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Grant Shapps has hinted that free parking could be installed in city centers to encourage people to use their cars instead of public transportation to go to work.
The Secretary of Transportation said he was in talks with local authorities to make it easier for motorists to park near his workplace to help minimize overcrowding on trains and buses.
It is also in talks with cinemas and other entertainment venues that are currently closed about opening its worker parking lots.
The government has told workers to drive, bike, or walk to work if possible, because social distancing is only possible on public transport if the number of passengers is reduced by 90 percent.
Shapps said it was the “civic duty” of workers to avoid using public transportation if possible.
When asked if free parking could be introduced during the coronavirus crisis to encourage more people to drive to work, Shapps said: “You are right about the balance of the parking charges and the different zones, because there are times when we are literally encouraging people to drive, perhaps close, but perhaps not directly, in a town or city where they work and find a place to park.
“So we are working not only with local authorities on this, but also with some great entertainment venues that have parking lots that are not being used at the moment and are considering all of those possibilities.”
On Sunday, when Boris Johnson said it was time for people who cannot work from home to start working again, he said: “When you go to work, if possible, do it by car or even better by walking or cycling” .
