Watchdogs say clear guidance needed to reassure passengers

Governments must “outline how they will reassure passengers that it will be as safe as possible to travel by public transport”, according to industry watchdogs Transport Focus and London TravelWatch.

Their warning comes after a TF survey found that 62% of passengers won’t use public transport unless social distancing is in place, while 51% won’t be happy to do so unless passengers are required to wear face masks.

“After months of being told not to travel, people will understandably be fearful about venturing out,” said TF Chief Executive Anthony Smith.

The survey involved 2,000 people between May 1-3 and the data is nationally representative of the population of Great

Britain.

The results showed that people in London have lower expectations with regard to social distancing and the provision of hand sanitiser than in other parts of the country.

Emma Gibson, director of London TravelWatch, said: “It is interesting to see that Londoners place more importance on people wearing face masks as they move around the capital than people in other areas around the UK, and that a higher percentage of Londoners in the survey would travel without social distancing or hand sanitiser available at stations or stops. Perhaps that is because they rely on public transport more than anyone else in the country.”

Forty per cent of respondents said they expected to work from home more often in the future and 60% suggested that they will choose to drive more than use public transport.

Those aged 18-24 are the most comfortable with the idea of returning to public transport.