Would you visit London for the day if it wasn't necessary?

[ssd]

After what's been going on, would you visit for a day with your kids and travel by underground as usual? It would be in central London and the visit would be next week eg. Wed/Thursday.

All views welcome, help me make my mind up...

Yes, I would.

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Probably not, as there are plenty of other places to visit.

I wouldn't worry about my own safety, but would hate to get caught in transport delays. The thought of having to walk 2 miles to a main line station with small kids

Probably not but mostly because of potential difficulties in getting around by public transport (or by car I suppose come to that - isn't there increased congestion now?)

If I could afford to travel by taxi I might

I wouldn't personally. I work in the City but I won't be taking my kids there this summer holidays.

Last thursday was very frightening as I was out meeting a friend for lunch, suddenly sirens everywhere, police shouting get back (away from St. Paul's tube station), all the buses pulled over and offloaded their passengers, tubes pretty much shut down. I had to make a huge detour back to work whilst thinking "WTF is going on now?"

Wouldn't put myself in that situation with my children. It might not happen again but it might and I wouldn't risk it at the moment and it's a damn shame.

Only a decision you can take though isn't it.

No. And it makes me feel like a traitor to the city that was my home until last year, my home for most of my life, to say that. But no.

The risk of you personally being killed or injured by terrorists or the police is still vanishingly small compared to the risk of say, a car crash on the way to London. There are 7..5m people living in London - plus millions more commuters and tourists. 52 deaths are appalling and tragic but the risk to you personally is very low.

The risk of being caught up in transport disruption at the moment is much bigger and not something I'd want to experience with small children.

We all went yesterday to the Theatre and we drove {never use trains anyway}

When we drove in central london in the morning it was empty of cars and people walking

It was soooooooooo weird and eerie, it was very very strange.

Never seen regent street with only a few people walking around and piccadilly was empty too.

In the afternoon there were more people around when we got taxi back to collect the car.

There were lots and lots of police driving and walking around though

lots of sirens

No I don't think I could on a tube train with the children unless there was no threat from anywhere, near and forth; am not going to lie I don't like London and this has just compounded it.

Nope

I'm planning to go up by myself next Friday.

No

No I wouldn't.

Tbh and I don't mean this in a nasty way what so ever but I find it amazing that some Londoners have been coming on the news saying they're not scared they won't let this effect them. How can they say that?
It's such a frightening time atm and I think those who have no choice but to use public transport to get around deserve bravery awards.

Do you think I will be ok to get to Waterloo from east London next fri? Ok I know you can't answer, but I have tickets booked to go and see my mum. If the system did get shut down I would have at least a days supply of milk and food with me, plenty of nappies... Its kind of like a necessary trip right - a taxi would cost me too much I think - I'll talk to DP.

Come on Mumsnet and resolve your issues yourself!

Nbg, the thing is, you're far more likely to get killed doing other things. You can't live your life in fear.

I know SD and after 7/7 I probably would have agreed but since all these arrests, suspect packages, bomb scares, closures etc it seems as though theres no end to it all and whoever these people are they won't be happy until they cause mass destruction which could be at anytime.

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Absolutely!! I was born and raised in London (Wimbledon) and have always worked in the centre of London. I now live in East Sussex but thoroughly enjoy going back to see friends and family. No way would these scumbags stop me and admittedly, public transport leaves a little to be desired but i'd still go!

To everyone who is saying yes, would you not hesitate to take your children along with you?

I might go without anyone, but I don't think I could take my kids there just now - although I love London.

Although we went yesterday to the theatre

I/we would NOT go just to go shopping IYSWIM

I would go with my older two (13 & 11), but not my younger ones (8, 6, 3) and only if we were within reasonable walking distance to Waterloo (say Oxford Circus distance max).

I would not worry about being caught up in terrorist activity, but would be concerned about general disruption.

No. Not so much for the terrorism, but the awful disruptions that are still going on. Can't be bothered to put myself through it.

no not at the moment i had a trip to selfridges and bond street planned for this weekend, but as i wasn't able to use the car and would have to use the tube i decided that i didn't feel safe doing so at the moment!

but that is just my personal opinion, i wouldn't go for a non-essential trip just yet.

Never taken DS on the tube into town, because I can't face struggling with a buggy on escalators - it's to do with the tube not being accessible rather than fear though. And now, pregnant too - no thanks!

But will take bump on the tube with me, so yes, I would take that child!

You are very very very unlikely to be killed or injured as a result of terrorism. Most people in London on 7/7 didn't die. Most people in London were disrupted travel-wise, but that was it. I don't think that's bravado or bravery - it's just common sense tempered with statistics

I'm not sure that you can logically apply the "only 50+ died on 7/7, so statistically London is still safe". There are still at least 2, and possibly 4 or more would-be suicide bombers out there targetting London's public transport network. It is quite possible that this is just a spate and will never be repeated again. Equally for the bombings to be truly effective they would have to be more random, and so there is little you can do to increase your safety. But knowing that the place becomes a target does change the odds. You can only use these statistical comparisons if you know how many more people are going to die in London as a result of suicide bombings over the next year or so.

But for those who say "carry on as normal", I'd love to know what you will do in a couple of months if say we have a pattern of suicide bombs on public transport once a fortnight? And in terms of disruption to journeys - we've been in the situation where for 3 nights in the last 3 weeks we have given rooms to work colleagues who have been unable to get home - last Friday I went out and got a stache of toothbrushes, flannels and baggy T-shirts.

I've been wondering the same thing about travelling in - I was planning on taking ds1 to South Ken for the Sceince Museum and Nat Hist Mus. on Wednesday. But I am definitely having second thoughts - even though we would use a taxi, once the roads get blocked no-one is going anywhere anyway (and I definitely don't want to pay a meter for 2 hours!).

But dh and I continue to travel into London for work as normal before anyone accuses me of being totally unrealistic! But we're not using underground or buses at present - we have that option thankfully.