Hale Independent Issue 178

MAY 2025 2 No part of this publicationmay be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2025. This newspaper is publishedmonthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate,Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. 01204 478812 EDITOR Ged Henderson ged@hendersonnewsandmedia.com CONTACT JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 or 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk ADVERTISING Robin Atkins 07767 840274 robin@cheshireindependent.co.uk CONTACT US TATTON MP Esther McVey has called for the switch to digital tele- phone landlines to be delayed to ensure ade- quate safeguards are in place to protect rural communities and the most vulnerable. Internet-based connections are set to replace copper-wire cables completely by January 2027, but some homes have already been switched over. The next two years will see the programme ramped up to ensure all house- holds are ready before the old analogue network is switched off. But Ms McVey says the quality of broadband in Tat- ton’s rural and semi-rural areas is often very slow, very variable or non-existent and would leave people without a reliable phone line and at risk. She said: “Accessing bet- ter broadband for my con- stituents is a priority, and I have written to successive ministers about this, as well as working with the indus- try to see what can be done and I will continue to do so. For this to work, households need decent broadband. “For those where inter- net connections are patchy, it will leave them with no means of communication, both in an emergency and for everyday use. We know for many their landline is their support network. Ms McVey said many also rely on their landlines for their health needs, such as pendant alarm systems which can be triggered after a fall or in another emergency. Speaking in a West- minster Hall debate she also raised concerns over how the changes would affect businesses. She added: “Whilst many rural businesses can take card payments over Wi-Fi, they will often use a card machine linked to a phone line as a backup. Forcing them to rely on an unreliable digital connection will put them at risk of nonpayment. “This switch to digital is a major infrastructure change and poses many problems that have not been thought through. It affects everyone and must be done properly and not rushed.” Ms McVey questioned claims by the industry that the copper network was so bad the switchover cannot be delayed and called on govern- ment to investigate further. MORE than 200 people across Trafford took part in this year’s Great British Spring Clean. The army of volunteers donated more than 100 hours of their time and collected 286 bags of rubbish. A Trafford Council spokesperson said: “A huge thank you to everyone in Trafford who took part in this year’s #GreatBritishSpringClean. “And a special shout out to all the amazing char- ities, community groups, businesses and schools who got involved to help make Trafford a cleaner, greener place for everyone.” ‘Tap and go’ is go Travel plans: Andy Burnham Volunteers: This year’s spring clean attracted more than 200 people (Photo credit: Trafford Council) Cleaning up A MODERN, contactless ‘tap and go’ payment system has been launched across Greater Manchester’s Bee Network. Passengers can now travel seam- lessly between bus and tram and pay for their journey by tapping on when boarding a bus without the need for a ticket, making it the quickest and easiest way to pay for travel. By introducing contactless tap and go across both Bee Network buses and trams, Greater Manches- ter has realised its long-held ambi- tion of having a truly multi-modal, integrated and affordable transport system that is on par with other major cities around the world. Those behind the initiative say MP calls for digital phone switch delay SHOWROOM: 410 Flixton Road, Flixton M41 6QY DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL ROLLERS - ROMANS - WOOD VENETIANS - VERTICALS bd BLINDS DIRECT Flixton For a FREE no obligation quote call: 0161 749 8525 the offer will be further enhanced with the integration of rail services and stations into the Bee Network by 2028. Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “We said we would deliver a Lon- don-style transport network for the people and businesses of Greater Manchester and that is exactly what we have done. “We have led the way with fran- chising and been able to bring buses together with the largest tram network in the country under one system that makes travelling across Greater Manchester easier, more affordable and more conven- ient than ever before.” He added: “With a more joined-up experience, where peo- ple can choose to leave their car at home and use public transport, there’s never been a better time to get on board the Bee Network and take advantage of the incredible value it has to offer.” Tap and go will mean bus pas- sengers no longer need to buy a physical ticket to travel on a Bee Network bus, but those still want- ing to pay cash or purchase a ticket can still do so onboard or via the Bee Network app. Vernon Everitt, transport com- missioner for Greater Manchester, said: “Tap and go will be a real game changer for the Bee Net- work as the quickest and easiest way for passengers to pay for their bus and tram travel. Automatic capping of fares opens up oppor- tunities to make more flexible and affordable journeys under a simpler fares structure. “Payment by contactless bank card is already the most popular way to pay for travel on Metrolink with record numbers of people using it every year. “After integrating the way peo- ple pay for Metrolink and bus journeys, our focus will move on to working with government and the rail industry to bring train travel within this system. By 2028 Greater Manchester will then have a fully joined-up fares system across tram, bus and local train services.”