Key worker tweets photo of Tube STILL packed with passengers

‘We are ashamed that our city doesn’t care about us’: Key worker tweets photo of Tube STILL packed with passengers as UK enters third week in lockdown while Sadiq Khan faces mounting fury over reduced services

• Only key workers and those unable to work at home should be commuting
• But a reduced service means many Tube carriages are still full of Londoners
• Sadiq Khan has been criticised for the service but he has blamed commuters
• It comes as Aslef demands face masks and gloves for its Tube drivers 

London commuters are again having to contend with overcrowded tubes and stations despite the current coronavirus lockdown.

Only key workers and those who are unable to work at home are supposed to be travelling across London during this period.

But for days, many in the capital have been squeezed into confined carriages, further risking the spread of the deadly Covid-19.

Key workers are being forced to take crowded journeys across the capital even though few are meant to be taking public transport

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been criticised for running a reduced Underground service, effectively forcing commuters to cram in together

It comes as rail union Aslef is demanding that London Underground drivers are provided with masks and gloves to help protect them from the virus.

On social media, one commuter tweeted a picture of a busy Seven Sisters Station, saying: ‘Are all these people key workers? Why is this still allowed? I’m so angry!’

Another key worker said: ‘We are ashamed that our city doesn’t care about us.’ 

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has been criticised for running a reduced Underground service, effectively forcing commuters to cram in together.

Aslef official Finn Brennan said: ‘Every day brings fresh news of friends, family members and colleagues being struck down by this terrible virus.

Sadiq Khan has hit out at commuters who are refusing to stay at home following the deaths of five London bus workers who tested positive for Covid-19

Many in the capital have been squeezed into confined carriages, further risking the spread of the deadly Covid-19. Pictured: commuters on the Jubilee line on Thursday

‘Unlike politicians and managers, frontline transport staff can not work from home. Everything possible must be done to protect their safety.

‘Tube drivers and other TfL staff are risking their own health and that of their families by leaving home to provide transport for vital staff.

‘By refusing to close non-essential workplaces, the Government is endangering their safety and that of other key workers who rely on public transport.’

Tube drivers must be provided with masks, gloves and instructions on how to use them safely, said Aslef.

The call follows news over the weekend that five bus workers in London have died of the virus.

Sadiq Khan said he was ‘absolutely devastated’ following the coronavirus deaths. 

He tweeted a statement saying that ‘lives depend’ on people following Government rules to stay at home unless travel is essential. 

The Mayor of London said: ‘I have been clear that our incredible public transport staff – on the buses, tubes, trams and trains – are critical workers, making a heroic effort to allow our NHS staff to save more lives.

‘But we need to play our part too and that means fewer Londoners using the public transport network.

‘Please follow the rules. Stay at home and do not use public transport unless it is absolutely unavoidable.’ 

It comes after Mr Khan blamed commuters for packing public transport rather than ramp up services across the capital.

Sadiq Khan today again blamed commuters for packed Tube trains during the coronavirus crisis as he was shown photographs of cramped conditions on live TV today

He said last week ‘too many people are not staying at home’ and again insisted they could not run any more services as he admitted only around half of all trains are now going during rush hour. 

There are waits of up to 20 minutes between trains when usually it would be three to five minutes, leading to more busy carriages and platforms packed with key workers with no choice but to go to work.  

Mr Khan told Good Morning Britain last Wednesday: ‘Transport for London staff are working their socks off. 30 per cent are self isolating or have symptoms. We are providing max services we can – of the 13 lines on TFL – all but two are working’.

He added: ‘There is a concern that still too many people who really, really should not be going to work are using public transport during the rush hour and the key message is unless you really have to get to work, work from home, and if you do have to go into work, please avoid the rush hour.’ 

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