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Royal Mail to cut 2,000 jobs to ‘reduce costs during the coronavirus crisis’

Royal Mail is to cut 2,000 jobs in a restructuring that has been prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Manc The Manc - 25th June 2020

Royal Mail is to cut 2,000 jobs in a restructuring that has been prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The cuts, which will mainly affect UK management roles, are intended to deliver cost savings of £130m a year and come just a month after Royal Mail’s chief executive Rico Back quit with less than two years in the role.

Parcel deliveries during the coronavirus pandemic have been higher than ever and the business has struggled to adapt to the changes needed to keep up with such high demand.

The postal service said it needed to take “immediate action” on costs after profit before tax plunged 25 per cent to £180m in the financial year to the end of March.

Additionally, It is also slashing £300m in spending over the next two years to tackle the impact of coronavirus.

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Interim CEO Keith Williams says Royal Mail has been too slow to pivot its business to prioritise parcels over letters.

He said: “In recent years, our UK business has not adapted quickly enough to the changes in our marketplace of more parcels and fewer letters. COVID-19 has accelerated those trends, presenting additional challenges.”

This is a breaking news story. More to follow.

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Transport Secretary commits to ‘transformational’ rail deal with Greater Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The Transport Secretary has signed a ‘transformational’ rail deal for Greater Manchester.

The Government has formally agreed to work with Greater Manchester and Mayor Andy Burnham on plans for a new railway connecting Liverpool and Manchester, via Warrington, as part of Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR). 

The new Liverpool-Manchester line is said to underpin the Northern Growth Corridor – which is a bold strategy to drive growth from the Mersey to the Pennines, stretching into Yorkshire, Lancashire, North Wales, and beyond – with a key connection at Manchester Airport.

Local analysis has suggested that the new line could generate around £90 billion in additional revenue by 2040.

Also, as part of the major investment of up to £45 billion – which was announced a couple of weeks back, and is tipped to transform rail travel across the North – the Government has also said it will work with Greater Manchester partners to explore an underground option at Manchester Piccadilly station, recognising its potential as a ‘catalyst for growth’.

Local leaders say they are keen to demonstrate how an underground station could turn Piccadilly into a ‘Kings Cross of the North’.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander met with Mayor Andy Burnham last week to sign the formal agreement.

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The agreement recognises the potential for an underground solution at Manchester Piccadilly, while also acknowledging the need for further ‘testing’ to make sure it will deliver value for money, and additionally sets out how the Government will work with Greater Manchester on the wider NPR scheme – which will be delivered in three stages, with the Liverpool-Manchester line to be built in the second phase.

Bee Network train
The Transport Secretary has committed to a ‘transformational’ rail deal with Greater Manchester / Credit: TfGM (Supplied)

A formal review of the underground option at Manchester Piccadilly is to be lead by local leaders and senior civil servants.

“I’ve strengthened this Government’s clear and unwavering commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail by signing an agreement with Mayor Burnham on the next steps for transforming connectivity in Greater Manchester,” explained Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander.

“With a new line between Manchester and Liverpool at the heart of our plans, alongside new stations at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, we will unlock new opportunities, more jobs and more housing for thousands of people. 

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“By providing early clarity on scope and phasing, we are giving Greater Manchester the certainty it needs to plan ahead and unlock the full economic and social benefits for its people.”

Featured Image – GMCA

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Police appeal after Manchester city centre shooting sees six arrested and one injured

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Police are appealing to the public for information after a shooting in Manchester city centre over the weekend.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to reports of a disturbance on Richmond Street at around 5am this past Saturday morning (24 January 2026), and upon arriving at the address, discovered that an adult male had an injury to his leg which was consistent with a gunshot wound.

The man, who has not been named, was been taken to hospital with injuries, but they have been described as ‘non-life threatening’ and ‘non-life changing’.

Following the incident, a police investigation was launched straight away.

Six men, all aged between 23 and 26-years-old, have all been arrested on suspicion of affray and firearms offences, and remain in police custody for questioning at this time while investigations are ongoing.

Superintendent Stephen Wiggins, from GMP’s City of Manchester Division, said he understands this will be a ‘concerning incident’ for the whole of Greater Manchester.

“Once the call came in, our officers acted quickly, making to the scene to establish what had unfolded at the address on Richmond Street, detaining six individuals who we believe had been involved, and we managed to recover a firearm at the address.

“I would like to reassure the community that we believe this is a targeted incident, and there is no wider threat to the general public.”

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GMP is now appealing to the public for witnesses, or anyone with information, CCTV, or dashcam footage that could assist the investigation, and is urging them to contact police on 0161 856 4259 or 101, quoting log 600 of 24/01/2026.

You can also report information via LiveChat on the GMP website, or through Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Featured Image – GMP

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