New restrictions expected for North East of England amid rising Covid-19 cases

Traffic crossing the River Tyne over some of Newcastle’s well known bridges (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The North East looks set to become the latest area in England to come under local restrictions as coronavirus cases rise.

Newcastle City Council leader Nick Forbes said “additional, temporary” measures are being planned to prevent another full lockdown.

He said he expected British health secretary, Matt Hancock, to make an announcement on Thursday morning.

He and public health officials have requested a 10pm curfew on pubs, restaurants and other licensed premises, and a move to table service only.

There is also expected to be a ban on socialising outside individual household bubbles.

The Chronicle Live website reported that care home visits will be restricted to essential visitors, and people will be advised to avoid public transport at peak times except for essential journeys, and to avoid car-shares.

Mr Forbes tweeted: “Some additional, temporary restrictions are being planned to prevent another full lockdown.”

The restrictions will reportedly apply to Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead, County Durham and Sunderland – which have all seen rises in cases, according to the latest weekly rates.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said measures will come into place at midnight.

He told ITV’s Peston show: “The number of cases has been rising rapidly in many parts of the country, but in particular in the North East, and so a decision has been made to impose further restrictions there.”

The most recent figures show Newcastle to have recorded a sharp increase in its weekly rate, up from 51.2 to 64.1, with 194 new cases in the seven days to September 13.

It comes after local measures in the likes of Greater Manchester and Birmingham have been put in place in a bid to address rising rates of infection.