Will we ever take the tube again? - Discussion starter

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Unherd

The shock of the Covid-19 lockdown has hit transport systems like a heart attack. Don’t expect them to recover quickly. It’s obvious that airlines will be on life-support for years. What is less well-understood is that, as discussion turns to reopening the economy, urban public transport is now looking at the equivalent of chronic heart disease, with lower demand, but even lower capacity.

As lockdowns ease, discretionary travel will be discouraged; home-working will remain ubiquitous, business travel will be almost non-existent. The economy will limp along for years, suffering first from the friction of social distancing, then from the destruction of everyone’s balance sheets: individuals, companies, charities, public sector and government. A few years of loose fiscal and monetary policy is likely to be followed by another decade of austerity.

Lower overall transport demand will be exacerbated by a dramatic shift away from trains and buses. Until the arrival of a vaccine — One year? Two? — those who are out and about are going to be scared of crowded vehicles. And with good reason: over 100 transport workers have already died of Covid-19 in the US, 39 in London by 3 May. ...

[Marlburian]

I wouldn't be keen myself. I've been vaguely wondering whether I might be able to get to London later this year to buy a couple of items and meet up with a friend. We normally meet at Charing Cross, so no Tube journey for her, and I could take the Waterloo service from Reading - which, presumably would be reasonably empty on departure. (Usually I go into Paddington and take the Bakerloo.) Of course on the way back it might be (un-)reasonably full. And I suspect that for the rest of this year, and perhaps beyond, we'll be enjoined only to make necessary journeys into London to allow space for workers.

Sooner or later, when more shops re-open, I wouldn't mind going into Reading but beforehand would pop into Tilehurst Station to see how busy the trains are. I don't fancy the buses.

And if I do start using the trains again, there's the question of when do I renew my Senior Railcard, which expires in July and will it be worth doing so.

[Electric train]

The ToC's, NR^» (Network Rail - home page) TfL^» (Transport for London - about) are busy cleaning and treating areas with MAP-1 or similar this is alleged to provide 90 protection.