There is “zero prospect” of restrictions on travel in and out of London over the coronavirus pandemic, Downing Street has said.
The government has moved to dampen down speculation that a full-scale lockdown of the capital could be enforced in order to combat COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official spokesman said: “There are no plans to close down the transport network in London and there is zero prospect of any restrictions being placed on travelling in and out of London.”
He added that police would continue to have responsibility for maintaining law and order and there are no plans to draft in the military for this purpose.
It comes after up to 40 Tube stations closed on Thursday, with a reduced service running from Friday.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has told Londoners that they should only travel unless they “really, really have to”, but he insisted the network must remain open to aid front-line health workers.
The PM 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.
However, across the capital today has been an influx of activity, with the larger numbers of the public queuing outside supermarkets, pharmacy and shops and heavy traffic.
This comes after the decision to close the school announced yesterday and last night media outlets shared that London could face a possible ‘lockdown’ as soon as the weekend.
