Rammed at rush hour... but police can’t step in to stop it
POLICE have been told they have no power to enforce social distancing, with England’s most senior officer saying: ‘It’s not our job to steward a queue.’
Fresh guidelines issued by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council plunged the lockdown rules into confusion yesterday as officers were told they cannot fine or arrest anyone for not keeping two metres apart in England, despite it being an offence in Wales.
Officers also cannot force anyone to wear face coverings and will not do anything to stop overcrowding on public transport. It comes as thousands of commuters were crammed on buses and trains yesterday and ministers warned parts of the network could close if it continues.
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has told rail and bus operators to use ‘the full range of responses available’ to stop overcrowding – which could include closing parts of the public transport network. Julia Kate Rayworth, a hospital worker in Blackpool, said her commute was a ‘Covid party bus’ and more has to be done to protect key workers.
There was also a rise in traffic yesterday, with data from TomTom showing increased congestion in London, Manchester, New
castle and Leeds. But the advice for police is that despite what Boris Johnson and other ministers might say, ‘Government guidance is not enforceable.’
England’s most senior officer, Commissioner Cressida Dick, indicated Scotland Yard will not be taking action against anyone queuing to get onto a packed Tube train. She said: ‘It’s not our job to steward a queue.’ Dame Cressida acknowledged that the new rules would be more difficult to understand for the public and posed a challenge for officers.
John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: ‘It’s time to hand the baton to the public now and say this isn’t about policing, it is about common sense. ‘I think the NPCC and College of Policing have made it clear that we should be stepping away from Government guidance because it is almost impossible to police.’
Meanwhile, Dame Cressida said a ‘silver lining’ to the pandemic was the opportunity to collar violent criminals confined to their homes. She said officers now have the manpower to make record arrests due to a dramatic fall in crime – which dropped 35 per cent in London since lockdown started. Teams have rounded up more than 1,200 suspects, seizing 444 knives and 106 guns over the period.