Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Five million Britons have received second dose of Covid vaccine

  • More than 5 million people in the UK receive their second dose of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
  • Nearly 1 in 10 UK adults have now received both doses
  • Government urges people to take up their second doses as soon as possible to maximise protection

More than 5 million people in the UK have received their second dose of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, says the UK GOvernment.

Health services across the UK have now administered over 36.6 million vaccines between 8 December and 02 April, including over 31.4 million people with their first dose and over 5.2 million with their second.

The milestone means nearly 1 in 10 of all UK adults have received both vaccines, ensuring maximum protection from the virus over the coming months.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Our spectacular vaccination programme has now delivered over 5 million second doses, giving those most vulnerable to COVID – including half of all those aged over 80 – the best possible protection.

“This is vital so everyone can get the strongest possible protection against COVID-19 as we progress along the road to freedom, allowing us to reclaim the things we love.

“I want to give a big thank you to all those who have helped us reach this milestone.

“The UK remains on track to achieve the Prime Minister’s target of offering a first dose to those aged 50 and over by mid-April, as well as all adults by the end of July.”

Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said: “Vaccines are an incredibly important part of our route out of lockdown and this pandemic, and it’s vital people take advantage of the protection they provide.

“No matter who you are, where you live, your race or your religion, I encourage everyone to take up both their vaccinations when offered and help this country get back to normality.”

Dr Nikki Kanani, GP and medical director for primary care at NHS England, said: The biggest vaccination programme in NHS history – the fastest in Europe – reaches another significant milestone as more than 5 million people have now received their second dose providing them with the strongest possible protection from serious disease.

“This success is testament to the tens of thousands of volunteers, everyone working behind the scenes and NHS GPs, nurses and vaccinators who are continuing to offer vaccines to all those who are eligible so please do come forward for your second dose when called.”

All vaccines being used in the UK have undergone robust clinical trials and have met the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s strict standards of safety, effectiveness and quality.

The Moderna vaccine has also been approved by the MHRA and will be deployed from the Spring, with supplies due to start arriving this week.

The MHRA are also assessing the Janssen and Novavax vaccines.

Data from the Public Health England (PHE) real-world study shows that both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines are highly effective in reducing coronavirus (COVID-19) among older people aged 70 years and over.

The country is already seeing a significant impact from the vaccination programme on reducing hospitalisations and deaths, with at least 6,100 deaths prevented in those aged 70 and older in England up to the end of February.

The vaccines are available free of charge and are available from thousands of vaccine centres, GP practices and pharmacies, and we want everyone to take up the offer of an appointment when they are invited – all those 50 and over can book a jab now.

Getting the most of your garden space this Spring

If you’ve recently moved into a new-build home, you’ll have a garden that is a completely blank canvas for you to create your idyllic outdoor space. With spring finally here and with many people still based at home for the next little while, it’s the perfect time to start!

You may already have newly laid lawn or some paving and have started to think about the type of plants or trees you would like for your dream garden. But there’s also plenty of other issues to consider.

Giles Wilson, Standards and Policy Manager, at NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes explains: “We know that despite the continued impact of the pandemic, confidence in the housing market, particularly for newly-built homes, has remained strong.

“With many people deciding now is the time for a new home and in a lot of cases relocating to somewhere more rural, it’s wise to think about the small steps that could make a big difference to your outside area if you are planning on, or have just moved.”

Read on for some practical tips to help you make the most of your new garden at your new home:

