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Police confirm a person has been found dead near Levenshulme train station

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 10th May 2022

Police officers have confirmed that a person has sadly died near Levenshulme train station.

Rail services between Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly were disrupted for much of this morning due to an ongoing incident.

British Transport Police has now confirmed that officers were called to reports of a casualty on the tracks early today.

Credit: Google Maps

Paramedics attended and pronounced a person dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: “Officers were called to the line near Levenshulme railway station at 5.52am this morning (10 May) following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

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“Paramedics also attended, however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene.

Read more: BBC’s Deborah James shares devastating health update – and says ‘goodbye’ with enormous fundraiser

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“This incident is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.”

National Rail had advised passengers this morning to use alternative transport to usual train services, with rail replacement buses running between stops along the Stockport line.

The latest update stated: “Trains are now able to run as normal following the emergency services attending to an incident between Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport.”

Featured image: Google Maps

News

Andy Burnham extends Greater Manchester’s £2 bus fare cap across England

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant People on a bus

Single bus fares are to be capped at £2 across England from next year, it has been announced.

Andy Burnham famously introduced this money-saving measure on the Bee Network here in Greater Manchester back in September 2022 when he was Mayor of the city region, and it’s proved to be a big success ever since, so it comes as no surprise that this would be something he would look to extend nationwide once he became Prime Minister.

It’s only his second full day in office, but in a bid to further help with the cost of living and give people the breathing space they need, Andy Burnham has now announced that millions of passengers nationwide will benefit from cheaper bus fares in 2027.

Backed by £400 million extra funding, the cap on fares will help millions of people across the country access affordable bus travel more easily.

The Government says this measure is aiming to ‘break down barriers to travel’.

Currently, fares have been capped at £3 until the end of March 2027, but today’s move will stop prices jumping next spring and lower fares to £2 from January, as well as extending the cap until the end of 2027 to give local authorities more time to plan with confidence.

The bus fare cap comes alongside the first rail fare freeze in 30 years announced earlier this year, saving passengers £600 million, and commuters on some routes saving more than £300 a year.

It also comes after the Government announced £100m for free bus travel for all children in England aged five-15 on participating services this summer as part of the The Great British Summer Savings scheme.

Andy Burnham is extending Greater Manchester’s £2 bus fare cap across England / Credit: TfGM

“Good, affordable transport links are an essential,” commented Prime Minister Andy Burnham. 

“But for too long people have said that cheaper transport isn’t an option. I don’t accept that. I’ve done it before and I will do it again now – a £2 cap on bus fares for millions across the country.

“Lower fares will help people get to where they need to, giving them breathing space to help with the cost of living. As I said on my first day in office, I will build a country for everyone, everywhere. That means more connected communities, better access to opportunities, and a lighter load on people’s lives.”

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The Government will consult on ways to award extra planning powers to Mayors to give them the final say over decisions on public transport in their areas.

These greater powers will help make sure local leaders have the tools they need to meet the needs of local people, and the Government will be consulting on these measures to make sure that they are designed in the best interest of local communities.  

Featured Image – Mitchell Johnson (via Unsplash)

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Andy Burnham invites Donald Trump to Manchester as two leaders speak on first call together

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Andy Burnham has spoken to US President Donald Trump on a call for the first time since becoming Prime Minister.

Less than 24 hours after officially becoming Prime Minister and appearing outside the doors of Number 10 to give his first speech as leader, Andy Burnham and Donald Trump have had contact with each other – and the US President even described it as a ‘very good conversation’ that was ‘interesting’ and went ‘very well’.

According to the Prime Minister‘s office, the two leaders spoke about a range of different topics important to both countries.

Setting out his vision as Prime Minister, Burnham told Trump that he would focus on reindustrialisation up and down the country to ensure ‘good growth in every postcode’. 

Andy Burnham has invited Donald Trump to visit Manchester / Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Prime Minister also underlined his commitment to defence and security, and told the President that ensuring the security of the UK and its Allies was at the top of his agenda.

The President then updated on the situation in the Middle East, and the Prime Minister outlined the UK’s commitment to securing the movement of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to support global supply chains and drive down costs for businesses and families across the country.

It wasn’t all business though, as the pair also discussed the World Cup – with the Prime Minister congratulating the President on his country’s success as hosts, and agreeing that England had an excellent tournament. 

And then came the all-important headline grabbing moment… that’s right, Andy Burnham has invited Donald Trump to visit Manchester.

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According to the Government statement, Burnham said he also hoped that he would be able to ‘show the President what Manchester had to offer’ during a visit to the city sometime in the future.

Oh boy… we better get preparing ourselves already then.

Featured Image – Trump White House (via Flickr)

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