Police will be out on the street reminding people to keep social distancing as they get back to work, Bristol’s mayor has confirmed.
Marvin Rees warned that “premature overconfidence” risked a second peak that would have massive consequences for health and wealth and send the country into a stricter lockdown.
He urged residents not to take public transport and revealed that changes to some Bristol streets will be made in a matter of weeks to allow for social distancing.
The council is acting now to change habits as people get back to work.
Speaking during a fortnightly media briefing, Mr Rees said: “The challenge we’re facing is the transition from the hard lockdown to the easing of the lockdown the Government have tried to introduce.
“We face a dilemma. Many businesses want to get back to work. We have a transport system with buses running at 30-40 per cent capacity, trains running at 10 per cent capacity, unions expressing concern about the workforce. There are many competing challenges.
“Whatever comes ahead, our approach will be maximum caution. Let’s not have any premature overconfidence that we’re past the threat. We don’t have a vaccine. It leaves us vulnerable to a second peak.
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“That would have massive consequences to health, and the trauma of going back to a stricter lockdown, and another blow to the economy.
“As people go into the city centre areas there will be police officers, retail assistants and security staff reminding people when they see people breaking the social distancing behaviour.
“We’re asking people to be cooperative, not to be resistant and not to take umbrage.
“No one wants to intervene in people’s lives the way we’ve had to, but we have to.”
Mr Rees asked people to walk and cycle as much as they can, and said the council would be freeing up space for social distancing widened pavements and segregated cycle lanes in the next three or four weeks.
A programme to pedestrianise in the middle of the city will begin late in the summer.
“We’re asking people to get into these habits now,” he said.
“Continue to work from home if you can.
“Try to avoid using public transport to keep it free for people who have no alternative, particularly key workers. If you have to use it, please try to use it off peak.”
