Memorial to transport workers who died from coronavirus to be setup
2 July 2020, 12:01
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced that a memorial will be set up at London's Victoria Station to honour transport workers who have lost their lives during the pandemic.
Mr Shapps told MPs that Victoria was chosen as it was where transport worker Belly Mujinga, who died with coronavirus, was employed. Ms Mujinga was reportedly spat at by a man claiming to have coronavirus while on duty.
Responding to Tory Jacob Young (Redcar), Mr Shapps said: "Mr Speaker, with your permission I'd like to say a word about the way that we'd like to pay tribute to the transport workers who, as honourable members have mentioned, lost their lives during this crisis - many of them providing food on our tables, helping the key workers in the NHS and care workers get to work to support us all.
"We'd therefore like to set up a commemorative memorial for transport workers and I can think of no better location than Victoria Station where Belly Mujinga sadly was an employee who lost her life."
Many transport staff have now returned to the frontline and on TfL services more than 90 per cent of the timetable is operating.
The outbreak took its toll and 44 London transport workers have died after testing positive for the virus.
