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注: 由阅读原文观看视频，文本仅供参考。 Transport Secretary Grant Shapps’s Statement on Coronavirus (COVID-19) 9 May 2020 Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s Downing Street press conference. I’m pleased to be joined today by Professor Jonathan Van-Tam. Let me start by updating you on the latest information from the COBR data file. I can report that through the government’s monitoring and testing programme, as of today: * 1,728,443 tests for coronavirus have now been carried out in the UK, including 96, 878 tests yesterday * 215,260 people have tested positive, that’s an increase of 3,896 cases since yesterday *11,809 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in the UK, down from 12,284 yesterday, and 17% down since the last day, last week, same day last week. * And tragically, 31,587 have now died. That’s an increase of 346 fatalities in all settings since yesterday. These deaths are devastating for the families and friends of victims, and our thoughts and our prayers are with all of them every day. They also strengthen our resolve to fight this pandemic with all the resources we can muster in the weeks ahead. Tomorrow, the Prime Minister will set out a roadmap for the next phase in our strategy to tackle coronavirus. In support of this, today, I am setting out an ambitious programme to help prepare our transport network for the critical role it will play as we emerge from this crisis. Importantly, it is true to say that moving beyond COVID will be a gradual process…not a single leap to freedom. When we do emerge, the world will seem quite different, at least for some time. The need to maintain social distancing means that our public transport system cannot go back to where it left off. And here is a very stark fact. Even with public transport reverting to full service – once you take into account the 2 metre social distancing rule – there would only be effective capacity for one in ten passengers in many parts of the network. Just a tenth of the old capacity. So, getting Britain moving again, while not overcrowding our transport network, is going to require many of us to think carefully about how and when we travel. We’ve accomplished so much over the past 7 weeks of this lockdown. The whole country has been responsible for reducing COVID reproduction or the ‘R’ rate. Millions of households across the UK have changed their behaviour for the greater good. Getting Britain moving again, whilst not overcrowding our transport network, represents another enormous logistical challenge. Yet this is a problem which presents a health opportunity, too – an opportunity to make lasting changes that could not only make us fitter, but also better-off – both mentally and physically – in the long run. During the crisis, millions of people…millions of people have discovered the benefits of active travel. By cycling or walking, many been able to appreciate this remarkably warm summer…sorry…spring whilst sticking to the guidelines. In some places, there’s been a 70% rise in the number of people on bikes whether it’s for exercise, or necessary journeys, like stocking up on food. So, while it’s still crucial that we stay at home, when the country does get back to work, we need to ask those people to carry on cycling and walking, and for them to be joined by many other as well. Otherwise, with public transport capacity severely restricted, more cars could be drawn to the roads, or towns and cities, and they would quickly become gridlocked. We also know that in this new world, pedestrians will need more space. So today, I’m announcing a £2 billion package to put cycling and walking at the heart of our transport policy. To set out how we deliver this will bring forward a national cycling plan for publication in early June, in line with the statutory Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy to help double cycling and increase walking by 2025. The first stage, worth £250 million, is a series of swift, emergency interventions to make cycling and walking safer. Pop-up bike lanes. Wider pavements. Cycle and bus-only streets. All examples of what people will start to see more of. Accompanying the new money, we are today publishing fast-tracked statutory guidance, effective immediately, requiring councils in England to cater for significantly-increased numbers of cyclists and pedestrians, and making it easier for them to create safer streets. For employees who want to start to cycle to work, but don’t have a bike right now, the popular Cycle to Work Scheme already allows employees to save between 25% and 39% of the cost of a new bike or indeed an electric bike. There has been a huge increase in people using the scheme, and we will work with employers to increase uptake even further. And for those who may have an old bike perhaps in the shed and want to get it back to a roadworthy condition, there will be a voucher scheme for bike repairs and for maintenance. Plans are also being developed to boost bike fixing facilities across the country. What’s more, over the next few months, we will set out further measures to make a ‘once-in-a-generation’ change to the way people travel in Britain. These will include tough new standards for cycling infrastructure; a new national cycling champion to inspire us; much closer links with the NHS, with GPs prescribing cycling to help us get fitter; legal changes to protect vulnerable road users; at least one “zero-emission city,” with its centre restricted to bikes and electric vehicles only; and the creation of a long-term cycling programme and budget, just like we have already for our roads. There’s clear evidence, not least from the time that the Prime Minister was mayor of London, that making streets safe for walking and cycling is good for retailers, good for business and very healthy for the economy. And in making these changes, our national recovery can also become a green recovery as a result. One of the few positive benefits of this crisis is drastically better air quality and the health benefits that that brings. More than 20,000 extra deaths a year in the UK are attributed to nitrogen dioxide emissions. We want to try to preserve this clean air. So today, I’m also fast-tracking trials of e-scooters, bringing this programme, already underway, from next year forward, to next month, and extending those trials from four local authorities to every region in the country that wants them, in a bid to get e-scooter rental schemes up-and-running in cities as fast as possible; helping reduce car use on shorter journeys; and taking some pressure off these buses at this vital time. These trials will help us assess the safety benefits together with their impact on public spaces. Now we know that the car industry has of course been very badly hit during this crisis, but April’s new sales figures showed us that for the first time ever, that the two biggest selling models were both electric vehicles. So, to help keep this quiet, clean car revolution going, I can also announce today £10 million of additional support for car-charging points on our streets. The car will remain the mainstay for many families as well as…as backing electric infrastructure, therefore, we’re also going to accelerate the filling of pot-holes that plague so many road users in all the forms. And just as new technology is changing the vehicles we use, so digital technology will help us be more informed about the choices we make to battle against COVID. At a time when transport demand could quickly become overwhelmed, the capacity not being there, we need urgent access to real-time travel information. It is crucial that we take advantage of the UK’s digital expertise. Therefore, with the right mobile apps, people can find out which parts of the transport network are overcrowded and avoid them. They can choose alternative travel options to help maintain safe distancing, or they can get information to help stagger their journeys and lift the burden on public transport at peak times. So this week, I chaired a roundtable with key players like Google, Microsoft, and British firm, Citymapper, to develop both data and apps to help the public view crowding across the transport network and in real-time. This £2 billion announcement represents the most significant package of cycling, walking and green travel by any British government. Clearly, it will never be possible to cycle, walk or even e-scooter everywhere. Cars will remain an absolutely vital form of transport to many. And so in the coming days, and as we look to the future, that we’ve further announcements about the huge investments we’re making in roads and in rail – taking advantage of the low usership during this COVID crisis. Finally, as we begin the process of preparing public transport to get Britain moving again, no-one should underestimate the sheer scale of the challenge ahead. Even with every train, bus and tram fully restored to service – this will not be enough. Social distancing measures mean that everyone who travels will need to contribute to meeting this capacity challenge. Changing our behaviour is the single biggest thing that’s beaten back this virus. The welcome fall we’ve seen in deaths is not only the achievement of our doctors and nurses and careworkers – but of everyone in the country for following the stay-at-home guidance. To reiterate, nothing I’m saying today changes these basic rules. But as we contemplate the future, we will have to carry on making changes, particularly after we leave our homes. Preventing overcrowding – which could lead to a second spike and more deaths – will be the responsibility of each and every one of us. So please, only travel when you need to. Be considerate to others and help us prioritise essential workers. And let’s all play our part in ensuring that we’re able to get Britain moving safely again when that time comes. I’d like to now turn to Professor Jonathan Van-Tam. |
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