Communication is vital for safety on North’s rail services, say leaders
“CRYSTAL CLEAR” communications with rail passengers and staff will be the single most important factor in keeping people safe during the next phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaders in the North of England have said.
With just five per cent of travellers using rail services compared to normal and 45 per cent of services operating, Rail North Committee members said there needed to be “extreme caution” and “baby steps” as preparations take place to ramp up rail services to about 70 per cent of pre-Covid levels.
Meeting online this week, members of the committee agreed that clear communication both to travellers and staff was absolutely critical to managing social distancing across the rail sector.
Greater Manchester’s Metro
Mayor Andy Burnham described the situation as “a reset moment”.
He added: “This must be a moment where we draw a line under two years of chaos. We have been able to get back to a stable position. We have seen a cultural change and that’s thanks to all on the railway.”
He also said any increase in services must be done “extremely cautiously”.
Paying tribute to frontline staff, Coun Judith Blake, the leader of Leeds Council, added: “It has been an incredible effort and we owe them a huge debt.”
Photographs emerged yesterday of packed tube trains and buses in London, on the first day where workers were encouraged to return to their jobs if they could not work from home.
London Underground workers said there was “complete shambles” during the suspension of part of the Victoria Line after reports that a passenger had collapsed.
Mick Cash, General Secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said: “This incident shows just how fraught with danger the Government’s return to work call is for our transport services in the midst of this pandemic.”