Coronavirus: London underground to be partially shut from today

There will be a partial shutdown of London’s underground system from today as the capital makes preparations to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Transport for London has said up to 40 tube stations that do not interchange with other lines will be closed “until further notice” from today.

Beginning on Friday, the Waterloo and City line will shut completely.

No tube or overground services will be running overnight on Fridays and Saturdays, however bus services will be available at these times for critical workers.

Late services will continue to run for “essential journeys” on both the tube and overground.

London buses, overground trains, TfL rail, the DLR and trams will also operate fewer services.

Everyone is being advised to check the TfL website for live updates before they travel.

The underground stations which could shut tomorrow are:

Bakerloo line

• Lambeth North
• Regents Park
• Warwick Avenue
• Kilburn Park
• Charing Cross

Central line

• Holland Park
• Queensway
• Lancaster Gate
• Chancery Lane
• Redbridge

Circle line

• Bayswater
• Great Portland Street
• Barbican

District line

• Bow Road
• Stepney Green
• Mansion House
• Temple
• St James’s Park
• Gloucester Road

Jubilee line

• Swiss Cottage
• St John’s Wood
• Bermondsey
• Southwark

Northern line

• Tuffnell Park
• Chalk Farm
• Mornington Crescent
• Goodge Street
• Borough
• Clapham South
• Tooting Bec
• South Wimbledon
• Hampstead

Piccadilly line

• Caledonian Road
• Arsenal
• Covent Garden
• Hyde Park Corner
• Bounds Green
• Manor House

Victoria line

• Pimlico
• Blackhorse Road

TfL said the reduced services would enable London’s critical workers to make essential journeys during the coronavirus outbreak.

It follows advice from the government earlier this week for everyone to stop all non-essential travel.

London mayor Sadiq Khan said people should avoid using the transport network “unless absolutely necessary”.

“People should not be travelling, by any means, unless they really, really have to,” he said.

“London will get through these extraordinarily challenging times, and ensuring the capital’s critical workers can move around the city will be crucial.”

The government is also considering closing most shops in the capital by the weekend, according to Whitehall sources.

Pharmacies and supermarkets are expected to stay open under the tougher measures.

There are conversations happening in Downing Street tonight but no decision has formally been taken.

On Monday, the prime minister ordered Britons to avoid pubs, clubs, restaurants and theatres but no measures had been announced to close establishments.

Boris Johnson has said London is ahead of other parts of the UK in terms of how much it has been affected by COVID-19.

Londoners have already been told to take social distancing measures “particularly seriously”, including working from home where possible, avoiding confined spaces, and not having any unnecessary social contact.

As of 9am on Wednesday, there were 2,626 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK – a rise of 676 in the last 24 hours.

Some 953 of those were in London, and the capital accounts for at least 35 of the 104 UK deaths.

The worst-affected London boroughs are Southwark with 70 cases, Westminster with 68 cases, and Lambeth with 61 confirmed cases.

The government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, has suggested there could be as many as 55,000 coronavirus cases already in the UK and 20,000 deaths or below would be a “good outcome”.

The latest developments in the UK:

• Up to 20,000 service personnel are being put on standby to help drive oxygen tankers, support police and boost hospital capacity
• The government has promised emergency legislation to suspend new evictions from social or rented accommodation for at least three months
• All schools will close from Friday until further notice and exams and assessments will not be held this academic year
• Thirty-two more people died in England after testing positive for coronavirus, it was reported on Wednesday, taking the total number of UK deaths to 104
• Critically ill COVID-19 patients will be given an experimental new treatment as soon as Monday, as part of the first trial of its kind

Mr Johnson is now holding daily televised news conferences in Downing Street to keep the public informed of the government’s response.

Number 10 has said it would be rapidly increasing the number of coronavirus tests, with as many as 25,000 people tested within NHS hospitals each day.

:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

The prime minister also called on companies to work with the government to rapidly develop a test to establish whether people have developed immunity, in order to help get NHS staff back to work as quickly as possible.

The World Health Organisation recently criticised national governments for not conducting enough tests on their populations.

Later on Thursday, the government will publish new legislation – named the Coronavirus Bill – which will detail widespread powers it is seeking to tackle the public health crisis.

Among the powers being proposed is the ability for ministers to “restrict or prohibit events and gatherings… and, where necessary, to close premises”.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: London underground to be partially shut from today