YORK is one of the best cities in the UK for adhering to lockdown stay at home measures, according to new data from tech giants Google.

And residents have been praised by council chiefs for their hard work in helping to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Data from the Google Community Mobility Report - which tracks people’s phone location history to provide insight into the public response to government policies aimed at combating COVID-19 - shows that York has seen a 33 per cent increase in people staying in residential areas, one of the highest in the UK and well above the national average of 19 per cent.

Meanwhile, people using public transport in the city has fallen by 82 per cent in the same time period.

York Press: Source: Google Covid-19 Mobility Report Source: Google Covid-19 Mobility Report

Google’s data analysed people’s movement from March 21, when the first restrictive measures were put in place, up until April 11.

Leader of City of York Council, Cllr Keith Aspden, said: "It has been encouraging to see that residents have come together to support their local communities whilst following the social distancing guidelines.

“We know it’s difficult to follow these guidelines, especially when the weather is improving, therefore I’d like to once again thank everyone for staying at home, protecting the NHS and saving lives by stopping the spread of coronavirus in York.”

The findings were also similar to the government-backed Evergreen Life health website, which indicated that 97 per cent of people are staying at home in York.

Deputy Leader of City of York Council, Cllr Andy D’Agorne, said: “Figures have shown that York residents have made our city one of the most compliant cities in the country.

“I’d like to thank all those who have respected the social distancing guidelines in a bid to relieve the incredible pressure the NHS is facing from coronavirus. It is vital that we all continue to keep up this good work to keep on saving lives."

MP for York Central, Rachael Maskell, said: “With the progress made here, it is vital that we keep resisting the temptation to go out, and instead continue to limit our activity for the coming weeks until we see infection risk fall.

“We all have a responsibility to keep our distance when out exercising or at the shops, and employers must continue to take steps to ensure that all their staff are safe.

“I want as many people as possible to get through this in York, but this depends on all of us. Keep going, keep safe, keep home.”

Cllr D’Agorne added that the council has opened several helplines for those struggling through the pandemic, adding: “If you’re on your own and struggling to manage because of coronavirus please get in touch and we can help." Call on 01904 551550 or email covid19help@york.gov.uk.”