Facemasksnow compulsoryas further serviceincreaseis planned
WEARINGfacecoveringsbecame a mandatoryrequiremenftor passengerfsromJune15.
Themovewasimplemented followingan increasein train servicelevelsw, ith somestations offeringfreemasksfor a limited period.
Whiletrain servicesarestill not at full timetablelevels- which hashada positiveeffecton punctuality- the messageis stillthat train useshouldbefor essentiatlravelonlyaspassenger capacityisaround20%of normal.
Theimpacton the industryhas beenmonumentalT. herehave beenmorethan 51 millionfewer journeyscomparedto the same periodfor 2018/9;the largest passengedreclinesince1994/95.
Thebiggestdeclinehas, not surprisinglyb, eenon long-distanceservicesw, ith AvantiWestCoastL, NERand GWRshowingdeclinesof around20%,alongwith an insistenceof seatreservationtso maintaindistancingand prevent overcrowding.
GrahamRichardsd,irectorof railwayplanningand performance at the Officeof Railand Road, said:"Thefirst quarterstatsfor this financialyearfor railpassenger usage(April-Junew) ill obviously showfurtherdeclinein numbers.
"Thiscanbeattributedalmost entirelyto the measurestakenby passengerisn the middleof March asthey heededGovernment adviceto stayat homeandonly travelif it wasessential.
Nationalplan
"We'reworkingwith the industryto providehealthand safetyadviceand guidancea, nd continueto monitorthe reality on the groundto ensurepeople havethe confidencethey can travelsafely'.'
RMTunion leaderMickCash said:"Thesfeiguresconfirmwe will needa newnationalplanfor railrecoverywhichencourages passengertso returnto our railwayswhen it issaferto do so. "Thatplanwill needto bebased on increasedinvestmentm, ore reliableandfrequentjourneys, affordablefaresand protectingrail jobs and skills.
"Theprivatisedrailwayhas shownit is not capableof deliveringtheseobjectivesa, ndto safeguarda betterfuturefor rail the Governmennt eedsto ditch itsideologicaol bjectionto public ownership'.'
TheDepartmentforTransport isaskingtrainoperatorsto return to a full timetabledservice fromJuly6,but it isunclear whetherreservationws ill remain mandatory.
AvantiWestCoastsaysit will be operatingthreeservicesperhour to ManchestearndBirmingham to caterfor a risein passengers betweenMilton Keynesand London.DuringJune,Avantiwas runningaround200trainsper weekdayr,atherthan its normal 312.
NetworkRailCEOAndrew Haines poketo tradejournalists duringa Zoomvideoconference on June8.Hesaidit wouldtake time to rebuildthe timetablefor a robustoperation,but added "youcannothavemaximum trains,maximumpassengerasnd maximumsocialdistanceO. nly two of the threearepossible''.
FromJune22,the Scottish Governmenht asdecidedto follow Englandand makefacecoverings mandatoryon publictransport andin publicareasin stations, althoughon June10ScotRasil aid it couldnot guaranteephysical distancingat all stagesof a journey.
It citedan exampleof an eight-carClass385formation normallyaccommodating500 seatedpassengertshat would, if two-metredistancingwas adheredto, be reducedto fewer than 80.
Handsanitiserunitswill be in placeat the busieststations throughoutScotlandw, ith floor markingsto helpthe distancing and waiting roomsclosed.
Thereareexemptionsfor those with specificmedicalreasons and alsochildren- asin England - but therehasbeenconcernin EnglandS, cotlandandWalesthat BTPofficersand railstaffmaynot havebeenfully briefedon the permittedexemptionsl,eading to somebeingfearfulof being challenged.
Thereareexemptionsfor passengerwsho maybedisabled, havemedicalconditionswhich affectbreathing,sufferfrom anxietyor autism.
Astrain operatorsendeavoutro run longertrainsenablingthem to maintainthe socialdistancing rules,it hasbecomechallenging with sometrainsremainingout of servicebecauseof a shortage of componentsfor repairsD. rivers and staffarealsoaffectedby coronavirusor still self-isolating.
Coronaviruhsasdelayedthe introductionof manynewtrains becausecommissioningstaff returnedto their homecountries at the heightthe pandemic.
Howevert,he RailDelivery Grouphassuccessfulllyobbied the Governmenftor an exemption to the 14-dayquarantinerule imposedfrom June8 for UK passengearrrivals.
Vitalresources
Questionsalsoremainover why night-timeservicesto airportshaveoperatedduringthe pandemicu, singvital resources, while few flights havebeen operating.
With lobbyingof Government to dropthe adviceto avoidtrains, andthe industryfacingcallsfor moreservicesc,ampaigngroup Railfutureoutlineda five-point planto spearheadaneconomic boost:
Restorethe full timetabled serviceassoonaspossibleto increasecapacityand minimise risksof overcrowding
A consistenat pplicationof distancerulesacrossalltransport modes.If issafeto effectively ignorethe two-metreruleon aeroplanesw, hy isthis not acceptableon trains?
An agreednational standardon hygienelevelsf,or examples, anitisationof surfaces, whichshouldbemadefully public. Thiswould protectusersand restoreconfidencein usingthe railsystem.
Lookat bestpracticeelsewhere andadoptassomecountries andcitiesareusinga muchmore balancedpositionon social distancingf,or example.
Therestrictionson"necessary journeysonly"shouldbe easedas soonastrainservicesarerestored to normallevelsI.t'sinconsistent to allowthe publicto engagein leisureactivity,but not allowrail to playa part.
ChrisPagec, hairmanof Railfutures, aid:"Thisisnot about protectingthe bottom lineof the railindustry,althoughobviously we want the industryto thriveand be economicallysustainable.
"There'sa realriskof damageto the credibilityof publictransport, which hashugeimplicationsfor the environment.
"Thelong-termeffectsof climate changehavenot goneaway becauseof the presentcrisis.
"If railusedeclinesanduseof privatecarsincreasesth, e long-termconsequenceosf this will beseriousT. herehasto bea balancedapproachto this,and gettingthe railwaybackto normal isa keycomponento economic andenvironmentahl ealth.
"Railhasan importantpartto playin supportingthe wider economya, ndthat in turn helpsto payfor the healthservice'.'
Support ourism
Headded:"Railwayscanhelp to sustainretailinourtownsand citiesnowthat the restrictions havebeeneasedthere,and supporttourismin our national parksandseasidetowns.
"Everyhumanactivityhas risksa, ndwe recognisethe virusisstill out there,but while thereareinconsistenst tandards applied,andwidespread flouting of the rulesin nontransportenvironmentst,he restrictionson railtransportseem disproportionate'.'
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Helpingheritageorganisations with essentiacl ostsduringthe ongoingpandemict.he National HeritageLotteryw, itha fund £50millionh, asgiventhe WensleydaleRailwaya grantof £50,000,anda £40,000grantto the BalaLakeRailway.