Police must be deployed tomajor train and tube stations in London to ensure only ‘key workers’ aretravelling, union bosses have demanded.

The calls follow more worrying pictures of rammed platforms and packed tube carriages this morning despite Boris Johnson putting the UK on a coronavirus lockdown.

While the government urged only key workers to ride the Tube, many bosses have insisted that their workers come in as normal.

General secretary of transport union TSSA, Manuel Cortes, said: ‘Sadly, the situation on the London Underground has not improved.

‘We urgently need British Transport Police and other officers at major stations across London’s transport network to ensure only those with a valid reason to travel are doing so in this emergency.

For all the latest news and updates on Coronavirus, click here. For our Coronavirus live blog click here

‘I agree with Sadiq Khan that vital services and frontline workersmust be protected, the alternative is people will die in greater numbers.

‘That can’t be allowed to happen and only Government has the power to enforce what’s needed.

‘Transport for London and other transport staff needassistance in keeping the capital moving for those who go to work to savelives.’

Sadiq Khan said ‘we must stop all non-essential travel’ inresponse to the busy rush hour pictures.

The London Mayor demanded employers enable their staff to work from home ‘unless it’s absolutely necessary’, adding: ‘Ignoring these rules means more lives lost.’

Transport for London (TfL) has suspended the Circle line andWaterloo & City line, and cut services by 50%, which bosses say hascontributed to an 87% drop in passenger journeys.

Mr Khan said ‘growing numbers’ of TfL staff are off sick or self-isolating, which means ‘we cannot run more services than we currently are’.

He added: ‘Many of those still travelling to work today areon zero hour contracts, work in the gig economy or are freelancers.

‘A proper package of support for these workers wouldalleviate this situation and help public transport, and I’ve raised this withthe Government.’

Nurse Julia Harris, who commutes to work at Imperial College NHS Trust, said she had left earlier and changed her route in a bid to avoid crowds but still found services busy.

She said: ‘Seats on the train all had at least one person sopeople needed to stand, and the District line was busy as well. I still don’tthink things have improved as a large amount of people are commuting early inthe morning.

‘It is concerning because I have to come to work. The choiceisn’t there and my commute is quite long. I worry for my health more on mycommute than actually being in the hospital.’

Ms Harris said the reduction in TfL services meant ‘you nowhave more people waiting and piling onto the Tubes and trains’.

‘The issue is key workers aren’t just health professionals –I think we under-estimated how many people are needed to keep things running.’

Nicola Smith, who works at a central London hospital, saidshe was ‘risking my health’ to commute by Tube because it was so busy.

She called on TfL to increase services or the Prime Minister to ‘start policing who’s getting on’.

She added: ‘Help me!’

Nurse Danielle Tiplady posted on Twitter: ‘Being on the Tubeis making me feel uneasy. It is too busy (and) there is no space for socialdistancing.’

She urged Mr Johnson and Mr Khan to ‘go further’, calling onthem to ‘monitor who is getting on the train and allow more services to run’.

She added: ‘I feel like I am risking my health trying to getto work.’

Finn Brennan, district organiser for train drivers’ unionAslef, said: ‘Getting lots of reports of early trains being full on theUnderground.

‘If the Government doesn’t shut construction sites and pay self-employment, people will die.’

What does self-isolation mean?

Self-isolation means staying indoors and avoiding all contact with other people for 14 days, according to the NHS.

It means no going to work, school, the shops or even to the park for some fresh air, in order to minimise the risk of passing on Covid-19.

Public transport and taxis are a no-no and you shouldn’t have visitors over, even if you just stay at home.

Anyone in self-isolation is advised to ask friends, family and delivery drivers to pick things up for you and drop them-off. You should put a sign outside telling people you are self-isolating and everything should be left on the floor outside your front door to avoid the risk of further infections.

Those who are self-isolating are still advised to stay away from their pets as much as possible and to wash their hands before and after touching them.

If you live in a house share and have to self-isolate, the advice is to stay in your room with the door closed and only emerge to use communal kitchens, bathrooms and living areas if absolutely necessary.

Who should self-isolate?

The government advises anyone returning from Category 1 areas (Hubei, Iran, Italy and Daegu or Cheongdo in South Korea), to go straight home and self-isolate, even if they don’t display any symptoms.

Travellers should use the 111 online coronavirus service to find out what to do next.

Anyone returning from Category 2 areas should self-isolate and call 111 if they have Covid-19 symptoms. You can find the list of those places here.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Coronavirus latest news and updates

Source: Read Full Article