Sadiq Khan “blackmails” Boris and threatens to cut metro services unless given £ 2bn TODAY – The Sun

SADIQ Khan has “blackmailed” No 10 with the threat of cutting services that are already in trouble unless they give him £ 2bn today.

Confused commuters receiving mixed messages have been crowded in Tubes 10 percent busier than last week, and the Lord Mayor of London now warns he could shutdown transportation entirely.

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Khan and the Prime Minister have disagreed over the use of London’s public transport since the blockade began.

And now the bewildered Londoners are left trying to figure out whether to heed Johnson’s call to arms and face the journey in reduced and insecure services.

After the mayor spoke on LBC, an outraged listener tweeted: “He is trying to blackmail the government and yes, he is prepared to use the health and safety of key London workers as collateral for a bailout of his transport service.” .

And Keith Prince, Tory transport spokesman for the London Assembly, replied: “Sadiq Khan needs to stop playing politics with people’s lives.”

But the mayor was hot on the heels today and said he needs to replace £ 2.1 billion of reserve cash, warning: “To be frank, today is the last day.”

“Unless the government confirms the grant we need today, the consequences could be quite severe and the ramifications for all of us will be enormous.”

“We will have to start cutting services. We may be asked to cut services because the government is not providing support for grants.

“We would have to reduce the buses we provide, the tubes we provide to save money, at a time when we need to increase services.”

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Former Conservative Minister Stephen Hammond told MailOnline: “An extraordinary comment. You are threatening the health of Londoners by saying this kind of thing.”

“We need London’s networks, tube and suburban network to return to full capacity.”

A spokesman for Number 10 said this afternoon that the Government is in an “advanced stage” of negotiations with TfL on financing and increasing transportation, with the priority of keeping critical services running and safe.

Khan has already been criticized for cutting services when the blockade was first imposed, and continues to insist that “the blockade has not been lifted” after the Prime Minister’s restriction adjustments this week.

Today, he claimed that his team had been working on an original restriction lifting date of May 18, and was surprised by the announcement last weekend.

But metro travel increased by 10 percent today when the British returned to work, despite the war surrounding them over public transport services.

LIFTED LOCK

This week, the prime minister told anyone they needed to leave their home to work from Wednesday, but urged them not to use public transport.

However, thousands of people piled on buses and trains yesterday and this morning, leaving ministers, transport workers and doctors concerned.

And to add to the confusion, some TfL stations still have large signs at the entrances that say, “Essential workers, you can travel, thank you. Everyone else, go home, don’t travel, save lives.”

TfL said there were 10 percent more subway trips between 5 am and 6 am today than in the same period last week, although demand has fallen compared to yesterday.

And the investigation found that the level of road congestion in London at 8 a.m.Thursday was 19 percent, up from 16 percent the previous week.

Shocking images emerged yesterday of passengers crashing into tubes and buses and unable to keep within two meters of other passengers.

Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps even warned it was a gamble, despite government urges to return to work.

Yesterday he told the BBC: “This is a life and death situation and I encourage people to look at the guide for traveling by public transport.”

Commuter Chris Castillio said he stopped using the Metro Line this week due to security fears, after traveling to work on it during the shutdown.

He told Sun Online: “I work near Bond Street station and have seen an increase in foot flow since Monday.

“Since yesterday morning I have been going in. He is too busy.

“When you get to Bond Street, the platform is not full, but when the train arrived yesterday it was full. It was then that I took the photo.

“I came from the beginning of the closing and I felt very comfortable until the beginning of the week.”

Transportation to London reported an 8.7 percent increase in people using the 6 a.m. tube. at 10 a.m., compared to last Wednesday, almost 5,700 additional trips.

COMPUTER CONCERN

Earlier this week, TfL said that even when 100 percent of services are operational, only 15 percent of normal passenger capacity could travel and hold two meters between them.

Yesterday, a spokesman added that his goal is to recover 75 percent of subway services and 85 percent of bus services next week, after the Transportation Secretary admitted yesterday, even in full service, that only one in ten passengers could safely distance themselves.

The Waterloo station manager said services increased to 45 percent of normal capacity on Monday after operating at 25 percent in the earlier stages of the shutdown. Services will increase to 82 percent starting next Monday, he said.

Cabinet Minister Robert Jenrick said he would be prepared to board a full bus or train to go to work.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “You should take precautions, such as social distancing, if you can. I appreciate that it is not always possible and some of the scenes … show buses and tubes too full to be able to sit two meters away. And that is a problem “.

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Downing Street said there had been no “significant” increase in the use of public transport in London in response to the easing of the closure, claiming that TfL had not reported “significant increases”.

But yesterday London Underground workers criticized the conditions during the rush trips as “a joke”, warning that it “will get worse.” Services were suspended on the Victoria line when a person collapsed while traveling in the “shaken” tubes.

Among the slight changes to yesterday’s rules was the restriction on outdoor exercise, as the locked-in Britons can get as much exercise as they want every day.

Social distancing is maintained and only certain sports are allowed within household groups.

Meeting a group of friends in the park for a kick is still not acceptable, but those who live together can play tennis or golf and sit in a park.

Friends and family who don’t live together can finally meet face-to-face, but only two people can meet at a time, they shouldn’t hug each other and should stay two meters away.

If you travel by public transport, you should wear a mask or face cover and stay two meters from other travelers, according to government advice.

Travelers are not legally required to do so, but the government now urges anyone in stores or on public transportation to use one if they cannot keep separate from the others.

To reduce any chance of overcrowding, it is also recommended that employers be able to offer more flexible start times to try to avoid everyone crowding into public transportation during rush hour.

This will help reduce crowds and continue to travel as safely as possible, as normal services have not yet resumed and are still shrinking.

Wash your hands as soon as possible after traveling anywhere and before leaving through the front door. If you see hand sanitizing stations anywhere, use them, the guide says.

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Unlimited exercise, sunbathing, and meeting a person from another home in a public space is now allowed, provided the two-meter rule is followed, while golf clubs, tennis courts, and angling have green light.

Restrictions have also been lifted on how far people can travel to get to the countryside, national parks and beaches in England, but people have been warned to respect local communities, keep their distance from others, and avoid critical points or occupied areas.

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