Coronavirus and the railways

johnkingeu · 5 Mar 2020

There doesn’t seem to be a dedicated thread about Coronavirus and the railways.

I’m interested in both the effect on the railways, and the virus itself as a passenger (if you like) aboard trains and stations.

My partner has told me that her (extremely large) firm now requires all long distance travel within the UK to be specifically authorised. Presumably there will be a substantial negative effect on travel.

Secondly, I am interested in whether TOCs have put in any additional sanitisation measures (e.g. regularly sanitising handrails on stations and trains, wiping screens on ticket machines). There doesn’t seem to be anything being done, but this seems like quite an easy measure that might reduce risk?

RailUK Forums

StephenHunter · 5 Mar 2020

I went from London to Shipley and back via LNER and Northern. Nothing out of the ordinary that I noticed,except for a drinking fountain at Leeds being closed, which might be unrelated.

Penmorfa · 5 Mar 2020

Give it a month and we'll be discussing little else!

Temple Meads · 5 Mar 2020

Penmorfa said:
Give it a month and we'll be discussing little else!

Already seems to be the case...

Starmill · 5 Mar 2020

It will definitely be cooling off already on the business market, but it might not be disastrous. At this point it's so uncertain.

Closing down public transport is likely to be used only as a last resort.

bramling · 5 Mar 2020

johnkingeu said:
There doesn’t seem to be a dedicated thread about Coronavirus and the railways.

I’m interested in both the effect on the railways, and the virus itself as a passenger (if you like) aboard trains and stations.

My partner has told me that her (extremely large) firm now requires all long distance travel within the UK to be specifically authorised. Presumably there will be a substantial negative effect on travel.

Secondly, I am interested in whether TOCs have put in any additional sanitisation measures (e.g. regularly sanitising handrails on stations and trains, wiping screens on ticket machines). There doesn’t seem to be anything being done, but this seems like quite an easy measure that might reduce risk?

Where I am hand gel has been being handed out for the last three or so weeks, so a bit sooner than it became the in thing. The stuff being handed out is also labelled as hospital-grade, although I don’t know if it’s necessarily any more effective than that which is generally available. Needless to say most staff stocked up well at the time.

I’m not aware of any changes to cleaning regimes where I am.

One big issue would be if there was a confirmed case involving a member of staff at somewhere critical like a crew depot, or perhaps even more damagingly in a control room. Something like that could quite easily shut parts of the railway down at the drop of a hat, either through staff being unwell, or potentially refusing to work on risk grounds. I’d suggest it’s probably bordering on inevitable that this will occur somewhere at some point in this whole affair.

Carlisle · 6 Mar 2020

johnkingeu said:
I am interested in whether TOCs have put in any additional sanitisation measures (e.g. regularly sanitising handrails on stations and trains,

It’s difficult to imagine that’ being effective unless it’s done very frequently & continually throughout the day, maybe it’ll change if things get significantly worse, as you’d probably need to postpone other cleaning tasks unless your paying for additional staff or overtime

Bookd · 6 Mar 2020

This is of course a matter of concern, but I am not panicking yet. Even in Italy, which seems to be the most affected European country, the number of cases as a percentage of the total population is tiny and most people affected are only miledly unwell.

Master29 · 6 Mar 2020

There is a thread on general off topic discussion but it's highly likely now that this will now become a main railway topic seeing as it's already here and rail would be a main cause of it's spread. I think things will get worse before they get better given yesterdays spike and that people are very flippant with viruses in general in this country with statements like "colds toughen the immune system" which is totally false. I myself am asthmatic and I know of a recent case of a young man who admittedly did have health issues but died through complications from a cold he may well have caught at his school.

Tom Quinne · 6 Mar 2020

Makes you wonder if a country like China can’t control the outbreak with their “do as we say” style of government - how will this country manage when people pretty much ignore all official instruction and do as they please?

Personally I don’t worry about the illness, you’ve more chance of being hit by a bus in a local Tesco metro store than coming down with the virus, that’s not to say common sense hand washing is being done as standard.

Twicklatic · 6 Mar 2020

I am disappointed that there are no posters or announcements on trains/train station about hygiene guidelines eg coughing into tissues etc.

TUC · 6 Mar 2020

Twicklatic said:
I am disappointed that there are no posters or announcements on trains/train station about hygiene guidelines eg coughing into tissues etc.

Why? Do you think we should be bombarded withe same information everywhere?

TUC · 6 Mar 2020

If you want hand sanitiser, buy your own. Don't look for every business to supply it for you.

Antman · 6 Mar 2020

TUC said:
If you want hand sanitiser, buy your own. Don't look for every business to supply it for you.

If you can find any, I got some in my local Boots yesterday although it was quite rightly one per customer.

philthetube · 6 Mar 2020

bramling said:
I’m not aware of any changes to cleaning regimes where I am.