  • With remote working now more common-place, most of us are all looking for ways to get some much-needed peace and quiet – or a change of scene – when working from home. A garden office provides a dedicated space to concentrate on work in a productive and inspiring setting, while also providing outdoor space for family and friends, so take extra care examining garden / outdoor dimensions and sightlines.
  • In clay soil, plant trees well away from your home.  Find out how tall the mature tree will be and make sure it is positioned at least three quarters of this distance from the house.
  • The level of soil around your home should be kept below the damp proof course (generally 150mm or two brick courses). Paths should also generally be kept around 150mm or two brick courses below the damp proof course, except where these have been designed to provide level access into the home. If you are not sure where the damp proof course is, ask your builder to show you. Where air bricks, permanent ventilators or perpend vents are provided, they should not be blocked or covered by soil or paving.
  • If you’re planning to grow your own fruit – a favourite lockdown pastime of course, order your fruit trees as soon as you can to plant before summer, and continue planting trees and shrubs while they are still dormant.
  • High water demand trees should be planted no closer to the home than one-and-a-quarter times the mature height. High water demand trees include elm, eucalyptus, oak, poplar, willow and some common cypress species.
  • Avoid planting climbers such as Ivy and Virginia Creeper against house walls, as they hold on using suckers, twining tendrils or aerial roots which could damage mortar and may cause damp. Plant these at least three metres away from your home.
  • Allow enough room for trunks and large roots to grow safely. Be particularly careful if planting near drains or lightweight structures.
  • Although you do not need to, when planting new trees in your garden that will also be near you neighbour’s house, be considerate and ask your neighbour if this is ok. As you could be liable for the cost of repair if the trees you plant cause damage to their home.
  • Regular pruning of fast growing, thirsty trees such as Cypress Leyland, will help to reduce the amount of water taken from the soil.
  • Inspection chambers and rodding eyes are there to provide access the drainage system below ground so that blockages can be cleared. It’s important these are not covered by soil, turf or paving. Ask your builder for further information regarding this.
  • And last of all, although the UK is fortunate to have plenty of rain, do ensure trees and shrubs are watered sufficiently to give them a good start in life especially those that maybe sheltered by other structures. If you haven’t got one already, consider purchasing a water butt ready for the summer. Rainwater is particularly useful for watering acid-loving, ericaceous plants as opposed to tap water which is often slightly alkaline.

Further advice for homeowners on property maintenance and other issues can be found in NHBC’s useful publication, A Guide to your new home – a practical guide to looking after your new home, freely available at www.nhbc.co.uk/homeowners.

NHS Lothian going greener

NHS Lothian is the first health board in Scotland to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the biodiversity of the green spaces in its estate. The move is part of an ambitious plan to reduce the health board’s overall carbon footprint and to use its green spaces to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities it serves.

Working with partners Greenspace Scotland, in a project funded by Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, NHS Lothian commissioned research consultants Natural Capital Solutions to conduct a Biodiversity Audit and Climate Change Assessment.

This Audit will help NHS Lothian realise the full potential of its estate, not only as an environmental asset but also as an amenity offering heath benefits to the community.  

This work also provides NHS Lothian with a means of identifying how best to manage its green spaces to meet its ambitious sustainability goals and commitments.

Dr Jane Hopton, Programme Director and Sustainability Lead for NHS Lothian, said: “Climate change affects not only our environment but also the health of our patients and communities. 

“Our green spaces make an important contribution to improving air quality, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air which in turn is better for our health. 

“Making the most of our green spaces is not simply  a ‘nice thing to do’, it is an important part of our sustainability plan and sits alongside other priorities such as  reducing emissions associated with medical gases, transport and travel, reducing waste and improving our energy-use.”

With 81 hectares of green space across 94 sites, NHS Lothian’s estate provides habitats for diverse species. The plants, trees, hedges and scrub that are grown on these green spaces capture carbon from the atmosphere, offsetting human emissions and cleaning the air of pollution from nearby roads and car parks.

The green landscape can also be used for nature-based health interventions such as gardening and walking activities, helping to improve the lives of NHS patients and staff.

Dr Hopton added: “There is growing evidence of the positive impact of green spaces and natural environments on our health.

“Research from the World Health Organisation and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence shows contact with nature and access to greenspace is particularly good for our mental health and wellbeing.

“This Biodiversity Audit provides a great opportunity to explore ways to unlock these benefits for more people.”

Ian Mackenzie, Green Health Programme Manager at Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, said: “Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation was delighted to work together with NHS Lothian, Natural Capital Solutions and Greenspace Scotland on this Biodiversity Audit.

“The importance of biodiversity and natural capital in delivering health benefits is at the core of the Foundation’s Green Health Strategy.

“As a result of the pandemic, there has been a re-appreciation of outdoor space and the value it brings, and this report helps recognise how NHS Lothian’s estate can support a green recovery.”

