New 'viruscide' being used by Govia Thameslink to kill coronavirus on surfaces

  • Anglia
Electrostatic wands and special backpacks are delivering a viruscide that kills Coronavirus for up to 30 days. Credit: Govia Thameslink

A new viruscide which sticks to surfaces killing coronavirus for up to 30 days is being used across Govia Thameslink's entire fleet of 2,700 trains as well as at stations and in areas for staff.

The company which operates across East Anglia says it's another addition to its already enhanced cleaning regime.

Stations and staff areas are already treated with other short-term viruscides, and all 2,700 of its train carriages are sanitised every night.

While the current advice remains to only use public transport if you absolutely have to, the company says the product provides another layer of protection for passengers who do need to travel, such as key workers.

Cleaners applying the new 30 viruscide to a train in Bedford. Credit: GTR

  • 1,000 no-touch hand sanitisers have also been ordered for staff and passengers which are being distributed to stations.

  • A specially-developed app also tells staff at-a-glance when each train carriage was last cleaned with the long-lasting viruscide.

GTR has put new systems in place for cleaning trains, which include:

The new viruscide is being used across GTR network. Credit: GTR

  • All 2,700 carriages in the GTR fleet are sanitised each and every night, using specially-procured short-term anti-viral sprays, with a focus on passenger touch points.

  • Repeated application of these anti-viral sprays at stations and depots, and at terminus stations during the day – 22,000 trains were cleaned at terminus stations in April.

  • Driver cab cleaning at stations where trains turn around and enhanced cab cleaning with the new 30-day viruscide when trains reach depots or key berthing points at night – 6,000 cabs were cleaned in depots during April.

  • Overnight deep cleans – trains receive a ‘deep clean’ at key locations such as our main depots. This is where the new product is being applied. Its application is allowing GTR to spend more time on harder-to-reach areas of its trains, beyond passenger touch points.

What else has GTR done to improve safety since the outbreak?

  • More than 100 extra cleaning staff on the front line

  • Wiping down places passengers touch such as ticket machines, chip and pin machines, door buttons, tables, grab poles and handles.

  • Better, anti-viral cleaning products which kill Covid-19 have been in constant use.

  • High pressure dry steam and microfibre units are used for enhanced cleaning and bleach fogging for decontamination where someone has been confirmed as having Covid-19.