Commuters filled Tube carriages this morning amid a 50% cut to services (Picture: Twitter/LizSmith1986)

Boris Johnson has ordered a nationwide lockdown for three weeks but worrying pictures show Tube carriages as rammed as ever.

Transport for London (TfL) cut services by 50% this week, which bosses say combined with millions staying at home has contributed to an 87% drop in passenger journeys.

But pictures taken this morning show commuters being forced onto packed platforms and carriages following the reduction in trains.

While the government had urged only key workers to ride the Tube – and put even more stringent stay-at-home orders in place last night – many bosses have insisted that their workers come in as normal.


It even sparked a plea from London Mayor Sadiq Khan: ‘I cannot say this more strongly: we must stop all non-essential use of public transport now. Ignoring these rules means more lives lost.’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Mayor Sadiq Khan said Londoners ignoring these measures are risking more lives (Picture: David Rhodes)

Platforms were packed with people this morning (Picture: Triangle News)

Nurse Julia Harris, who commutes to work at Imperial College NHS Trust, said she had left earlier and changed her route to avoid crowds but still found the District Line to be busy.



She said: ‘The choice isn’t there and my commute is quite long. I worry for my health more on my commute than actually being in the hospital.’

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

TfL said only critical workers should be using public transport and no one else.

Transport bosses thanked Londoners for listening to government advice and staying away from public transport, but warned: ‘To save lives and enable critical NHS and other workers to use our reduced services, more people need to stop travelling right now.’

Transport union TSSA has now called for police to be deployed at major train and tube stations in London to ensure only passengers who are ‘providing vital services’ are travelling.

An NHS worker took this picture as she made her way into work (Picture: Twitter/ @TracyLavinEvent)

Another platform was full of people this morning (Picture: Twitter/ @TracyLavinEvent )

General secretary 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.

‘I agree with Sadiq Khan that vital services and frontline workers must 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 need assistance in keeping the capital moving for those who go to work to save lives.’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

It comes as Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove was forced to back-track after initially saying the children of separated parents should not move between households.

He later clarified ‘it may be necessary’ for some children who are under 18 to move, tweeting: ‘I wasn’t clear enough earlier, apologies. To confirm – while children should not normally be moving between households, we recognise that this may be necessary when children who are under 18 move between separated parents.

‘This is permissible and has been made clear in the guidance.’

Sports Direct also confirmed it will not open its stores to the public following a U-turn by the sportswear retailer.

It had earlier said its stores would remain open because selling sporting and fitness equipment makes the company a vital asset during a national shutdown.



In an address to the nation from Downing Street on Monday evening, Mr Johnson ordered people to only leave their homes to shop for basic necessities ‘as infrequently as possible’, and to only perform one form of exercise a day.

They can also seek medical help, provide care to a vulnerable person or travel to work if ‘absolutely necessary’, under the measures to last until at least Easter Monday.

‘That’s all – these are the only reasons you should leave your home,’ he said.

‘You should not be meeting friends. If your friends ask you to meet, you should say no. You should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home.’

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. You should leave a sign outside your property if you have to self-isolate (Picture: PA)

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 webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.