Boris Johnson to 'ditch working from home guidance' and tell public to 'return to work'

16 July 2020, 08:03

By Alice Dear

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly planning to encourage people to get back to work next month.

Boris Johnson will give people the green light to return to offices as he plans to change the working from home guidance this week, according to reports.

The Prime Minister is believed to be holding a press conference later this week alongside the Test and Trace chief Baroness Dido Harding where the new plans are said to be announced.

The Government are keen to get people back to work and using public transport again in a bid to help the struggling economy.

According to The Sun, Boris will be unveiling a new 'Contain Framework' plan to show worried workers that COVID-19 is "under control" in their local area.

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The publication also report that the Prime Minister will be relaxing guidance on the use of public transport in August, to get people back to commuting to work.

This will be done with a new messaging campaign which will "gently ease" people back onto buses, trains and tubes.

While the final plans are yet to be announced by the PM later this week, it has been reported that there will be a "grading system" put in place to help people determine the safest times of the day to travel on public transport.

Between the hours of 7:00AM and 9:00AM, public transport use will only be for "essential travel", while the rest of the public will be encouraged to travel between 9:00AM and 4:00PM, and then after 8:00PM.

People will still be encouraged to walk or cycle to work if they can.

A source told The Sun: "We are looking at the messaging - it will look at grading the times people travel.

“There is a lot of extra capacity on public transport that is not being used.

“People will be told that if you avoid the rush hour, the crush times, it is safe to travel.

“The final messaging is still being worked on - but there is generally recognition that we have got to get people back onto public transport.

“The message will encourage the public to use the networks a little more, the blanket ban will go and will be replaced with a nuanced system."

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