Two-thirds of London Overground users are 'comfortable' during journey, poll finds

A TFL worker cleans hand rails on a London Overground train
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Two-thirds of Londoners say they are comfortable using mainline trains and the London Overground, a survey revealed today.

The findings from the YouGov analysis is the latest to suggest confidence is growing among commuters who rely on public transport to get back to the office.

A total of 21 per cent said they would be “very comfortable” and 46 per cent “fairly comfortable” using overground trains, with only nine per cent “very uncomfortable”.

Black cabs were found to be similarly reassuring, with 62 per cent comfortable and eight per cent very uncomfortable.

More than half of respondents – a total of 53 per cent – also expressed confidence in the Tube, though 19 per cent were very uncomfortable at the thought of using the Underground as fears rise of a second wave of Covid-19.

Only 48 per cent say they would be comfortable travelling on London buses, with 40 per cent fairly or very uncomfortable.

Mask-wearing has been compulsory on public transport since June and deep-cleaning of the Tube was introduced in July, with long-lasting anti-viral liquids being used on frequently touched areas.

Passenger numbers are increasing weekly, with 736,000 Tube journeys during the morning peak yesterday – about a third of normal demand – and 973,000 on the buses, 57 per cent of the normal morning peak.

Separate research for Transport Focus and London Travelwatch also shows that passengers who have started travelling again are more likely to view it as safer than those who have yet to restart their commute.

However, slightly more people are saying that they expect to work from home more in future – a figure that in London is up from 63 per cent to 65 per cent.

The number of people travelling to work is “increasing slowly” but travelling for leisure reasons such as eating out and visiting attractions has fallen, due to the end of the summer holidays and the Chancellor’s Eat out to help out scheme.

The Transport Focus and London Travelwatch survey, which is published weekly, also found a decline in satisfaction with passengers wearing face masks, reducing to 64 per cent on the Tube and 55 per cent on London buses.

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