Safe Return to Campus
What is the latest travel advice?
Travelling to work
Introduction
This following guidance contains advice on how to be safe when walking, wheeling (wheeling refers to travelling by wheelchair), cycling, or travelling in private vehicles or on public transport during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has set out a route map. You should therefore review this guidance regularly to see how the changes to restrictions would affect your travel.
Please follow these steps for your own safety and the safety of others:
- Stay at home if you or anyone in your household is experiencing coronavirus symptoms (new continuous dry cough, fever or the loss of or a change in your sense of smell or taste) or if you are self-isolating
- Familiarise yourself with Scottish Government test and protect guidance
- Continue to work from home when you can
- Consider walking, wheeling or cycling, if you can, to reduce pressure on the road network and on public transport where capacity will be limited
- Plan your journey and leave additional time due to temporary restrictions or changes to previous timetables or schedules
- Pay for your journey online, use smart ticketing, the operator’s mobile app, or contactless payment, if you can, to reduce cash handling
- Comply with any signage or instructions on public transport or from transport staff as the safety measures in place are for everyone’s benefit
- When travelling on public transport or in a taxi or private hire vehicle or when you are in a bus or railway station, enclosed ferry terminal or airport you must wear a face covering
- Be considerate of the impact of restrictions on the needs of fellow passengers who may have impairments, disabilities or mobility issues
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or use a hand sanitiser before and after every transport journey
Discuss flexible working options with your Line Manager to enable you to travel out with peak times or work from home (where appropriate).
Before you make any travel plans you should consider the following two questions:
Should I travel?
You should stay at home if you:
- are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms or
- are self-isolating as a result of coronavirus symptoms or sharing a household with somebody with symptoms
Read more information and guidance from Health Protection Scotland
Is my journey necessary?
Before you travel, you should consider if your journey is necessary. This will ensure the transport network can keep running and allows people who need to make essential journeys to travel.
In order to ease demand on the transport network, you are encouraged you to walk, cycling or travel by car, if you can. Plan ahead, timing your journey to avoid busy times and think about your need to use public transport while capacity is constrained.
Walking or cycling:
If you decide to walk or cycle, information from your local authority or Sustrans (the national charity for walking and cycling) can help you plan your journey, including maps showing dedicated paths and routes. If cycling, you should check any changes to routes in case of any temporary traffic or road restrictions.
https://ayecycleglasgow.org.uk/routes/
Best practice on walking and cycling during COVID-19 - available on the Sustrans Scotland webpage
When walking or cycling you should follow the Highway Code to keep everyone safe. In particular:
- Only pedestrians - including people using wheelchairs and mobility scooters - should use the pavement.
- Cyclists should only cycle on designated cycle lanes, shared paths and roads.
- On shared, non-segregated paths, all users should be considerate of each other. Cyclists should use a bell to warn of their presence but be mindful that a bell may not be sufficient warning to pedestrians with hearing, visual or mobility impairments.
When walking you should maintain physical distancing at all times.
If you are using a wheelchair, it is recommend that you clean your wheelchair down after each journey.
When cycling you should maintain physical distancing. It is recommend that you wash your cycle down after each journey.
Using college bike bins:
If you are storing your bicycle within a bike bin while at College. It is advised that you clean down the bin door handle before and after use. You should use your own lock to secure the bike. Maintain social distancing while making your way to the College buildings.
Bus, Rail and Glasgow Subway
https://www.firstgroup.com/greater-glasgow
Plan your journey
The public transport system continues to have limited capacity due to physical distancing and lower service provision. It is important that you plan your journey and check with travelinescotland or your transport operator for the latest travel advice on your route. Your transport operator will also have information on the measures they have put in place to ensure your safety when travelling.
It is possible that travel may take longer than normal on some routes due to reduced capacity and physical distancing measures. You should therefore allow sufficient time especially if your journey involves changes between different forms of transport.
You are advised to plan ahead by identifying alternative routes and options in case of unexpected disruption. If you can, you should travel at off-peak times, which are likely to be less busy.
