More people and new equipment at Greater Anglia to make trains squeaky clean

Published on: Thursday, 13 August 2020
Last updated: Thursday, 13 August 2020

Greater Anglia is recruiting 28 more cleaning staff and buying new powerful vacuum cleaners which clean the air as well as floors and seats, as the company continues to step up cleaning to make trains as safe as possible during the pandemic.

A person wearing a backpack vacuum cleaner on a train.

The new staff, who are currently being recruited, will be based at depots and stations across the network including Cambridge, Norwich, London Liverpool Street, Colchester, Southend, Ilford and Orient Way, Stratford.

Existing cleaners have already started using new cordless backpack vacuum cleaners, which enable them to nip onto trains between journeys and give floors and upholstery a thorough clean.

The new vacuum cleaners are very manoeuvrable so that cleaners can easily reach under seats, tables and luggage racks.

Pacvac Velo cordless backpack vacuum cleaners are part of an arsenal of new cleaning equipment that Greater Anglia is using in the fight against Covid.

The company is cleaning every single carriage with fogging guns, which disinfect all surfaces including seats, arm rests, grab handles and windows.

To double check that everything is squeaky clean, the company is also buying testing equipment to carry out random hygiene tests on trains which quickly detect if surfaces have been cleaned effectively.

This will enable the cleaning team to make sure that cleaning regimes are working and alter them if tests show they are not effective.

Greater Anglia is also undertaking extra cleaning at its stations, where the fogging guns also come in handy for larger indoor areas such as waiting rooms.

Martin Moran, Greater Anglia commercial, customer service and train presentation director, said: “We’re working hard to make sure that all of our trains and stations are squeaky clean, so that customers feel safe travelling with us.

“We’ve researched what’s the best possible equipment for us and we’re confident that all of it – the Pacvacs, fogging guns, testing equipment and of course extra cleaners will help us to keep our trains clean and disinfected.

“We would ask customers to help us by taking their litter with them or putting it in the bin, so that our cleaners can spend more time cleaning than litter picking.”

Pacvac’s executive director Donna Rothwell commended Greater Anglia on their high-level cleaning initiative in these unprecedented times: “Velo features four stages of filtration, including a HEPA filter, so not only are Greater Anglia cleaning their trains, but they’re also cleaning the air for their passengers.

“The company is lowering the risk of exposure for their cleaning staff too, with increased productivity using our cordless battery backpack machines, which is incredibly responsible in the current climate.”

Stepped up cleaning is part of Greater Anglia’s Safer Travel Pledge, which includes measures to make social distancing easier on stations and trains, as well as encouraging people to spend less time at stations by buying online.

People must wear a face covering on stations and trains, unless they are exempt. They can be fined up to £100 if they do not wear one.