COVID:19 - Safe Operating Procedures for Holiday Customers

Date Added 30/06/2020

The government recently issued new guidelines that allow us to consider the re-start of our holiday programme, albeit with many precautions and limited passenger numbers on board.  We want to ensure that while Covid 19 restrictions are in place you are still able to fully enjoy your holiday with us. 

Throughout this pandemic period and in this transition as we return to normal operation, it is very important that we all follow some simple guidelines to protect our staff, our passengers and anyone else that we may come into contact with as we carry out our holidays.  As such please ensure you follow this guide to help maintain the hygiene levels that we currently have in place to reduce the spread of any disease.

‘Comfort Stop’ and Coach Cleaning: Our current enhanced cleaning procedure includes cleaning of all floors and seats, cleaning of all glass surfaces, mopping with disinfectant of all floor surfaces, disinfectant wiping of dash areas, driver controls and handles. It also includes cleaning all handrails, hand grabs, seat belt buckles, armrests and floors. It also includes vehicle anti-viral fogging on a weekly basis. 

How do I protect myself and my fellow passengers?

The following procedures comply with World Health Organisation guidelines and with the latest government guidelines as updated on Tuesday 23^rd June 2020.  The transmission of Coronavirus is primarily through people touching surfaces contaminated by the virus and then transferring that contamination to their mouth, eyes or nose. There is also a possibility of breathing in droplets expelled by another person when in close face to face contact.

The primary concern on board coaches is that of social distancing; passengers should keep their distance please from people outside their household and we recognise that this is not always possible.  The key thing is not to be too close to people for more than a short amount of time. When around another person the biggest risk of infection is people in close ‘face to face’ positions.   

We have conducted an in depth risk assessment and can provide assurance and mitigation of these concerns; our normal front facing seating arrangements avoids ‘face to face’ proximity and the physical barrier of the high backed seats, plus the use of face coverings or masks will all help to ensure maximum mitigation of the dangers and maximum safety.

1. When our door to door service driver arrives, he or she will be wearing a face mask and will wear gloves when handling your luggage.  The vehicle will be clean, safe and sanitised and capacity will be reduced to just 4 passengers in order to provide for social distancing.
2. When you arrive at our premises, you will be assisted by our staff.  They will be wearing face coverings.  Our ‘Comfort Stop’ toilet facilities will be available; please wash your hands of course and maintain 2 metre social distancing whenever possible while using the facilities and while waiting to board.
3. You will be subject to a temperature check prior to boarding. It is generally accepted that 36.1C (97F) to 37.2C (99F) is the normal range for our bodies. Passengers with a high temperature will be requested not to travel, for the benefit of other passengers and will receive a full refund from us (less a £50 admin charge and travel insurance). 
4. We would appreciate that you wear a face covering when boarding and during the journey, preferably your own; however our driver will also have masks available. The entrance/exit on the offside of the coach may also be used for boarding and disembarking where it is safe to do so.
5. You will be asked to board just a few minutes before your departure time, in order to minimise the time that passengers spend on the coach once boarded. Please try to maintain 2 metre social distancing wherever possible, as you gather and when approaching and speaking with our driver.  Our driver will wear protective gloves at all times when handling your luggage. 
6. Our courier will wear a mask and protective gloves and will have anti-bacterial gel available. You will be requested to sanitise your hands prior to boarding. Again, please ensure you observe social distancing while waiting to board. Your seat number may change because ideally passengers will be seated on alternate seats on each row wherever possible. Please also note that the toilet on board the coach will not be available while these measures are on place.  However rest assured that no journey will be longer than 2 hours without a comfort stop.
7. Passengers who live together in the same household or are part of a social ‘bubble’, may sit together on a double seat. Where this occurs, the seat opposite, next to the aisle must not be used.  The front double seat immediately behind the driver is unfortunately not available for use. 
8. As part of our driver’s safety briefing he or she will advise that upon arrival at the destination he or she will be exiting first and that once he or she has left the vehicle then all passengers may safely disembark, starting from the front – please continue to observe social distancing while waiting to disembark.
9. Our driver will drive with the roof vents open, a plentiful supply of fresh air helps to prevent the spread of germs. Our coach air-conditioning systems have been upgraded to provide clean, filtered air.  He or she will also be wearing a face mask while driving.
10. Upon arrival at the hotel, our driver and courier will disembark and ask you to alight.  Obviously they will maintain a helpful presence but will also observe self-distancing requirements. Each day our driver and courier will clean all touch points on the coach.  
11. Once at the hotel, you will be required to follow their guidelines throughout your stay.  We will ensure that they have carried out and implemented their risk assessment which will be according to accepted industry guidelines; and we will communicate their requirements to you in our pre-holiday travel pack letter.  Please understand that there will be restrictions with regard to various public areas, i.e. lifts, bars and swimming pools and bedroom facilities like mini-bars, dressing gowns and magazines may be removed.
12. During your holiday, please wash your hands regularly and when boarding and disembarking from the coach - observe social distancing and use the hand gel that is supplied on board.
13. With regard to the exchange of such things as lost property, mobility aids etc, this will be carried out with full regard to all social distancing and hygiene requirements. 

We appreciate that these precautions and procedures are somewhat onerous, however, and most importantly, we want to ensure that you still have a most enjoyable holiday!  It is of course in all our interests to do what we can to prevent the spread of the virus. Should you require any further information or have any specific considerations and requirements then please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected].  Thank you for your co-operation and for booking with Johnsons.

(This document is dated Tuesday 30th June 2020)