The UK Government is set to relax restrictions on public transport in order to convince the public to work in offices again, according to reports.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson issued a 'go back to work if you can' rallying cry on Friday in a bid to boost the UK economy following the coronavirus crisis.
Current UK lockdown regulations state that the public should consider other forms of transport before using means such as trains, buses and trams.
But, according to the Sunday Telegraph, ministers are looking to change this policy and encourage the use of public transport, with the Department of Transport commencing discussions with transport operators about how commuters can travel safely.
A Whitehall source told the report: 'It is costing a great deal of money to run all these train services with so few people on them.
'Different departments are looking at ways to ease in the message of avoiding public transport. The best way to do this, and when, is currently under discussion.
'There is some debate about how best to get the message across that the Government wants to allow more people to travel.'
In May, the Government gave Transport for London (TfL) £1.6billion to continue running services in the English capital following a fall in revenue.
At the moment, it is compulsory to wear a face mask on all means on public transport, with police monitoring train carriages and bus journeys to find those not obeying these rules.
The easing of restrictions on public transport would be the latest in a series of relaxations made by the Government regarding lockdown rules.
Earlier this week, outdoor arts performance centers, including theatres, opera, dance, and music, were allowed to reopen, while recreational cricket began again on Saturday despite the Prime Minister's initial fears surrounding the ball being a 'vector of the disease'.
It was also announced that additional services such as beauticians, indoor gyms, and sports facilities are set to reopen again by the end of the month.
The UK announced that it had suffered a further 148 coronavirus-related deaths across the nation on Friday afternoon, taking the total number of fatalities to 44,798.
