While I don't disagree with the policy per se in these difficult times (and not querying why it hasn't happened previously) it's not been very well communicated or implemented, I think.
LNER say one person per four-seat row, with two rows empty to the next seat. Fine: but that means seven passengers per standard carriage, and only if they sit in the optimal sequence and don't all run for the tables. Passengers are told to fnd a seat but they could have used the traffic lights reservation system to block out seats which would have made it more obvious. What happen if one passenger travels London - Newark and one Newark - Leeds on the same service? Will someone wipe down the seat and table at Newark?
The always busy and almost non-stop 0700 Leeds-London should be interesting...
They won't be busy tho. Even the Azumas that are running currently have fundamentally no one on them....