19th July Lockdown Easing - Observations and Compliance

[johnnychips]

So lunchtime then

No, dinner time! What did you call the people who served you ‘lunch’ when you were at school? Lunch Ladies? Sounds like the Chelsea set to me? Maybe a separate thread in “General” is needed, and I will do it soon.

Done. https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...0-and-1400-and-where-do-you-come-from.221076/

 

[Freightmaster]

Sainsbury's two weeks ago: 90%+ mask wearing, including most of the staff

the same Sainsbury's at the same time of day earlier today: around 50% (maybe slightly higher)
mask wearing (only one staff member with one)


So things are definitely heading in the right direction - I also say a couple of staff on their hands
and knees painstakingly removing all the the social distancing 'crime scene' tape from the aisles!




MARK

 

[NorthKent1989]

Went out to meet a friend in Greenwich yesterday, got on the Overground from Crystal Palace to New Cross Gate, no mask on, in fact I would say it was 65% no masks, with 20% of those with masks had the masks on their chin.

I then got on a 177 bus to Greenwich Cutty Sark, very few masks.

Went to a couple of pubs, no one was wearing a mask in either pub, then went to the a restaurant where the proprietress was more than keen for normality in her venue.

Then on the way back I went the same way and there were fewer masks than before.

People were smiling and talking it was a lovely sight to see.

The vibe in the air was that people are over this now, and want to go back to normal, I genuinely believe that’s the majority now.

Sainsbury's two weeks ago: 90%+ mask wearing, including most of the staff

the same Sainsbury's at the same time of day earlier today: around 50% (maybe slightly higher)
mask wearing (only one staff member with one)


So things are definitely heading in the right direction - I also say a couple of staff on their hands
and knees painstakingly removing all the the social distancing 'crime scene' tape from the aisles!




MARK

Sainsburys and M&S have been the most normal stores to shop in, since lockdown and restrictions ended in my experience, so I tend to shop in those places

 

[davews]

My experience in Greenwich and surrounds yesterday is largely the same, a few stalwart mask areas, notably the train from Martins Heron, but in general people are happy to get rid of them. Anchor pub on Bankside was 100% mask free and normal bar service from very friendly staff. Sad though when I went up Point Hill, Blackheath, to find a group of six admiring the view from the lookout fully masked in the middle of nowhere.

 

[jumble]

Now that lockdown rules are as good as over in England, a thread comparing voluntary levels of compliance with masks and social distancing in different parts of the country seems like an interesting idea.

I’ll be down in England later so I shall comment on my observations then. What is the rough level of voluntary compliance with these measures in your part of the country?

There is substantially less compliance on the Jubilee / Met this week even in rush hour
I estimate 2 Weeks ago 85% Today nearer 65%

 

[Skimpot flyer]

I flew into London City Airport around 20:00 last night after spending the weekend in Germany and took the DLR to Bank for the Northern line home. Mask wearing on the DLR was around 50 / 50, though I was a bit worried for an older German woman who started remonstrating with a group of yoof about their lack of masks as they didn't appreciate her approach. Onto the Northern line and wow - mask usage on the platform and on-train down around 20% with a fairly large sample. This surprised me as I use the Northern line most days and compliance has always been much higher than this, even late into the evening.

Back in Germany, compliance was universally 100%, even at 03:00 on a packed U-Bahn with people coming back from pubs, clubs etc. Also, FFP2 masks are mandated there (with some allowances for surgical masks) and I'm extremely glad we haven't been forced to wear those here in the UK - tight, extremely uncomfortable to wear, genuinely harder to breathe, glasses constantly steamed up etc. I get these probably work better, but I won't complain again about having to wear my dirty, year-old, lightweight cotton mask that's so loose it almost won't stay over my ears!

Just out of curiosity, when were FFP2 masks made mandatory? Daily deaths from Covid in Germany seem to have peaked in January 2021, the same as here. So did these extremely uncomfortable masks change anything?

 

[Merseysider]

Just out of curiosity, when were FFP2 masks made mandatory? Daily deaths from Covid in Germany seem to have peaked in January 2021, the same as here. So did these extremely uncomfortable masks change anything?

I could be wrong but I think it was some point last year?

 

[Snow1964]

Mask use has definitely fallen sharply in last week, locally it stayed very high for fortnight after easing whilst rates were climbing, then started to fall, but now usage seems to be limited.

Went for meal in pub last night, only about 15% came in with masks, took them off as soon as at table, bar and waiting staff not wearing them, and people weren’t bothering with masks to visit bar or toilets.

Probably reflective of 75% double jabbed who want their normal life back.

 

[Darandio]

For my sins i've unfortunately had to start using the bus on a daily basis. Normally it's been the first or second bus of the morning and then back around 5pm so the fellow passengers were effectively commuters. All week it's hovered around 60/40 in favour of masks.

