Electrostatic wands and special backpacks are delivering a virucide that kills Covid-19 for up to 30 days at Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern stations and in staff areas. Credit: Govia Thameslink Railway.

UK-based train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has used a powerful new virucide to kill the coronavirus (Covid-19) for up to 30 days.

The virucide was used on all the Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express train fleet, along with the stations and staff stations.

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This measure is expected to boost the existing cleaning regime of GTR, where the stations and staff areas are cleaned with a short-term virucide, and train carriages are sanitised each night.

The UK Government has advised the public to only travel using public transport if it is necessary and this measure with the virucide is expected to offer a higher level of protection to travellers and staff.

GTR has also ordered 1,000 no-touch hand sanitisers that are sent to stations for staff and passengers.

GTR 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.

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“We are now using a product that will kill the 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.”

The staff has started the use of electrostatic ‘wands’ in the station and GTR has begun using ‘Storm’ virus-killer backpacks, which cover large areas faster.

The product will be applied with a microfibre cloth on trains.

The virucide is only applied after the surfaces are cleaned and degreased.