Construction workers failed to properly socially distance today as they headed back to building sites in London despite the ongoing coronavirus lockdown.
A group of about 50 builders underwent temperature checks before being allowed onto the site at No. 1 Palace Street featuring 72 luxury flats near Buckingham Palace.
It comes after the Unite union warned that construction workers’ health is being threatened by watered down advice on social distancing on building sites.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the unprecedented lockdown on March 23, and on April 16 this was extended for at least another three weeks until May 7.
Meanwhile road traffic increased to the highest levels since the lockdown was introduced and some B&Q stores started to reopen around the country.
Builders gather on a waterfront construction site this morning near Victoria station in London
Builder move a panel while they get back to work on the site in Central London this morning
Builders arrive for work at the No. 1 Palace Street site today which will feature 72 luxury flats
Construction workers are given tempeature checks as they arrive for work in London today
A construction worker holds a ‘stop’ sign at the building site in Central London this morning
A witness told MailOnline: ‘There’s a really big block being built and they’re doing temperature checks on people before they enter the building site.
‘You can see they are clearly not social distancing. It’s almost like people have gone ‘oh look, we’re back to work, the disease has disappeared”.
‘I can only guess some of them have got on the Tube to get there which isn’t ideal. There were a few coffee shops open nearby, but all the chains were shut.’
The site at No. 1 Palace Street is operated by London-based infrastructure company Balfour Beatty, which has been contacted for comment by MailOnline this morning.
It comes as Taylor Wimpey said today that it plans to resume work on its construction sites from May 4. The housebuilder had ordered its sites, show homes and sales centres to be closed in March, as the coronavirus outbreak gathered pace.
Construction workers line up to enter the building site near Victoria in London this morning
Builders get back to work on the No 1 Palace Street site near Buckingham Palace this morning
Construction workers outside the site near Victoria station today as they go back to work
A builder wears a face mask and gloves while working on the site in Central London today
Construction workers wear masks as building continues on the No. 1 Palace Street site today
Builders start back at work in London today despite the coronavirus lockdown continuing
The company said it will re-start activity on most sites in England and Wales using ‘detailed new site operating protocols’ which comply with social distancing rules.
The construction site is on Palace Street, next to Buckingham Palace in London
Taylor Wimpey said trading has ‘inevitably been impacted’ by the virus, but demand has continued, with sales teams continuing remotely.
Elsewhere, rival Vistry Group said it will re-start work on 90 per cent of partnership sites and a ‘significant number’ of housing sites from the start of next week.
The company, which was recently renamed from Bovis Homes, also said it had received 80 cancellations and completed 193 private sales following the pandemic.
And luxury car-maker Aston Martin Lagonda said it will reopen its South Wales factory on May 5. It said it will resume operations at its St Athan facility, following guidelines from Public Health Wales and Public Health England to protect workers.
The company said it will take ‘learnings in terms of health and safety’ into account when it reopens its main car plant in Gaydon, Warwickshire, at a later date.
Construction workers are seen working on a site in Lewisham, South East Londont, today
Builders are seen working on a construction site today in Lewisham, South East London
Diggers and workers are on the site in Lewisham, South East London, this morning
Construction workers go back to work in Lewisham today as the lockdown continues
Builders are back to work on this construction site today in Lewisham, South East London
Construction employees are seen working on the site today in Lewisham, South East London
A construction worker in Lewisham, South East London, on the site next to a digger today
Both sites have been closed since March 25 due to the pandemic. The firm also announced that its senior leadership team have agreed to a reduction in pay.
It comes as road traffic increased to the highest levels since the lockdown was introduced.
In recent weeks, the number of cars on the road had plummeted to levels last seen in the mid-Fifties.
But official figures have revealed a spike in vehicle usage on Monday, the most recent day with available data, suggesting motorists are beginning to ignore guidance to avoid all but essential travel.
Car usage was more than 40 per cent of normal levels at the start of this week – the highest it’s been since the Prime Minister announced the lockdown at the end of March.
Construction workers seen working on a building site in Lewisham, South East London, today
Workers stand apart at the site in Lewisham this morning as construction continues
Diggers work on the site in Lewisham, South East London, as the lockdown continues
Workers walk around the Lewisham site this morning as some builders go back to work today
A digger works at the site in Lewisham this morning as construction workers go back to work
Employees talk at the site in Lewisham today as some construction staff go back to work
A builder works on the site in Lewisham this morning during the coronavirus lockdown
That means the number of cars on the roads has doubled in a week. Officials did not comment on the rise when it was unveiled during yesterday’s Downing Street press conference.
But the figures are likely to worry ministers, who fear a premature relaxing of the lockdown rules could trigger a sudden rise in infections and deaths.
They confirm anecdotal reports that roads have appeared busier than normal in recent days.
There was also evidence that travel on public transport was increasing. Pictures yesterday showed crowded scenes at Tube stations in the capital.
Transport for London has dramatically reduced the number of services that run, but photographs of crammed platforms and carriages suggest increasing numbers of passengers are piling on to the few trains that are running.
