Sadiq Khan: Still too many people catching public transport
Sadiq Khan has hit out at Londoners who are not following the government’s social distancing rules, claiming there are still too many people using public transport.
Khan told BBC Radio 4 today that some Tube carriages were still over crowded because “clearly too many people not staying at home”.
The government has said that only people who are essential workers should be catching public transport to get to work.
However, on some lines there have been scenes of overcrowding at rush hour, despite a large decline in overall passenger numbers.
Tube numbers are down 94 per cent and bus numbers are down 85 per cent.
Tube services have also been slashed to deal with the coronavirus outbreak and are running at 55 per cent capacity at rush hour.
“The key message is unless you really have to get to work, then work from home,” Khan said.
“If you do have to get to work, please avoid the rush hour.”
Conservative mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey said the mayor needed to increase the number of trains running on the London Underground at peak times.
Bailey said the overcrowding was putting NHS staff at risk of catching Covid-19.
He tweeted: “Will a [coronavirus] inquiry cover why the Mayor of London couldn’t put on enough tube trains to keep NHS workers safe on their way to work?
“Do your job and keep our heroes safe.”