BRITS were warned today commuting is a matter of "life or death" as the coronavirus lockdown eased this morning.
Many people unable to work from home crammed onto packed buses and trains to go back to the office today after weeks of restrictions.
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Transport for London reported a rise of 8.7 per cent in people using the Tube from 6am t0 10am, compared to last Wednesday - nearly 5,700 additional journeys.But despite the Government giving the go-ahead, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps warned it was a "life or death" gamble.
He told the BBC this morning: "This is a life and death situation and I do encourage people to look at the guidance for travelling on public transport.
"If you absolutely need to travel, wearing a face-covering - which is something you make at home rather than taking away PPE stock from medical situations - may be helpful and we ask people to do that.
"Not facing people, being side by side or back to back is better."
It comes as:
- The coronavirus pandemic could lead to a £165 a year income tax hike for millions of workers
- Brits booking summer holidays are "taking a chance"
- Cops have no powers to enforce two metre rule
- Cooped-up Brits can hit the tennis courts and golf greens from today
Today workers were given the green light to head out of lockdown if they couldn't do their job from home - with thousands cramming onto public transport during rush hour.
While Brits were urged not to use buses and trains unless they absolutely have to, worrying pictures show people packed onto busy Tubes.
Earlier this week TfL said even when 100 per cent of services are back and running, only 15 per cent of the usual passenger capacity would be able to travel and keep two metres between them.
Today a spokesman added they aim to have 75 per cent of Tube services and 85 per cent of bus services back by next week - after the Transport Secretary admitted yesterday even at full service only one in ten passengers would be able to be safely distanced.
The manager of Waterloo station said services rose to 45 per cent of normal capacity on Monday after running at 25 per cent at earlier stages of lockdown. Services will rise to 82 per cent from next Monday, he said.
But commuter Matt Hickson, 47, reckoned: “It is next to impossible to social distance on the Tube.
“There were less than ten per cent of commuters wearing masks.
“People are taking liberties not only with their own health but with other people’s. There could be a second wave of infection coming.”
Downing Street said there had been no "significant" increase in public transport use in London in response to the lockdown easing, claiming TfL had not reported "significant increases".
The RMT trade union has told workers they can "refuse to work" if they feel unsafe due to a "surge in passengers" following the easing of lockdown rules.
And London Underground workers slammed the conditions during peak travel as "a joke", warning "it will get worse". Services were suspended on the Victoria line as one person collapsed while commuting on the "heaving" Tubes.
Many carriages were so full each seat was taken, with only some of the passengers wearing face coverings and unable to face away from each other or remain distanced.
Mick Cash, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said staff could take action.
He declared: “One incident and we are reduced to crisis management with reports that social distancing is impossible with Tube carriages rammed.
“RMT warned this would happen and we were ignored.
“We are monitoring the situation and will discuss any appropriate action with our local reps.”
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- People living in England can now spend an unlimited time outside exercising and sunbathing. While it is still encouraged to stay at home as much as possible, you can lie in a park and go for a longer run or bike ride from today while remaining safely distanced from others.
- Households can now play certain sports together - such as tennis or golf or go angling. But for now you must still only play them with people you have been living with.
- From today you can meet up with one other family member or friend you don't live with at a time. You can sit outside together but must not have contact and keep two metres between you at all times.
- You are allowed to view a house from today but again, must take precautions and keep a safe distance from anyone you don't live with.
- People are allowed to take day trips to get to the countryside, national parks and beaches in England - but have been urged to respect the local communities, keep a safe distance and avoid hotspots.
- You are still not allowed to visit relatives or friends at home, or host them at your house.
- If you can work from home, you should. Only those who absolutely cannot perform their job from home should be leaving the house to work.
- Advice on avoiding public transport aside from essential journeys remains in place, and staying overnight at a holiday or second home is also not allowed.
- Fines for those who break the rules will now start at £100 in England, and will double on each further repeat offence up to £3,200. Stricter rules remain in place in the rest of the UK.
Britain’s most senior cop also said her officers would find it impossible to enforce guidelines keeping people two metres apart.
Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said: “It’s not our job to steward a queue.”
The message from the PM is to "stay alert" and stay at home as much as possible while the death and case toll continues to rise, but many Brits appear to have eagerly got back to work from today.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: "Today was, sadly, a day every Aslef member could see coming.
"Photos are emerging all over social media of Tube trains and commuter services packed with people unable to socially distance in line with Government recommendations.
"Our railway and Tube network are bursting at the seams during peak times at the best of times.
"They simply do not allow for social distancing with anywhere near the normal number of commuters. We do not have the capacity. We can only control demand."
One of the passengers was anaesthetist George Kobe, 48, travelling home after finishing a night shift at St Thomas' Hospital.
Asked about the Prime Minister's "back to work" message, Mr Kobe said: "I think health-wise it's not sensible but it's very difficult as the economy needs to move forward.
"There are more people today. Usually you might see two people walking past, now you can see more."
Mr Shapps warned: "If we see the R number go up again - particularly above one - we will have to take steps. We all know what that means - it means going back to staying at home.
"We have got a big team of marshallers going out through Network Rail, Transport for London, we have got the British Transport Police out there, and we are even bringing in volunteers to remind people that we don't want to see platforms crowded."
Dame Cressida’s warning cops would not police social distancing was echoed by colleagues.
Staffordshire Police chief constable Gareth Morgan said: “We enforce the law not guidance.”
Martin Hewitt, chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said: “We enforce the law and not government guidance, so we continue to have no role in enforcing two metre social distancing.
“Police still have a role where people are gathering in groups with those not in their household or if they’ve left their house for one of the reasons not designated as a reasonable excuse.
“We will use common sense to determine what’s reasonable.”
Motorways around England also had queues of vehicles building up from the early hours of this morning, as workers piled onto the Tube and buses.
Daniel Medforth, 41, made a 170-mile round trip from Withernsea, East Yorks, to resume a building job at RAF Conningsby, Lincs.
He said: “It’s a contract job that was on hold due to the virus.
“I have found it hard going back to work and getting motivated.
“Being amongst work colleagues on site is great, not having seen many people for weeks.
“I sit in the car, eat my lunch and take my breaks there.”
Sam Jones, of Cycling UK, said: “We have had a real increase in people joining up. Our web tools and journey planners have had double the visits since last year.
“I think that definitely suggests people are thinking more about cycling as a form of transport.”
The Cabinet Office has announced that five ministerial-led task forces will be established to determine how to reopen pubs, beauty salons, places of worship and leisure centres, as well as re-boot the aviation sector.
In a statement, the Cabinet Office said it was the "Government's ambition to open as many of these other businesses and public places as possible over the coming months, when the scientific advice provided allows us to".
FROM TODAY:
Among the slight changes to the rules today is a relaxing of outdoors exercise restrictions - with cooped up Brits allowed to exercise as much as they want each day.
Social distancing remains in place and only certain sports are allowed to be played within household groups.
It is still not allowed to meet up with a group of pals in the park for a kickabout, but those living together can play tennis or golf and sit down in a park.
Friends and family members not living together are finally allowed to meet face-to-face from today - but only two people can meet at a time, still must not hug and need to remain two metres apart.
And many people unable to work from home are heading back to the office after weeks of coronavirus lockdown.
Anyone who doesn't absolutely have to take public transport shouldn't - walk, run or cycle your way to work instead, keeping a safe distance from others, new guidance from the Government says. But it adds if you do have to get on it, then try and face away from other people if you possibly can.
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Speaking yesterday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "We continue to ask people to only go to work if they cannot do their jobs from home, that's because even as transport begins to revert to a full service, the two-metre distancing rule will only leave effective capacity for one in ten passengers overall.
"One in ten. Therefore, it's crucial that we protect our network by minimising the pressures placed upon it and ensure it's ready to serve those who most need it."
If you go on public transport you should wear a mask or face covering and keep two metres from other travellers, it advises.
