An enhanced cleaning regime has been unveiled by Transport for London (TfL) in order to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading on the UK capital’s public transport network.
Cleaning across the tube and bus network now includes additional substances that kill viruses and bacteria on contact.
While Public Health England has stated that there are currently no specific concerns about using public transport, TfL has chosen to make a number of changes to its cleaning programme, which currently sees its trains, stations and buses professionally cleaned daily.
TfL began rolling out enhanced anti-viral fluid, which is used in hospitals, at tube trains and stations on Friday last week to provide added protection.
Key interchanges will be cleaned more regularly than usual, including during the day, said TfL.
TfL is also using the enhanced disinfectant in depots and drivers’ cabs, which previously were regularly cleaned with conventional disinfectant.
All buses will now also have regularly touched areas, such as poles and doors wiped down with a stronger disinfectant every day.
Changes to cleaning regimes will be rolled out across the rest of the TfL network.
Lilli Matson, director of health, safety and the environment at TfL, said: “We want to give Londoners and our staff peace of mind that their safety is our priority, which is why we have enhanced our already rigorous cleaning regime.
“A lot of our cleaning goes on when stations are closed or trains are out of service, so to provide additional reassurance teams will be cleaning areas that are frequently touched throughout the day, in addition to the enhanced cleaning regime that all bus garages will be carrying out.”
TfL is also at the final testing stages of a new cleaning agent that would reportedly provide anti-viral protection for up to 30 days and hopes to begin using it across the network in the next couple of weeks.
TfL said it is finalising plans to use specialist hygiene back-pack equipment, which will be deployed to spray the new disinfectant across the network safely and quickly.
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