The next planned timetable uplift is expected to be September 7, according to senior RAIL sources.
It’s also hoped that by then the current one-metre-plus social distancing ruling could be relaxed to allow passengers to sit side-by-side if required, albeit wearing face coverings. If that happens, trains could carry around 50% of their usual capacity.
Our source told RAIL it was also stated that Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris told operators and owning groups “a few weeks ago” that discussions regarding the Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs), due to expire on September 20, would happen “within weeks”, but this has yet to happen for some companies.
Steve Alston - 22/07/2020 21:56
It is my opinion that the media are not asking the right questions to the politicians... For example - For those travelling into and out of the three major cities in the North, trains finish at 2200 leaving workers stranded. - For services in the home counties, the midlands, and many other franchise areas, trains run until 'ordinary last service' getting workers home. There has been an admission by the DfT that many Northern Trains Ltd services will still be missing in the September uplift and no alternate bus service will be provided, causing extreme hardship for many factory, medical, railway, transport, airline industry workers finishing between 2300 and 0030.