DelW
Established Member
- Joined
- 15 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 3,875
There have been possibly permanent changes in some people's commuting and travelling arrangements as a result of the pandemic, so timetables need to reflect this on some lines.
It's much more that many people have been given the opportunity to try working in a different way, and a proportion of them want to continue working that way, not because they "can't let go of Covid", but because they prefer it.I feel this is all part of the “can’t let go of Covid” mentality.
My partner is a case in point. She's worked in office jobs for decades, commuting by bike, train or car depending on location. Before March 2020 she was commuting about 20 miles each way by car, on a busy motorway then through a congested urban area, taking 45 minutes to an hour each way.
That March she was provided with a laptop, a large monitor, and the necessary software for working from home, and she's done so ever since, as this saves her the driving time, petrol, and wear and tear on her car. In that period, changes (which had already been proposed) have meant that her department has moved from an office big enough for everyone to have their own desk and storage area, to a much smaller one, with hot desks only, and space for only around half the staff to be in at any one time. Those who want to work in the office have to use an online system to book a desk for the day(s) they need.
She has no intention of going back into the office except when it's essential, which is less than once a month. Since she used to travel by car, this will have no effect on passenger numbers on trains, but there must be many people who used to commute by train who will be in a similar position. They are simply not going to return to season ticket travelling, not because they want to hold onto Covid measures, but because the changes Covid necessitated have given them a better lifestyle, and that's what they want to continue.