Local Assembly Member calls upon East London residents to avoid commuting hotspots
Local London Assembly Member, Unmesh Desai AM, is urging East Londoners, who are not key or essential workers, to avoid transport hotspots amidst the Covid-19 outbreak. This comes after seven stations across East London were recently named by Transport for London (TfL) in their top twenty busiest stations in London.
Liverpool Street, Stratford, Barking, East Ham, Canary Wharf, West Ham, and Canning Town are all featured on the new list.
Over the last few weeks, more Londoners have begun commuting into work in the wake of new guidance being issued by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.
To adapt to this, Transport for London have announced that it is significantly increasing capacity on its services, rolling out anti-bacterial hand gel dispensers across its network, alongside advising passengers to wear non-medical face coverings.
This comes on top of TfL’s introduction of enhanced safety measures to protect transport workers and its continuing campaign to encourage more Londoners to walk and cycle to get around the capital.
Mr Desai is also now calling upon the Government to issue clearer and firmer guidance to employers to ensure staff are only asked to commute in if absolutely necessary and that workplaces are fully adapted to facilitate social distancing guidelines.
Local London Assembly Member, Unmesh Desai AM, said:
“With the Government encouraging more people to return to work, it is vital that Londoners continue to play their role in easing the pressure on our transport network.
“This list of travel hotspots, recently published by TfL, provides a useful reference point for East Londoners and a reminder that these stations should be avoided during peak times, and especially by those who are not key or essential workers.
“Going forward, we need stronger and clearer guidance from the Government to ensure employers also take responsibility and only ask their staff to commute in if absolutely necessary and safe to do so.
“It has been positive to see TfL playing its part by increasing capacity on its services, improving safety measures for transport workers, installing anti-bacterial hand gel dispensers across its network and advising passengers to wear non-medical facemasks whilst travelling”.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- TfL’s list of the twenty busiest stations and interchanges in London, during peak travelling hours, can be found here;
- Over the last few weeks, more Londoners have begun commuting into work in the wake of new guidance being issued by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson;
- More information about the measures TfL are taking to adapt their services in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak can be found here;
- Unmesh Desai AM is the London Assembly Member for City and East.