Greater Manchester has been praised after a recent study found the region’s street homelessness figures have reduced by over 50%.
After Greater Manchester set what was deemed to be “the most ambitious target” out of the 13 initial ‘Vanguard Cities’ that committed to tackling street homelessness by December 2020, new research from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh found that there was an “impressive” 52% reduction against baseline figures across the region.
The region overall had the largest reduction in absolute numbers on the streets, from 241 in November 2018, to 115 that month in 2020, according to the research.
However, it did not meet its overall target of completely ending all rough sleeping.
The report by Heriot-Watt University comes after the Institute of Global Homelessness’ (IGH) A Place to Call Home initiative launched in 2017 as the first concerted effort to support cities around the world to eradicate street homelessness and rough sleeping, ITV Granada reports.
Among the initial 13 ‘Vanguard Cities’ committed to tackling the issue by December 2020 as well as Greater Manchester included Glasgow, Brussels, Chicago, and Adelaide.
Rijeka, Little Rock, Edmonton, Montevideo, Santiago, Tshwane, and Bengaluru were the others.
There was an “impressive” 52% reduction against baseline street homelessness figures across Greater Manchester / Credit: Gary Knight (via Wikimedia Commons)
Researchers into the initiative since its inception found that one of the reasons for Greater Manchester’s reduction in figures can be put down to dedicated initiatives brought in because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which were said to have helped to accelerate success and “demonstrate what can be achieved with sufficient political will”.
A lead co-ordinating agency, and co-ordinated entry to services, as well as investment in “specialised and evidence-based interventions” were among the keys to progress in tackling homelessness, the report found.
On the flip side, the report found that reliance on “undignified and sometimes unsafe communal shelters” were barriers, and more “structural and system change” was needed to progress.
Speaking on the findings of the recent research, Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick – director of the Institute for Social Policy, Housing, Equalities Research (I-Sphere) at Heriot-Watt University – said: “While there are clear country-specific challenges that need to be overcome, this first global initiative on tackling street homelessness has highlighted the need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach, towards more specialised interventions that target specific subgroups.”
She highlighted appropriate services for women, children, older people, and other vulnerable groups as being “essential”.
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Urgent appeal issued following serious road traffic collision involving motorcyclist on M60
Emily Sergeant
An urgent appeal has been issued following a serious road traffic collision on the M60.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) are appealing for information and dash-cam footage, as well as urging witnesses to come forward, after a motorcyclist suffered life-threatening injuries during a collision on the M60 this past Saturday (12 July).
Shortly after 1:40pm, police were called a report of a collision involving a motorbike on the anti-clockwise side of the motorway, between junctions 25 and 24.
When patrols responded and arrived on the scene, they found a man in his 50s – believed to be the motorcyclist – with life-threatening injuries, and was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment in an air ambulance, with his family being informed in the process.
An urgent appeal has been issued following a serious road traffic collision involving motorcyclist on the M60 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The M60 was closed in one direction, between Bredbury and Denton, following the crash from around 2:30pm onwards, and all traffic was diverted while investigations were ongoing.
GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit is in the process of conducting enquiries, and at this time, it isn’t believed that any other vehicle was involved in this incident.
This is why police are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the collision, or who has dash-cam footage, to get in on contact.
Police have also thanked the members of the public who stopped by the roadside to give the man initial first aid before emergency services arrived.
Police issue update on Oasis arrests and fence-jumpers
Daisy Jackson
Greater Manchester Police have shared an update on the arrests made at the opening two nights of Oasis Live ’25.
More than 100,000 people have flocked up to Heaton Park on Friday and Saturday evening for the first two of five Oasis reunion shows.
And largely, things have gone without a hitch, with only 15 arrests made so far.
The majority of these are arrests on suspicion of fraud, with five men and a woman in three separate incidents attempting to access the Oasis gig with fake accreditation.
Another man was arrests on suspicion of assaulting a member of security staff.
Two more men were arrested on suspicion of assault – a section 18 inside the Oasis gig at Heaton Park, and another for a section 47 outside.
Police have also said that ‘a number of people’ have attempted to access the gigs without tickets, with a perimeter gate breached on Saturday night, but ‘failed to do so’.
Five drones which breached airspace restrictions were seized on Friday.
A Section 34 Dispersal Order, which gives officers the power to direct individuals to leave a specified area and not return for 48 hours, has been in place for each night of the Oasis concerts so far.
This will be re-assessed before each concert this week, with the Gallagher brothers back at Heaton Park on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.
GMP around Manchester ahead of the Oasis reunion shows. Credit: GMP
Assistant Chief Constable Matt Boyle said: “We have been planning for these events for several months, working with partners and the organisers to make sure everyone can enjoy the concerts safely. To that end, I’m pleased to say that the first two Oasis homecoming events have been a success.
“What has been especially pleasing is how more than 100,000 people have enjoyed these iconic events safely and without trouble.
“We will have a highly visible presence in and around Heaton Park, and across the city, to ensure the next three events continue to pass safely.
“A number of people without tickets attempted to gain entry through a perimeter gate on Saturday night but failed to do so.
Credit: The Manc GroupCredit: Tiktok benwalkerofficialPolice say ‘just 15’ arrests made at Oasis so far
“We continue to support the event organisers and the local authority with their plans preventing any unauthorised access to the arena site.
“While arrests have thankfully been minimal, we have had to take some suspects to custody, including one after an alleged assault on a steward on Saturday night. We will not tolerate any abuse of anyone doing their job.
“On Friday night we also dealt with a number of breaches of airspace restrictions involving drones where our officers seized five drones and spoke to two other pilots.
“We continue to have airspace restrictions in place on the nights of the concerts and anyone found breaching the one-and-a-half-mile restriction zone could face prosecution.”
Emily Sergeant -
4th April 2022 
