Note: this article originally said that 40 tube stations had already closed, due to confusion over the TfL press release. At the time of writing, nine tube stations are closed, although we now understand from TfL that up to 40 could close in the coming hours and days. If you're making essential travel, it's best to check on TfL's website.
A heavily reduced London transport system has been announced by TfL, in wake of the spread of coronavirus, including the potential closure of up to 40 tube stations.
The 40 London Underground stations (listed later in the article) have been specifically chosen by TfL, as they do not interchange with other tube lines.
Here are the nine tube stations that are already closed until further notice:
Arsenal
Barbican
Borough
Bounds Green
Bow Road
Covent Garden
Goodge Street
Hampstead
Manor House
Said TfL: "the Mayor of London has asked TfL to make a number of changes to services to ensure a safe and reliable service to enable London’s critical workers who need to make essential journeys.
"The Mayor of London and TfL are urging all other customers to follow the Government's advice and not make anything but essential journeys."
From the morning of Friday 20 March, there will be no service on the Waterloo & City line, and on Friday and Saturday nights the night tube and night Overground service won't run.
Other stations that could close soon:
Bakerloo line
Lambeth North
Regents Park
Warwick Avenue
Kilburn Park
Charing Cross
Central line
Holland Park
Queensway
Lancaster Gate
Chancery Lane
Redbridge
Circle line
Bayswater
Great Portland Street
District line
Stepney Green
Mansion House
Temple
St James’s Park
Gloucester Road
Jubilee line
Swiss Cottage
St John’s Wood
Bermondsey
Southwark
Northern line
Tufnell Park
Chalk Farm
Mornington Crescent
Clapham South
Tooting Bec
South Wimbledon
Piccadilly line
Caledonian Road
Hyde Park Corner
Victoria line
Pimlico
Blackhorse Road
The cuts don't stop there. From Monday 23 March, the frequency of other services across the TfL network will be gradually reduced. The idea, says TfL, is to provide critical workers with a service that isn't overcrowded. Tube trains will run every four minutes in zone 1, although this frequency could be reduced further.
From next Monday, London Overground, TfL Rail, the DLR and London Trams will run fewer services too.
As for buses, from Monday, services will follow a similar frequency to Saturday timetables. Night buses will continue to run.
Fewer Santander Cycle hubs will be available in central London.
All of these changes are until further notice.
Some, including NHS workers, have criticised the move, claiming the cuts will make it difficult for some essential workers to get where they need to be.
Can #NHS staff jobs be made any harder??!!Come on London see sense and relax some parking restriction around hospitals and for Community & social care providers 😔Coronavirus: 40 London Underground stations to be closed https://t.co/4hJ9Rwp9Cd
— Fiona Yung (@DrFYung) March 19, 2020
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "People should not be travelling, by any means, unless they really, really have to. Londoners should be avoiding social interaction unless absolutely necessary, and that means they should be avoiding using the transport network unless absolutely necessary.
"London will get through these extraordinarily challenging times, and ensuring the capital’s critical workers can move around the city will be crucial."