Customers wait outside a B&Q store in Plymouth, Devon, this morning after it reopened
A man loads up his car with items bought from the B&Q store in Plymouth this morning
The B&Q store in Plymouth is one of a small number that have now reopened around Britain
Customers observe social distancing rules as they queue outside the B&Q in Plymouth today
A woman wears protective headgear as she stands outside the B&Q in Plymouth today
Yesterday, pictures showed parts of the M25, M4 and M5 busy with traffic during the morning rush hour, in stark contrast to recent weeks when they have been eerily empty. Separate figures from the AA confirm a rise, as well as an increase in the length of journeys.
The motoring group blamed the rise on ‘frustrated households looking for ways to break the boredom’, but also said an increase in online delivery vans could be a factor.
Spokesman Jack Cousens added: ‘Now, arguably more than ever, we need to stay at home to protect ourselves, our loved ones, the NHS and our communities.’
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: ‘Every driver who ventures out unnecessarily risks placing an even greater burden on our emergency services and the NHS.’
After lockdown on March 23, Easter Sunday (April 12) saw the lowest traffic levels, at just over 20 per cent of the pre- lockdown figure.
A man leaves the B&Q store in Plymouth this morning during the lockdown with some paint
People queue up outside the B&Q branch in Plymouth, Devon, after it reopened this morning
Staff and customers outside the B&Q store in Plymouth today as the lockdown continues
A shopper leaves the B&Q store in Plymouth this morning with a trolley full of purchases
B&Q has reopened some chains in Britain, including this one in Plymouth, Devon, this morning
But last Sunday the figures hit just over 30 per cent – the highest on a Sunday since social distancing began – and they increased another ten percentage points on Monday.
The traffic data emerged as fast-food chains KFC, Burger King and Five Guys, as well as high street coffee chain Pret a Manger, gradually reopened stores across the country.
And in a sign of a shift in the Government’s strategy, the DIY chain B&Q has been allowed to open 14 shops to test new social distancing measures.
Meanwhile Unite said the latest guidance being given to construction workers was unsafe and placed them at unnecessary risk.
The union said latest operating procedures were issued to coincide with a return to work at a large number of sites this week, particularly in the London area.
A worker pushes trolleys outside the B&Q store in Plymouth, Devon, this morning
People queue up today to get inside the B&Q store which has reopened in Plymouth, Devon
People enter the B&Q store in Plymouth today despite the lockdown continuing
A B&Q store at Sutton In Ashfield in Nottinghamshire has also opened its doors this morning
The guidance now states that where workers are required to work within two metres of each other, they should ‘work side by side, or facing away from each other, rather than face to face’, the union said.
When this is not possible and workers have to work ‘face to face’ within two metres of each other, workers should ‘keep this to 15 minutes or less where possible’.
Unite has written to Business Secretary Alok Sharma warning that workers’ lives were being endangered.
The union has also launched a hotline so that workers can report concerns and provide evidence of unsafe working practices.
Unite national officer Jerry Swain said: ‘Construction workers’ health is being threatened by watered down advice. Alok Sharma must step in immediately and have these defective procedures withdrawn.
Cars and lorries travel along the M5 motorway near Bristol this morning
The M5 motorway near Bristol is pictured looking busier during rush hour this morning
More vehicles appear to be on the M5 near Bristol this morning despite the lockdown
The M5 motorway near Bristol during rush hour today as people head out during lockdown
The empty M5 is pictured in Worcestershire on Good Friday at the start of the Easter weekend
‘We sincerely hope that this is not a case of the economy being put before the health of construction workers and their families.
‘Unite’s position remains unchanged – no site should be working unless it can do so safely and that means two-metre social distancing must be maintained at all times.
‘Contractors and clients also have a moral duty of care for workers from when they leave their home to when they return.
‘Construction workers should not be forced to use overcrowded public transport, potentially endangering their health and that of our key workers.
‘If our members believe their health is being directly compromised, they should stop work and seek the assistance of Unite.’
Traffic along Victoria Embankment in London today as the UK continues to be in lockdown
A campaign was launched weeks ago to stop building work on everything other than essential projects, such as those for the NHS.
A spokesman for the #shutthesites campaign said: ‘Even when safely social distancing, I am restricted by law from sitting on a park bench, chatting to a neighbour or visiting my family.
‘Yet I can travel 40 miles into central London on public transport whilst mixing with genuine key workers to work hand in hand with other construction workers.
‘The priorities of this Government are economy over workers’ health and the new Construction Leadership Council Site Operating Procedures does not alleviate the worries of hundreds of thousands of construction workers on site today.’
A spokesman for the Blacklist Support Group added: ‘When construction workers go to work, they share minibuses, travel on packed Tubes, eat in crowded canteens, go up in full hoists, use palm print entry systems and live in barrack-style accommodation on site.
‘Construction is a dirty, dangerous place at the best of times with notoriously poor welfare facilities, where the very process requires people to work in close proximity. Coronavirus will spread like wildfire in these circumstances.’
Yesterday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said he was confident the country was at the peak of the disease, but stressed that continued social distancing was needed to bring the number of new cases down.
Those who do leave the house are told to keep a safe distance of two metres apart where they can.
All retailers selling non-essential items have been told to close, leaving only a small list of shops open, including supermarkets and newsagents.
Britain has so far seen more than 133,000 cases, of which 18,000 people have died.