Great Western Coffee Shop

With a further lockdown in England from Thursday ... what short term effect on rail services?  What ongoing longer term damage?

Be interested to see the drop off in car use:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic (https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic). How quickly will it change and how much? Will the rail figures drop below those in the first lockdown?

I think long distance travel will fall off a cliff this time around - you haven't got the summer weather to keep people travelling and the message is basically "stay at home".

Which, ironically, would make travelling long distance by train one of the safest things to be doing in November. Nice warm carriage, all to yourself, several hours of enjoyable views, bring your own flask to sip from...

There seem to be more people and cars about this time, with my neighbours coming and going a bit more and the odd visitor's car parked outside. They well may be part of "bubbles" and indeed I'm awaiting a friend who is my "support bubble".

Yesterday at 0730 Waitrose was as quiet as usual (ie in recent weeks and during Old Normal). But emerging onto the Oxford Road and seeking to turn right around the mini-roundabout, I had to pause for three cars to pass before completing the manoeuvre. During the last seven months, only once before have I had to wait.