30-day coronavirus killer being used by Peterborough rail operator

The rail operator - which runs trains between Peterborough and London - said the move is on top of sanitising its 2,700 train carriages every night.

Engineering director Steve Lammin said: “Since the outbreak of this pandemic we have been doing all we can to protect our passengers and staff by ensuring our trains and stations have enhanced cleaning regimes and a switch in focus to high-touch areas and the increased use of anti-viral agents.

“We are now using a product that will kill coronavirus for up to 30 days and we are applying this to surfaces across our network on a 21 day cycle. We want to do everything possible to work with passengers and staff to keep them safe and this will further protect everyone who is working so hard for this country.”

Electrostatic ‘wands’ have been used around stations and staff areas and GTR is deploying ‘Storm’ virus-killer backpacks which were used in NHS Nightingale hospitals as they cover large areas quickly.

On trains, the new product needs to be applied traditionally with a microfibre cloth. In all locations, it is applied only after the entire surface area has been cleaned and de-greased.

Rail operators have recently increased their timetables, but commuters are being asked by the Government to avoid public transport if possible.