Examining The Influence Of Covid-19 On The London Underground And Commuter Travel Case Study

1. Introduction: Impact of Covid-19 on London Underground and Commuter Travel Trends

Topic: To examine the impact of Covid 19 on commuter travel pattern at workplace. A study on London Underground.

A. Background

Covid 19 is the infectious disease that has been spread across world during 2019. Pandemic has caused immense impact on the overall economic and financial position of country. London underground (tube) has been established on 10 January 1863 as the first underground transit system in world. This system in combining 11 routes of London and has annual turnover of 2.2 billion British pounds in 2023 (Annual revenue of London Underground, 2023). This proposal is based on determining impact of corona virus on working of London underground. Various research methodologies will be discussed in report to analysis research topic.

b. Aim and objective

Aim:

The aim of the research is to examine the impact of covid-19 on the London Underground and commuter travel pattern at workplace.

Objectives:

• To study Covid-19 and its consequences on travel industry.
• To evaluate factors that impact decision making of commuters.
• To examine the impact of Covid-19 on London underground.
• To recommend strategies for London underground to enticing commuter travel patterns.

c. Research questions

• What is Covid-19 and its impacts on travel industry?
• What are various factors that influence decision making of commuters?
• What is impact of Covid-19 on London underground?

d. Significance of study

This study will help in determining the impact that Covid has creates on transportation industry in UK. By carrying out this study, knowledge and understanding will be enhanced regarding the factors which are influencing choices of travel within country. After completing study, information will be gained regarding impact that pandemic has creates on London underground that can be used by other firm in enhancing their knowledge. This study will helps in forming appropriate strategies and policies and provide impact of such polices in improving overall position of company. This study will be beneficial for other company working in same industry to identify strategies which they can use for enhancing their performances and for reduce the impact of pandemic.

Literature Review

According to Alharahsheh and Pius (2020) Covid 19 is the infectious diseases that has been caused by SARS-Cov-2 virus. This diseases spreads very quickly when a person come in connect with affected individual. More than 1 million people have been dies during this pandemic result and it has negative impact on overall working of countries. Cheng et al (2020) described that corona virus pandemic has immense impact on the travel pattern of population within country. Covid has results in reducing the use of public transportation of country and more emphasis has been given on the using private vehicle for travelling to workplaces. This results in reducing revenue of company resulting impacting their overall financial position. In the other hand Graham, Kremarik and Kruse (2020) describe that financial piston of travel has been negatively impacted by Covid -19 as public transportation results in incurring less cost to travel form, one place to another. While using own vehicles requires more time and money for travelling to one place to another.

Greenham et al, (2020) claim that preference towards health is the major factors that influence individual decision regarding mode of transportation. During pandemic emphasis has been made towards maintaining distance from others that assist in proving protection from such disease. This influences the decision of individual to use mode of transportation that did not involve contact with many individual. Jallow, Renukappa and Suresh (2021) described that flexibility in working also influence decision of individual to travel to different places. Employees around world were asked to complete their work from home which leads to reduction in expenditure regarding travelling. This flexibility in working results in influencing individual choices regarding visiting workplace results in reducing travel within country. On the critical point of view Saunders et al, (2019) believes that government regulation were the important factor affecting decision of commuters. Government in UK has provided guideline that limits the use of public transportation resulting in more emphasis towards private vehicles for travelling.

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According to Škare, Soriano and Porada-Rocho?, (2021) Covid -19 has results in huge impact on demand of the London underground services. It has been determined that there was 95 % reduction in demand for the services in May 2020. This has been occurred as authority in UK has restricted travelling of people from their home results in the impacting on working of transit services. On the other hand Toanoglou, Chemli and Valeri (2022) claim that there was 92% reduction in the overall income of London understood resulting in impacting overall financial position of company. There was a loss of 3.2 billion pound in year 2020 that has long lasting impact on its overall position. Turner et al, (2021) claim that for more than 6 month, services have been run with maximum capacity of 30%. This results in increases in cost of operation for firm which eventually results in reducing overall profitability of organisation.

3. Research Methodology

a. Research approach: Inductive

Method and procedures used by researcher for collecting, evaluating and interpreting data is refer as research approach. There are two type of research approach i.e. inductive and deductive. For effectively carrying out study, Inductive research approach will used for gathering and analysing data. This approach is focusing towards forming new theories after observing pattern in the collected data. It provide more accurate solution as bottom to top approach has been used which includes identifying core issue based on which theories are formulated.

b. Research strategy: Qualitative

This aims at developing plan that assists in simplifying research question, determine sources, organizing collected data and helps in evaluating the data, Qualitative and quantitative are two type of research strategy that helps in achieving research gaol. In this study, qualitative research strategy will be used that assist in gathering information which includes real life experience of individual (U?ur and Akb?y?k, 2020). This strategy has been used as it provides accurate and reliable information regarding all aspects that cannot be expressed in numerical form.

c. Methodology and tools

Data Collection

Primary and secondary are two data collection method which has been used by researcher to get better insight of the research question. For carrying out research both method will used that helps in broader the knowledge regarding the issue and impacts. Primary data collection aim at collecting data for the first time from individuals who poses information regarding concept. Secondary data collecting method aim at gathering information which is presented in various books and journals.

