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What lockdown? Commuters pack the tubes and London morning rush hour road traffic is UP as thousands continue to head into the office despite Government's latest call to work from home

Commuters have today been seen packing onto busy Tubes, while London morning rush hour is on the up, on the first Monday morning since new lockdown measures were announced.

Workers in the capital were seen squeezing themselves onto rammed Jubilee Line carriages this morning, as people continued to head in despite the Government's latest call to work from home. 

Angry commuters also took to social media to complain about the lack of social distancing on Tubes and buses today. 

Meanwhile congestion on London's roads during rush hour was also almost double that of last week - though still below last year's average.

It comes after Boris Johnson announced a new month-long national lockdown, due to start on Thursday, which will see bars, restaurants and all non-essential shops closed in a bid to bring down the spread of coronavirus.  

Commuters have today been seen packing onto busy Tubes, while London morning rush hour is on the up, on the first Monday morning since new lockdown measures were announced

Commuters have today been seen packing onto busy Tubes, while London morning rush hour is on the up, on the first Monday morning since new lockdown measures were announced

Workers in the capital were seen squeezing themselves onto rammed Jubilee Line carriages this morning, as people continued to head in despite the Government's latest call to work from home

Workers in the capital were seen squeezing themselves onto rammed Jubilee Line carriages this morning, as people continued to head in despite the Government's latest call to work from home

Commuters in London also took to social media to complain about the lack of social distancing on Tubes and buses today. Pictured: A busy Jubilee Line train today

Commuters in London also took to social media to complain about the lack of social distancing on Tubes and buses today. Pictured: A busy Jubilee Line train today

Meanwhile congestion on London's roads during rush hour was also almost double that of last week - though still below last year's average.

Meanwhile congestion on London's roads during rush hour was also almost double that of last week - though still below last year's average.

TomTom traffic data from London shows congestion levels were far above last week's congestion levels in the capital this morning, though still below the 2019 national average

TomTom traffic data from London shows congestion levels were far above last week's congestion levels in the capital this morning, though still below the 2019 national average

The weekly data from Tom Tom also shows how traffic has largely remained the same today as last week, despite the announcement of new measures, which are set to come in later this week

The weekly data from Tom Tom also shows how traffic has largely remained the same today as last week, despite the announcement of new measures, which are set to come in later this week

As the morning went on, congestion levels continued to rise in London, with today's figures nearly matching the 2019 average

As the morning went on, congestion levels continued to rise in London, with today's figures nearly matching the 2019 average

TomTom charts for midday show the traffic levels for today, last week and the 2019 average are all around the same level - after today's traffic was higher from around 8am onwards

TomTom charts for midday show the traffic levels for today, last week and the 2019 average are all around the same level - after today's traffic was higher from around 8am onwards

Government's guidance on lockdown working 

This is the government's official guidance on working during the new lockdown, which begins on Thursday:

'To help contain the virus, everyone who can work effectively from home must do so.

'Where people cannot do so (for instance people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing) they should continue to travel to work/attend their workplace.

'This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting vital sectors and employers.

'Public sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work.

'The risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-secure guidelines are followed closely.

'Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.'

The Government has also ordered people 'who can work effectively from home must do so' during the second national lockdown, which is due to last until December 2.

Foreign travel, apart from for work and education purposes, will also be banned from Thursday.

But, despite the announcement of new measures for later this week, commuters were still rushing into their place of work in London this morning.

Photographs from Canning Town station, in east London, showed dozens of people cramped onto the platform awaiting to get a Jubilee Line tube into the city centre.

A continual flow of masked passengers was also seen walking down the stairs to the platform this morning.

On the Tubes themselves there was little room to social distance for most passengers.

One picture shows a line of passengers sat next to each other, less than a metre apart. Current social distancing guidelines are that people should remain two metres apart where possible.

If that is not possible, people should remain more than one metre apart, as well as taking extra steps to stay safe - including wearing a facemask on public transport.

One commuter on Twitter complained to Transport for London about packed Tubes at city transport hub Victoria Station.

Copying in TfL to the tweet, Elaine Bridge said: 'We want to travel to work safely!! This is not safe. Victoria station heading south, 3rd packed train before I could even contemplate stepping in!!' 

