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Rail leaders across the country are planning to reduce train services from next week because of staff shortages caused by the “pingdemic”.
Transport for London announced that no trains will run on the Circle or Hammersmith and City lines this weekend, as more than 300 staff members are currently self-isolating. This follows the closure of the Metropolitan line, due to staff shortages, last weekend.
London Northwestern Railway is set to introduce a new timetable with fewer services from Saturday in order to run “a more reliable and consistent timetable for passengers,” a spokesperson said.
Avanti West Coast is set to cut services between London Euston and Manchester, Birmingham and North Wales, and Thameslink and Southern rail services are also set to cut their weekday timetables on five routes starting Monday.
Meanwhile, the government announced extra support for seven local authorities in the north east, to help combat rising Covid-19 cases caused by the Delta variant.
Support for Tyne and Wear, Northumberland, County Durham and five local authorities in the Tees Valley is set to start on Monday and last for five weeks. It will include extra testing, logistical support to maximise vaccine and testing uptake, and additional help for local public health campaigns.
