News
Everything you can and can’t do from tomorrow as lockdown restrictions ease
From June 1st things are changing.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced new lockdown easing rules throughout England coming into force from tomorrow, Monday June 1st.
The Prime Minister announced on Thursday that all five of the government’s tests for easing the lockdown are being met, so adjustments can begin to be made in England.
The biggest news includes allowing groups of up to six people to gather outside in public spaces or private gardens.
In the press conference, Johnson said: “I cannot and will not throw away all the gains we’ve made together and so the changes we’re making are limited and cautious. It’s thanks to the caution you’ve shown so far that all five met are being met.”
From Monday June 1st, you can now meet in groups of up to six people as long as you stick to the social distancing rules of staying two metres apart. You can also meet people from different households.
This means you can see both your parents or both your grandparents at the same time.
The meetings are limited to outside, unless you have to walk through the house to get to a garden where the meeting will take place.
Boris Johnson advised people to avoid seeing ‘too many households in quick succession’ to ‘avoid the risk of quick transmission from lots of different families’.
The rules remain the same regarding visiting someone inside their house: “It remains the case that people should not be inside the homes of their friends and families, unless it is to access the garden.”
With regards to shopping, most shops remain closed but outdoor markets and car showrooms will reopen from June 1st. It is expected that other non-essential shops will open on June 15th.
Schools will reopen to more children from June 1st to avoid ‘depriving children of their education’. Boris Johnson said: “On Monday we will start to put this right in a safe way by reopening nurseries and other early-years settings and reception year one and year six in primary schools.”
From June 15th, it is expected that schools will begin some face to face contact time for years 10 and 12.
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chirs Whitty, said it is hoped that ‘relatively soon’ the number of infections will be low enough to let shielded people leave home,although they must remain shielding for now.
What you will be able to do from June 1st in England:
- Gather in groups of up to six people in public or private outdoor spaces, practising social distancing
- Reception, year one, year six and nursery age children are allowed to go back to school
- Visit outdoor retail spaces, including outdoor markets, car showrooms where social distancing is possible
This is on top of what you could already do in England:
- Travel to work if you cannot work from home, avoiding public transport and wearing face masks if you cannot.
- Spend unlimited time outdoors for sunbathing or picnics
- Travel to an outdoor open space irrespective of distance
- Take day trips to an outdoor open space in a private vehicle
- Meet one person from another household outdoors following social distancing guidelines
- Unlimited exercise
- Use tennis, basketball or golf courses
- Visit garden centres
- Students can return home if its permanent
- Go to property viewings
- Childminders/ Nannies can come to your house to look after your child
You still cannot do the following in England:
- Visit friends/family homes or stay overnight
- Exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre including pools
- Use outdoor gyms or playgrounds
- Visit private or ticketed attractions
- Leave your home to stay at another home
- Share a private vehicle with another household
- Leave your home to stay at another home for a holiday / to visit second home
- Invite anyone other than close family/friends, or someone from the same household as the deceased to a funeral
Fines:
- Breaking the lockdown rules could mean incurring a fine from £60 to £100
- Repeat offenders will see the fine double for each subsequent breach to a maximum of £3,200
Commuters could be facing the steepest rise in the cost of train travel in more than a decade just months after prices were already increased.
It has been predicted today that train prices across England and Wales could rise by nearly 5% before the New Year.
The 2021 rise in prices was delayed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic when train travel was at an all-time low, however, tickets still saw a price rise of 2.6% in March.
Abhijit Tembhekar / Flickr
And this morning, the Retail Prices Index for July 2021 was confirmed as 3.8% by the Office for National Statistics, meaning passengers could see fares rise by 4.8% in 2022, which would be the largest hike since 2012.
This means that the cost of rail travel could increase twice within ten months, and would see a Manchester-Glasgow off-peak return rise by £6.30 to £94.90, according to Metro.
Though all hope isn’t yet gone – changes to the fares in 2022 are still yet to be confirmed.
Jon David Houghton / Wikimedia Commons
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “No decision has been made on national rail fares.
“The government is considering a variety of options and we will announce our decision in due course.”
This news has come as train travel in Manchester and beyond is on the rise – earlier this month, we reported that zero cases of Covid were found in Manchester Piccadilly Train Station, despite thousands of commuters using the station’s services as offices reopen.
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