To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.
At around 17:19 hrs on 17 May 2019, a Manchester Metrolink tram travelling inbound from Manchester Airport towards Victoria passed through the centre platform of Deansgate-Castlefields tramstop. It was required to stop at the platform, but did not do so.
It then passed a signal displaying a stop aspect at the far end of the platform, while travelling at around 9 mph (14km/h), and entered the section of line that leads to St. Peter’s Square tramstop.
Passing this signal placed the tram in a conflicting movement with another tram, which was departing from the other inbound platform having been allowed to do so by the signalling system. The driver of the second tram realised what was happening and bought their tram to a stop before a collision occurred. The tram which passed the signal at stop continued on to St. Peter’s Square tram stop.
There were no injuries or other adverse consequences resulting from this incident. However, a collision between the two trams was only narrowly avoided.
Our investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events which led to the near miss. It will also consider:
Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.
We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.
You can subscribe to automated emails notifying you when we publish our reports.
The Queen has approved that Peter Michael Ainsworth, MA, be re-appointed Chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust for a period of three years from 1st July 2019.
Peter Ainsworth was educated at Bradfield College and Lincoln College, Oxford. He worked as a Researcher for a Member of the European Parliament before becoming an Investment Analyst in the City. He became a Director of Corporate Finance at Warburg Securities in 1986, a role which he resigned upon his election as Member of Parliament for East Surrey in 1992.
Having served as Parliamentary Private Secretary to Ministers in H.M. Treasury and the Department for National Heritage, he was promoted to the Whips’ Office in 1996 where he remained in Opposition as Deputy Chief Whip. In 1998 he became Shadow Secretary for Culture, Media & Sport, later becoming Shadow Environment Secretary.
In 2003 he was appointed Chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee before re-joining the Shadow Cabinet with the Environment brief in 2006. In 2009 he joined the Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee and in 2010 he left Parliament to pursue his interest in cultural and environmental matters.
He is currently Chairman of the National Lottery Community Fund and of the Heritage Alliance. A former Board member of the Environment Agency, he has chaired the Elgar Foundation and the wild plant charity Plantlife. For the past three years he has been the Chairman of the Churches Conservation Trust.
His interests include music, poetry and history.
I’m delighted to see the PM set a legal target for the UK to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This is not only the right thing to tackle the climate emergency for future generations but a huge opportunity to increase our energy efficiency, improve our resilience and deliver a greener, healthier society.
We know that investing in zero carbon solutions is good for growth – boosting jobs and the economy – and it is cheaper for business, organisations and government to tackle climate change now than to manage its impacts in the future.
When I launched a consultation on the Environment Agency’s Flood and Coastal Strategy up to 2100, a few weeks ago, I talked about the importance of building a nation of climate champions – people aware of the risks of the climate emergency and empowered to take positive action to help their communities become more resilient.
We know how passionate young people are across the country about tackling complacency in the face of catastrophe and taking action now to safeguard their environment for the future. So it’s encouraging to see the Government has established a Youth Steering Group which will advise them and review progress against their commitments.
Our individual actions count too, no matter how small – from the amount of water we use at home to the products we recycle and reuse. We have no option but to do this and we all have a part to play.
The Environment Agency is already working to tackle the climate emergency. Today’s announcement gives a powerful boost to all our prospects for the future and a common goal to achieve together.
The £5 million Carers Innovation Fund will invest in innovative ways of supporting unpaid carers, outside of mainstream health and care services.
This funding will be used to improve support across the country and help build more carer-friendly communities.
Examples of the kind of projects the fund would invest in include:
Projects will be expected to show a positive effect on:
Applicants will need to demonstrate their idea is a fresh approach that is better than existing provision, will benefit the local community and can be expanded and replicated.
The voluntary sector, charities, SMEs and commercial organisations can all bid for funding to prove their concept, with the aim of securing longer term funding from other sources.
Carers and other experts will sit on the evaluation panel to make sure proposals are feasible.
The fund was first announced last year as part of the Carers Action Plan, a cross-government programme of targeted work to support unpaid carers over the next 2 years. Initially the fund was worth half a million pounds. However, funding was later increased to £5 million.
The NHS is also working to better identify and support carers across England, as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.
Minister for, Care Caroline Dinenage, said:
Informal care is a fundamental part of our health and care system, which would not be sustainable without the incredible contribution of carers across the country. But we cannot take them for granted and must do more to protect their wellbeing and ensure they can enjoy full lives.
This £5 million investment will help build our understanding of the kinds of support that work for carers, outside of traditional healthcare services. From cafes that bring carers together, to innovative forms of technology that help carers enjoy time off, I want to see a range of exciting projects boosted and their benefits unlocked.
Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:
There’s never been a more important time to develop and accelerate new ways to support unpaid carers.
Many more of us are taking on unpaid caring responsibilities for family and friends, often alongside paid work or raising children. We are also seeing the amount and complexity of care increasing.
As we live and work longer, with technology transforming so many aspects of our lives, it’s time to innovate to support the way families are living today.