SADIQ Khan has refused to increase train services despite workers now being forced to cram into carriages.
The Mayor of London claimed the reduction was essential one day on from Brits being ordered to stay home because of the coronavirus.
⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
7
Speaking this morning on Good Morning Britain, Mr Khan revealed 20 per cent of TFL were now sick, and insisted people should not be leaving home anyway.
He said: “The reason why public transport is still running is to enable key workers to get to work and back home.
“Those people who can’t work from home – nurses, clinicians,police officers, fire fighters.
“The other point I would make, we have more than 20 per cent in TFL sick or self isolating, and these include critical staff who we need to ensure it runs safely.
“My message is don’t use public transport unless you really really need to go to work if you really have to – do not use rush hour.”
He explained they couldn’t add more trains anyway because of the shortages.
Mr Khan said: “We simply can’t run Tubes that are unsafe.
“That 20 per cent of sickness/self isolating include critical staff who we need to ensure transport runs well.
“Some people on the Tube today and yesterday aren’t essential, and that’s why I have been concerned about the mixed messages and lack of clarity.”
GLA Conservative Leader Susan Hall AM said Mr Khan should ensures checks on who is travelling, a record of non-essential employers forcing workers to commute, and bring in crowd control measures.
In a letter, she said: “London’s NHS workers need to use the Tube, but too many Londoners are flouting the rules and turning it into a petri dish for coronavirus.
“Sadiq Khan should use the police to bolster the dwindling number of Tube staff to stop non-critical workers making unnecessary journeys, implement crowd control measures, and check which employers are forcing staff to commute.”
He was also bashed by the Tory candidate for mayor Shaun Bailey.
The former youth worker told The Sun: “I called for the Congestion charge and ULEZ to be suspended so that key workers, including NHS staff, wouldn’t be penalised for driving into work in London to avoid public transport.
“But if the trains are packed, I urge the Mayor to restore more services to allow key workers to make essential journeys safely.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and the London Major are set to speak later on.
Today Michael Gove suggested the Government could act to get more trains running.
He said: “I know that the Transport Secretary, the Prime Minister and the Mayor have been talking in order to ensure we can have the drivers in place to make sure we can have a service that limits the need for people to be crammed one against the other on the tube.
“The conversation is going on at the moment to have the best possible tube service.”
7
7
7
7
7
This morning an NHS nurse was just one to share a photo of a packed Tube, saying: “This is my Tube this morning. I live in zone 4 and work in a zone 1 hospital.
“I love my job, but now I’m risking my health just on the journey in?!
“@SadiqKhan put the Tube service back to normal so we can all spread out, or @BorisJohnson start policing who’s getting on. Help me!”
It comes after the drastic measures announced last night which will change every aspect of Brits’ lives, including:
7
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.
