Welsh Government new guidelines for travel on public transport: Extreme?

[PHILIPE]

Wales on Line

Guidelines advising people from talking on mobile phones, reading newspapers or eating food on public transport in Wales have been issued by the Welsh Government.

The government directive also orders passengers not to run for the bus, or run in railway stations.

And it says people should travel in "relative silence" with no "loud activities" like singing happening on board.

The directive says:

• Travel in relative silence - no ‘loud’ activities in public transport (like singing)
• Do not use mobile phones for talk on public transport except in an emergency
• No running in transport hubs
• Don’t run for the bus – drivers to be alert and wait
• No newspapers
• Do not consume food or drink on public transport (except for example on medical grounds)

The measures are contained in a section called 'administrative controls' in a Welsh Government document called Restarting Public Transport: Guidance for Operators. It says that the changes are required under Regulation 12 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations.

It is not clear how the changes will be enforced, but there will not be fines for not adhering to them because it is "guidance to keep people safe". However, the wearing of masks will be mandatory on public transport from July 27.


Transport for Wales has been urging passengers not to use its services except for essential travel.

They said that this was due to the expected increase in the number of journeys and to ensure there was enough space for key workers or those without alternative options.

The Welsh Government also says that people should only travel on public transport if it is essential.

You couldn't make this up and left me wondering if it was April 1st today.

 

[westv]

Are they allowing farting? That can be a loud activity.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Newspapers? Why? I do get the point in discouraging anything that would involve removing a mask.

Or does it mean no stacks of free papers that get passed around?

 

[Ianno87]

Newspapers is a very odd one. What about books and magazines? What's the difference?

I had wondered about phone calls; most people would have to remove a face mask to be able to speak audibly on a mobile phone. Few calls are really *that* important. I think that is sensible guidance.

Presume "don't run for the bus" is to avoid having to catch breath when sitting down (Which makes sense).... although running for trains is apparently fine...

 

[Skymonster]

* Travel in relative silence - no ‘loud’ activities

...and sit up straight on the seats - no slouching at the back??

 

[Bletchleyite]

Newspapers is a very odd one. What about books and magazines? What's the difference?

I had wondered about phone calls; most people would have to remove a face mask to be able to speak audibly on a mobile phone. Few calls are really *that* important. I think that is sensible guidance.

Presume "don't run for the bus" is to avoid having to catch breath when sitting down (Which makes sense).... although running for trains is apparently fine...

I find few people talk on mobile phones on trains these days anyway, they mostly use the various textual communication features instead.

 

[yorkie]

It's very draconian; does anyone know why they are doing this? It's also not enforceable and is only going to lead to arguments.

 

[joncombe]

Newspapers? Why? I do get the point in discouraging anything that would involve removing a mask.

Or does it mean no stacks of free papers that get passed around?

To prevent using a broad-sheet newspaper to hide the fact you've taken off your mask?

 

[Pat Figg]

Perhaps they want to make train travel such an unpleasant experience that nobody will choose to do it for "leisure" purposes?

 

[Skymonster]

Ridiculous...

"Hello this is your train manager speaking. As this London to Cardiff service is now approaching the Welsh border, please make sure all newspapers are put away and not read again until after you alight from the train."

Or

"The 10:20 London to Cardiff service is now ready for boarding. As the Welsh government have restrictions on newspapers on trains, please ensure you dispose of all such items in the bins on the platform before taking your seat."

 

[Richard Scott]

Just when I think the Welsh Government can't come up with anything more ridiculous then this comes along. Really, the whole thing needs dissolving, just costing us a lot of money for making daft decisions.

 

[Belperpete]

Wales on Line
You couldn't make this up and left me wondering if it was April 1st today.

Sadly, someone has made it up - this is all a blown-up scare story. To say "The government directive also orders passengers not to run for the bus, or run in railway stations." is just plain rubbish. Firstly, it is a directive aimed at operators, it doesn't "order" passengers to do anything.

Secondly, these are cherry-picked items from a long list of example mitigations for operators to consider:

Examples of additional mitigations from Monday 13 July

They are the admittedly more wacky examples out of a long list of rather more sensible suggestions, such as using contactless payments, suspending revenue protection on trains, and so on. "Provide additional buses in areas of high demand...." is another of the items on the list, that strangely Wales on Line failed to mention, as it didn't fit their ridicule-the-Welsh government narrative.

Operators are not required to implement any of them, all they are required to do is carry out a risk assessment and implement suitable mitigations.

And note the date: "from Monday 13th July". So if any operator were going to introduce such measures, they should have introduced them by now.

I never fail to be amazed at just how gullible some people are when it comes to on-line news sources. Unfortunately, as this proves, most people are too lazy to check the source material, even when a link to it is given to them on a plate, and just take the "report" as gospel.

