preCovid

Back to normal by summer? Sage expert says Britain could soon be ‘pretty close’ to pre-Covid life

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Britain could be back to something close to pre-coronavirus life as soon as the summer thanks to the UK’s vaccine juggernaut, a top scientist said today. Professor Mike Tildesley, an infectious disease expert and member of the Sage advisory panel, said the jab could introduce huge changes within months if the rollout continues apace. And … Read more

London rush hour traffic soars by 25% in a week and is now HIGHER than pre-covid Britain

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Commuters in London were stuck in teeming rush hour traffic this morning as it soared past pre-Covid Britain levels, data shows. Journeys were blighted by roadworks, full buses and new cycle schemes as the capital struggled to readjust to the increase in passengers. It comes amid growing fury over the number of trains on the … Read more

Mortgage approvals rise closer to pre-Covid levels

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The number of mortgages handed out to homebuyers soared by 40% last month to near pre-covid levels as the housing market continues its recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Mortgages approvals for house purchase reached 66,300 in July, up 40 per cent from 39,900 in June and just below the 67,300 recorded in July 2019, the latest … Read more

Train services will be ramped up from September 7 to 90% of pre-Covid levels

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Train services will be ramped up from September 7 to 90% of pre-Covid levels as schools reopen and more workers return to the office Timetables were slashed in March as the virus cut demand and available workers Services are at 80 per cent of pre-Covid levels following rises in May and July  Social distancing means … Read more

Persimmon profits plunge 43% as construction returns to pre-Covid building levels 

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Britain’s biggest house builder Persimmon said its build rate reached normal levels by the end of June and it restored its dividend to shareholders, it revealed today. Pre-tax profits plunged 43 per cent from £509.3million to £292.4million. Revenues were also down 32 per cent to £1.19billion, from the £1.76billion it reported a year earlier, after … Read more

SAGE told Boris Johnson ‘pre-Covid normality’ impossible

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SAGE scientists told the Government a month ago it would not be possible to return to a ‘pre-Covid normality’ without a vaccine or a far better contact tracing system, it emerged today. In a report submitted to ministers on June 22, scientists advising Number 10 said social distancing will need to be in place until … Read more