Data analysis

This approach is related to organising collected data in a manager on which futher study could be carried out. Thematic data analysis method will be used in this study that targeted towards identifying themes, pattern and ideas within collected data. This method helps in improving efficiency of decision making by carrying evaluating collected data.

Research philosophy

This tool is related to determining all assumption that has been made by researcher while collecting data (Van der Walt, 2020). Interpretivism method of research philosophy will used that aim at analysis belief, culture and norm of society before coming on conclusion. Importance has been provided towards determining human experience to better understand data.

d. Sampling Approach: Random sampling method

This method will be used for collecting data form primary sources of data collection. Under this study information will be collected from 100 regular passengers of London underground to understand their mindset during Covid time. This method has been used as this does not include any kind of biasness and original information will be gathered.

e. Ethical consideration

Before conducting sampling method, focus will be paid towards collecting data that does not involve any kind of discrimination and in justice (Wen et al, 2021). While collecting primary data, information will be collected from individual that are willing to take part in data collection method and any type of pressures will not be created on them. Information that has been provided in the proposal will be citied to provide credit to author that has gathered all relevant information.

CONCLUSION

Limitation of Proposed Approach

It has been determine that due to lack of time, we are targeting towards conducting study on small number of respondent. As respondent are selected on random basis, we will able to collect information that includes different point of view and opinion. If we use SPSS, statically data will be analysed, but to evaluate qualitative data thematic approach is most effective.

Expected Research outcomes:

After conducting secondary research, it has been determine that Covid 19 has created huge impact on the travel industry of UK. Expense and cost of living of individual has been increased due to reduction in use of public transformation due to fear of infection. It has been identified that government guideline, flexible working and health issue are various factors that has impact commuters' choice towards using mode of transformation. It has been determined that Covid has results in reduction in demand for service of London underground results in impacting its overall financial position.

References

Books and Journals

• Alharahsheh, H.H. and Pius, A., 2020. A review of key paradigms: Positivism VS interpretivism. Global Academic Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(3), pp.39-43.
• Cheng, C., Wang, J., Chen, H., Chen, Z., Luo, H. and Xie, P., 2020. A review of intelligent fault diagnosis for high-speed trains: Qualitative approaches. Entropy, 23(1), p.1.
• Graham, A., Kremarik, F. and Kruse, W., 2020. Attitudes of ageing passengers to air travel since the coronavirus pandemic. Journal of air transport management, 87, p.101865.
• Greenham, S., Ferranti, E., Quinn, A. and Drayson, K., 2020. The impact of high temperatures and extreme heat to delays on the London Underground rail network: An empirical study. Meteorological Applications, 27(3), p.e1910.
• Jallow, H., Renukappa, S. and Suresh, S., 2021. The impact of COVID-19 outbreak on United Kingdom infrastructure sector. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 10(4), pp.581-593.
• Nilashi, M., Samad, S., Manaf, A.A., Ahmadi, H., Rashid, T.A., Munshi, A., Almukadi, W., Ibrahim, O. and Ahmed, O.H., 2019. Factors influencing medical tourism adoption in Malaysia: A DEMATEL-Fuzzy TOPSIS approach. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 137, p.106005.
• Saunders, B.M., Smith, J.D., Smith, T.E., Green, D.C. and Barratt, B., 2019. Spatial variability of fine particulate matter pollution (PM2. 5) on the London Underground network. Urban Climate, 30, p.100535.
• Škare, M., Soriano, D.R. and Porada-Rocho?, M., 2021. Impact of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 163, p.120469.
• Toanoglou, M., Chemli, S. and Valeri, M., 2022. The organizational impact of COVID-19 crisis on travel perceived risk across four continents. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(2), pp.293-307.
• Turner, D., Ting, H., Wong, M.W., Lim, T.Y. and Tan, K.L., 2021. Applying qualitative approach in business research. Asian Journal of Business Research, 11(3), pp.1-13.
• U?ur, N.G. and Akb?y?k, A., 2020. Impacts of COVID-19 on global tourism industry: A cross-regional comparison. Tourism management perspectives, 36, p.100744.
• Van der Walt, J.L., 2020. Interpretivism-constructivism as a research method in the humanities and social sciences–more to it than meets the eye. International Journal of Philosophy and Theology, 8(1), pp.59-68.
• Wen, J., Kozak, M., Yang, S. and Liu, F., 2021. COVID-19: potential effects on Chinese citizens' lifestyle and travel. Tourism Review, 76(1), pp.74-87.

Online

• Annual revenue of London Underground. 2023. Online Available through: < https://www.statista.com/statistics/304885/london-underground-tickets-revenue/#:~:text=Revenue%20from%20ticket%20sales%20on%20the%20London%20Underground%202000%2D2023&text=Combined%20revenue%20from%20season%20and,British%20pounds%20in%202022%2F23. >