Calmest rush hour ever?
TRANSPORT REMAINED QUIET AS WORKERS RETURNED
IT was supposed to be morning rush hour as people returned to work after lockdown, but there was little sign of it happening in Newcastle yesterday.
As some coronavirus lockdown restrictions were lifted from yesterday and Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged those who can’t work from home to return to work, an increase in people on the move.
Although people were advised not to use public transport if possible, it seems those living in Tyneside were taking this advice.
Only a handful of passengers were pictured on the Metro at the Haymarket and Central Station yesterday morning.
And none of those people seen by our photographer were wearing face mask coverings – even though passengers on the Tyne and Wear Metro, buses, and the Shields Ferry have been urged to wear face coverings from now on. Under new coronavirus lockdown rules issued by the Government, people are now being told to wear a face covering if possible when in confined public spaces, such as some shops and on public transport.
On Monday, Metro operator Nexus said wearing a face covering is a “small step we can all take to help fight coronavirus” and confirmed it was now issuing protective visors for its own frontline staff.
People have been urged not to buy medical-standard masks, which are needed for frontline health and care workers, but instead make their own cloth coverings at home.
Huw Lewis, Nexus’s customer services director, said that signs are also being installed at Metro stations to help passengers stay two metres apart.
He added: “People should avoid using public transport and only make essential journeys, but if you need to travel then we want to make sure you can do so with confidence.
“Our message is to follow what the Government says, wear a face covering when using public transport, as you should in other confined spaces including some shops.
“This is a small step we can all take to help fight coronavirus, by reducing the chance of passing infection to other people.
“Passengers should continue to keep two metres from other people as much as possible, with face covering – such as a scarf or mask – providing an extra layer of protection when it is not always possible to do this.
“We are making sure stations, Metro trains and the Shields Ferry are cleaned to the highest standard, and that there is clear information on how to distance as you travel; bus companies are doing the same.”