Hill and Moss Lane car parks alone – with incidents raging from car thefts and criminal damage, to travellers returning home to find that their cars have been driven hundreds, even thousands, of miles away while they’ve been on holiday. 

In April alone, around 150 people returned home to find that their car keys were missing and their vehicles were stuck in a boggy field in Styal, although officers were able to resolve matters and the cars were returned to their rightful owners. 

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Rogue parking firms have also previously caused problems in the Wythenshawe area too, leaving vehicles for long periods of time on residential streets, despite claiming they would be stored securely.

Manchester Airport urges all passengers travelling through the busy summer season to be aware of “illegal” parking scams / Credit: Cheshire Police

But, with the airport now entering what is likely to be its busiest month since 2019, those set to travel are being urged to “do their due diligence” on firms offering parking services before making a booking.

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“We continue to take the issue of rogue meet and greet firms very seriously,” explained Chris Woodroofe – Managing Director at Manchester Airport.

Read more: GMP and Cheshire Police join forces to crackdown on fake Manchester Airport carparks

“In addition to our own official parking, there are a number of reliable and reputable third-party providers located near the airport and we would always urge passengers to do their research before handing over their keys.

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“We encourage customers to use initiatives such as Park Mark and the government-backed Buy with Confidence scheme to find a provider that has undergone a series of detailed checks and is committed to trading fairly.”

The airport is also taking action to “combat congestion” caused by the increased number of taxis and private hire vehicles travelling throughout the summer.

The airport is also taking action to “combat congestion” caused by the increased number of taxis and private hire vehicles / Credit: GMP Manchester Airport

Although the airport operates a dedicated Private Hire waiting area for drivers to use in between jobs, some firms have been found to be avoiding this and parking up in neighbouring residential areas instead, so to prevent this, the airport has cut the cost of this waiting area in half to just £1 for up to three hours during the school summer holidays.

The airport says it will consider renewing the scheme over subsequent busy periods if it proves successful.

“We understand that for taxi drivers, particularly those based some distance from the airport, it makes financial sense to wait in the area for a return fare rather than to make the return journey without a passenger,” Mr Woodroofe continued.

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“However, when a high number of private hire vehicles wait in neighbouring residential areas, it can create congestion and increase the risk of inconsiderate or illegal parking.

Read more: ‘The big issues of earlier this year are behind us’ – New Manchester Airport boss speaks out

“That is why we have introduced this scheme for the summer holiday period, which we expect will alleviate pressure on street parking capacity in areas such as Wythenshawe and Woodhouse Park, by providing an affordable alternative for commercial drivers who need to remain in the area for extended periods.”

Featured Image – Cheshire Police

News

A local baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser to stop it from closing for good

Danny Jones Danny Jones Save Our Baby Bank Trafford Greater Manchester fundraiser

A Greater Manchester baby bank is holding a vital fundraiser in hopes of preventing it from closing for good imminently.

For anyone unaware, baby banks are crucial organisations run largely by volunteers who help provide supplies to families in local communities, with more than 300 in use across the UK at present.

Through delivering much-needed aid such as clothing, prams, nappies and baby food, right through to direct financial support, they help keep parents and their children in good supply of essentials and much more – hugely important work at any rate, let alone during the winter and a cost of living crisis.

However, the Little Green Sock Project over in Trafford is at risk of permanent closure and was initially given until the new year to raise £200,000.

As seen in this moving video, the baby bank based over in Stretford Mall is in dire need of support and, crucially, the funds for a new premises.

They’ve been deeply moved by how Greater Manchester united in reaching into their pockets and sparing whatever they can to contribute to their fundraising target thus far – and they really are nearly at the finish line, which would mean safety for the genuinely life-saving service.

Fundamentally operated as a non-profit and volunteer-led charity, they naturally don’t have the means to just take over a new space on their own and with the current site set to be demolished very soon, a minimum of £200k is needed to find and fund a new location.

Having amassed over 90% of the amount needed, they’ve already bought themselves extra time, they just need one last push from us.

Urging people to donate what they can and share their fundraiser where possible, as well as welcoming corporate sponsorships should other local businesses wish to back them or get stuck through volunteering days, time is of the essence.