Alison Holt, Director of Natural Capital Solutions, said: “This project has delivered the tools to predict how changes to the greenspaces and built environment of the NHS Lothian estate, impacts on its ability to reduce carbon emissions, clean the air and improve physical and mental health.

“A strategy on how to increase the provision of these important public benefits across the estate can now be created. The NHS Lothian has set a precedent for other health boards in Scotland, and beyond.”

TUC warns “infections could rebound” if workplaces aren’t Covid-Secure

The TUC has warned the UK government and employers that “infections could rebound” if workplaces aren’t Covid-Secure – as hospitality and non-essential shops prepare to reopen this month.

The union body says the vaccine rollout and workplace testing must not be used as an excuse to relax safe working rules.

New guidance for “safe and responsible” return

Over 11,000 working age people have died during the pandemic, with thousands of outbreaks in workplaces.

A new TUC report published today sets out the steps ministers and employers should take to keep people safe at work and to prevent another spike in workplace infections.

These include:

1) Making workplaces Covid-Secure: The TUC says all employers must update their risk assessments to take account of what we now know about the importance of ventilation.

As the UK unlocked in summer 2020, more emphasis was placed on surface disinfection – but the guidance has since changed to make effective ventilation the priority.

The TUC says that any activity which can be conducted outside should be, and that employers should invest in ventilation systems, as well as continuing to enforce social distancing and the wearing of face coverings.

A TUC survey of more than 2,000 union safety representatives published this week revealed that one in four reps are unaware of a risk assessment taking place in their workplace in the last two years. This is despite it being a legal requirement for employers to have an up-to-date risk assessment and to consult safety reps and involve staff in writing it.

In addition, the TUC notes that the guidance on working from home has not changed. Everyone who can work from home should continue to do so until at least 21 June. Employers should assess the ability to work from home at the level of individual jobs, and should not require workers to travel to workplaces where they do desk-based jobs, even in sectors that are allowed to be open.

2) Decent sick pay for all: The TUC says decent sick pay remains critical to ensuring a safe return to work.

The union body says it “beggars belief” that a year into the crisis ministers still haven’t fixed the problem of workers not being able to afford to self-isolate – despite repeated warnings from the TUC and the government’s own head of Test and Trace Dido Harding.

A new TUC poll of private sector employers reveals that of those who intend to use workplace testing, 28 per cent pay only statutory sick pay. SSP is now £96.35 per week, which the TUC says is too low to live on and will cause hardship. Only 47 per cent of those employers surveyed who propose to use workplace testing provide full company sick pay. 

The TUC says ministers should increase statutory sick pay to at least the rate of the real Living Wage, and extend eligibility to the two million low-paid workers who currently don’t qualify for it.

3) Supporting workers to get vaccinated: The TUC says employers must step up and help the national health effort by giving their staff paid time off to get vaccinated.

But recently published polling reveals less than half of firms surveyed (45%) give their workforces paid time off to get the jab.

The union body says companies should seek to persuade staff to get the vaccine, but not make it a condition of employment. The TUC says that making vaccinations compulsory will damage employer-staff relations and could result in legal cases on the grounds of discrimination.

The TUC says that there are still questions to be answered about Covid status passports, including how testing data will be collected, and how any scheme will maintain the confidentiality of workers’ personal health information.

The TUC believes any Covid status passport scheme must require employers to consult with recognised unions at sectoral and workplace level, and will only work where employers provide decent sick pay.

4) Cracking down on bosses who risk workers’ safety:  As the UK reopens, the TUC says that the government must start cracking down on employers who break the rules on workplace safety.

Despite thousands of workplace outbreaks, not a single employer has been fined and prosecuted for putting their staff in danger. And the TUC notes that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has still not amended its much-criticised designation of coronavirus as a “significant” rather than a “serious” workplace risk, which limits the enforcement options open to inspectors.

The TUC says the government must take a much harder stance with companies who flout health and safety rules, and provide the HSE with a long-term funding boost.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We all want this lockdown to be the last. But if we get workplace safety wrong, the virus could rebound. 

“Ministers must send out a strong message to employers: act now on workplace safety.

