SWR and GWR trial new product in cleanliness battle during the pandemic

The South West’s leading train operators SWR and GWR have announced the trial of a powerful sanitising product which provides strong, long-lasting antimicrobial protection against a range of bacteria, viruses and pathogens.

The special treatment is sprayed inside train carriages overnight building to a fog which coats all surfaces. The trial is the latest addition in the operators’ already enhanced cleaning regimes to make travel on its networks as safe as possible for customers and staff.

The trial comes in the midst of the further easement of lockdown restrictions, and the introduction of mandatory face coverings, from Monday 15 June.

Interim Managing Director of SWR, Mark Hopwood, said:

“We are working hard to keep those who need to travel safe on our services. This new trial is just one example of the steps we are taking to give customers confidence that they can travel safely, and will be another weapon in our cleaning armoury.”

While we are taking care of the cleaning we ask customers to help us by:

• planning ahead
• buying their ticket online
• always wearing a face covering
• travelling outside of peak times
• and respecting social distancing

The advice follows an update to the National Rail App which indicates to people searching for a journey if a specific train or station is looking busy. It will take operational messages about busy trains and stations that are sent by frontline rail staff to control rooms and display these in passenger-friendly language on their journey planning websites and apps.

People will see a red or yellow warning triangle when they search their journey and, by clicking on it, will be able to find out more information and advice.

To minimise risks customers are also asked to wash their hands prior to and after their journey, and hand-sanitiser has been made available at many SWR stations.