Hundreds of people packed onto trains out of London last night as they attempted to flee the capital ahead of Tier 4 coronavirus restrictions being imposed from Sunday morning.
Travellers were told that social distancing “will not be possible” due to the volume of people on board, and those that felt “uncomfortable” should not stay on the train.
It came after Boris Johnson made the shock announcement that large parts of eastern and south-east England, including London, would be placed under Tier 4 restrictions.
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty was asked at Saturday’s press conference what anyone who had already packed a bag ahead of heading out of the capital for Christmas should do.
He said: “My short answer would be ‘please unpack it’.”
Yet by 7pm on Saturday evening, there were no spaces on trains available online from several London stations including Paddington, Kings Cross and Euston, PA Media reports.
Footage online showed large crowds at St Pancras station waiting to board trains to Leeds.
Harriet Clugston said that people on board the trains had attempted to secure space for themselves, but that there was not enough room to do so.
“As expected, train is crammed,” she wrote on Twitter.
“Announcement on Tannoy says social distancing ‘will not be possible’ due to volume and to get off if you are not comfortable with that.
“People have tried to secure social distance by placing on seats but being asked to remove them by other passengers as the train is so full.”
Another woman, who did not wish to be named, said she and her partner had made the “split decision” to take their young son to her parents’ home on the coast.
“We just made the decision to leave based on the fact that my parents said come, and we couldn’t bear the thought of no fresh air and a toddler going rogue round a small flat for the foreseeable,” she told the PA new agency.
“We also really just felt we wanted to get the baby somewhere a bit safer with a garden, though we know a lot of people won’t have that luxury.”
She added: “The grandparents are just desperately happy they’ll see their grandson.
“We obviously worry about taking something down to them, but they seem happy to take the risk.”
Izzy, 22, from Bristol, said that she wanted “the security of being home for Christmas” and that her parents had come to collect her before the restrictions came into effect.
“I have a slight nervousness that they might block the roads or something stopping me going home,” she said.
“I’m moving out of my flat so I need my dad to come and get me and he feels more comfortable doing it before Tier 4 kicks in.”
Asked about the scenes, London mayor Sadiq Khan told BBC Breakfast on Sunday morning: “What you saw yesterday was a direct consequence of the chaotic way the announcement was made.
“I understand why people want to return to see their mums, dads, elderly relations, but I think it’s wrong.
“Let me tell you why I think it’s a mistake either going yesterday or thinking about going today. Yesterday, technically speaking, you may not have been breaking the rules but you may well have the virus and not realise you have got the virus.
“You may be taking that virus with you from London to your mum, dad, elderly relations.
“We now have a vaccine being rolled out, you can see light at the end of the tunnel. How are you going to feel if you pass the virus on to an elderly relation, somebody you love, whose life could well be long and fruitful because of the vaccine, who may catch the virus and, God forbid, lose their life?”