Transport User Voice – June 2021 – Public transport – a cleaner future?

27 May 2021

New best practice report

What makes you feel safe to travel?

Throughout the pandemic Transport Focus has asked passengers what they need to feel safe and confident to travel. Our research has shown that space for passengers to social distance was the most important issue, but cleanliness is another key way to feel safe.

We know that cleanliness has always been important to passengers. Now though, it is a much higher priority.

Our latest report draws together what passengers told us about cleanliness, and some examples of best practice from operators. As restrictions ease and passenger numbers increase, we urge transport operators to maintain improved standards and ensure they continue to communicate their efforts to help reassure and win back more passengers.

To help reassure and win back passengers, operators should:

• maintain improved levels of cleanliness – many passengers have noticed the improvement and don’t want standards to slip
• ensure passengers can physically see cleaning happening wherever possible, including while on board
• use all available channels to communicate their efforts to both passengers and non-users to build confidence.

We know many transport operators have worked hard to enhance their cleaning regimes in response to the pandemic. Our insight over the last year shows that many passengers have recognised this, with the majority of those travelling satisfied with cleanliness on their journeys.

Three quarters of people say that cleanliness on public transport will be more important to them in the future, even if Covid-19 is no longer a significant risk.

All our insight now suggests greater levels of concern about cleanliness are likely to persist well beyond the pandemic. Expectations on cleanliness look to have shifted for the long-term with a cultural shift towards greater care over hygiene and health.

Operators have proven that they can provide cleaner service and it’s important to passengers that these standards don’t slip.

 

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