 

[Cardiff123]

Sadly, someone has made it up - this is all a blown-up scare story. To say "The government directive also orders passengers not to run for the bus, or run in railway stations." is just plain rubbish. Firstly, it is a directive aimed at operators, it doesn't "order" passengers to do anything.

Secondly, these are cherry-picked items from a long list of example mitigations for operators to consider:


They are the admittedly more wacky examples out of a long list of rather more sensible suggestions, such as using contactless payments, suspending revenue protection on trains, and so on. "Provide additional buses in areas of high demand...." is another of the items on the list, that strangely Wales on Line failed to mention, as it didn't fit their ridicule-the-Welsh government narrative.

Operators are not required to implement any of them, all they are required to do is carry out a risk assessment and implement suitable mitigations.

And note the date: "from Monday 13th July". So if any operator were going to introduce such measures, they should have introduced them by now.

I never fail to be amazed at just how gullible some people are when it comes to on-line news sources. Unfortunately, as this proves, most people are too lazy to check the source material, even when a link to it is given to them on a plate, and just take the "report" as gospel.

Yes exactly. I also have it on very good authority that the 'essential travel only' advice for public transport in Wales will be dropped very soon.

 

[js1000]

It's very draconian; does anyone know why they are doing this? It's also not enforceable and is only going to lead to arguments.

Agreed. Who wants to travel by train if it resembles something out of an Orwellian novel? Perspective and common sense is needed to encourage people back onto trains.

 

[Huntergreed]

Agreed. Who wants to travel by train if it resembles something out of an Orwellian novel? Perspective and common sense is needed to encourage people back onto trains.

This is perhaps the purpose?

Wales seems to be taking the most cautious approach towards the virus out of all devolved nations, it doesn’t shock me that they would try and discourage leisure travel as much as they can.

 

[Richard Scott]

This is perhaps the purpose?

Wales seems to be taking the most cautious approach towards the virus out of all devolved nations, it doesn’t shock me that they would try and discourage leisure travel as much as they can.

I'm afraid the word cautious could be replaced with stupid. Drakeford seems to be hellbent on making life as difficult as possible for people in Wales and destroy the economy.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Are they allowing farting? That can be a loud activity.

Yes, because it is done through a cloth covering (normally).

 

[Huntergreed]

Yes, because it is done through a cloth covering (normally).

I would hope this is 100% of the time on the railway at least! Dread to think what I’ve shared seats with in the past otherwise...

 

[Cardiff123]

I'm afraid the word cautious could be replaced with stupid. Drakeford seems to be hellbent on making life as difficult as possible for people in Wales and destroy the economy.

It's 'stupid' to pursue a policy of saving lives? Someone looking at Welsh Govt's actions rationally and not engaging in hyperbole will see it as saving lives. Wales has the lowest number of deaths and number of virus cases in the whole of the UK along with Scotland.
I don't agree with the 'avoid public transport at all costs' messaging and I expect it to end very soon, but to say Welsh Govt is "hellbent on making life as difficult as possible for people in Wales" is straight out of the Tory populist playbook. As we saw when the Welsh Tories called the 5 mile rule the "cruel rule"

As for being "stupid", i'm pretty sure the leader today who announced that he wants to see crowds in stadiums, concerts and business conferences by the end of autumn and into the winter, when momemts earlier he decalred that "the virus will be more virulent and deadly in the autumn/winter", is the 'stupid' one........

 

[Huntergreed]

It's 'stupid' to pursue a policy of saving lives? Someone looking at Welsh Govt's actions rationally and not engaging in hyperbole will see it as saving lives. Wales has the lowest number of deaths and number of virus cases in the whole of the UK along with Scotland.

Drakeford and Sturgeon have got much less covid in their repective nations than Johnson, the cases are falling in England, the deaths are falling, the 'R' is below one. If anything, there should be significantly less restrictions in Wales and Scotland due to this, whereas in reality the opposite is true and rules are much harder in these places.

I don't agree with the 'avoid public transport at all costs' messaging and I expect it to end very soon, but to say Welsh Govt is "hellbent on making life as difficult as possible for people in Wales" is straight out of the Tory populist playbook. As we saw when the Welsh Tories called the 5 mile rule the "cruel rule"

It's quite clear that you're not a Tory fan, but even you must admit that the rules outlined by the Welsh government today are a tad ludicrous. England and Scotland have opened their transport network to all, with mandatory facemasks and enforced distancing. No other regulations should be necessary, and certainly nothing as stupid as 'no reading the newspaper' which is illogical and just plain silly.

As for being "stupid", i'm pretty sure the leader today who announced that he wants to see crowds in stadiums, concerts and business conferences by the end of autumn and into the winter, when moments earlier he declared that "the virus will be more virulent and deadly in the autumn/winter", is the 'stupid' one........

