COVID-19 pandemic, which reached Europe (and the UK) in February 2020 has had an enormous impact upon Britain's railway, far greater than any recession. Railfuture does not dispute the need for a 'lockdown' to restrict people's movements in order to reduce the chance of the virus being passed on, but it does strongly criticse the way that the government appeared to demonise the railway, falsely implying that the risk of rail travel was high, and encouraging use of cars rather than public transport. Railfuture is also very critical of the rail industry, which was obliged to follow the government's orders, for discouraging the use of trains when bus/coach companies and airlines were heavily promoting their services.
Railfuture is not alone in pointing out that the national railways in other European countries too steps to attract passengers back with special offers. In Britain the companies that were under the government's 'emergency measures' were not even allowed to offer any special fares.
For more information please click on the links below:
- 31/08/2021 - Co-ordinated national rail marketing campaign launch to attract passengers back after COVID-19
- 31/08/2021 - Pleas for holiday makers to visit in a sustainable way
- 30/06/2021 - Office of Rail and Road releases rail patronage figures for full year of COVID-19 restrictions
- 30/04/2021 - Easty Anglian heritage railways resume train services after easing of COVID-19 restrictions
- 30/04/2021 - Number of passenger train services increased as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions relaxed on 12 April 2021
- 30/04/2021 - Ticket checks on board trains resume following easing of COVID-19 restrictions
- 31/01/2021 - Greater Anglia reduces its service to about 72% of normal as new national 'Lockdown' is introduced
- 30/11/2020 - Government behind schedule on agreeing ERMA 'break' terms with train operating companies
- 30/11/2020 - Greater Anglia and GTR trains test negative for COVID-19
- 31/10/2020 - Greater Anglia cuts early evening inter-city on-board catering to abide by government 22:00 hospitality closure rules
- 31/10/2020 - Statistics show dramatic fall in passenger numbers during initial COVID-19 lockdown
- 31/08/2020 - RSSB modelling shows that passengers very unlikely to catch COVID19 on board a train
- 31/07/2020 - Government ends advice not to use public transport
- 31/07/2020 - Heritage railways continue to be hurt by pandemic
- 30/06/2020 - Government asks franchised train operators to reinstate a full timetable from July 2020
- 30/06/2020 - Greater Anglia station ticket offices reopen as lockdown restrictions lifted
- 30/06/2020 - Heritage railways reopen but with restrictions to ensure social distancing
- 30/06/2020 - Signage displayed at stations to encourage social distancing
- 31/05/2020 - Greater Anglia buys 'fogging guns' to keep trains and stations safe from COVID19
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