London: the unlockening/relockening

[T & P]

Buses packed to pre lockdown rush hour level. Have to be, how else we going to get to work and school.

Unfortunately those bus passengers on a great many routes are finding out their commute to and from work now takes a considerably longer time than before lockdown, due to the recently imposed city-wide road and bridge closures and restrictions to cars coupled with the fungus-like sudden proliferation of LTN areas that have caused countless through-roads to be in a permanent state of gridlock. Plenty of which have few or no bus lane sections.

Still, it serves them right for being lazy and refusing to get the arses on a bike and join the cycling revolution.

 

[ska invita]

the recently imposed city-wide road and bridge closures and restrictions to cars

has that started? im not aware that it has...or will, despite plans in May

 

[teuchter]

has that started? im not aware that it has...or will, despite plans in May

Interpretations of the extent of the changes and the nature of their effect vary wildly

 

[ska invita]

its all gone very quiet about that tbh

 

[T & P]

has that started? im not aware that it has...or will, despite plans in May

Wandsworth Bridge reduced to one lane, London Bridge closed to cars for essential repairs/ improvements but not to much heavier buses or taxis, bikes or peds, so perhaps not so critical or urgent. Vauxhall closed to all traffic other than cyclists and peds.

Coupled with a record number of roadworks with temporary traffic lights that have started at the same time, many of which on the direct approach roads to the bridges that remain available to cars which have made an already dire situation even worse.

Given that Hammersmith Bridge has been closed for many months due to its structural problems, the closure of multiple additional bridges, restriction on another, and multiple roadworks on surrounding roads to some of them is extraordinarily bad timing.

I am just about prepared to believe the possibility of the required work on one of the closed bridges was so urgent and critical it really couldn’t wait. But there’s no way, just no fucking way, that work on both Vauxhall and London Bridges was so urgent neither could be delayed a few weeks until the other one was reopened. Ditto the great majority of roadworks I’ve seen in the Chelsea area.

It is either through the pinnacle of incompetence and stupidity, or a cynical deliberate plan to make traffic as horrendous as possible, that TFL could have possibly allowed this to happen.

 

[William of Walworth]

It is either through the pinnacle of incompetence and stupidity, or a cynical deliberate plan to make traffic as horrendous as possible, that TFL could have possibly allowed this to happen.

<Ex-London-dweller posts? >

The other possibilty for those responsible for road-bollard-wrangling and JCB-allocation around London Government? :
Could or should we take advantage of 'not much if any traffic around right now in Coronaland' in order to get these transport-links/repairs done ...

 

[Puddy_Tat]

It is either through the pinnacle of incompetence and stupidity, or a cynical deliberate plan to make traffic as horrendous as possible, that TFL could have possibly allowed this to happen.

while TFL is not always completely blameless for everything, i've seen something elsewhere on the web this evening suggesting that one or two tory boroughs have put restrictions in, but are now saying they will take them out and blaming TFL / Sadiq Khan for them being there...

 

[Numbers]

Missus and I went or a tapas last night on Curtain Rd, on the way home we had to pass by Boxpark to get to the station, holy fuck is all I'll say. Dozens and dozens and dozens of people queuing / hanging around / drinking, not a mask in sight and absolutely zero social distancing.

 

[Mrs Miggins]

Missus and I went or a tapas last night on Curtain Rd, on the way home we had to pass by Boxpark to get to the station, holy fuck is all I'll say. Dozens and dozens and dozens of people queuing / hanging around / drinking, not a mask in sight and absolutely zero social distancing.

I rarely go out in central London but I was in Soho on Thursday night. All the restaurants around Gerard St/Old Compton St etc. have outside seating because of COVID and the streets are closed to traffic. It was absolutely buzzing but no real social distancing and of course no masks because everyone is eating and drinking.

Whilst it may not be the best in the current climate I really hope it becomes the norm as it was great.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Going through Dalston on a bus right now and every pub I pass is rammed. It is nice weather but the combination of that and the rule of six on Monday means I suspect that's going to be the case all over and only increase. (I have not been in the pub, I was on a photo walk, admittedly with 20 people )

 

[Sue]

Going through Dalston on a bus right now and every pub I pass is rammed. It is nice weather but the combination of that and the rule of six on Monday means I suspect that's going to be the case all over and only increase. (I have not been in the pub, I was on a photo walk, admittedly with 20 people )

It's been like that since the pubs re-opened (and the parks too throughout). Even when Hackney had really high infection rates.

