Petition launched to 'free' Wigan from coronavirus lockdown

A petition has been launched to “free” Wigan from the coronavirus lockdown across Greater Manchester.

Wigan’s infection rate remains low – around the national average – but the borough continues to be penalised with restrictions put in by the Government and supported by the Greater Manchester Mayor.

The restrictions, in place despite Wigan’s infection rate remaining small compared with certain other parts of Greater Manchester, have been upheld for at least several more days.

Guidelines mean people must not meet others from other households inside a private home or garden, or socialise with them in other indoor public venues.

Activities such as soft play areas and indoor performances have also been banned for the time being while they are allowed in the rest of England as lockdown eases.

Now a petition has been launched by Standish resident Helen Forshaw Davis calling on Health Secretary Matt Hancock and GM Mayor Andy Burnham to pull Wigan out of the local lockdown.

The petition states: “It is totally wrong that the Wigan borough should still suffer a local lockdown and coronavirus restrictions when its infection rates are no higher than the national average.

“The Government should remove Wigan from the restrictions placed on the rest of Greater Manchester immediately.”

It comes after Mr Burnham said in a press conference last week that the restrictions in Wigan are in place to “prevent” a rise in infections.

He said: “We’re not in a position where we want any part of Greater Manchester to face restrictions longer than they need to, but the case for doing it in the Wigan borough at the moment is obviously preventative. Given what’s around people in Wigan, what’s on the doorstep, there is a strong chance that we can see those case rises coming to Wigan, and we’re trying to prevent that happening.”

Supporting the restrictions, a Greater Manchester Combined Authority Spokesman said: “The situation in Greater Manchester remains challenging. It is clear that while the current restrictions appear to be having a positive effect in some places, we urgently need to bring the number of cases down in several boroughs.