“The government has imposed big fines on individuals who break lockdown rules. But not a single employer has been prosecuted and fined for putting workers or the public at risk. It’s time for the Health and Safety Executive to crack down on bad bosses.

“Over a year into the pandemic, it beggars belief that ministers have not fixed sick pay. Sick pay is too little to live on. No wonder too many are not self-isolating when they need to.

“Ministers have the power to make self-isolation effective overnight – and cut transmission immediately. All they need to do is raise statutory sick pay to the level of the real Living Wage, and make sure everyone can get it.”

On the responsibilities of employers, Frances said: “Before reopening, every employer must run a new risk assessment, prioritising good ventilation – and act to make sure their workplace is Covid-Secure. They have to consult their workers and unions on their safety plans. And they have to publish their risk assessment to reassure their workers and customers.

“Even as some workplaces reopen, employers must still make sure that everyone who can work from home continues to do so.

“More people are getting vaccinated every day – but that does not mean that employers can skimp on safety measures at work.”

Garden centres and homeware stores reopen on the 5th of April in Scotland and all remaining stores on 26 April.

Quarter of Scottish businesses able to expand during pandemic

  • 16% of business owners said that they had started their business during the pandemic
  • But 40% of business owners say they have struggled in the last year
  • Business owners and High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) in Scotland broadly optimistic over future economic outlook due to easing of social restrictions

Despite a difficult year, over a quarter of Scottish businesses have been able to expand during the pandemic indicating some ‘green shoots’ of recovery according to research by Rathbone Investment Management.

Indeed, some businesses have been able to adapt their business models during the pandemic, with many moving to online sales in order to generate income. This has had a positive impact with a quarter (26%) of business owners having expanded their business during the pandemic.

In addition, a further 16% of business owners founded their business during the last twelve months as the pandemic sparked new ideas and opportunities.

Businesses in Orkney and Shetland were the most likely to have expanded in the pandemic (33%), while Dundee, Perthshire and Angus had seen the highest numbers of newly created businesses (25%).

However, the pandemic has had significant implications for many businesses across Scotland, with four in ten (37%) reporting that they had suffered during the pandemic according to Rathbones’ research.

The ongoing social restrictions have forced large numbers of businesses to close over the last year, with businesses in retail, leisure and hospitality most impacted. Indeed, while a roadmap has been announced that spells out Scotland’s path out of lockdown, one year into the pandemic many businesses have seen significant losses in income.

It’s clear that the pandemic has had a mixed impact on Scottish businesses. As Scotland, alongside the rest of the UK begins to open up many of Scotland’s business owners and HNWIs (those with investable assets over £250k) are optimistic about the state of the economy.

Indeed, 59% of those surveyed by Rathbones said that they were optimistic about the economic outlook of the next twelve months. Of those, 44% said that the easing of COVID-19 restrictions was a key driver behind this belief in the future strength of the economy.

Simon Dewar, Regional Director at Rathbones comments: “The past twelve months have been difficult for businesses across Scotland with every organisation needing to adapt to some extent due to the pandemic.

“However, the impact has been disproportionate with some businesses severely financially impacted. While government support has gone some way to support these businesses throughout this period, its unlikely we’ll see a true recovery until restrictions are fully lifted.

“With the vaccine roll-out ongoing, many business owners will be holding their breath and hoping that this effort reaps dividends and we can stick to the timelines set out in the roadmap.

“It’s clear from our research that Scottish businesses are largely optimistic for the future, with a high proportion expecting a positive outlook for the economy in the next twelve months. As businesses start to recover from the initial impact of the pandemic putting a financial plan together to rebuild any safety net that may have been eroded away during this period will be key for business owners.

Many businesses have deferred any expansion plans over the last year as the focus has been on survival. As confidence grows, so will the sparks of entrepreneurial endeavour, with businesses dusting down these plans and using what they have learned through the crisis to seize opportunity and build robust businesses that drive our economy.”

Dream home becomes reality for Pauline thanks to Golden Share

For many people, the lure of a new home and upgraded space has become all the more present during the pandemic – with our homes becoming our sanctuaries.