I agree that Johnson perhaps isn't the most intelligent and/or proactive leader, but I'm sure that even he wouldn't declare a policy like this.

With regards to the winter wave we have coming, yes the virus will be more prevalent, but it's extremely unlikely it will be 'more deadly', as this would mean it has mutated into another strand, which would arguably set us back to square one with no immunity. There's little to no evidence to suggest that this is or will happen.

 

[45107]

Drakeford and Sturgeon have got much less covid in their repective nations than Johnson, the cases are falling in England, the deaths are falling, the 'R' is below one. If anything, there should be significantly less restrictions in Wales and Scotland due to this, whereas in reality the opposite is true and rules are much harder in these places.

I don’t claim to have any medical qualifications or expertise, but I believe that there is term called ‘remission’ used after treatment of certain conditions.
In other words, whilst it appears all is clear, we need to check again (and again) to be sure.
Get the cases down to a low level, maintain the restrictions and it could lead to a constant low, manageable level. Allow a ‘free for all, no restictions’ when it drops below a pre-determined figure and everyone relaxes - cases rise.

 

[Richard Scott]

It's 'stupid' to pursue a policy of saving lives? Someone looking at Welsh Govt's actions rationally and not engaging in hyperbole will see it as saving lives. Wales has the lowest number of deaths and number of virus cases in the whole of the UK along with Scotland.
I don't agree with the 'avoid public transport at all costs' messaging and I expect it to end very soon, but to say Welsh Govt is "hellbent on making life as difficult as possible for people in Wales" is straight out of the Tory populist playbook. As we saw when the Welsh Tories called the 5 mile rule the "cruel rule"

As for being "stupid", i'm pretty sure the leader today who announced that he wants to see crowds in stadiums, concerts and business conferences by the end of autumn and into the winter, when momemts earlier he decalred that "the virus will be more virulent and deadly in the autumn/winter", is the 'stupid' one........

If it were about saving lives I may go along with it but it isn't. It's ridiculous and just political and won't be persuaded otherwise. In addition I'm not impressed with any politicians at the moment so not from any political standpoint.

 

[45107]

If it were about saving lives I may go along with it but it isn't. It's ridiculous and just political and won't be persuaded otherwise. In addition I'm not impressed with any politicians at the moment so not from any political standpoint.

How is not about saving lives ?

 

[Skymonster]

It's 'stupid' to pursue a policy of saving lives? Someone looking at Welsh Govt's actions rationally and not engaging in hyperbole will see it as saving lives. Wales has the lowest number of deaths and number of virus cases in the whole of the UK along with Scotland.
I don't agree with the 'avoid public transport at all costs' messaging and I expect it to end very soon, but to say Welsh Govt is "hellbent on making life as difficult as possible for people in Wales" is straight out of the Tory populist playbook. As we saw when the Welsh Tories called the 5 mile rule the "cruel rule"

As for being "stupid", i'm pretty sure the leader today who announced that he wants to see crowds in stadiums, concerts and business conferences by the end of autumn and into the winter, when momemts earlier he decalred that "the virus will be more virulent and deadly in the autumn/winter", is the 'stupid' one........

One leader seems to be trying to inject a bit of optimism and encouragement into the population - carrot and stick style maybe - while the others are just wielding the stick.

 

[Richard Scott]

How is not about saving lives ?

There is nothing there that has any substance when it comes to saving lives, let's be honest. If not bringing a newspaper onto a train is helping to save lives then this must be much more serious than we thought. Please do me a favour, this is just claptrap from the Welsh Government.

 

[45107]

There is nothing there that has any substance when it comes to saving lives, let's be honest. If not bringing a newspaper onto a train is helping to save lives then this must be much more serious than we thought. Please do me a favour, this is just claptrap from the Welsh Government.

And I believe that these are recommendations from the Welsh parliament to transport operators and others.
They are not set in stone ?

 

[Llandudno]

Just when I think the Welsh Government can't come up with anything more ridiculous then this comes along. Really, the whole thing needs dissolving, just costing us a lot of money for making daft decisions.

It reminds of the 1980s TV show Yes Minister

Clearly the politicians/civil servants making these rules never use public transport

 

[Scrotnig]

How is not about saving lives ?

How does reading a newspaper kill people?

 

[James H]

The English public transport guidance also says "avoid loud talking, shouting or singing" so it's not as if the Welsh are out on a limb

People with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19

Guidance for people with symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, or a positive test result for COVID-19.

www.gov.uk

 

[Bletchleyite]

How does reading a newspaper kill people?

I suspect it is badly put and refers not to newspapers generally, but specifically "stacks of free newspapers which get handled by lots of people and left all over the place".