Progress in reducing rough sleeping in Liverpool

THE official Government figures that were released, on 31 January 2019, have shown that just 15 people were found to be sleeping on the streets, in Liverpool City Centre, on 23 November 2018, the night of the annual rough sleeper Count. This compares with 33 people who were sleeping on the streets during the previous year's Count. That's a drop of 53%. All local authorities are required to do a head Count or estimate of rough sleeping in their area by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and the figures are independently verified. The Count takes place during the early hours of the morning and provides a snapshot of the number of people sleeping in shop doorways, benches and other locations around the City. Over the past year, Liverpool City Council and its partners have launched a number of initiatives, and the:- 'Always Room Inside' campaign, to ensure that no 1, in the City needs to sleep on the streets.

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson spearheaded the opening of Labre House, the only rough sleeper hub of its kind in the Country to open every night of the year. It offers safe overnight space for anyone who needs it regardless of their background or circumstances. In 2018 the City Council invested ₤11m directly in supporting people at risk of homelessness and rough sleepers. The Council funds 750 temporary accommodation bedspaces across the City for people and families who are homeless. The City Council also funds a team of outreach workers who engage with those sleeping rough in the City on a daily basis to assess their needs and to encourage them to come inside and accept the range of support services available. On a typical night, Labre House accommodates up 75 rough sleepers. The Centre along with a day hub acts as a gateway to a range of Council and partner agency services, including:- health and wellbeing support, housing services, money and debt advice and drugs and alcohol misuse services. If you have concerns about someone sleeping rough in Liverpool, you can call the Always Room Inside helpline:- 0300 123 2041.

City traffic enforcement reduces congestion by more than a ⅓

A resourceful approach to traffic enforcement during the busy Christmas period helped keep Liverpool City Centre moving and saw congestion causing incidents fall by more than a ⅓ (38%) compared with the same period the previous year. The joint operation by Merseytravel, Stagecoach and Arriva buses, Liverpool City Council, Merseyside Police and Halton Transport, saw illegally parked or broken down vehicles and those involved in road traffic accidents moved on or removed quickly, and it's believed the presence of officers and staff also acted as a deterrent to those who may have otherwise parked illegally. This way of working to share information and resources, 1st introduced in 2017, has been judged to be more effective than if each agency had worked alone.

Cllr Liam Robinson, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Transport Portfolio Holder said:- "Keeping congestion to a minimum helps improve traffic flow, reduces pollution and ensures bus services remained as punctual as possible. These results are very encouraging and I would hope that we can continue this work with our partners again, December 2019. "

Merseyside Police Traffic Management Constable Andy Astle said:- "It is pleasing to the see that this innovative partnership work had a significant impact on reducing congestion and deterring those who would park illegally. We will continue to work with the Council and all partners in the future to ensure that all visitors to Liverpool can get around without unnecessary disruptions and obstructions."

A spokesperson for Arriva, said:- "As a company we constantly strive to offer our customers the best possible service, so we are proud to have worked in conjunction with Merseytravel and the other partners to reduce the amount of congestion causing incidents. Reducing congestion to keep traffic moving in the City Centre, especially during the busy festive period, helps us deliver a reliable service to our passengers."

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Progress in reducing rough sleeping in Liverpool

City traffic enforcement reduces congestion by more than a ⅓