It is not legally required that commuters do so, but the Government now urges anyone in shops or on public transport to use one if they can't stay apart from others.
To cut down any chance of overcrowding, it is also recommended employers should be able to offer more flexible start times to try and avoid everyone piling onto public transport at rush hour.
This will help reduce the crowds and keep travelling as safe as possible - as normal services have not yet resumed and are still reduced.
People tried to follow the distancing rules as they waited for trains today
Wash your hands as soon as you can after travelling anywhere, and before you head out of the front door. If you see hand sanitising stations anywhere, use them, the guidance says.
Britain's real coronavirus death toll has passed 40,000, concerning new analysis suggests.
Changes in the guidelines have caused confusion and anger - as people remain unable to visit relatives or friends at their homes, but can now be shown around a property for sale.
The move to unlock the housing market will enable buyers and renters to complete purchases and view properties in person, while visiting estate agents, developer sales offices or show homes will also be allowed.
Unlimited exercise, sunbathing and meeting one person from another household in a public space is now allowed, as long as the two-metre rule is respected, while golf clubs, tennis courts and angling have been given the green light.
Restrictions on how far people can travel to get to the countryside, national parks and beaches in England have also been lifted - but people have been warned to respect local communities, keep their distance from others and avoid hotspots or busy areas.
'If we all came back it’d be chaos'
Steve Tierney
FRENCH polisher Steve Tierney, 53, is working on a site in Monument, Central London.
Steve said: “It’s safe because there are less contractors here. They’re staggering start dates or putting guys on rolling shifts.
“If the whole lot of us were back at once, it’d be chaos.
"You couldn’t keep a 6ft distance from guys in the spaces we work.
“I get in on the bus at 5.30am and it’s all right.
"But if you were on public transport at rush hour, a mask won’t do anything.”
'A man tried to shake my hand'
David Adamson
BUILDER David Adamson, 62, is refurbishing a menswear shop in Leicester.
He said: “The two of us working here have been fine. We have PPE, hand washing facilities and space.
“The problem has been other people. In the middle of town a lot of people are not social distancing.
"A man came up yesterday and tried to shake my hand for going back to work.”
David added: “We would have had six people on site but to adhere to regulations we have to stagger contractors.”
'Some staff are scared to return'
Bogdan Tomaszewicz
BOGDAN Tomaszewicz, 44, owns a building firm in Manchester.
He said: “We started working a week ago, but some of my staff are too scared to return.
“I try to enforce social distancing measures but it can be difficult in the type of work we do.”
Bogdan added: “I try to keep my builders working separately.
"We wear masks, wash hands outdoors and use hand sanitisers.
"It is difficult for builders but we need to get back.”
'All calls we got were to cancel'
Craig Cattle
CRAIG Cattle, 31, owner of an electricians business in Hull, said: “It’s definitely the right time to get back to work.
“In my industry, I think we can do our jobs safely.
"We will follow the guidelines. We have got PPE kits in all the vans.
“We are doing risk assessments to make sure that the customer is at a safe system and we can actually do the job before we go in.”
Craig added: “Before lockdown, we were booked to August. Then all the calls were to cancel.”
'We had to close at busiest time'
Sarah Eley
SARA and Rupert Eley have owned The Place For Plants gardening centre near East Bergholt, in Suffolk, for 25 years.
Sara said: “Like everybody else the coronavirus has affected our business enormously. We had to close the doors to the public at our busiest time.
“Although we have done home deliveries that is a fraction of what we usually sell.
“We were delighted to open. We will be following social distancing.
"We have our own procedures and a written assessment.”
'It’s important for the economy'
Keith Foster
KEITH Foster, 59, works in sales at The Sign Studio NE, in Middlesbrough.
He said: “We have six staff and we were all furloughed but four of us have now returned.
MOST READ IN UK NEWS
“I know a lot of people were scared to go back to work, but we were all keen. It’s been great to come in. There’s nothing to do at home.
“You can only stay closed for a certain amount of time before you go under.
"It’s great Boris Johnson is encouraging people to go back. It’s important for the economy.”