Today I got off work early so the got a bus at about 1:30pm so not the usual 'commute' hours, out of the 25-30 people that boarded/alighted throughout my 40 minute journey only two wore masks. Seems to me like the more regular commuting type are sticking at it but casual users are just not bothering.

Nearly two weeks after the above observations and the casual behaviour has spread to the commuters. Very early morning and evening buses I use are now down to just the odd person in a mask, never more than what can be counted on one hand over the course of a journey. As many of us catch the same buses daily i've actually witnessed people who were wearing one transition to not bothering in the last few days, overall use is falling through the floor here.

To be clear i'm not against anyone choosing to wear one, it's their choice. What has been nice is seeing some smiling faces again.

 

[Hadders]

Northern still have parts of their train out of use. People were standing in this service between Leeds and Bradford yet there were 15 seats that could’ve been used but for them being declared out of use.

 

[Class 33]

Northern still have parts of their train out of use. People were standing in this service between Leeds and Bradford yet there were 15 seats that could’ve been used but for them being declared out of use.

Dear oh dear oh dear. Shame on Northern for blocking off seats with those dreadful black and yellow hazzard tapes for "social distancing". Thought we'd have seen the back of this nonsense by now!

 

[greyman42]

Northern still have parts of their train out of use. People were standing in this service between Leeds and Bradford yet there were 15 seats that could’ve been used but for them being declared out of use.

Considering people were standing, you would of thought that they would just pull the tape off and sit down.

 

[Philip]

Northern still have parts of their train out of use. People were standing in this service between Leeds and Bradford yet there were 15 seats that could’ve been used but for them being declared out of use.

Looking at the location on the train, are you sure it has not just been left cordoned off to prevent passengers from knocking on and disrupting the driver/guard in the cab?

 

[johnnychips]

Looking at the location on the train, are you sure it has not just been left cordoned off to prevent passengers from knocking on and disrupting the driver/guard in the cab?

Before Covid, there would have been nothing to prevent passengers annoying either the guard or driver, so I don’t think it’s that.

 

[Hadders]

Looking at the location on the train, are you sure it has not just been left cordoned off to prevent passengers from knocking on and disrupting the driver/guard in the cab?

If there was a need for that why are there 15 seats in that area?

 

[Cdd89]

It’s the same on the Bakerloo (due to the lack of cab doors). I keep thinking it must be about to go in a couple of months, but then I thought that in April 2020…

 

[MikeWM]

c2c’s 15 second-long overly verbose automatic announcements that ‘you must wear a face covering’ after *every* station are exceedingly tedious, even back when they were accurate.

They’ve had almost a month now to remove them, but it appears they still haven’t.

Fair to say that not that many people were paying attention to it this afternoon, however!

 

[bramling]

It’s the same on the Bakerloo (due to the lack of cab doors). I keep thinking it must be about to go in a couple of months, but then I thought that in April 2020…

Tyne & Wear Metro still have their front seats blocked off, and I suspect so do DLR. I wouldn’t be surprised these all persist through the winter.

 

[matt]

Tyne & Wear Metro still have their front seats blocked off, and I suspect so do DLR. I wouldn’t be surprised these all persist through the winter.

Yes the DLR still has the front section blocked off.

 

[bramling]

Yes the DLR still has the front section blocked off.

I can certainly understand DLR as there is otherwise no demarcated space for the train captain. The other two are perhaps becoming a bit of an anachronism, especially with the Bakerloo closing off quite a substantial area.

Tyne & Wear is just the two front seats partitioned off, plus one individual seat labelled as out of use in the bay behind. It wouldn’t surprise me if the T&W front seats never return to use, with the replacement trains not having them.

 

[Class 33]

I did a day trip to Weymouth today. My first train journey since the scrapping of restrictions on 19th July. I was very pleasantly surprised by the lack of mask wearing on the GWR trains I was on. On the 0828 Bristol Parkway-Weymouth, I'd say about 80% of passengers were NOT wearing masks! And if you thought that was great, wait till you hear about the train I got back. The 1828 Weymouth-Bristol Parkway, I'd say about 95% of passengers were not wearing masks! Absolutely bloody EXCELLENT!! That really exceeded my expectations. I thought maybe it would be about 50 to 60% not wearing masks. So was very pleasantly surprised by that. And onboard the trains and whilst I was at Weymouth and Bristol Parkway stations, I didn't hear a single PA announcement about "Please wear a face mask....". It felt pretty much that normality had returned. LNER, please take note!!

 

[NorthOxonian]

LNER, please take note!!

The passengers already are - I didn't see a single mask wearer on the 2200 from Edinburgh to Newcastle last night, even north of Berwick!

 

[Class 33]

The passengers already are - I didn't see a single mask wearer on the 2200 from Edinburgh to Newcastle last night, even north of Berwick!

That's great to hear! Was there a number of annoying PA announcements about "Please wear a face covering..." on that service though?