For South Edinburgh mum Pauline, who dreamed of a new-build home after facing issues in older properties, The City of Edinburgh Council’s Golden Share scheme was a chance to make it her reality. 

Pauline said: “My past experience in old houses made me turn a corner on what I was after. I was getting fed up of the upkeep, and always struggled to heat the other properties without it costing a fortune.

“I’d always loved the cleanliness and ease of new build properties, they always felt like they were ready to live in when you walked in the door.”

Location, location, location

For Pauline, location was everything. The new home would have to be close to a school for her two sons, as well as being close to her workplace. Ample space and at least three bedrooms were also on her checklist.

After scoping out her ideal locations, Pauline discovered Barratt Homes @ Heritage Grange provided everything she was looking for, at a price she could afford.

She said: “I didn’t know the area was there when I visited the sales office, I sort of found it by accident! In comparison to a lot of the other houses nearby, the matter of being a couple of minutes down the road also made quite a big price difference, despite the Barratt houses offering a lot more.

“It was exciting seeing it go through the different stages, Ross [the sales adviser] kept me updated throughout. Seeing it from its first initial shell, to then having everything finished for moving in, was a really positive journey. They allowed me to move in as soon as it was finished and the builders even took away all of the leftover cardboard and boxes after I had finished un-packing! It was a fantastic buying experience”. 

From dream to reality

After seeing it come to life, Pauline and her two sons moved into a three-bedroom, mid-terraced Bonnyton house-type.

“It was exactly what I was after; as soon as you step into the home it feels airy and open. You can also see all the way through into the garden, with a big living dining room area just off it. It is such a difference to the other places we had lived in.

“My favourite area of the house is definitely the back and garden. When you open up the living room patio doors onto the garden, it creates one huge space. The garden itself is a perfect size and has that TARDIS-effect. I’ve managed to build a summerhouse with decking, which I often work in, so there’s an extra room there too.”

“There’s also a great sense of community among the neighbours at the development. There’s groups to keep each other updated and when there has been heavy snowfall, we’ve organised shovelling clear outs.”

Barratt @ Heritage Grange is a development of three and four-bedroom homes on the south side of the capital. Located just 15 minutes away from the city centre, it is the perfect location to enjoy a combination of country and city living in a brand new home.

Why choose Golden Share?

Backed by The City of Edinburgh Council, Golden Share is an affordable housing scheme for eligible first time buyers and existing homeowners, which allows them to purchase a new home at only 80% of its market value.

When speaking about her experience with the Golden Share scheme, Pauline said: “It’s important to be organised as it’s quite a tough process, but very much worth it in the end. I am a part-time educator for the NHS, which met the criteria, and I was able to show that my children had to be in the area, with support for them too. It worked out really well for my situation. If not, I would have been stuck in a small flat, with two growing teenagers!”

“I’d recommend anyone thinking of purchasing through Golden Share to speak to the Barratt Sales team, they were really helpful clearing up any doubts I had. Also visiting the show home was a key part of my house-buying process; it really gave me a better idea of the sizing.”

A number of Barratt Homes developments in the east of Scotland feature properties available for Golden Share, including Barratt @ Heritage Grange and The Strand @ Portobello.

The Strand @ Portobello offers a collection of two and three-bedroom terraced houses and apartments close to the picturesque Portobello beach. With excellent transportation links to Edinburgh city centre and road links around the city, the development also benefits from a number of local amenities close by on Portobello high street.

For more information, please visit: 

https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/offers/golden-share/

Letters: Walk To Remember

Dear Editor,

Stroke really is such a cruel condition. Sadly we have all heard of someone who has been affected by stroke and many people like me have tragically lost someone too.

Almost five years ago my wonderful Mum, Diana, suffered a severe stroke. She died four weeks later. My Mum was the most active, ‘full of life’ person I knew. She LOVED life. She was my best friend and I miss her every day.

That’s why I want to ask your readers to take part in the Stroke Association’s, A Walk to Remember.

This wonderful event is a special way to celebrate the life of your loved one whilst raising money in their memory. Simply pick a special place that is filled with memories, create your route and on June 27th take part in your own walk to remember to raise funds for the Stroke Association

Stroke strikes every five minutes in the UK, and there are around 128,000 survivors in Scotland living with its devastating effects who really need our help.

