Travelling safely during coronavirus

Travelling safely during coronavirus

Please make sure you travel safely.

If you, or someone you live with, have any symptoms of coronavirus, please do not travel anywhere.

Stay at home and follow the government guidelines for self-isolation.

Driving

Unless you are travelling with other members of your household, you should travel alone in your vehicle if possible. From Thursday 5 November, a maximum of two people from different households may travel in a shared car.

diagram showing where people can sit in a five-seater carIf you need to share a vehicle, the driver and passenger(s) should sit as far apart as possible.

Please wear a face covering.

Unless everyone in the vehicle is from the same household, you will need special permission from a VGC director to travel with more people than listed below:

  • vehicle with three or fewer seats – driver only
  • four or five seats – driver plus one passenger
  • six to nine seats – driver plus two passengers
  • between 10 and 16 seats – driver plus three passengers.

If you have questions, talk your VGC labour manager or email besafe@vgcgroup.co.uk.

If you are driving a VGC vehicle or travelling to site with someone else:

Make sure the vehicle is disinfected before and after each use. Remember to disinfect the keys, too.

Before travel

  • Clean the external door handles with soap and water or disinfectant wipes.
  • Internally, use disinfectant wipes to sanitise the door handles, steering wheel, gear lever, handbrake, indicator and wiper arms, beacon switches, seat belts and buckles, window buttons, mirrors, stereo and climate control buttons.

disinfect steering wheelWhile you are travelling

  • Keep the windows open as much as you can.
  • Make sure the air system is not on recirculate, so fresh air is coming into the vehicle.
  • Don’t store food or drink in the cab unless you keep it in your own container.
  • Make sure you have a supply of clean tissues or paper towel and a waste bag in the vehicle. If you need to cough or sneeze, catch it a tissue, then throw it in the bin and sanitise your hands. Remove the bin bag at the end of your shift and dispose of it correctly.
  • Do not share personal items like phones.

When you get to your destination

  • Get out of the vehicle one at a time and move apart. Then each person should collect their belongings one at a time, and then move away to maintain social distancing. Stay 2m away from your colleagues at all times.
  • Disinfect the inside and outside handles again, and also the keys.
  • Everyone should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as soon as possible.

Drive safely

  • Always drive at a legal and appropriate speed.
  • Always wear a seatbelt.
  • Never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
  • Never use a mobile phone while driving

The emergency services are very stretched with coronavirus cases, as well as staff self-isolating or off sick, so please take extra care to avoid accidents.

It’s much better to be a few minutes late than be in an accident.

As always, remember you are the public face of VGC, and be courteous to other road users.

  • Some drivers may be new or not very confident.
  • Watch out for vulnerable road users. Cyclists and motorcyclists may suddenly be blown sideways when it’s windy. Always check when opening your car door, pulling out at a junction, or changing direction.

Driving at work risk assessment (updated 21 Dec 2020)

You can download this driving information and the full risk assessment in pdf form (170kb pdf) here.

Public transport

  • If you need to use public transport, try to travel at off-peak times when it is less busy.
  • Stay as far away from other people as possible.
  • Wear a face-covering.
  • Wash your hands before you leave home, use hand sanitiser, and try to avoid touching surfaces unnecessarily.

See the government website for more information.

Page updated 12 Nov 2020