The Little Green Sock Project was only started back in 2022 and has already supported over 1,300 children, redistributing more than £240,000 worth of essential items like clothing, cots, prams, and stair gates to local families, as well as saving 20 tonnes of items from landfills.

It’s no exaggeration to say that they’ve changed and saved lives, both parents and children, and with the often difficult festive period approaching, their work is needed now more than ever.

There are just under a dozen baby banks in all of Greater Manchester, many of which are facing similar pressures. (Credit: Supplied)

Speaking on their efforts and the fundraiser, founder Catherine D’Albertanson said: “We believe that essentials needed for the health and wellbeing of children should not only be for those that can afford them. Our work ensures that no child in our community goes without essentials, but without new premises, we will have no choice but to close.”

Moreover, Little Green Sock Project is the only baby bank in the Trafford area and of the families it serves, 58% are single-parent households already struggling with the cost of raising children, while 29% are fleeing domestic abuse, often leaving their belongings behind to protect their family.

With their circular economy model, they also help reduce waste whilst providing “a trusted link between the families that have items to give, to those that need them the most”, with D’Albertanson adding, “If we lose this charity, we lose a vital safety net for many in our community.”

A service user commented: “It was a truly terrifying time when I was pregnant with my first child. I found myself completely alone, with a baby on the way, wondering how I could possibly provide for my son.

“Then I found Little Green Sock Project, and everything changed. Everything was carefully chosen, colour-coordinated, and presented in such a thoughtful way. It felt so special—like someone truly cared about me and my baby. That feeling is indescribable, especially for someone in my position.

“There are so many people like me with stories like this. It breaks my heart to think that the Little Green Sock Project might have to close its doors. I can’t imagine what my life would have been like without your help, and I hope with all my heart that the community comes together to keep this lifeline alive.”

Manchester parents need this much-loved baby bank – let’s not let it fall away on our watch. (Credit: Andy Bate at Royal Foundation)

Read more:

Every pound donated goes towards helping find the Little Green Sock Project a new home, but people can help contribute in other ways, once again, by spreading the word or getting their hands dirty in person.

Greater Manchester never fails to amaze when it rallies behind causes like this, and we’re sure you won’t let us down this time either. Let’s keep the lights on the lifelines for local families intact.

You can donate now, or to find out other ways to do your bit, click HERE.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Little Green Sock Project/Andy Bate – Royal Foundation (supplied)

News

Government to begin giving millions of UK workers ‘significant’ pay rises from this week

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The Government is to begin giving more than three million workers across the UK a ‘significant pay boost’ from this week.

Announced as part of last year’s Budget, and in a bid to ‘put thousands of pounds back in the pockets of working people every year’, the Government confirmed back at the beginning of February that a new National Living Wage of £12.21 per hour, and a new National Minimum Wage of £10 per hour would take effect from April onwards.

Ministers said the 6.7% increase to the National Living Wage – which is now worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker – is a ‘significant step’ towards delivering the manifesto commitment to deliver a ‘genuine’ living wage.  

On top of this, the National Minimum Wage for 18-20-year-olds is also set to go up by a record increase of £1.40 an hour, which means full-time younger workers eligible for the rate will see their pay boosted by £2,500 a year.  

The minimum wage pay boot has also been called the first step towards removing the ‘unfair’ age-bands that see a 21-year-old getting paid more than a 20-year-old for doing the same job. 

According to the Government, this is also the first time the National Living Wage has taken into account the cost of living and inflation.

Three million UK workers will be getting a ‘significant’ pay rise from this week / Credit: Pexels

“In the last Parliament, living standards were the worst on record and sky-high inflation was crushing working people’s finances,” commented Chancellor Rachel Reeves, explaining why the pay boosts are being introduced.

“Making work pay is good for workers, will strengthen businesses’ workforces, and will grow our economy for years to come.

“It’s a key milestone on my number one mission to get more money in people’s pockets as we deliver our Plan for Change.”

Read more:

Not only that, but the minimum hourly wage for an apprentice is also set to be boosted later this year too, with an 18-year-old apprentice seeing their minimum hourly pay increase by 18% to £7.55 an hour. 

As a result of these particular changes, a further four million workers also could benefit from the positive spill-over impacts of the rate increases.   

Featured Image –

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