Ministers and operators to slim timetables after Covid-19 causes 70% fall in passengers

This article is more than 5 months old

This article is more than 5 months old

Train services are to be pared back across Britain from Monday as passengers are urged to stop all non-essential travel to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Q&A How can I protect myself and others from the coronavirus outbreak? Show Hide The World Health Organization is recommending that people take simple precautions to reduce exposure to and transmission of the coronavirus, for which there is no specific cure or vaccine. The UN agency advises people to: Frequently wash their hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or warm water and soap

Cover their mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when sneezing or coughing

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Seek early medical help if they have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, and share their travel history with healthcare providers

Advice about face masks varies. Wearing them while out and about may offer some protection against both spreading and catching the virus via coughs and sneezes, but it is not a cast-iron guarantee of protection Many countries are now enforcing or recommending curfews or lockdowns. Check with your local authorities for up-to-date information about the situation in your area. In the UK, NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days. If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.

Ministers and rail operators across England, Scotland and Wales have agreed to make progressive cuts to timetables, with the aim of keeping core services running – but reflecting a drop of almost 70% in passenger numbers since the outbreak started.

The government and industry decision will also enable rail freight services to run effectively.

The speed with which services will be cut will be left to individual train operators, but they have pledged to maintain a sufficient timetable for key workers to travel to work and for the public to access medical appointments, as well as ensuring the flow of goods by rail.

While franchised train operators have minimum service obligations and could have faced contractual penalties without government dispensation, so-called “open access” operators such as Hull Trains have already cut back services to just one a day, while Eurostar is running just three returns daily on its main route from London to Paris.

In the capital, a reduced London Underground service has already come into effect with the closure of 40 stations, and the axing of the night tube.

The transport secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “We are taking decisive action to protect the public, which means reducing travel for the time being, whilst still ensuring key worker heroes can get to their jobs to keep this nation running.

“For passengers in crucial roles, including essential workers in our emergency services and NHS, alongside people who need to attend medical appointments or care for loved ones, these changes protect the services they rely on.”

Shapps suggested earlier this week that some more rail networks could be temporarily nationalised, but the government would be “flexible” over contracts. Several franchises were in financial difficulty due to fewer passengers than anticipated, even before the current crisis.

He added: “Our railways are at the heart of this country’s transport links, and we continue to work closely with the industry to develop measures that protect operators in these challenging times.”

Robert Nisbet, of the Rail Delivery Group, said the move would allow train operators to run services over a longer period with fewer workers during the pandemic.

He said: “At a time of extraordinary national challenge, the measures rail companies are putting in place with government will preserve services so that we can continue to get key workers to where they need to be, deliver food to supermarkets and get fuel to power stations.”

About 50% of services are expected to be cut initially, although decisions are being left to individual operators. All train companies nationwide are expected to have new timetables published for next week available on the National Rail website by Sunday lunchtime.

Some have already signalled drastic cuts. Among the first to announce new emergency timetables on Friday morning were the big London commuter franchises.

South Western Railway will cut services on a few branches entirely. Its last trains will depart earlier from London Waterloo, and many major commuter lines will have only half-hour or hourly services, particularly outside peak hours.

Southeastern said it would attempt to keep all stations open for now and run as early and late as possible to support key workers

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which has had extensive experience in slashing timetables at short notice for strikes and staff shortages, will be announcing timetable changes on Sunday for Monday. GTR, which operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services, will make further cuts to start from the following Monday, 30 March.

Steve White, the chief operating officer, said GTR was doing its utmost to keep an essential service running for key workers. He said: “The message from the government is clear – travel only if you have to. The changes we are making should allow us to sustain a timetable for those who absolutely have to travel such as doctors, nurses and the emergency services.”

Its Gatwick Express trains will be slashed, with air passengers running at less than 10% of normal levels, and the airport reducing its operating capacity by one third to cut costs.

Network Rail has said retailers in its stations will not have to pay rent for the first quarter, as it attempts to help them survive as footfall vanishes.