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It will take a monumental effort from all Londoners to maintain safe social distancing on public transport as lockdown restrictions are gradually eased. That me

It will take a monumental effort from all Londoners to maintain safe social distancing on public transport as lockdown restrictions are gradually eased. That means we have to keep the number of people using public transport as low as possible. -- Mayor Khan ISTM the way to make distancing possible on public transport is not to keep people off transport, but to increase capacity. If the train runs every 30 seconds, you'll get quite a bit more breathing room than if it runs every five minutes. [EDIT:] I should have noted, since I've never been to UK this is more of a general observation than a specific recommendation. Certainly most transit systems in USA have the physical capacity, if not the operating budget, to run much more often. Any bus system, however, could buy more buses, if social distancing on transit were a priority. Perhaps I am too suspicious but when I hear "don't ride the train" I translate that to "we're getting rid of the train". Probably not happening in London but you could see it anywhere in USA.

datr 6y ago
My understanding is that the lines don't have the signalling infrastructure required to run trains that close together.
lhopki01 6y ago
This supposes there is capacity to increase frequency. For almost all lines in London frequency was already at max. For example the Victoria line trains run every 100s (it's actually harder to get faster than that) at peak times. Despite this the line is always completely packed (often waiting a train or two to get space) at peak times. Similarly on some routes it's a continous line of busses so capacity can't be added there either. Additionally stations that required lifts (elevators) can't increase capacity. Now during Covid capacity was reduced but it's being ramped up again. In London there is physically no way to physically distance people using public transport. The only way it'll be achieved is to get everyone who can walk or bike to work to do so. From my experience only a tiny fraction of the number of people who could bike to work did so. Now the offices are too small to physically distance people anyway so there are issues there too.
- chosenbreed37 6y ago
  Curious...if everyone is wearing a mask or equivalent does that not reduce or eliminating the need for distancing...?
  - lhopki01 6y ago
    Wearing a mask reduces the risk of infecting others. Standing futher away also reduces the risk. Together you achieve an even greater reduction. No one measure is going to be the silver bullet. Physical distance is also about more than just not breathing in other's air. It also makes it easier to avoid touching the same surfaces too much. Have a look the number of hands on the centre poll on a London underground train during rush hour.
buboard 6y ago
Easiest of all is to work remotely. Doesn't the entire City of London work in front of a computer all day anyway?

datr 6y ago

My understanding is that the lines don't have the signalling infrastructure required to run trains that close together.

lhopki01 6y ago

This supposes there is capacity to increase frequency. For almost all lines in London frequency was already at max. For example the Victoria line trains run every 100s (it's actually harder to get faster than that) at peak times. Despite this the line is always completely packed (often waiting a train or two to get space) at peak times. Similarly on some routes it's a continous line of busses so capacity can't be added there either. Additionally stations that required lifts (elevators) can't increase capacity. Now during Covid capacity was reduced but it's being ramped up again. In London there is physically no way to physically distance people using public transport. The only way it'll be achieved is to get everyone who can walk or bike to work to do so. From my experience only a tiny fraction of the number of people who could bike to work did so. Now the offices are too small to physically distance people anyway so there are issues there too.

chosenbreed37 6y ago
Curious...if everyone is wearing a mask or equivalent does that not reduce or eliminating the need for distancing...?
- lhopki01 6y ago
  Wearing a mask reduces the risk of infecting others. Standing futher away also reduces the risk. Together you achieve an even greater reduction. No one measure is going to be the silver bullet. Physical distance is also about more than just not breathing in other's air. It also makes it easier to avoid touching the same surfaces too much. Have a look the number of hands on the centre poll on a London underground train during rush hour.

buboard 6y ago

Easiest of all is to work remotely. Doesn't the entire City of London work in front of a computer all day anyway?