 

[quimcunx]

Was in clapham junction last night and it was busy but not rammed. We sat outside. I did go in for the toilet. Tables full but no one standing. It was ok but cant see me repeating the experience very soon.

 

[Numbers]

Pubs around me today are pretty full. One in particular at the top of my road is a proper drinkers pub, i.e. all day every day, usually full of older people ( a lot older than me anyway and I'm 50) who one could say have a drinking problem and aren't in the best of health, the place is tiny and absolutely packed today.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

I reckon that if I was in that demographic I’d rather take my chances down the pub than stay home and stew in my own juices.

And for somewhat different reasons, I think that if I was in my teens/ twenties right now I’d be out and about and giving it large. Partly because during those years I didn’t spend time with anyone outside my own age group, not at work or socialising.

 

[SheilaNaGig]

I had to travel to Knightsbridge yesterday so I took the Tube, for the first time since February.

I wondered if it woulda feel like a novel experience, but it didn’t. I guess that Tube dust is ingrained under my skin like a grimy tan. It actually felt really comforting and familiar.

I worried it would be stupid, but it wasn’t. I saw only two people without masks and everyone was behaving in sensibly distanced fashion (alternate seats, and no-one sitting directly opposite each other, everyone staying as staggered as possible, no one crowding on the escalators, everyone sticking to the correct lane for walking, moving away from each other).

I worried it would be busy but it wasn’t. It was like the olden days of yore. I deliberately travelled at a time I hoped would be quiet, so I’ve no idea what rush hour is like. But even the exchange at Green Park wasn’t busy. And Knightsbridge was dead quiet. I suppose because there are no tourists and all the super-rich are sheltering in their havens. I saw six humans at Knightsbridge station and two of those were staff. The streets were quieter too.

Then when I got off the Tube coming home to Brixton it was busy and crowded and pushy and my anxiety spiked.

 

[Numbers]

We got the Jubilee line from Canning Town (hardly any fuckin mask wearers ) to Canada Water, usually it would get absolute choca-bloc at the Wharf, but maybe 4 people got on and this was at 6:15pm on a Friday evening. Really weird experience. The overground from Canada Water to Shoreditch was somewhat busier and I only spotted 1 guy without a mask.

Not sure what it is around these ends with people not wearing one, or wearing them wrong - seems a lot more adherence anywhere else I go.

 

[HalloweenJack]

In the leafy Royal Borough, it seems masks are pretty prevalent
Even in the streets, it looks like an OAP LARP production of. Sergio Leone film
Which leads me to wonder, with all the hipster congregations of unmasked revellers, and in such a crowded city, why is London presently lower than those Northern hotspots?

 

[marty21]

It's been like that since the pubs re-opened (and the parks too throughout). Even when Hackney had really high infection rates.

I have been to a couple of Hackney pubs but never at peak times , so the Crooked Billet is fine early doors but suspect it may get rammed later on. Currently having a cheeky couple in the Jolly Butchers, table service only (you get Table Service and order at the bar at the Billet) and it is fairly quiet, apart from the crowded tables outside .

 

[ska invita]

We got the Jubilee line from Canning Town (hardly any fuckin mask wearers ) to Canada Water, usually it would get absolute choca-bloc at the Wharf, but maybe 4 people got on and this was at 6:15pm on a Friday evening. Really weird experience. The overground from Canada Water to Shoreditch was somewhat busier and I only spotted 1 guy without a mask.

Not sure what it is around these ends with people not wearing one, or wearing them wrong - seems a lot more adherence anywhere else I go.

i saw a map of London projected Covid cases and it was right around your way that was the hotspot. Cant remember where now, on another thread most likely

 

[nagapie]

In the leafy Royal Borough, it seems masks are pretty prevalent
Even in the streets, it looks like an OAP LARP production of. Sergio Leone film
Which leads me to wonder, with all the hipster congregations of unmasked revellers, and in such a crowded city, why is London presently lower than those Northern hotspots?

Probably because we all had it in March!

 

[Sue]

I have been to a couple of Hackney pubs but never at peak times , so the Crooked Billet is fine early doors but suspect it may get rammed later on. Currently having a cheeky couple in the Jolly Butchers, table service only (you get Table Service and order at the bar at the Billet) and it is fairly quiet, apart from the crowded tables outside .