Like so many charities, the pandemic has drastically affected the Stroke Association’s income. However the charity has still been supporting stroke survivors as much as they can with support and advice, while continuing to fund vital research into the condition. 

Please join me and do something amazing in your loved one’s memory by taking part in A Walk to Remember. It’s bound to be an emotional but amazing day for all of us that have lost someone to stroke.

Walk in their memory and raise funds to rebuild more lives after stroke.

To sign up, please visit – https://www.stroke.org.uk/fundraising/a-walk-to-remember

Yours sincerely,

Katherine Dow Blyton

Actress

Pro-EU organisation calls for EU freedom of movement for those living in Scotland

The UK Government should amend its immigration policy to reflect Scotland’s demographic deficit and restore freedom of movement to Scottish residents, according to Scotland’s leading pro-European body.  

It is also pressing the UK Government to rejoin the Erasmus+ youth exchange programme – or enable Scotland and Wales to take part on their own.

These are among 15 key policies the European Movement in Scotland (EMIS) is urging political parties and candidates to adopt as policy in the #Holyrood2021 campaign

EMIS objective is for Scotland to become part of the European Union as once again, whether as an independent state or as part of the UK, but it also believes that it is important that Scotland should have the closest possible links with the EU meantime.

Among other policy issues highlighted by EMiS are better access to EU markets for Scotland’s food and fish, more direct links between Scotland and mainland Europe, a full say in managing the UK Prosperity Fund and close alignment with the EU on environmental standards, emission targets, human rights law and data privacy.

EMiS chair,  Mark Lazarowicz, said: “The UK has left the EU, but our relationship with Europe clearly matters greatly to the voters of Scotland. This relationship will have longstanding impacts on the country’s economy and culture.

“We urge prospective members of the Scottish Parliament and their political parties to work to reinforce Scotland’s European interests and prioritise the issues we identify as important for the future prosperity and wellbeing of Scotland and its people.”

Top of the stops!

Which? reveals the UK’s best and worst motorway service stations

Gloucester and Tebay services have been named Britain’s best service stations, while Bridgwater in the south west of England has been ranked the worst, according to a new survey from Which?.

As UK holidaymakers prepare to hit the road this summer, the consumer champion has revealed the country’s best and worst service stations for a pitstop on the way to their destination.

Which? surveyed more than 2,700 members covering around 5,600 experiences at almost 70 motorway service stations across the UK. Members rated them on various criteria, including range of facilities, prices, and ease of social distancing.

Though some respondents dismissed service stations as “all the same”, the survey found stark differences across the country – particularly with regards to cleanliness. The best and worst ranked services were only an hour’s drive apart on the M5, showing the value of planning ahead when it comes to taking a break on a long journey.

The top three service stations all belong to Westmorland. Gloucester (on the M5), Tebay (on the M6 at the edge of the Lake District) and Cairn Lodge (on the M74 in Lanarkshire) ranked first, second and third in the table, respectively.

Gloucester received the top score of 86 per cent, scoring five stars for cleanliness, range and quality of its shops and food outlets, as well as its range of facilities.

One visitor described Gloucester services as “as far from a typical motorway stop as you can imagine”, where customers can enjoy home cooked meals and buy local produce from the “fabulous” farm shop.

Tebay received similar praise, with a score of 83 per cent and plaudits for the freshly prepared food on offer in the restaurant and for sale in the farm shop, while Cairn Lodge was given a score of 69 per cent.

At the other end of the table was Bridgwater on the M5, owned by Moto. The service station received a dismal score of 32 per cent, and was awarded just one star in every category. 

Recent visitors described it as “dirty” and “depressing”, and others complained of a urine smell and toilet paper strewn on the floor. Another simply said it “should be demolished”.

Welcome Break was responsible for half of the 10 service stations at the bottom of the table – more than any other brand. 

Its service station in Gordano came just ahead of Bridgwater, with a score of 40 per cent, while its services in Newport Pagnell (41%), Keele (42%), London Gateway (45%), and Birchanger Green (45%) also populated the bottom 10. 

