As the number of coronavirus cases in the UK rises the Government has introduced new rules limiting the number of people you can see socially.

From Monday (14 September) when meeting friends and family you do not live with, you should not meet in a group of more than six, indoors or outdoors.

It will be against the law to meet people you do not live with in a group larger than six and the police have the powers to enforce these legal limits, including to issue fines (fixed penalty notice) of £100, doubling for further breaches.

There are exceptions, including where everyone lives together or is in the same support bubble. Exceptions also include wedding and civil partnership ceremonies and receptions, as well as funerals, where up to 30 people can attend.

You can find the full details on the .GOV.UK website.

The number of cases of COVID-19 in Plymouth has also risen but we remain below the national average. The latest figures for Plymouth are published on our COVID-19 website every Wednesday.

We’re working on plans to move from bags to wheeled bins for our garden waste collection service next year.

The bags currently used are expensive, made of plastic and not very environment friendly. They can also go missing, blow away in the wind and rip.

Most importantly, the bags are not as safe as wheeled bins for our crews as they have to be lifted manually. When you are lifting 4,400 tonnes of garden waste a year, that really matters.

The change will bring us in line with national best practice and will be better for residents as the bins will be more robust, easier to clean and will keep garden waste dry and tidy before collection.

Further updates will be announced in the coming months.

All of Plymouth’s libraries will be open to customers again in the coming weeks. 

From this Monday (14 September) you can browse the shelves and book PCs again at Plymstock, Southway and St Budeaux Library, which are currently only open for ‘Select and Collect’ pick-ups.

Estover and Plympton libraries will also be reopening their doors next week, followed by Devonport and Efford libraries during the week beginning 28 September. The remaining libraries (Crownhill, North Prospect and Peverell) will reopen during the week beginning 12 October.

Central Library is already open during the week but will also open on Saturdays from 12 September.

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You may have noticed that new bollards and barriers have been appearing along Armada Way over the last week.

This is the new temporary cycle path which is providing a segregated link between North Cross roundabout and Royal Parade.

It is one of the measures being delivered through our recent successful bid to the Department for Transport’s Emergency Active Travel Fund.

It will help promote cycling as a replacement for journeys made by public transport while capacity on buses remains reduced and is expected to be in place for up to 12 months.

The path, which will separate cyclists and pedestrians using bollards and water-filled barriers, will run through the city centre to new cycle parking outside Plymouth Guildhall.

Work is expected to start on the removal of the dated Western Approach footbridge in the next few weeks.

The scheme, which is part of the Council’s long term plan to regenerate Colin Campbell Court and to better link the city centre to the sea, is expected to last nine weeks, from contractors getting the site ready to resurfacing at the end. 

The bridge has passed its sell by date, the lifts haven’t worked for years and maintenance has proved difficult. 

A new crossing is being planned for the north bound lane and will be laid diagonally following more closely the walking routes of locals going from Frankfort Gate to King Street. The signals will also be upgraded and better synched with other lights.

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