People in England who can’t work from home are now being encouraged to return to their workplaces.

However, they are being advised to avoid using public transport if possible. So what are the options?

Can I drive to work?

Most journeys in Great Britain are already taken in cars – in 2018 alone, the distance covered was an estimated 435 billion miles.

Motor vehicle use in Great Britain fell by two-thirds from March to April, particularly after lockdown was introduced on 23 March.

However, cars have remained the most-used transport and there have been week-on-week increases since the lockdown began.

Before the lockdown, most commuters were already driving to work, with the one exception being London.

Across Great Britain, the Department of Transport (DfT) estimates 68% of people travel to work in a car, but that still means millions take public transport into their workplace.

However, government guidance recommends that individuals stop carpooling, which around 10% of commuters in cars currently do.

People are also now allowed to drive to places for exercise in England, as long as they respect social distancing guidance while they are there. However, they should not travel to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland where restrictions on travel have not been lifted.

Will it be easy for me to cycle?

Cycle manufacturers say that sales of bikes have risen sharply during the lockdown, so this seems likely.

Transport for London (TfL) says it’s working with the Mayor of London to accommodate a 10-fold increase in the number of people cycling, and a five-fold increase in the number of pedestrians.

An immediate £250m package of measures has been announced by the DfT to encourage cycling and walking in England. The measures include pop-up bike lanes with protected space for cycling, wider pavements, safer junctions, and cycle and bus-only corridors.

And a £5m scheme has been unveiled in Greater Manchester to make the city safer for cyclists and walkers, while a major road in Brighton has been closed off to motor traffic.

However, factors including access to bikes or perceptions of road safety could slow the take-up of cycling. Well over half the people questioned by a recent DfT survey said they did not consider the roads in their area to be safe.

In 2018, the percentage of the UK population cycling to work ranged from 4% in England, to only 1% in Northern Ireland.

Is it safe to travel by train?

At the moment it’s generally easy to maintain social distancing on trains for those who do have to make essential journeys.

About half of normal train services in the UK are running and overall passenger numbers are at about 3% of normal levels, which means that many trains are travelling empty.

What’s more, the government has now said that people should wear face coverings on public transport.

But as the lockdown starts to be lifted, the big challenge is how to increase the number of people allowed back on trains, while maintaining social distancing on board.

Those involved with planning say that social distancing of any kind might reduce a train’s capacity by between 70% and 90%.

And while it might be relatively easy to limit the number of passengers on an inter-city train, it will be extremely difficult on commuter trains where stops are frequent and passenger turnover is high.

Government guidance for transport operators says that providers will have to adapt to the new normal, including methods such as:

• Sealing off certain seats, such as face-to-face seating
• Introducing more one-way through areas
• Having clear plans for queues in stations

How will public transport in London be affected?

Time spent waiting for trains and buses is almost certain to rise.

London has a population of nearly nine million, and more than 60% of commuters in the city use public transport, compared with 7% in the UK as a whole.

A report, seen by BBC London, says that if social distancing is to be maintained on the London Underground, only 50,000 passengers could board every 15 minutes. That compares with 325,000 normally boarding every 15 minutes at the peak of rush hour before lockdown.

Before the crisis, the Tube was often overwhelmed, with some morning commutes being well above assumed capacity.

At peak travelling time, the Northern Line could reach 130% capacity, meaning the train was carrying a third more passengers than was suitable for passengers.

Employers are set to be asked to stagger the beginning and end of their working day in order to stop the transport system from being overwhelmed.

Other measures being considered to manage London’s public transport system include:

• Queuing systems in stations similar to those used during events such as the 2012 Olympics
• One-way systems and blocked-off seats in train carriages
• A booking system, where passengers need to choose the time when they want to travel

Taking a bus may also involve longer spells waiting at the bus stop – it’s thought that social distancing may mean that buses normally able to carry 85 people would be limited to 15.