Sadiq Khan claims social distancing impossible on London public transport when lockdown is eased

SADIQ Khan claims social distancing will be impossible on London’s public transport when lockdown gets lifted.

The London Mayor said he is “really worried” about the impact of easing lockdown restrictions would have on public transport.

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He said: “As it is, we are providing the maximum public transport we can with the staffing levels we have.

“At the moment we are able to have a safe number of passengers on and social distance is being followed.

“That means we are taking roughly speaking a sixth – that’s 15% – of the passengers we normally would.

“Any increase whatsoever of people out and about would lead to us not being able to have passengers safely keeping their social distance.”

Mr Khan’s comments come as the capital’s ‘new normal’ will see commuters wearing masks on the Tube and workers and schools would need staggered start times to keep crowding to a minimum.

He set out a bleak picture for a post-lockdown London and said that people would only be able to see their loved ones “occasionally.”

But he demanded the public is “treated as adults” over the government’s plans to relieve the Covid-19 lockdown.

Writing in The Evening Standard, Mr Khan said people travelling on public transport are likely to have to wear “non-medical face coverings to reduce the risk to others”.

However, many have accused the London mayor of risking lives by closing some Tube lines and running trains every 10 to 20 minutes when it typically runs be every three minutes.

An angry commuter wrote today: “@MayorofLondon What about supporting Londoners by sorting out your bloody tube trains????????”

Another tweeted: “Rush hour, buses packed, tube and DLR/ @TfL putting people’s lives at risk with their stripped back transport. I wonder how many Covid deaths are a direct result of key workers being forced together? More transport needed and urgently!”

It comes as Britain’s death toll today hit 28,734 as another 288 patients died in the lowest rise in more than a month.

Today it was confirmed that ministers are stockpiling masks for Brits to wear as Government prepares to consider changing official health advice, it was confirmed today.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the UK was trying to get “as many masks as possible” and have been saving them up for weeks.

Later this week an official decision on facemasks is expected to be taken by the UK Government, and Brits are set to be told to wear them in enclosed spaces or on public transport.

Scotland has already told the public to start wearing them, as they can have an impact on stopping sick people with no symptoms from passing it on.

Mr Wallace said today: “It’s not the amazing thing if you wear a mask that no one’s going to get it but there is obviously this issue about human nature and interactions if you go on public transport and wear a mask will you feel able to go back to work.

“At the same time, to anticipate should different rules be made around masks we’re trying to source as many masks as possible as we speak and have been for the last few weeks.”

Boris Johnson, speaking at the daily Downing Street press conference for the first time since he fell ill with the virus, said he will set out a plan next week to kickstart the economy, get kids back to school and find a way to make workplaces safer.

Boris Johnson first announced wide-ranging lockdown restrictions on March 23.

The Prime Minister will address the nation on May 10 to explain a “road map” of how current restrictions will be lifted gradually at the same pace nationwide – starting towards the end of May.

The Government was due to formally review the lockdown measures on Thursday, May 7.

But Mr Johnson is now expected to unveil the exit plan on Sunday, May 10.