Photographs from Canning Town station, in east London, showed dozens of people cramped onto the platform awaiting to get a Jubilee Line tube into the city centre

Photographs from Canning Town station, in east London, showed dozens of people cramped onto the platform awaiting to get a Jubilee Line tube into the city centre

A continual flow of masked passengers was also seen walking down the stairs to the platform this morning, as commuters made their way to work

A continual flow of masked passengers was also seen walking down the stairs to the platform this morning, as commuters made their way to work

On the Tubes themselves there was little room to social distance for most passengers. One picture shows a line of passengers sat next to each other, less than a metre apart

On the Tubes themselves there was little room to social distance for most passengers. One picture shows a line of passengers sat next to each other, less than a metre apart

One commuter on Twitter complained to Transport for London (TfL) about packed Tubes at city transport hub Victoria Station

One commuter on Twitter complained to Transport for London about packed Tubes at city transport hub Victoria Station

TfL responded on Twitter to say: 'Hi Elaine, thanks for getting in touch with us. Sorry to hear that you've had to wait for the third train before you could board due to overcrowding. I fully understand where you’re coming from and your concerns.'

TfL responded on Twitter to say: 'Hi Elaine, thanks for getting in touch with us. Sorry to hear that you've had to wait for the third train before you could board due to overcrowding. I fully understand where you’re coming from and your concerns.'

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary claims lockdown is 'cover-up for political mismanagement' 

Ryanair has announced losses of £178million from the coronavirus pandemic as its CEO insisted testing could have avoided new restrictions, branding Boris Johnson's second lockdown 'a cover-up for political mismanagement'.

Michael O'Leary savaged the government over the impending national shutdown as his Ireland-based low cost airline said it 'expects record higher losses' in the second half of the year.

The firm's losses are particularly striking as the company has a lower cost base and a stronger balance sheet.

Mr O'Leary said: 'National lockdown hasn't defeated Covid, that's the whole point, the lockdown at the start of the year achieved nothing, the second lockdown will achieve even less – it's just a cover-up for political mismanagement, which the Johnson government continues to deliver.'

The CEO, who called for more testing, was speaking to Radio 4 as he admitted stripping out the flight schedule for most of November and the early part of December 

TfL responded on Twitter to say: 'Hi Elaine, thanks for getting in touch with us. Sorry to hear that you've had to wait for the third train before you could board due to overcrowding. I fully understand where you’re coming from and your concerns.'

In a later tweet, TfL said the complaint would be passed on to senior management.

Meanwhile, on London's roads, drivers faced congestion again this morning, with bumper-to-bumper traffic on the usually busy A40 in north London today. 

The A3 Kingston Bypass in Roehampton, south west London, was also busy this morning as traffic slowly made its way into the city.

Both the A40 and the A3 are major arterial routes into the city, but traffic levels have typically been lower than usual since the coronavirus outbreak.

According to graphs by Dutch satnav developers TomTom, congestion levels in London peaked at around 60 per cent this morning - near the 2019 national average.

The figure was double that of last week's congestion figures, which were around 30 per cent, according to the TomTom data.

At around 9am, the congestion levels in London were 20 per cent higher than the 2019 national average. According to the figures, congestion levels in the capital were around 60 per cent, while the national average for last year was around 42 per cent.

However, London seemed to be an anomaly in comparison with other parts of the country, where congestion remained far below the 2019 average.

In Manchester, congestion levels were around 45 per cent at 9am today, compared to the 60 per cent 2019 average. But the figure was still up hugely from the 20 per cent recorded last week.

Meanwhile, on London's roads, drivers faced congestion again this morning - with traffic levels up above last week, according to TomTom data. Pictured: Traffic on the A40 heading into London today

Meanwhile, on London's roads, drivers faced congestion again this morning - with traffic levels up above last week, according to TomTom data. Pictured: Traffic on the A40 heading into London today

According to graphs by Dutch satnav developers TomTom, congestion levels in London peaked at around 60 per cent this morning - near the 2019 national average. Pictured: The A40 heading into London today

According to graphs by Dutch satnav developers TomTom, congestion levels in London peaked at around 60 per cent this morning - near the 2019 national average. Pictured: The A40 heading into London today

The figure was double that of last week's congestion figures, which were around 30 per cent, according to the TomTom data. Pictured: The A40 heading into London today

The figure was double that of last week's congestion figures, which were around 30 per cent, according to the TomTom data. Pictured: The A40 heading into London today

The A3 Kingston Bypass in Roehampton, south west London, was also busy this morning as traffic slowly made its way into the city

The A3 Kingston Bypass in Roehampton, south west London, was also busy this morning as traffic slowly made its way into the city

Both the A40 and the A3 (pictured) are major arterial routes into the city, but traffic levels have typically been lower than usual since the coronavirus outbreak

Both the A40 and the A3 are major arterial routes into the city, but traffic levels have typically been lower than usual since the coronavirus outbreak

In Manchester, congestion levels were around 45 per cent at 9am today, compared to the 60 per cent 2019 average. But the figure was still up hugely from the 20 per cent recorded last week

In Manchester, congestion levels were around 45 per cent at 9am today, compared to the 60 per cent 2019 average. But the figure was still up hugely from the 20 per cent recorded last week

In Cardiff the 9am figure was also far below the 2019 average of around 55 per cent. Congestion levels were around 20 per cent today, slightly higher than the 15 per cent from last week

In Cardiff the 9am figure was also far below the 2019 average of around 55 per cent. Congestion levels were around 20 per cent today, slightly higher than the 15 per cent from last week

In Cardiff the 9am figure was also far below the 2019 average of around 55 per cent. Congestion levels were around 20 per cent today, slightly higher than the 15 per cent from last week.

