Light at the end of the tunnel

So after 11 months and three lockdowns, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a cautious lifting of the coronavirus restrictions that have impacted every facet of our lives.

The Government’s plan – aiming to lift all restrictions by June 21 – has many caveats, but after so many wrong or delayed decisions, it cannot afford to get this plan to restore freedoms wrong. It will be a difficult path over the next four months, but there does appear to genuinely be light at the end of the tunnel.

What Mr Johnson has called a ‘road map to freedom’ will be definitely welcomed by the railway heritage movement, railtour operators and by thousands of RM readers. Whether it goes to plan all depends on the public remaining sensible, while at time of going to press plans for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were awaited.

Like many of you, I am keen to visit several heritage lines after restrictions prevented me from doing so last year. I am also looking forward to travelling by train again, and therein lies another massive challenge for Government and the industry, to win back passengers. With many people working from home or furloughed, it is impossible to predict to what extent commuting will return to pre-Covid levels, but leisure travel is expected to be greater than before.

Several heritage railways have anticipated the reopening plan and announced gala events, while other lines are carefully assessing what the announcement means for them.

Every heritage line and museum has suffered financially and wants to welcome visitors back as soon as is possible while maintaining a safe environment to prevent further spreading of this awful virus, something with which we will have to live, like flu.

As lines outline their reopening plans, these will be detailed in The Railway Magazine , on our website and Facebook pages.

At last, we have something to look forward to.