Coronavirus (COVID-19 ) Advice for Customers

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice for Customers

National lockdown: Stay at Home – 5 January 2021

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19 you should stay at home as much as possible.

If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live – and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall. The list of reasons you can leave your home and area include, but are not limited to:

work, where you cannot reasonably work from home
accessing education and for caring responsibilities
visiting those in your support bubble – or your childcare bubble for childcare
visiting hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health
buying goods or services that you need, but this should be within your local area wherever possible
outdoor exercise. This should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)
attending the care and exercise of an animal, or veterinary service

When using the tram please follow the safer travel guidance which includes the rules on wearing a face covering.

We recommend that you:

plan your journeys in advance, and incorporate additional travel time
choose a quieter time to travel and
consider walking or cycling, especially for short journeys

Stay alert, stay safe, stay apart

The safety and well-being of our customers and team members remains our number one priority. It is essential that we stay alert and continue to do everything we can to prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

We are working closely with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) and other operators to ensure that a co-ordinated approach is in place to social distance across the region.

What are we doing?

We are monitoring the number of people using our service closely, to ensure that the timetable that we are operating meets the needs of our customers and allows social distancing to be maintained. We have increased the number of services to the usual level, with trams up to every 6 minutes on weekdays and 10 minutes at weekends.

We regularly updates the website and My Metro app so that you can view quieter travel times – helping you to plan your journeys
We are continuing with our enhanced cleaning regime, paying careful attention to touch points and surfaces.
- In addition to our enhanced daily cleaning regime, each tram is cleaned regularly using state of the art anti-static technology, designed to protect against 99.9% of bacteria including COVID-19.
Our drivers are also opening doors automatically at all stops to help reduce surface contact.
Colleagues have been provided with hand sanitisers and appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and we are sharing all the latest COVID-19 guidance with our team members, making sure they understand the need to self-isolate if they show symptoms.

We recognise that our efforts are also reliant on the co-operation of those using the service.

We continue to raise awareness around social distancing, contactless payment and other measures that may limit the spread of the virus.
Our Stay Safe, Stay Apart campaign can be seen across the network, reinforcing key messages with posters at stops, regular announcements on board our trams and across our socials

You can view our Staying COVID-19 Secure certificate and risk assessment here.

Concessionary pass holder information

Peak time restrictions on concessionary tram passes has been lifted during the early morning rush hour to make it easier for the older citizens and vulnerable people to get to early morning vaccine appointments.

Concessionary pass holders can now travel pre 09:30 on West Midlands Metro services to attend a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

Travel is permitted on weekdays from Monday, 1st February for those who show a valid concessionary pass.

For more travel advice view our video below:

What can you do?

There are a number of simple steps that you can follow to help reduce the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19):

Keep space between yourself and others – Stay safe, Stay apart
Wear a face covering while using the service – Learn how to make yours here
Plan your journey to avoid busy travel times – using the online travel tools and My Metro app
Let us know when you’ll be travelling to help us plan our journeys using the My Metro app
Stay clear of doors, and allow others to get off the tram before getting on
Pay for your ticket in advance using the My Metro app or contactless payment where possible
Carry hand sanitiser and wash your hands before and after travelling

It is mandatory to wear a face covering for the full duration of your journey. Face coverings should cover the mouth and nose while allowing the wearer to breath comfortably and can be as simple as a scarf or bandana that ties behind the head to give a snug fit.

Some people are exempt from this rule, including young children, disabled people and those with breathing difficulties. Although these examples are not exhaustive and would extend to someone who has a justifiable reason for not wearing one on the grounds of health or disability.

It is important to remember that face coverings are not a replacement for social distancing, and you should continue to follow these measures wherever possible, alongside regular hand washing.

If you do feel unwell with cold or flu-like symptoms, don’t put others at risk; please follow NHS advice

Should you have any other concerns relating to COVID-19, or there are any additional safety measures you would like us to consider, then please get in touch.