Coronavirus: Fewer buses, trains and trams will operate as people stay at home

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday asked people to only travel when necessary and work from home if possible to prevent the spread of the illness.

Transport for Greater Manchester is already seeing fewer people using public transport and expects the frequency of services to drop.

Customer director Stephen Rhodes said: "Many of us are worried by the threat posed by the coronavirus and I want to reassure everyone that our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our staff and public transport users.

“While the latest Government guidance advises against the use of public transport unless it’s for essential reasons, we know there will still be people who need tram, train and bus services to get to work, visit loved ones or access essential services.

“This is a dynamic situation which we are continually monitoring alongside all operators and we have already seen a reduction in the number of people using public transport.

“With that number expected to fall further a reduction in frequency of bus, train and tram services is expected in the coming days.

“We will be working closely with our partners to ensure we can keep Greater Manchester moving as best as possible at this challenging time.

“People will of course be worried about the potential spread of the virus and I want to reassure them that we and our colleagues across the transport industry are doing all we can to limit its spread, through robust cleaning regimes and by following the latest advice and information from Public Health England and I’d encourage anyone who does need to travel at this time to check with individual operators ahead of their journey.”