08.04.20
Burnham: Free tram passes to be given to NHS and social care workers
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced that he will provide free tram passes for NHS and social care workers as a gesture of thanks to support them during the coronavirus outbreak.
According to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, who made the announcement during his weekly coronavirus press briefing, he had been lobbied by MPs from across GM to provide the free passes for NHS staff, with his office opting to extend the offer to social workers too.
From Saturday April 11, 2020, the tram network in and around Manchester will be free for them to use in, as Mr Burnham described it, “a small gesture of [thanks] for everything they are doing right now”.
The free travel will only apply to journeys to and from work.
Manchester has been one of the areas of focus for coronavirus efforts in the UK, with the city’s Manchester Central convention centre being converted into an NHS Nightingale hospital.
Mayor Burnham has also taken to proactively addressing the coronavirus outbreak head-on, carrying out regular press conference to keep the region informed, alongside the national briefings occurring daily.
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