Report - packed public transport and road in London. How are GWR trains?

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The London Economic

Public transport and London roads were noticeably busier this morning following the Prime Minister’s announcement last night.

Boris Johnson outlined “the first sketch of a road map” in a public address yesterday with a new alert system to determine when aspects of the economy and social lives can be restarted.

He said that people who cannot work from home should be “actively encouraged” to return to their jobs.

The moves have been criticised as being ‘too fast, too soon’ with the government’s new slogan rejected across devolved nations.

But for England, many people seem to have taken the announcement as a green light to head back to work, with early reports of packed public transport and busy roads.

Ava-Santina, a producer of the James O’Brien show on LBC, tweeted: “Rammed on the roads in Central London this morning. Rammed.

“Mostly construction workers in vans/waiting at bus stops. Drove through Old St & The City and saw not one banker in a suit (usual hot-spot, especially at 7AM).

About two thirds (66%) of Transport for London service have been running.   But GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services have typically been running at 50%, with some routes much lower and some considerably higher.

Do we have any reports from GWR services of significant crowding this morning, or are we on a different curve once out of the London urban area?

[Marlburian]

A stopping service trundled past me from Tilehurst Station at about 0800, probably the 0754 to Reading. I didn't see any passengers in the eight carriages.

Popped into the station to get Metro (I did buy the Telegraph a few minutes later) and a customer was chatting to the ticket-lady. A young woman had also preceded me into the station. A couple of vehicles in the car-park. That's more activity than I've seen there  in the last six weeks.

I'd walked down through Prospect Park to deliver a packet and everywhere seemed as quiet as ever.

Rather too much is being made of alleged vagueness in Boris's speech (which I know is being discussed elsewhere in the Coffee Shop). Some Ministers have been trying to clarify matters, and I gather details are being announced today. One could hardly expect him to explain dozens of situations in a short speech.

[IndustryInsider]

A stopping service trundled past me from Tilehurst Station at about 0800, probably the 0754 to Reading. I didn't see any passengers in the eight carriages.

Yes, it's very quiet still - I expect it will pick up a little during the week, but suspect any crowding is extremely isolated and largely confined to TfL^» (Transport for London - about) services.  A week today is when the service levels were quite quoted as likely to increase up to around 80% of the normal service, so we'll see if that happens.

[ray951]

I have just been for a walk and there were a total of 8 cars spread across the 4 car parks (total capacity 2000+) at Didcot Parkway, although I guess most Didcot commuters will have a job where they can work from home.

[Electric train]

Timetable change from the emergency timetable implemented at the beginning of the lockdown is not anticipated to happen until 18th May at the earliest, the increase is planned for 70 to 80% of the "normal" timetable.

The timetable change is subject to the railway companies meeting guidance from HMG on how to manage social distancing at stations and on trains

[Richard Fairhurst]

I have just been for a walk and there were a total of 8 cars spread across the 4 car parks (total capacity 2000+) at Didcot Parkway, although I guess most Didcot commuters will have a job where they can work from home.

Charlbury station car park is becoming quite a popular place for little kids to practise riding their bikes.

As yet there are no reports of APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) picking them up on the cameras and sending them fixed penalty notices for staying more than 10 minutes.

[eightonedee]

I expect the APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) enforcement staff have all been furloughed!

[broadgage]

I expect the APCOA^▸ (Car parking company used at GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) - controlled stations in the area) enforcement staff have all been furloughed!

Perhaps they have been re deployed to check for;
People buying Easter eggs.
Exercising for 61 minutes.
Allowing children to play in a front garden.
People lying down in public parks.
Barbecues on private property and only for one household.
Sunbathing on private property.

[IndustryInsider]

Well, we’re midway through the week and passenger numbers have probably DOUBLED.

Don’t get too excited though, as on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) trains that means trains that had five people on now might have ten.  The ‘busy’ ones that had ten or so on board might now be carrying twenty. 

Slightly busier on the tube of course, and on other suburban trains in London, but don’t be fooled into thinking many of them are packed solid as the press might lead you to believe.  Still loads of room off-peak and, sure, the odd peak service here and there might be getting towards full and making two metre social distancing impossible, but that’s still very much the exception rather than the rule.

I’ll be watching closely to see how the situation develops.

[old original]

I see in a photo' on the CRS site yesterday(12/5)  there's a 2+5 hst set on trial. Are we likely to see more with extra carriages returning?

 http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/latest-input--news--old-pictures-etc

.and scroll down...

[broadgage]

Are London bound suburban rail commuters still crowding at the front of the train,  so as to be first through the ticket barrier?
The saving of a minute or two must surely outweigh social distancing concerns.

[TonyK]

I see in a photo' on the CRS site yesterday(12/5)  there's a 2+5 hst set on trial. Are we likely to see more with extra carriages returning?

 http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/latest-input--news--old-pictures-etc

.and scroll down...

Three more to go...

[TaplowGreen]

How (if at all) are GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) planning to manage boarding to ensure that as far as possible social distancing is maintained and services do not become crowded?

[Reading General]

Are London bound suburban rail commuters still crowding at the front of the train,  so as to be first through the ticket barrier?
The saving of a minute or two must surely outweigh social distancing concerns.

Does this really happen? Even if I was going to work or somewhere else important I would do the exact opposite. I'm last out of the football stadium because I don't understand the hurry. I must be a different type

[grahame]

Are London bound suburban rail commuters still crowding at the front of the train,  so as to be first through the ticket barrier?
The saving of a minute or two must surely outweigh social distancing concerns.

Does this really happen? Even if I was going to work or somewhere else important I would do the exact opposite. I'm last out of the football stadium because I don't understand the hurry. I must be a different type

Once upon a time, many years ago .... it did happen.   One of the big concerns with the "10 car scheme" replacing 8 car trains with 10 car ones to places like Dartford and Sevenoaks was that it wasn't adding 25% capacity because the country end of the train was always much quieter.  And, yes, there were those of us who used to travel in the back of the train in the morning and the front in the evening, and wish that 10 car trains ran into Holborn Viaduct toot for some reason they never did.