Rail services to be cut in half under new lockdown – report
Rail services are set to be slashed in half during the new coronavirus lockdown in a bid to save taxpayer money.
The Telegraph reported that ministers were finalising plans to pare back timetables to similar schedules to those put in place in March, when the first lockdown began.
At that time, trains ran on a Sunday-style reduced service – roughly 50 or 60 per cent of normal capacity.
With passenger numbers plunging due to the restrictions, the government took the decision to end the franchising system and place rail services under national control.
The cost of doing so is expected to surpass £9bn for the year, officials at the Department for Transport (DfT) have said.
While rail franchises remain under state control, officials are in the process of developing a new system which would see companies paid a fixed fee for running trains, with the government collecting the revenue.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We will work with operators in the coming days to assess the right level of service provision as we have done throughout the pandemic.
“While we cannot predict the long-term effect of Covid-19 on travel patterns, it is critical that we ensure the railway can respond quickly to changes in passenger demand whilst supporting economic recovery.”
As a result of the pandemic, figures from the Office for Road and Rail showed that rail passenger numbers had fallen to the lowest levels since the 1850s last spring.
Even when fuller timetables are restored, rail bosses expect to run only at 80 per cent of pre-pandemic service levels.
Under the new lockdown restrictions, the government has asked people to avoid using public transport where possible.