Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) has studied the effects Covid-19 has had on those impacted by mental health using public transport and outlined policy changes needed to support those afflicted.
TRL looked to discover measures to encourage people with mental health issues, such as anxiety, to use public transport following the pandemic.
Outlined in the project, TRL reported several measures that would increase people’s confidence in travelling on public transport, including methods to increase certainty about their surroundings.
The report recommends providing live-streamed videos showing conditions in real-time alongside data stating the risk of infection on each transport model. It also suggested transport services devoted to those with anxiety.
Furthermore, it added tat transport authorities could provide clear information about cleaning regimes while ensuring safety measures do not create additional risk, such as crowding around sanitiser stations.
TRL also suggested that measures would be needed to control the public’s behaviour and advocated the use of trained security staff to enforce rules.
Additionally, physically closing off space could be used to ensure social distancing with reduced capacity of public transport vehicles.
TRL said, based on its research, it is possible to design measures that help those with mental health return to public transport. It proposed trialling such schemes with those experiencing anxiety in future engagements.
Future research could also aim to explore how the pandemic has affected the use of public transport for other user groups, including those particularly susceptible to negative psychological impacts of pandemics, such as adolescents and young adults, as well as people who have previously contracted Covid-19.
