“You can’t touch that!” Changes to passenger behaviour on public transport since COVID-19
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our behaviours in many ways. From mandatory changes such as wearing masks and socially distancing, to responsive behaviours such as panic buying and avoidance behaviours, the pandemic has had a significant impact on human behaviour.
On public transport, research in the UK has identified a change in passenger behaviour on the London Underground that has led to an increase in slips, trips and falls incidents. Passengers are not holding the handrails on escalators for fear that “the handrail is not clean because of the pandemic” (Thackray, 2021).
Using handrails and grab rails in stations and on public transport conveyances is important for passenger safety. To encourage the use of grab rails and handrails, passengers need to feel confident that they are clean and safe to use. As Australia experiences its highest number of COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic with the evolution of the Omicron strain of the virus, lessons can be learned from the UK to ensure a similar rise in incidents is not seen here.
Operators of public transport systems face a significant risk around passenger safety that needs to be understood and managed. To address this issue, Ergonomie undertook research to investigate risk perceptions of using handrails and grabrails during the pandemic, as well as the actual behaviours carried out by transport passengers in Australia.
Ergonomie developed and distributed a survey regarding participant’s: fear of COVID-19; health-protective behaviours; transport usage; and behaviours prior to and since COVID-19. The aim of this survey was to compare participant’s perception with actual behaviours observed in stations and on transport.
136 surveys were completed, largely in NSW, with an equal spilt of males and females responding. The results of the survey confirmed that passengers travelling on public transport in Australia are concerned about using grab rails and handrails and that a risk does exist of increase numbers of passenger injuries in stations and on conveyances.
Further research is recommended over different modes of public transport; rail, bus, tram and ferry, to fully understand the issue and to develop a strategy for public transport operators to manage this risk and help encourage passengers back onto their networks.
Key Findings
136 survey responses were received. 50% were male and 50% were female. There was an age range of 13-69 years, and the majority of respondents were fully vaccinated (96%) and from NSW (70%).
The research yielded the following key findings:
Fear of catching COVID-19 is real, with only 23% of respondents reporting not to be afraid of catching it
Females, the elderly, and those living with their family are most fearful of catching COVID-19
Public transport is seen as a major risk area to catch COVID-19
Older people (aged 60 to 69 years) are particularly concerned at catching COVID-19 on public transport. This is a significant area of concern, with this age group being a frequent user of public transport (100% use it once per week, and 57% three times per week or more)
Younger people (less than 19 years) are least concerned with catching COVID-19 and are less likely to change their behaviour related to using public transport
COVID-19 is significantly impacting people’s behaviour on public transport:
o Only 18% of respondents are not worried about the transmission of COVID-19 from grabrails and handrails
o 70% of respondents said they will use grabrails and handrails on public transport less now because of COVID-19
Being fully vaccinated did not influence passenger behaviour – i.e., people who were fully vaccinated did not feel any safer or adopt riskier behaviours on public transport
· The following factors could be considered to make people feel safer on public transport:
o Increase hand sanitiser stations – dispenser and wipes
o Increase visibility of cleaning staff
o Improve hygiene technology in stations and conveyances
o Increase assurance/ confidence for passengers that surfaces are clean
o Continued mandatory mask wearing in stations and on conveyances
o Reduce capacity on public transport
o Provide real-time transport density data
o Increase presence of transit police
Conclusion
The findings of this research have shown that despite high vaccination rates, and even prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant, the effects of the pandemic are far from over. People continue to be cautious and take measures to reduce their chance of catching the virus, including not holding the handrails and grabrails on transport and in stations. This increases the risk of an incident occurring and similar patterns being seen in Australia as in the UK.
An important finding was that older passengers (aged 60-69 years) were least likely to use the handrails and grabrails on transport for fear of catching COVID-19. Within this age group, 100% of participants reported using public transport at least once a week, and 57% use it at least three times per week. In fact, this age group were the second most likely to use public transport, after 13-19 year olds (62% use it at least three times per week). As they are using transport often, it is important that older customers are reassured of the cleanliness and safety of the handrails and grabrails to encourage use, as they are least likely to be stable on their feet and most at risk of injury should they have slip, trip, or fall.
While the majority of respondents in this survey were from NSW (70%), the results provide insight into how passengers from other states may be feeling as they currently experience a rise in case numbers. The results also suggest that health-protective behaviours are likely to be performed for the foreseeable future, regardless of vaccination status, case numbers, or the easing of restrictions.
Next steps
Ergonomie intends to further this research to broaden the findings of the current survey, ensuring the results reflect the continuously evolving situation regarding Omicron, and apply it to different transport modes. This would then allow the development and application of recommendations for increasing passenger confidence in the safety and cleanliness of public transport and encourage the use of handrails and grabrails.
References
Thackray, L. (2021). Surge in accidents on London Underground as passengers scared to hold handrail. Independent. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/accidents-injuries-underground-tube-trains-london-b1922140.html
Authors
Freya Lingard, Human Factors Consultant, Ergonomie Australia Pty Ltd
Craig Fletcher, Managing Director and Principal Consultant, Ergonomie Australia Pty Ltd
Anne Maddock, Operations Director and Principal Consultant, Ergonomie Australia Pty Ltd
Date of research – November 2021
Date of publication – February 2022
