West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway are urging passengers arranging post-lockdown reunions to avoid train travel to keep trains free for workers making essential journeys.
With outdoor gatherings of up to six permitted from Monday, officials are anticipating an increase in short distance journeys.
However, with trains still operating at reduced capacity due to social distancing, WMR and LNWR are urging potential passengers to walk, cycle or drive if they are heading to a reunion.
Jonny Wiseman, head of customer experience for West Midlands Railway, said: “We know many of our customers will be looking forward to catching up with family and friends they have not seen in a long time when the rules change next week. With social distancing advice still in place, we are urging customers to avoid the train for all but the most essential journeys where no other means of travel is available. If you choose to take the train for a non-essential journey you risk taking the space of a front-line worker who needs it more.”
Lawrence Bowman, head of customer experience for London Northwestern Railway, said: “We know many of our customers will be looking forward to catching up with family and friends they have not seen in a long time when the rules change next week. With social distancing advice still in place, we are urging customers to avoid the train for all but the most essential journeys where no other means of travel is available. If you choose to take the train for a non-essential journey you risk taking the space of a front-line worker who needs it more.”
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This has been completely mishandled, and will reinforce the damaging perception that trains are for commuting and cars are for every other conceivable journey purpose.
The advice instead should have been to mandate the wearing of masks on trains.
Laughable. Local trains are empty. The six car formations on the Cross-city line have around one passenger per coach, and many of these have no ticket.
This idea that key workers, especially shift workers like nurses, are dependent on trains is utter delusion or utterly disingenuous, designed to let the deserted passenger railway stagger on for a little longer.
Away from London, lines need mothballing with staff made redundant. Key workers can have free taxis at a fraction of the cost of running empty trains. The money saved can go to social care etc..
When a vaccine appears, at least some of the mothballed routes could be reopened, assuming sufficient passengers return.