 

[NorthOxonian]

That's great to hear! Was there a number of annoying PA announcements about "Please wear a face covering..." on that service though?

I don't recall there being any automated ones, but I was listening to music, tired, and three and a half pints down - not the best conditions for remembering PA announcements that I'd probably tune out anyway! I do recall that the guard didn't mention them at all in his announcement though.

One factor which is interesting about what you saw in Wessex is the time factor. Fewer people wearing masks in the evening than in the morning. That was very much true of LNER too with around a 50-50 split on the morning train (and much more aggressive pro-mask announcements too). I've noticed it more widely too, so I think it's a real trend - but I don't know why it is the case.

 

[yorkie]

From another thread:

From travelling on GWR and SWR today as well as TFL services, and throughout the week visiting many towns across the Midlands-ish area (Northampton, Banbury and Coventry), yesterday Chatham and Gillingham and today in Windsor I have to say the number of people wearing masks on public transport and generally is quite high.

From my trips around the North West a few days ago the number wearing masks was very low. In Yorkshire it is low on the local trains but higher on the long distance trains.

I have found in the Glasgow area, mask usage is lower as the day gets on and the further out of the city you get. Most people are not wearing them on the local trains around places like Hamilton, despite the mandate.

I have only heard the announcements on occasion on the TOCs occasionally and they were definitely not aggressive at all.

I have heard aggressive announcements on LNER and Scotrail, but they are the exception and indeed I have taken journeys on both companies where face masks were not mentioned at all (which is how it should be!)

Maybe this is an issue on certain TOCs and in certain areas the number of people wearing masks is really low. In my experience of the last week, not so much in the areas that I have visited but definitely less than before.

Progress towards normality is being made but it is slower than I would have liked. But we are getting there

The passengers already are - I didn't see a single mask wearer on the 2200 from Edinburgh to Newcastle last night, even north of Berwick!

That is great to hear. The vast majority of passengers near me on my recent journeys have not been wearing them but I wondered if that was due to the regular supply of food & drink in 1st class; were you in Standard? I'm in 1st tomorrow and I hope to see a similarly low level of mask wearing on my train.

The vast majority of passengers at Glasgow Central when my train pulled in this evening were not wearing masks, and I walked through 3 coaches of the (Avanti) train to see how many were wearing masks, and it was very much the minority; around a quarter to a third wearing them.

 

[Merseysider]

The vast majority of passengers at Glasgow Central when my train pulled in this evening were not wearing masks, and I walked through 3 coaches of the (Avanti) train to see how many were wearing masks, and it was very much the minority; around a quarter to a third wearing them.

I noticed the same thing last week, after one late afternoon arrival at GLC there were hardly any masks to be seen, then a few days later on an early evening arrival from Penrith there were no masks whatsoever to be seen in either my carriage or the next.

I do believe the average traveller is beginning to ignore any remaining announcements about masks & is starting to make their own mind up now.

 

[NorthOxonian]

That is great to hear. The vast majority of passengers near me on my recent journeys have not been wearing them but I wondered if that was due to the regular supply of food & drink in 1st class; were you in Standard? I'm in 1st tomorrow and I hope to see a similarly low level of mask wearing on my train.

Yes - I was in standard - and I doubt it was food and drink related because I didn't see anyone with any onboard (and catering was suspended due to staffing issues). It being an evening service may have skewed things of course.

 

[yorkie]

I went into a buffet restaurant in Glasgow today; I put a face covering on to enter the restaurant, but when it came to partaking in the buffet, it soon became obvious hardly anyone was putting face coverings on when walking to the buffet, and it was all very relaxed, which was nice. After this trip I won't be visiting Scotland again until the mandate is lifted though.

Yes - I was in standard - and I doubt it was food and drink related because I didn't see anyone with any onboard (and catering was suspended due to staffing issues). It being an evening service may have skewed things of course.

Yes it is probably more due to the time of day; my morning LNER departures have been a bit more on the dystopian side than the evening ones.

And it is a similar experience in the supermarkets, at least in York.

 

[Horizon22]

Not sure if already posted, but several passengers have complained about non-compliance on crowded TfW services (and on GWR past Severn Tunnel)

Covid: Safety fears as face-mask rules 'ignored on Welsh trains' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58144669

Some passengers have complained of being crammed into carriages with strangers refusing to wear masks on Welsh trains, despite Covid laws.

In Wales face masks remain a legal requirement on public transport, while in England they are only advised.

A number of passengers told BBC Wales people were ignoring calls to put on masks, leaving them feeling unsafe.

Transport for Wales (TfW) said it was urging travellers to wear masks on all services.

Since the start of the pandemic, 8,800 people have been barred from getting on a TfW train for not wearing a mask - with 2,047 people refused travel since the start of this year.

 

[yorkie]

I find it disturbing that people have been conditioned to think that they are "unsafe" unless others are wearing a loose-fitting, flimsy mask.

This nonsense needs to end