Even its highest scoring service station, found in Warwick, scored a decidedly average 57 per cent.

Roadchef runs three of the services listed in the bottom 10, including Watford Gap on the M1 (43%) and Sandbach on the M6 (42%), both of which earned a dismal one star for their range of facilities and just two stars for cleanliness.

Often, drivers can have a much better experience by planning ahead to ensure they stop at one of the better service stations on their route. For example, those driving north on the M6 between junctions 36 and 39 have the choice of stopping at Tebay or Killington Lake, scoring 83 per cent and 52 per cent, respectively. 

The two stations are just 12 miles apart, with both benefiting from picturesque surroundings – but visitors were much more positive about Tebay than Killington Lake, with customers at the latter complaining of long queues and difficulty in adhering to social distancing.

Meanwhile on the M1, Donington (60%) is far superior to Trowell (46%), as is Cairn Lodge (69%) to Abington (49%) on the M74.

Some domestic travel restrictions in England are set to lift on 12 April at the earliest, when overnight stays at self-contained accommodation will be allowed, with further restrictions expected to ease no earlier than 17 May when hotels and B&Bs will be able to reopen for leisure stays.

Rory Boland, Editor of Which? Travel, said: “The results of our survey show that it pays to plan ahead to avoid some of the UK’s worst motorway services. It could be the difference between a home-cooked meal in peaceful surroundings, or crowded queues in downright dirty facilities.

“Whether you’re zipping down the M5 towards the beaches on the south-west coast, or up the M6 towards the Scottish border, make sure your journey isn’t spoiled by a stop at a shoddy service station.”

Setting the record straight

A Statement from the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities

On Wednesday we released our report into race and ethnic disparities in the UK. In it we stated categorically that “we take the reality of racism seriously and we do not deny that it is a real force in the UK”.

We also said our report sought to “approach the issues of racial and ethnic disparities in a balanced way, highlighting both the success stories that the data reveals as well as delving into what lies beneath some of the most persistent and enduring ones”. We are pleased that so many people are engaging seriously with the ideas and evidence we have presented.

The facts and analysis we presented challenge a number of strongly held beliefs about the nature and extent of racism in Britain today.

Sadly, however, in some cases fair and robust disagreement with the Commission’s work has tipped into misrepresentation. This misrepresentation risks undermining the purpose of the report – understanding and addressing the causes of inequality in the UK – and any of the positive work that results from it. For that reason, it is necessary to set the record straight.

We have never said that racism does not exist in society or in institutions. We say the contrary: racism is real and we must do more to tackle it.

That is why our very first recommendation to the Government is to challenge racist and discriminatory action and increase funding to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to pursue investigations.

We reaffirm the Macpherson definition of institutional racism, though we did not find conclusive evidence that it exists in the areas we examined. However, we said that “both the reality and the perception of unfairness matter”, which is why our recommendations are underpinned by four themes – to build trust, promote fairness, create agency and to achieve inclusivity.

There has also been a wilful misrepresentation by some people of the Commission’s view on the history of slavery.

The idea that the Commission would downplay the atrocities of slavery is as absurd as it is offensive to every one of us. The report merely says that in the face of the inhumanity of slavery, African people preserved their humanity and culture. The Commission’s recommendation for Government to create inclusive curriculum resources is about teaching these histories which often do not get the attention they deserve.

The deeply personal attacks on many of us by politicians and other public figures are irresponsible and dangerous. For example, one MP presented commissioners as members of the KKK. Robust debate we welcome. But to depict us as racism deniers, slavery apologists or worse is unacceptable.

This is a wide ranging report, and we hope it will lead to further research and better understanding of the complex causes of inequalities in the UK. Our terms of reference were ambitious and, despite the disruption of COVID-19, we addressed them by drawing upon a wide range of sources and evidence, as well as the lived experience of people, including our own.

We hope that going forward, the report will be read carefully and considered in the round. Our experience since publication only reinforces the need for informed debate on race based on mutual respect.

The 24 recommendations we have made will, in our view, greatly improve the lives of millions of people for the better if they are all implemented.