Haven't been to any but the ones in Dalston are packed when I walk past.

 

[Numbers]

i saw a map of London projected Covid cases and it was right around your way that was the hotspot. Cant remember where now, on another thread most likely

It sucks man, been like it since the off too.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Which leads me to wonder, with all the hipster congregations of unmasked revellers, and in such a crowded city, why is London presently lower than those Northern hotspots?

Sadly it seems London is catching up with the North & Midlands, with some boroughs only a week or two behind, bearing in mind infection rates have tripled within just a week, in some areas.

The rate of new confirmed coronavirus cases in London has increased in 30 boroughs, according to new figures. The rolling seven-day rate of Covid-19 cases shows that new cases per 100,000 people is highest in Redbridge, Hounslow and Havering.

Infection rates in 18 boroughs are now above the Government's threshold for imposing quarantine restrictions on holidaymakers returning to the UK from abroad.

The borough with the highest rate is Redbridge, with 110 new cases at a rate of 36 per 100,000, up from 44 new cases the previous week. It is followed by Hounslow, which recorded 88 cases at a rate of 32.4.

New coronavirus cases jump in 30 London boroughs, latest data shows

Infection rates in 18 boroughs are above the Government's threshold for imposing quarantine restrictions

www.standard.co.uk

 

[FridgeMagnet]

It's been like that since the pubs re-opened (and the parks too throughout). Even when Hackney had really high infection rates.

This is the first time I've been up east in months, but I had to get off the bus after that and walk through Shoreditch (a protest was blocking Old Street roundabout) and there were definitely people out in their glad rags at 4pm. I mean that wouldn't be unusual on a pre-COVID Saturday of course.

Pubs are a lot quieter round my way in Shepherd's Bush, but then most of them don't really cater for locals much anyway, and the Empire is still boarded up.

 

[Cloo]

Went into London for a concert, so first time heading in on tube on a Saturday night. I have to say [old curmudgeon mode on] we had sat either side of us most of the journey two very annoying groups of younger folks, some of whom were wearing masks but others not and practically yelling everything at their mates.

Borough Market area was heaving though market shut by that hour - by luck daughter and I grabbed an outdoor table at Brindisa which, I have to say, was doing a much better job of distancing their tables properly than most places I have been to or seen. They seem to have, quite sensibly, dropped some stall space in the market to allow for outdoors but covered spaced eating for surrounding restaurants - I guess that's why it's so busy, as people know it's got a lot of all-weather outdoor eating capacity.

Concert was lovely - paid over the odds as frankly I was just happy to support some musicians. They hadn't quite realised how long it would take to get everyone in with getting tracking details so it started half an hour late, but it was lovely to hear and didn't feel too weird.

Tube on the way home was OK, but then it was only 10pm - I expect by 11pm there was fuck all mask wearing or attempting to social distance going on.

 

[T & P]

And what of the time-honoured tradition of a good pub punch-up of a Saturday night during the pandemic? I think every pub should be made to stock a few of these for safe fighting

 

[William of Walworth]

Cloo : Really glad you had a good time going to your concert

But!

What was it?

Classical or gig?
Or inbetween those over-defined categories??

 

[Cloo]

Cloo : Really glad you had a good time going to your concert

But!

What was it?

Classical or gig?
Or inbetween those over-defined categories??

Classical, small string ensemble, London Concertante

 

[zora]

Two discrete phenomena I have observed since the beginning of unlockening:

People coughing without covering their mouths. It's almost as if they have heard that you shouldn't cough into your bare hand, but didn't get to the bit about the tissue or the elbow. Maybe they are just rude and inconsiderate, but the manner in which they do it, seeming to almost deliberately hold back the mouth covering impulse, makes me think the former.

Dead pigeons/pigeon parts. Ever since I have started walking to work from mid-June, I have noticed a lot more dead pigeons than before. The very occasional one that got hit by a car, but more often either a completely intact plump one in the middle of the path that looks like it's dropped out of the sky, or a body part - this morning a perfectly fanned out wing (boak!). Practically every day.

Anyone else noticing this?

 

[teuchter]

Do you cover more miles on foot than you used to? That might be why you are seeing more pigeon things.