Scotrail have announced that they will increase all of their train services from next week, including their peak-time journeys.
The train company has only been operating at around 60 percent during the lockdown, but now the rail operator has revealed that they will resume 90 percent of their pre-lockdown timetable from next week.
From Monday 3 August, Scotrail will offer "one hundred percent normal capacity" during peak time hours.
The rail operator says they expect to see an increase in demand for the service next month as children and young people are likely to go back to school from 11 August.
Scotrail still has five rules they expect customers boarding their trains to follow during the pandemic:
- Do not travel if you feel unwell or have a temperature.
- Travel away from the main commuting times (0700 – 0900 and 1600 – 1830) wherever possible, as trains will be busiest around then. The earliest and latest trains serve key workers, like NHS and care home staff.
- If you think it’s not safe to board a train, don’t do it and wait for another service.
- Wear a face mask or covering and, where possible, maintain physical distancing.
- Be patient. You might not be able to board your first choice of train, as physical distancing means most seats need to be left empty.
David Simpson, ScotRail Operations Director, said: “Thanks to the hard work of staff across Scotland’s Railway, we’ll operate as close to a normal timetable as possible from Monday, 3 August. Like businesses across the world, we continue to face challenges caused by coronavirus, but we will have every available train in service from 3 August.
“We do need everybody to continue taking personal responsibility for their travel choices, because physical distancing can’t be guaranteed. Customers who do travel with ScotRail should follow our five rules for safer travel, including the wearing of a face covering on trains and at stations.”
