SOCIAL media footage has shown workers packed onto public transport as people in England who can’t work from home are “actively encouraged” to go back to their workplaces from today.
Boris Johnson announced on Sunday night that people living in England should work from home if possible, but if not they should head back to work. He suggested people should avoid public transport and consider walking or cycling – however many commuters do rely on bus, rail and other transport services.
Those who have to use public transport to get to work have since been asked to try not to face each other while travelling, and the UK Government has recommended wearing a face covering in such spaces.
Footage taken in London by @Bot_BotPodcast showed a stream of people getting off a packed bus this morning.
Buses in London are packed with passengers this morning, despite the govt asking people to avoid public transport if possible when the #coronavirus lockdown eased.
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) May 13, 2020
Follow live as England gets back to work: https://t.co/HxzgZFnXnJ pic.twitter.com/pjTNBlg8ib
There were also reports of busy Underground services in the capital city. The Good Morning Britain programme showed scenes on a Central Line platform as maintaining the recommended two-metre distance proved impossible.
Unions have been vocally critical of the Prime Minister’s “return to work” call since it was announced on Sunday and are concerned workers will not be able to get to their workplace, or carry out their job, safely.
RMT told Sky News this morning that their members “are deeply concerned that we are going to see a surge of passengers”.
They said they were concerned crowds would make trains and buses “less safe”, and that they’d told members they can refuse to work if they don’t feel it is safe to do so.
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