Coronavirus UK: Roads are jam-packed with traffic while Tubes look even busier

Traffic levels in Britain continued to creep up today amid further signs people are starting to get back to work during the coronavirus lockdown.

Photographs taken during rush hour showed queues building up on London roads including the A40 at Perivale and the A102 at Greenwich, while the M5 in Bristol and the M6 in Walsall were also busy with cars, vans and lorries.

Meanwhile rail commuters continue to pile onto London Underground trains as travel bosses carry on running a reduced service only for key workers, with Canning Town and Canada Water stations both busy this morning. 

Mobility data from Apple based on requests for directions via its apps showed levels of people driving or walking are both gradually rising, although the use of public transport has remained roughly the same all month. 

It comes after Home Secretary Priti Patel warned drivers to stay off the roads unless their journey is essential after traffic volumes rose last week to 41 per cent of normal compared to 38 per cent the previous week.   

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure to restart the economy having returned to Downing Street last night three weeks after he was admitted to hospital with the virus to take charge of the Government’s response.

He will chair the morning meeting of the Government’s Covid-19 ‘war cabinet’ before heading into discussions with senior ministers and officials after a fortnight convalescing at his official country residence of Chequers.

Mr Johnson is facing a growing clamour from senior Tories to begin lifting the lockdown amid mounting concern at the damage it is causing to the economy, although there are fears that any relaxation risks a renewed flare up.  

Traffic builds up on the A40 at Perivale in West London at 7.20am today despite the coronavirus lockdown continuing

Cars drive along the the A40 at Perivale in West London at 7.20am today as the UK-wide lockdown continues

Cars drive along the the A40 at Perivale in West London at 7.20am today as the UK-wide lockdown continues

Mobility data from Apple based on requests for directions via its apps showed levels of people driving (in red) or walking (in orange) are both gradually rising, although the use of public transport (in purple) has remained roughly the same all month

Mobility data from Apple based on requests for directions via its apps showed levels of people driving (in red) or walking (in orange) are both gradually rising, although the use of public transport (in purple) has remained roughly the same all month

Traffic builds up on the A102 at Greenwich in South East London during rush hour this morning as the lockdown continues

Traffic builds up on the A102 at Greenwich in South East London during rush hour this morning as the lockdown continues

Traffic builds up on the A102 in Greenwich in South East London today as the fight against coronavirus continues

Traffic builds up on the A102 in Greenwich in South East London today as the fight against coronavirus continues

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab – who has been deputising for Mr Johnson in his absence – said he was ‘raring to go’ at a time when the numbers of patients in hospital with the disease is beginning to fall.

Over the weekend, ministers highlighted a warning by Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey of the economic devastation a second wave of the disease would cause.

Mr Raab said the outbreak was at a ‘delicate and dangerous’ phase and people would have to get used to a ‘new normal’ – with social distancing measures set to remain in place for ‘some time’ to come.

Mr Johnson – who spent a week in St Thomas’ Hospital in London, including three nights intensive care – is said to be determined to ensure that there is no second peak.

The pressure to begin easing the restrictions came from a series of wealthy Tory backers who called over the weekend for the Government to allow the economy to re-start. 

Traffic near junction ten on the M6 at Walsall in the West Midlands this morning as drivers hit the mororway

Traffic near junction ten on the M6 at Walsall in the West Midlands this morning as drivers hit the mororway

Motorists drive along the M6 motorway at Walsall today as cars, vans and lorries hit the roads this morning

Motorists drive along the M6 motorway at Walsall today as cars, vans and lorries hit the roads this morning

People make their morning commute along the M5 motorway in Bristol during rush hour today

People make their morning commute along the M5 motorway in Bristol during rush hour today

Cars, vans and lorries travel along the M5 in Bristol this morning as they commute to work in the South West of England

Cars, vans and lorries travel along the M5 in Bristol this morning as they commute to work in the South West of England

They echoed former chancellor Philip Hammond who said the country could not afford to wait for a vaccine to be developed, saying the ‘economy will not survive that long’. 

Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 committee of MPs, told BBC Radio 4’s Westminster Hour that more needed to be done to get the economy moving, and there was a limit to how long people would tolerate restrictions, especially if they seemed illogical.

He urged an ‘overriding principle … that we will only maintain those restrictions which are necessary and if there is a question over whether something is necessary or not, I think we should ere on the side of openness and trying to make sure that more people can get on with their lives and more people can get on with getting back to their jobs’.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer – while backing the lockdown – added to the pressure with a renewed call for the Government to set out an ‘exit strategy’ explaining how it will eventually be lifted.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak will face further questions from MPs when he delivers a Commons statement on the state of the economy. 

Commuters wait to board a Jubilee line train at Canning Town station in East London this morning

Commuters wait to board a Jubilee line train at Canning Town station in East London this morning

Passengers leave and board a Jubilee train at Canada Water station on the Underground in South East London this morning

Passengers leave and board a Jubilee train at Canada Water station on the Underground in South East London this morning

Passengers stand on board a Jubilee line train before it departs Canning Town station in East London this morning

Passengers stand on board a Jubilee line train before it departs Canning Town station in East London this morning

Commuters walk down stairs at Canning Town station in East London today during the Monday morning commute

Commuters walk down stairs at Canning Town station in East London today during the Monday morning commute

He has already had to effectively tear up his first Budget last month just days after delivering it with a series of massive bailouts designed to keep the economy afloat through the crisis.

The Prime Minister, meanwhile, has less then two weeks before the next major decision point comes up with the next three-week review of the lockdown restrictions due on May 7.

Mr Raab said the Government was doing its ‘homework’ in preparation for when the rules could be eased.

It is thought that amongst the first could be a re-opening of schools, although Mr Raab said that would be ‘inconceivable’ without some further measures in place.

Ministers are also thought to be considering allowing some non-essential businesses to open such as garden centres and car showrooms, provided social-distancing could be maintained.

Mr Raab also indicated that officials were looking at possible checks at air and sea ports with passengers arriving in the UK required to quarantine for 14 days. 

This Google traffic map shows how the roads around London are mostly clear (in green) during rush hour this morning at about 8.15am, although there are patches of congestion (in orange or red) in some southern and central parts of the capital

This Google traffic map shows how the roads around London are mostly clear (in green) during rush hour this morning at about 8.15am, although there are patches of congestion (in orange or red) in some southern and central parts of the capital

Such a measure could form part of the next stage of the Government’s response – the so-called ‘test, track and trace’ strategy designed to further suppress the spread of the disease by isolating new cases.

However, Government scientific and medical experts have indicated the current infection rate will have to come down further before such tactics can be effective.

In the meantime, ministers have insisted that the remain on track to meet Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of the month which falls on Thursday.

Mr Raab said at the weekend that the testing capacity had risen to more than 50,000 – although according to the latest official figures the numbers carried out have only reached 29,000.

Ministers will be hoping they pick up as NHS staff and other key workers return to work following the weekend.