Speculation over A-Level results U-turn as Andy Burnham promises legal challenge

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has struck a deal with operators to run around 300 additional bus journeys every weekday. Duplicate buses that will be used exclusively by school and college students will have their route numbers marked with an ‘S’ to show they are school services.

The mayor of Greater Manchester has spelled out how he believes tighter coronavirus measures should be lifted across the city-region.Andy Burnham has called for an end to ‘crude blanket restrictions’ that are becoming ‘less effective’ despite initially helping to stop rising infection rates.A ‘more sophisticated’ exit strategy which puts local leaders at the heart of decision-making has been proposed, with Mr Burnham arguing that they are better placed to know when to impose tougher restrictions

hereThe infection rate for Trafford is now 35.4 per 100,000 people - more than three times the national average.

officially lifted by the government today.The Greater Manchester mayor said the region finds itself in “a completely unsustainable position” after restrictions were released in the two boroughs overnight.

when it emerged the latest figures show Trafford's infection rate has increased.Reacting to the row, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said more consultation with local authorities is needed.He told BBC Breakfast: "I think we will better negotiate what lies ahead of us in the autumn and winter if Government listens to local leaders - they know their communities."It wasn't just in Greater Manchester where they overruled us.

here"I've worried about things like people's mental health, we know people have died, people are grieving and people get a lot of support from loved ones and friends, not being able to see them has been really, really hard."Although Greater Manchester's leaders, including Mayor Andy Burnham, had asked for Stockport and Bolton to have restrictions lifted on Wednesday, the decision was not confirmed until Friday evening ahead of a bank holiday weekend.Asked about the timing of the announcement,

confirmed the borough is being released from stricter lockdown measures next week, thanks to a government decision. This decision is not one that Coun Western agrees with.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said that Bolton has the backing of Greater Manchester's leaders.He said: "There's a very much changed position in Bolton and Stockport and consistent with what we said last week where Wigan had a very different position, we're obviously following that approach this week."There's a political consensus within those boroughs now to ask the government to remove the restriction on social gatherings in the home introduced at the back end of July."Mr Burnham will

wearing face masks in schools in parts of Greater Manchester under tighter lockdown restrictions But the mayor has expressed concerns about the number of Covid-19 home testing kits that will be made available for pupils, saying it is ‘nowhere near’ what is needed.The government announced on Tuesday that it had reviewed its opposition to the introduction of masks in schools after receiving new public health advice.Under the new guidance, secondary school pupils in areas that are still having to

hereThe infection rate across nine out of the ten boroughs is continuing to fall."I think we are beginning to see the numbers move in the right direction and that includes Oldham, which saw a noticeable fall in the number of cases this week, and we have begun to see falls in other Greater Manchester boroughs as well," Mr Burnham told the BBC."We had the restrictions introduced about three weeks ago and I would say we have begun to see these restrictions are now working, so fingers crossed we can

apart from in Oldham.As a result, he said restrictions limiting different households from mixing in homes and gardens could be lifted by Government. Mr Burnham told the Mirror : "Hopefully, we will begin to see some people getting released.

nearly 40 per cent of A level grades  in England were downgraded leaving some students' devastated with calls for a review and education secretary Gavin Williamson to resign.

demands for this years results to be reviewed after figures revealed that nearly 40 per cent of A-level grades in England were downgraded. Sixth form and college leavers found out their final grades on Thursday, after sitting no exams due to the coronavirus pandemic.Their results were based on predicted outcomes or, in a last minute change from the government, their mock results could be used instead.

Face coverings have been compulsory in enclosed public spaces since July 24, with customers expected to wear them before entering and keeping them on until they leave.

The number of people to have tested positive for coronavirus in Bolton has increased for a fourth week in a row – but the mayor of Greater Manchester says a full local lockdown of the region is not yet necessary.There were 27.1 positive tests of COVID-19 per 100,000 people in the borough in the seven days up to August 8, rising from 23 the week before.Bolton is following the general trend in Greater Manchester – although Oldham has shot up to 108.8 and Wigan remains much lower at 7.3.The

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has called on the government NOT to send Oldham into full lockdown to stamp out rising coronavirus cases – as he warned there is a danger to ‘overreact’ to the numbers.Oldham council stated on Wednesday that three weeks of increasing cases in the borough mean that it could soon become subject to a Leicester-style lockdown, with shops, pubs and businesses forced to close.There has been a spike of 255 cases in the week up to August 8 – almost double the

Andy Burnham said today. The Greater Manchester mayor said he does not think the government’s position on its scheme, which is due to end in October, is sustainable.He said that a sector-by-sector approach would ensure that certain industries that are still struggling during the coronavirus pandemic, such as the hospitality and music industries, are not left behind.

‘mystery shoppers’ will be employed as part of targeted enforcement against non-compliant premises. But he told a press conference on Monday: “Reopening schools is a big challenge, alongside colleges and universities returning.“If schools reopen and the hospitality sector cannot be relied on to do the right thing then there’ll be a problem.“If it’s a choice between schools staying open or pubs staying open then there really isn’t a choice, schools stay open.

to call on the government to ensure people are paid when they are off sick.He says those who are struggling financially and fearful over their jobs feel unable to take time off and that is creating a risk for their communities.In an interview on BBC Breakfast today he was asked whether he thinks it will be safe enough to reopen schools in September.Stressing that 'we've got to make it safe', he said there are two ways the government can help make that happen - giving local councils resources to