One big issue would be if there was a confirmed case involving a member of staff at somewhere critical like a crew depot, or perhaps even more damagingly in a control room. Something like that could quite easily shut parts of the railway down at the drop of a hat, either through staff being unwell, or potentially refusing to work on risk grounds. I’d suggest it’s probably bordering on inevitable that this will occur somewhere at some point in this whole affair.

only one staff member needs to be unwell, the rest could be required to self isolate.

yorkie · 6 Mar 2020

Twicklatic said:
I am disappointed that there are no posters or announcements on trains/train station about hygiene guidelines eg coughing into tissues etc.

This is incorrect; several forum members saw such signs yesterday.

RPI · 6 Mar 2020

At Exeter Central there are several hand sanitizer dispensers that have been installed, I believe though that they were planned anyway but couldn't have happened at a better time! As a member of staff it does concern me how vulnerable we are to it, especially handling peoples tickets etc, GWR have issued us all with hand sanitizer and wipes to carry around.

Bletchleyite · 6 Mar 2020

Tom Quinne said:
Personally I don’t worry about the illness, you’ve more chance of being hit by a bus in a local Tesco metro store than coming down with the virus, that’s not to say common sense hand washing is being done as standard.

My personal take is that I am near-certain to get it at some point (it'll just end up "going round") but symptoms are mostly mild and so I am not concerned about getting it.

Those who have severe respiratory or heart problems may wish if they can to "self isolate" in order not to catch it rather than not to spread it, though.

trebor79 · 6 Mar 2020

I did notice the 1719 Peterborough to Stansted Airport was very quiet on Wednesday. It's usually rammed and there have been times I've had to stand to Ely, but only about a third of the seats were occupied this week. Might be coincidence.

Coronavirus is becoming the new Brexit for me - sick of hearing about it all the time. It's been blown out of all proportion. You've got to be really unlucky or heading towards the end of your life in any case for it to kill you.
Why such an enormous fuss is being made is a little puzzling to me. Either it's symptomatic of the OTT response we see in the media to otherwise unremarkable things, or there's more to it that the authorities are letting on.

Bletchleyite · 6 Mar 2020

trebor79 said:
I did notice the 1719 Peterborough to Stansted Airport was very quiet on Wednesday. It's usually rammed and there have been times I've had to stand to Ely, but only about a third of the seats were occupied this week. Might be coincidence.

No, I've heard plenty of reports the same.

Edders23 · 6 Mar 2020

Greenboy said:
If you can find any, I got some in my local Boots yesterday although it was quite rightly one per customer.

most hand sanitisers are anti bacterial so no good against virus lots of people making that mistake basically you need to scrub your hands much like a surgeon does after a journey or before eating and try and resist the temptation to scratch an itch on your face or rub your eyes avoid hand shakes and remember grab rails,door handles etc are the most likely place where there might be virus living

As for the TOC's they are in for a bumpy ride I have noticed a significant drop in trade to and from stations for the taxis and there have been no cases anywhere near here people are going out less and travelling less

Revenue will almost certainly be down a bit

Bletchleyite · 6 Mar 2020

Edders23 said:
Revenue will almost certainly be down a bit

Perhaps providing more, er, nationalisation opportunities?

PHILIPE · 6 Mar 2020

johnkingeu said:
There doesn’t seem to be a dedicated thread about Coronavirus and the railways.

I’m interested in both the effect on the railways, and the virus itself as a passenger (if you like) aboard trains and stations.

My partner has told me that her (extremely large) firm now requires all long distance travel within the UK to be specifically authorised. Presumably there will be a substantial negative effect on travel.

Secondly, I am interested in whether TOCs have put in any additional sanitisation measures (e.g. regularly sanitising handrails on stations and trains, wiping screens on ticket machines). There doesn’t seem to be anything being done, but this seems like quite an easy measure that might reduce risk?

There is a thread here:-

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/coronavirus.201152/

dk1 · 6 Mar 2020

I just pray that it does not lead to even more monotonous onboard announcements. The railway industry just loves them.

Edders23 · 6 Mar 2020

Bletchleyite said:
Perhaps providing more, er, nationalisation opportunities?

or a big hand out from the tax payer

bramling · 6 Mar 2020

dk1 said:
I just pray that it does not lead to even more monotonous onboard announcements. The railway industry just loves them.

There's no problem which can't be solved with an announcement. It's the tool of dullard management who can't think of anything more effective.

Starmill · 6 Mar 2020

TUC said:
If you want hand sanitiser, buy your own. Don't look for every business to supply it for you.

Some people are still exiting station toilets without going to the sinks, so unfortunately I kind of think people probably do need the message repeating more often.

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