Meanwhile, mobility trends up until Saturday this week also show a decline in the number of people searching for car, walking or public transport routes.

In London on Saturday, driving route searches dropped to baseline levels, according to data from Apple.

Similarly, walking and public transport route searches also saw a small dip over the weekend and remain lower than pre-pandemic levels - though far above the figures from the first national lockdown. 

Meanwhile, mobility trends up until Saturday this week also show a decline in the number of people searching for car, walking or public transport routes

Meanwhile, mobility trends up until Saturday this week also show a decline in the number of people searching for car, walking or public transport routes

Figures for Manchester were similar, in that the all forms of transport took a small dip over the weekend. But figures for walking still remain above driving and public transport and above baseline levels.

Figures for Manchester were similar, in that the all forms of transport took a small dip over the weekend. But figures for walking still remain above driving and public transport and above baseline levels.

In Cardiff, all transport figures remain much lower than pre-pandemic levels, and all took a slight dip on Saturday, according to the Apple data

In Cardiff, all transport figures remain much lower than pre-pandemic levels, and all took a slight dip on Saturday, according to the Apple data

Figures for Manchester were similar, in that the all forms of transport took a small dip over the weekend.

But figures for walking still remain above driving and public transport and above baseline levels.

In Cardiff, all transport figures remain much lower than pre-pandemic levels, and all took a slight dip on Saturday. 

It comes after Boris Johnson announced a second lockdown, which will begin on Thursday, during a Downing Street press conference on Saturday.

Pubs, restaurants and non-essential shops will be forced to close, although, unlike the first lockdown in March, schools will remain open.

Addressing MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon, he is expected to say: 'Models of our scientists suggest that unless we act now, we could see deaths over the winter that are twice as bad or more compared with the first wave.

'Faced with these latest figures, there is no alternative but to take further action at a national level. I know some in the House believe we should have reached this decision earlier, but I believe it was right to try every possible option to get this virus under control at a local level, with strong local action and strong local leadership.'

A Whitehall source said: 'The next three or four months are going to be very tough.

'Hopefully we can ease things up a bit after a month, but that isn't certain and we are still going to have to keep our foot on the brake to a certain extent.'

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Here we go again! From work to gym to going to the salon, what you can and can't do as we prepare for a second lockdown

This month's lockdown will not be the same as spring's. Schools will stay open, and we can still meet one person from another household outside. 

More people will carry on travelling in to work, and the elderly will not be ordered to 'shield' indoors. 

Here's a handy guide to what the new rules mean for you and your loved ones...

FRIENDS AND FAMILY

NURSERIES, SCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE

Unlike in the first lockdown, you CAN meet a friend, relative or partner from another household outdoors, to exercise or sit in a park

Unlike in the first lockdown, you CAN meet a friend, relative or partner from another household outdoors, to exercise or sit in a park

If you must take public transport, avoid busy times and routes. Always wear a mask and maintain social distancing where possible

If you must take public transport, avoid busy times and routes. Always wear a mask and maintain social distancing where possible

GOING TO WORK

VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND CARE HOMES

TRAVEL

Going on holiday is banned. Overseas travel is allowed for work or essential trips only

Going on holiday is banned. Overseas travel is allowed for work or essential trips only

Hairdressers and beauty salons will be shut again, as will massage parlours and tanning salons

Hairdressers and beauty salons will be shut again, as will massage parlours and tanning salons

more videos

'I'm voting for Joe Biden': Lady Gaga backs Biden for President

The moment a wild squirrel waits politely for its morning peanut

Sir Sean Connery James Bond actor dies in his sleep aged 90

Clément Beaune says there is common interest to strike deal on fishing

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Terrifying moment firework gets set off inside police car

Reckless youths launch fireworks at each other in Birmingham

Nottingham University students dance away at lockdown party

NYPD clash with anti-Trump protesters in New York City

WWF release emotional Christmas advert on the importance of 'home'

Trump convoys take to highways across the United States

Man plays piano during chaotic anti-lockdown protest in Barcelona

SHOPS AND LEISURE

PUBLIC SERVICES

Weddings and civil partnerships will not be allowed to go ahead unless there are exceptional circumstances

Weddings and civil partnerships will not be allowed to go ahead unless there are exceptional circumstances

WEDDINGS, FUNERALS AND WORSHIP

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