Since the government announcement on February 22^nd 2021, the UK coach holiday market has waited with bated breath to ensure that the roadmap to operating holidays again would continue as planned. That plan sees customers allowed to depart on a UK coach holiday for the first time in over 12 months, a period that has had dramatic and devastating effects on the UK tourism industry.

After months of waiting, it seems that May 17^th will bring about a phoenix style rebirth of the UK tourism industry with many operators already fully booked for the summer and many UK residents looking to escape the rigours of local lockdown restrictions with multiple day trips and/or excursions all around the country.

Whilst this is an obvious time for jubilation, it is also a time to ensure that safety is at the top of the priority for operators, not only regarding public hygiene but also fleet management. Many fleet vehicles have been unfortunately inactive for a long period of time and are now going to be thrust into one of the busiest times the UK travel market has seen in a generation.

Ensuring fleet safety standards are retained, subsequently allowing operators to focus on ensuring passenger experience is optimised, is going to be crucial in ensuring the safe return of this industry over the upcoming months.

We have therefore put together an ‘essential safety checklist’ for any operator returning to service from May 17^th, to help operators deliver safe experiences and provide successful services throughout the summer, and beyond.

1)      Ensure passengers are educated on your rules regarding safe travel.

If any passenger has coronavirus symptoms or awaiting a Covid-19 test results, or even have a positive test result, then they must not be allowed to travel. This is essential to stop the spread of the virus and no matter what safety measures you put in place, one symptomatic passenger will be able to bypass your safety measures and could cause serious issues.

2)      Is your fleet as clean as it can be?

Coach cleanliness has been shown as a major indicator of passenger confidence and can have a huge impact on your ability to attract and rebook customers over the upcoming months. With many UK residents claiming they would like to take 2-3 holidays/breaks throughout 2021, your first impressions regarding hygiene and cleanliness is going to make a big impact.

Keeping vehicles consistently clean over long journeys is often a challenge, which is why it is important to use specialist equipment to retain that just washed look for longer.

With Parma’s specialist cleaning range of chemicals and accessories you can make sure your vehicles are looking their best for longer. Make sure your fleet is ready for the busy season ahead with our Vikan transport vehicle wash brush & pole range, amongst a number of other specialist cleaning ranges in stock and available for you today. https://parmacommercial.com/collections/vikan-transport-vehicle-wash-brush-and-pole-range 

3)      The interior of the coach is where the highest risk of virus transmission can occur.

You may want to consider the use of face masks when onboard the coach or checking passenger temperatures when boarding to ensure the risk is minimised. Having hand sanitisation stations throughout the coach, a comprehensive cleaning procedure between journeys as well as disinfecting all air conditioning systems before they return to service is a great way to ensure passenger safety.

4)      Review your current procedures to ensure safety is at the forefront of the customer experience.

Reducing passenger numbers, providing PPE to employees and passengers, clear boarding and disembarking rules, as well as an enhanced cleaning process are some examples of ways in which you can ensure that the safety risks associated with operating your service is minimised

5)      Manage your fleet safety responsibly and safely.

As previously above, vast swathes of fleet vehicles have been unfortunately left static for some time since the travel restrictions came into place last year. This can cause visible and non-visible safety issues that need to be picked up on prior to returning the vehicle to service.

One of the major non-mechanical checks needs to be the safety of the wheels; specifically, the current torque of the wheel nuts to avoid any accidents arising from wheel detachment. Corrosion can cause wheel nuts to loosen or become brittle over time, especially when left static for prolonged periods of time.

Ensuring wheel nuts are at the correct torque using specially calibrated tools, then fitting safety devices such as our PROLOCK products can give operators the peace of mind that this safety concern is covered. Check out our PROLOCK products here, along with several other wheel safety products focussed on keeping your fleet road safe.

We hope this checklist has helped you to collate your plans for making the most of the return of UK coach holidays and from everyone at Parma we hope you have a successful and profitable summer ahead.