West Yorkshire to become latest area to go into Tier 3 restrictions

29 October 2020, 18:17 | Updated: 29 October 2020, 18:47

West Yorkshire will go into Tier 3 from Monday. Picture: PA

By Kate Buck

West Yorkshire is set to be the latest area in England to move to Tier 3 - the government's highest level of coronavirus restrictions - it has been announced.

From 12.01am on Monday, the region will be placed under the top level of measures after a continued surge in cases.

The news was revealed on Thursday evening by Leeds City Council leader Judith Blake, who confirmed the Tier would stretch across the whole of West Yorkshire, including Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield.

According to Leeds City Council chief executive Tom Riordan, a support package of £46.6 million has been negotiated for the region.

This is in addition to the support given while the region was under Tier 2.

Mr Riordan said there would be an additional £12.7 million for testing and tracing contacts.

Leeds currently has a seven-day infection rate of 422.9 cases per 100,000 people, which is almost double the rate across England as a whole.

Altogether, England is currently recording 224 cases per 100,000 people.

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The latest news on restrictions comes as other areas of England also are preparing to see their Tiers elevated this weekend.

It was announced on Thursday that various parts of the North East, the Midlands, the East of England and the South East would move to Tier 2 at 12.01am on Saturday.

This includes East Riding of Yorkshire, Kingston-Upon-Hill, North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire in the Yorkshire and Humber region, while in the West Midlands the Tier 2 restrictions will be introduced to Dudley, Staffordshire, Telford and the Wrekin.

For the East Midlands, Amber Valley, Bolsover, Derbyshire Dales, Derby, South Derbyshire, High Peak and Charnwood will all be increased.

Luton and Oxford City are also included on the list.

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Announcing the new restrictions on Thursday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there had continued to be a "worrying rise" in cases nationwide.

He said: "These restrictions are challenging for us all, but it is only by working together and following the rules that we will bring down the rates of infection.

"A failure to act now will only lead to longer disruption and greater economic damage.

"I want to thank everyone who is playing their part to break the chains of transmission across the country."We will beat this virus, but we must stick together as we enter the winter months."