Tube/Trains: Any threat of shut down due to Coronavirus?

The UK gov believes we are 4 weeks behind Italy and is expecting a peak in about 3 months. As Emma said we will be hit and will be taking action in response to the emerging situation at the appropriate time. It seems a different approach to other countries at present and it will be interesting to see how it works out.

There will be many deaths and many more will get ill. It can't be stopped but the plan is to manage the impact so health services aren't overwhelmed.

Anyone considering non-essential travel is either reckless or doesn't understand the gravity of the situation.

The number of cases in the U.K. is escalating and therefore, there is a real possibility that we will follow Italy and shut down areas or transport. It’s very fluid.

Non essential travel should be cancelled. Bluntly, our health service is overstretched as it is, without trying to treat foreigners who get ill whilst on holiday. Sorry, if it seems that I have no sympathy and it’s unfortunate for you, but seeing what’s happening in Italy and France, I think we will follow shortly.

For the first time this morning I saw significantly fewer people around on my commute into work, probably after the highly-reassuring speech by Bozza yesterday ("many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time").

I have a work conference scheduled at the end of the month in Brighton which at present seems to be going ahead with more hand sanitiser available and people encouraged to sit farther apart, but I suspect it might still end up being cancelled.

The UK government believes they have a 4 weeks delay in regard to Italy, a graph by a UK professor I saw three days ago points much more to a 2 weeks delay. As the number of infected will raise - after all the British policy is not stopping the infection - I would that the cry from public opinion will force a different policy.

Thank you all for your replies. Have never seen anything like this. I appreciate your insight and candor.
Best wishes to all,
Barbara

Don't go. My son is there right now and it's getting more difficult every day. I am trying to get him out right now and back to the US but they keep cancelling flights. Hopefully British Airways will come through...they have a ton of flights available and don't seem to be cancelling them. Things are changing hour by hour - it seems to be about the same as in the US. More restrictions added every half-day or so. Public transport seems to be operating normally - I keep checking my tube app for times and routes and everything seems good in that respect. By the end of March they will certainly have closed borders to those coming in who are not citizens, like we have done in the US. In fact I would expect that to happen soon if it hasn't happened already.

When I went into work this morning the Circle Line was much quieter than usual and St Pancras station itself was absolutely deserted.

As of last night (16/3) we have been advised to work from home where possible and as a result the tubes are very quiet today. TfL have said they are switching to a Saturday timetable during the weekdays. London was also reported as being ahead of the curve in terms of contagion compared to the rest of the country. While pubs and restaurants haven't been shut down we have all advised to avoid social contact and not go. As a result the theatres have all closed along with cinema chains today.

Here you go

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/mar/19/london-tube-to-close-many-stations-because-of-coronavirus?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

“Dozens of London Underground stations are to be closed indefinitely amid a toughening of measures to try to slow the spread of coronavirus.

“Transport for London (TfL) announced a series of changes late on Wednesday evening as it urged people in the capital not to travel if at all possible.

“People should not be travelling, by any means, unless they really, really have to,” said the mayor, Sadiq Khan. “Londoners should be avoiding social interaction unless absolutely necessary and that means they should be avoiding using the transport network unless absolutely necessary.”