Using public transport
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that new data from TfL shows a significant reduction in the number of people using the Tubes and buses in response to the coronavirus outbreak – Tube and rail travel is now down 88 percent, an additional third compared to yesterday, and bus travel is down by 76 percent, an additional 20 percent on yesterday.
Whilst this is positive news, the people of Haringey still need to do more to reduce their travel unless absolutely necessary. TfL data shows that the footfall in and out of Tottenham Hale station is still very high and there’s still around a 50 percent demand of people using buses in Tottenham Green, Bounds Green and Bruce Grove stations.
The message from the government is clear. We all need to stay home to save lives.
You must only travel if you are a key worker or if it is absolutely essential. If you must travel, you may want to consider staggering your journey start and end time – the current peak times are between 5.45am to 7.30am and 4pm to 5.30pm.
Business closures enforcement
The government has issued new enforcement powers to enable local authorities, supported by the police, to take action to deal with non-compliance with directions to close specified businesses.
Everyone has a duty to comply with the advice provided by the government in relation to COVID-19, in order to protect both themselves and others. The council has designated officers to enforce these closures.
It is a criminal offence for any person, without reasonable excuse, not to comply with the mandatory closures. The regulations provide for a criminal sanction (unlimited fine) and enforcement powers to ensure the closure of bars, pubs, restaurants providing food or drink for consumption on the premises amongst other public entertainment places as a result of the risk to public health arising from Coronavirus.
Exclusions to these regulations currently include food and drink take-aways.
Businesses such as hairdressers and nail salons are also affected as these businesses and other venues involve prolonged close social contact, which increases the chances of infection spreading so they must also close.
We are working with the Police to ensure that businesses comply.
The Regulations will expire completely at the end of 6 months from last Saturday (21st March 2020 – this expiry does not affect the validity of anything done before then) and are to be reviewed by the Secretary of State every 28 days and may therefore be subject to change.
As the current situation with the Covid-19 outbreak continues to develop, the council is constantly keeping the matter under review, following government advice and looking at its own business continuity arrangements to ensure we can continue to deliver the services.
Parking changes – update
We have now made further changes to parking enforcement to support essential NHS and police staff, as well as residents that have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
We are now only enforcing around footways, yellow lines, GP bays, and specific parking bays such as disabled and loading bays around pharmacies, supermarkets, and other vital businesses that are still operating.
It remains important that roads are kept clear for buses, resident parking and emergency services.
We want to say a massive thank you to all of the UK’s fantastic NHS workers, for the brave work they are doing in tackling Covid-19.
Proposal for managing the impact of Covid-19/Coronavirus on Community Organisations
In line with the latest Government Covid-19 guidance to avoid non-essential travel, to stop meeting friends and family members who do not live together and to ban any gatherings of more than 2 people (whether for leisure or other activities) we are taking action to close community buildings where we as the Council are the landlord. This is because, by their very nature, most of these are community and building based services which encourage residents to gather, to travel to a public space and to have social contact. We are now advising all community organisations in the borough to close their public facing buildings and to work to deliver their services differently.
Other local authorities and communities nationally have equally been considering these issues and making decisions about how to support services to be delivered differently. In summary, that is in ways which can still support local residents and communities but which do not contravene the most recent guidance on combatting the impact of Covid-19.
We are absolutely committed to mitigating the impact of Covid-19 on our most vulnerable communities and residents, and with partners across the borough have developed a Haringey community offer, which you can read more about on the Haringey Together pages.
We are increasing daily the information and support which is available for local residents to access – by telephone and online – and our webpages are being updated on a daily basis.
In order to safeguard local residents and the frontline staff in organisations supporting them we are taking the following courses of action:
1. Closing buildings supporting a community offer with immediate effect
We advise all organisations to follow the latest Covid-19 guidance and to close all community facing buildings.
2. Securing premises
Please take care to ensure your building has been effectively closed down. This will include ensuring keys are held securely and all safety measures have been taken.
3. Alternative uses
It is possible that buildings currently used for a particular purpose or use may be required to support other uses during the period of the Coronavirus outbreak, including for delivery of NHS or social care services. Should it be necessary, we would like to ensure we have contacts within your organisation to start this conversation, so please do post your contact details to [email protected]
4. Delivering services differently
We are very aware of the skills and talents of our local voluntary and community sector and that many of you have already shifted to delivering your services by telephone and or online. We are here to support you to do this – if you need any assistance, please email the [email protected] inbox to start a conversation about how your service could be delivered differently and about any extra help you need.
5. Financial implications
We recognise that the landscape for everyone is changing fast and that plans previously in place (for delivery, funding, income, sustainability) will come under severe pressure. We are very aware of the potential funding implications for the voluntary and community sector of the outbreak and of the associated actions to safeguard public health and wellbeing. We would like to work with you – please email the [email protected] inbox to start this conversation.
We are in unprecedented, challenging and anxious times, and it is through working together and following the latest central government guidance that we will ensure we do all we can to reduce the impact of this pandemic.
