South Western Railway prioritising safety over profit after prime minister Boris Johnson urges people to avoid using public transport

In the prime minister’s televised address to the nation last night, Boris Johnson told people to avoid using public transport ‘if at all possible’.

It comes as people are encourged to head back to work if they can’t work from home, so long as social distancing guidelines are obeyed.

South Western Railway (SWR), which not only runs trains through the region but also owns railway stations in the Portsmouth area, has backed this message, calling for people not to travel by train unless they have no other choice.

A spokesman for the company said: ‘We welcome the prime minister’s advice as it will help make sure that only people who have no other choice are travelling on our trains.

‘Our priority at his time continues to be the safety of our customers and colleagues and we are working closely with the government and unions to run trains safety while supporting the economy and public health.

‘Social distancing measures will severely limit the number of passengers we can carry so we are reinforcing the prime minister’s message to avoid public transport unless it is the only option.’

Floor stickers, posters, hand sanitiser stations, queueing systems and more have been implemented on both the trains and the platforms, to ensure passenger safety is at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

Passengers are also asked to plan their journey ahead of time, travel at quieter times and consider the needs of others.

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