Auckland Transport (AT) is undergoing additional cleaning measures at Manukau Train and Bus Stations after the city’s recent positive case was said to have attended the Manukau campus of MIT in the same building.

It has been confirmed that the student did not use public transport, but AT says health and safety on its network is a priority, so as a precaution it has undertaken fog (spray) sanitation of the stations due to their proximity to MIT. There is also limited access to the train station as MIT is undertaking deep cleaning in the same building.

Also as a matter of precaution, we are standing down the usual cleaners and security guards at Manukau Train station due to the time that they spend within the facility itself.

These measures come in addition to the enhanced cleaning regime that AT has continued since New Zealand’s first lockdown early last year. As a reminder, AT has taken numerous measures to help keep customers safe on our network and maintain effective and safe public transport services for our customers, these include:

• We’re ensuring that all public transport is being thoroughly cleaned regularly. See a video of some of our cleaning here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpAHT7gpQRI
• Buses and trains are being spot checked, with touch surfaces being regularly cleaned.
• Our cleaners and other essential staff are using PPE and will maintain clear physical distancing rules ­ — such as using the ‘bubble’ rule with our teams, strict hand-washing prior to and after completing tasks — and other measures as they go about their work on our vehicles, stations and facilities to minimise the risk of COVID-19 as much as possible.
• Our AT Mobile app indicates the available capacity that is on a bus or train service at any given time adjusted to alert level restrictions, so customers will know if 1-metre distancing will be achievable before they board. Bus drivers will move to only dropping customers off once a vehicle is at capacity.
• We will be actively monitoring our timetables while at Alert Level 3 and will make changes to timetables as needed. For timetable information download the AT Mobile app or go to: www.at.govt.nz

Per government advice, under Alert Level 3 you should stay home unless out for essential personal movement in your area. If using public transport for essential travel, you must maintain 1-metre physical distancing and should scan the Ministry of Health’s NZ COVID Tracer app QR code, plus you must wear a face covering.

The best place to find the latest information about the COVID-19 situation in New Zealand is on the Government’s special COVID-19 website: https://covid19.govt.nz/

Auckland Transport’s COVID-19 page is at: https://at.govt.nz/COVID-19

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