Question 2 – 18 Jun 2020: Hygiene for rail passengers

[whole diary]

[Red Squirrel]

We are encouraged to wash hands fully and frequently, and yet many facilities in the community are restricted or closed. How are on-train and at-station facilities being maintained / kept clean during the day, and are there enough of them and enough open? How is social distancing around customer loos working?

[Jason Ness]

We have increased the frequency and standard of cleaning in line with government and Public Health England advice, including specialist cleaning products. All our facilities are open and any faults with them are treated as a high priority to repair.  As well as keeping the facilities open, we have added social distancing signage (including indicating maximum capacity in toilets) and measures where possible. We have also installed hand sanitisers in many locations.

Some toilets, where they are in waiting rooms, may be closed but we are providing alternatives, for instance at Oxford station.

We’re tanking our on-train toilets more frequently.  We’re also trialling a new virucidal product which kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses for a long period of time – you can find more here https://www.gwr.com/about-us/media-centre/news/2020/june/gwr-and-swr-trial-new-virucidal-sanitiser-in-cleanliness-battle-during-the-pandemic

[Red Squirrel]

Does 'tanking' mean 'cleaning out'?

[Jason Ness]

No, it's refilling the trains water supply. Really important we don't run out of water & customers can wash their hands when they need too.

[Electric train]

Does 'tanking' mean 'cleaning out'?

Pooh out, fresh liquid in is done in depots

Water for hand washing  can be done on stations some have fixed systems like Padd others have bowsers

[grahame]

No, it's refilling the trains water supply. Really important we don't run out of water & customers can wash their hands when they need too.

I wondered if trains would need longer for cleaning after each journey, knocking timetables out ...

[Samyutha Bala]

We're able to clean them within the current turnaround times we have