Opening remarks
Good afternoon, and welcome
welcome to today's press conference
today's Downing Street press conference
– on coronavirus
I am pleased
I am pleased to be joined
I am pleased to be joined today by Dr Jenny Harries
Latest data
Let me update you
Let me start by updating you
updating you on the latest information
from the government's file
the governments COBR data file
As of today
today – 23 May
3,348,507 tests have been carried out
that's tests for coronavirus, in the UK
including 116, 508 tests yesterday
257,154 people have tested positive
that's an increase
an increase of 2,959 cases
an increase of 2,959 positive cases
an increase of 2,959 positive cases since yesterday
And 9,331 people are in hospital
9,331 people are currently in hospital
9,331 people are currently in hospital
with coronavirus
9,331 people are currently in hospital
with coronavirus, in the UK
that's down 11%
that's down 11% – since last week
And 36,675 people have died
tragically 36,675 people have died
36, 675 people have now died
That's an increase of 282 fatalities
An increase of 282 fatalities since yesterday
An increase of 282 fatalities since yesterday
counted across all settings
Those deaths are not a list of statistics
Those deaths are not just a list of statistics
Those deaths are not just a list of statistics but a reminder
a devastating reminder
of the cruelty of coronavirus
Our thoughts are with the friends
and our thoughts are with the families
of the victims of coronavirus
Transport context
As we start to relax
As we start to relax the restrictions
we must plan
plan our route to recovery
Allowing people to resume their lives
to resume their lives where possible
Getting businesses running
Getting businesses up and running
Getting businesses up and running again and building beyond coronavirus
We will bring back
We will need to bring back
We will need to bring back more public transport
In the short term, we will need to bring back
more public transport
to keep families safe
That process has already begun
Rail and tube services increased this week
increased, at the beginning of this week
And they'll ramp up more next month
And to ensure that buses return
that more buses, trams and light-rail networks return
more buses, trams and light-rail networks return to service
today I can announce investment
new investment of £283 million
to start moving back
to a full timetable
I want to stress
However I do want to stress
this funding does not mean we can use public transport
it does not mean we can go back to using public transport
whenever we like
Remember
Those who can should work from home
Those who can should still work from home
Those who can should still avoid public transport
- all public transport
A fully restored service will carry one fifth of capacity
A fully restored service will carry – at best – one fifth of capacity
A fully restored service will be capable of carrying – at best
one fifth of normal capacity
once social distancing is taken into account
So if you need to travel
So only if you need to travel
and you can't cycle, or walk or drive
only if you can't cycle, or walk or drive
should you take a bus, tram or train
But please avoid the rush hour
Marshals
We're managing the transport network
to make it safe
to make it as safe as possible
This week saw the deployment of nearly 3,500 employees
3,500 British Transport Police, Network Rail and Transport for London employees
These marshals worked with the public
worked with the public to prevent services from becoming overcrowded
From 1 June we will deploy twice as many marshals
From 1 June at the earliest we deploy twice as many marshals
From the 1 June at the earliest – as we move to phase 2 of the unlock
we will start to deploy twice as many marshals
with the assistance of groups like the charity – Volunteering Matters
These Journey Makers will provide reassurance
These Journey Makers will help provide reassurance
These Journey Makers will help provide reassurance
advice and assistance
friendly assistance
to commuters
The last time we did this it was a success
The last time we did this it was a great success
The last time we did this, at the 2012 Olympics
it was a great success
While these are more serious times
While these are altogether more serious times
if we show the concern for one another
if we show the same public-spirited concern for one another
it will go a way towards helping
it will go a long way toward helping
transport and passengers cope
ZipAbout
As I have said
it's essential we stagger journeys
stagger journeys and avoid the rush hour
That's why we asked the tech sector
why, at a recent roundtable, we asked the tech sector
to come up with proposals
innovative proposals to help passengers avoid congestion
One example is 'Passenger Connect'
One good example is 'Passenger Connect'
One good example is 'Passenger Connect' from Birmingham start-up ZipAbout
A personalised information service
which tells rail users how disruption may affect their journey
how disruption and crowding may affect their journey
while providing alternatives and helping people
to maintain social distancing
This service has been piloted
successfully piloted
over the past 12 months
and it will be rolled out soon
Building for the future
We're not just dealing with the challenges of the present
the immense challenges of the present
we're building for the future too
Transport is how we get from place to place
is not just about how we get from place to place
it also shapes the places
for good or bad
Towns. Cities. Whole nations
We have an opportunity
We now have an opportunity
to use transport
to use the power of transport
to improve national weaknesses
long-standing national weaknesses
and create something better
Rebalancing the economy
The UKs economy is one weakness
The UKs economy is one such weakness
The UKs unbalanced economy is one such weakness
our mission is to level-up Britain
The COVID-19 outbreak must be the catalyst
the catalyst to get it done
levelling up. And speeding up
So while roads and railways are less busy
we're accelerating projects
we're accelerating vital projects
Take the North, for example
This weekend
This bank holiday weekend
we're carrying out work to fix Leeds station
vital work to fix Leeds station
continuing to build a platform
a new platform
installing new points and switches
and improving the track to Wakefield
Just part of 490 engineering projects
490 separate engineering projects
happening around the country
around the country this weekend
this bank holiday weekend
Works that would normally take months of closures
months of weekend closures
are quicker
much quicker
on these quieter railways
Beeching cuts
And we're reversing some of the Beeching cuts
We're reversing some of the so-called Beeching rail cuts
We're getting on with plans to reverse some of the so-called Beeching rail cuts too
Dr Beeching wrote a report
which led to the closure of one-third of our railway network
Dr Beeching wrote a report back in the 1960s
which led to the closure of one-third of our railway network
2,363 stations, 5,000 miles of track identified for closure
Many of the places removed never recovered
The places removed from the map never recovered
That report was the origin
That report was perhaps the origin of the 'left-behind town'
But we're reversing Beeching
we're working to reverse Beeching
The process has started
The process has already started
in Blyth in the North East and Fleetwood in the North West
I visited in January and took the opportunity to visit Horden Peter Lee
I visited and also took the opportunity to visit Horden Peter Lee
to see the work
the building work
There used to be a station
a train station
200 yards away
but it was closed
and the town cut off
cut off by the Beeching axe
This station
this new station
will connect a community
improving their life
will connect a community of people
improving their quality of life
This new station will connect a community of over 50,00 people
improving their quality of life
And today the next schemes are announced
the next 10 schemes are announced
the next 10 schemes to benefit are announced
It's funding
it's development funding...
