Train passengers braced for pingdemic chaos amid restaurant closure threat
British rail passengers are braced for a summer of travel chaos after a string of operators prepare for mass cancellations due to the so-called pingdemic.
At least seven train networks have been granted government approval to impose emergency timetables as a result of a severe shortage of drivers and crew. The measures could reportedly last for up to six weeks.
Transport for London has warned of closures to several lines this weekend, while Thameslink, Southern and Avanti West Coast will all run reduced services from next week.
It came as hospitality bosses warned many pubs and restaurants could be forced to close over the summer due to the surge in the number of people being told to self-isolate.
“We now face a summer of venue closures and reduced service, when we should be at a seasonal peak. The sector will do all it can to provide great service, but it will be with one hand tied behind our back,” said UK Hospitality boss Kate Nicholls.
The government is set to expand its new daily testing scheme to help critical workers avoid self-isolation in a bid to tackle the disruption.
But industry bosses have warned that the system will not be enough and has urged the government to bring forward a relaxation of self-isolation rules.
Transport union RMT today also hit out at the isolation scheme, calling for urgent clarification of how it would work.
“It is ludicrous that this announcement has been made without any discussion with the unions or detailed briefing on who this scheme is supposed to cover and how it will be implemented,” said transport secretary Mike Lynch.
“This cavalier approach seems to be aimed at hitting headlines rather than mapping a serious way out of the current crisis. It leaves our members facing yet more uncertainty. I am seeking urgent clarification from both the employers and the government before more damage is done.”