but if they stack up then we're going to build them
if they stack up then we're going to build them fast
Amongst the schemes is the reinstatement
Amongst the many schemes is the reinstatement
of the Ivanhoe line
the Ivanhoe line in the East Midlands
From Leicester to Burton
via Coalville and Ashby
And lines on the Isle of Wight
branch lines on the Isle of Wight
and a station at Wellington
a new station at Wellington
in Somerset
Roads
But no matter how great we make the railway
the railway of the future
millions will rely on the car
millions will still rely on the car
That's why I'm publishing the route
the route to complete the dual carriageway on the A66
today I'm publishing the route
the preferred route
to complete the dual carriageway on the A66
from Scotch Corner to Penrith
The first new all dual-carriageway across the Pennines in 50 years
This is a programme
a £1 billion programme that will transform capacity
by upgrading junctions and widening the road
These road and rail schemes will be the first
will be the first of many
binding our country together
and connecting people
connecting people with jobs
Towns and cities
But it isn't the balance between regions
that we need to reshape
It isn't just the balance between regions
that we need to reshape
It's hard to see millions going back
back to the same old ways
hard to see millions
who commuted by train into Manchester, London, Birmingham
going back to the same old ways
hard to see millions who
– until a few weeks ago
commuted by train into Manchester, London, Birmingham every day
immediately going back to the same old ways
So we have to reshape our towns
and cities
we have to reshape our towns and cities too
The Prime Minister once said:
"Cities are where inspiration and innovation happens...because people can bump into each other, spark off one another, compete, collaborate, invent and innovate. That's when we get the explosion, or flash of creativity and innovation."
And yet it makes that difficult
with social distancing
it makes all that more difficult
rather more difficult
so we have to find ways
new ways of making it happen
Therefore we will be looking to support ways
to support creative ways for businesses to reopen
As conditions allow
– and not until July –
we will be looking to support creative ways for businesses to reopen
whilst maintaining social distancing
We know restaurants and bars will start trading again
We know restaurants and bars will want to start trading again
and we will work with them so we can enjoy a summer
an outdoor summer in a safe environment
a safe and responsible environment
Car parking
For those who live too far to cycle and walk
and must drive to major conurbations
we will repurpose parking outside town centres
in places just outside town centres
so people can park and finish their journeys on foot or bike or even e-scooter
park on the outskirts and finish their journeys on foot or bike or even e-scooter
Our aim with these measures
with many of these measures
is not to get through restrictions
merely to get through the lifting of restrictions
and then return to how things were
but to come out stronger
by changing
by permanently changing
To come out of this recovery stronger by permanently changing the way we use transport
Cycling
Take the bike
take the bike
for example
We announced a scheme to bring bicycles back
The introduction of a scheme to help bring bicycles back
Previously we announced the introduction of a scheme to help bring bicycles back
to a roadworthy condition
relieving the pressure on public transport
and improving the nation's health
Today I provide the detail of the voucher
Today I can provide the detail of the new £50 bicycle maintenance voucher
available next month
available from next month
The scheme with help people drag bikes out of retirement
up to half-a-million people drag bikes out of retirement
speeding up the cycling revolution
helping individuals become fitter
fitter and healthier
and reducing air pollution
which remains a killer
which remains a hidden killer
Clean air should be a priority
Clean air should be as big a priority
for us as clean water was to the Victorians
Clean air should be as big a priority for us in the 21st century
as clean water was to the Victorians in the 19th
Closing remarks
The measures will help
The measures discussed will help
The measures discussed today will help
...passengers use trains
...more passengers use trains, buses and trams
...more passengers use trains, buses and trams safely
...More commuters to take up travel
...active travel
...And more people to benefit from infrastructure
improvements in the Northern Powerhouse
and across the country
They give us an opportunity
They give us all an opportunity
to harness the power of transport
not just to return to lives
in the world
the post-COVID 19 world
not just to help us return to the lives in the post-COVID 19 world
but to make our economy resilient
more resilient
our population healthier
and to change our nation for the better