Where possible, you should book your travel online through your transport provider’s ticketing app, smartcard or website. If you are unable to pay for tickets online, you should consider contactless payment, if you can, or have the correct cash available.
You should adhere to physical distancing from people who are not in your household if you are walking to a station or bus stop and adhere to physical distancing on public transport and at stations, terminals and stops. Where this may not be possible, you should keep the time you spend with others as short as possible and avoid physical contact.
On your journey – staying safe
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak some routes may have less space available than usual due to physical distancing measures or changes to previous timetables or schedules.
You should try to maintain physical distancing from people. There may be situations where this is not possible, for example when boarding or alighting, on busier services, busier times of day and when walking through interchanges. If you cannot maintain physical distancing from others, you should avoid physical contact and keep the time you spend with others as short as possible.
If you are travelling with members of your household, you should sit together as that will free up space for other passengers.
You must wear a face covering when using public transport in order to prevent the transmission of the virus. For children under 5 years of age or those with particular health conditions who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of any physical illness, mental illness, impairment, disability or without severe distress an exemption applies. There is no requirement to obtain evidence in the form of a letter from a doctor or government that you are exempt. If you have a condition which means you cannot wear a face covering you need only advise if asked that you cannot wear a face covering because you are exempt for one of the reasons listed above.
You should provide your own face covering. A face covering does not have to be a surgical or other medical grade mask but must be a facial covering of the mouth and nose. Face coverings worn over the mouth and nose may include a scarf, facemask, protective visor, or any other type of appropriate covering. It will not be acceptable to pull a shirt, blouse, jumper or coat up to try to cover your nose and mouth. If you choose to wear a face visor, it must cover the nose and mouth completely.
When applying or removing the covering, it is important that you wash your hands first and avoid touching your face.
After each use, you must wash a fabric face covering at 60 degrees centigrade or dispose of it safely.
If you are not wearing a face covering without a reasonable excuse, you will be in breach of the law and may be liable, on summary conviction, to pay a fine.
When travelling comply with any signage or instructions on public transport or from transport staff as the safety measures in place are for everyone’s benefit.
If you cannot safely keep your distance on board a bus, train or tram then please wait for the next service.
When travelling be aware of the surfaces you touch. Be careful not to touch your face and remember to cover your mouth with a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing. If you have your own hand sanitiser it is recommended you use it throughout your journey, particularly where you are likely to touch surfaces.
Seek assistance if you need it:
If you require assistance when travelling and would normally contact your transport operator ahead of time, continue to do so, so they can prepare accordingly.
If any problems arise or you feel ill during your journey, speak to a member of transport staff. In the case of an emergency, contact the emergency services as you normally would.
If you need help, maintain physical distancing from members of staff. If this is not possible, you should try to avoid physical contact and keep the time you spend with members of staff as short as possible.
Completing your journey:
When finishing your journey, you should deposit any of your used tissues or rubbish in bins. It is recommend you wash or sanitise your hands (and children’s hands if you are travelling with them) as soon as possible.
Taxis and Private Hire vehicles:
Plan your journey
Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle operators may have put in place new measures to help with physical distancing. You should check what new measures apply. You may wish to confirm payment arrangements to avoid cash transactions.
On your journey:
At taxi ranks, you should try to maintain physical distancing from others. If you cannot, you should avoid physical contact and keep the time you spend with others as short as possible.
Completing your journey:
When finishing your journey, you should deposit any of your used tissues or rubbish in bins. It is recommend you wash or sanitise your hands (and children’s hands if you are travelling with them) as soon as possible.
Private cars and other vehicles:
Plan your journey
Consider walking or cycling, if you can, to reduce pressure on the road network.
If you are using a private vehicle, make sure that you plan ahead and check the latest travel advice on your route via trafficscotland. Routes may be different as local authorities make changes to enable physical distancing on pavements and cycle routes.
Car Sharing
You should try not to car share and where possible you should only travel with members of your own, or extended, household.
- share the transport with the same people each time
- keep to small groups of people at any one time
- maintain good ventilation by keeping the car windows open if possible
- ask everyone to wear face-coverings
- face away from each
- clean your hands before and after your journey
- consider seating arrangements to maximise distance between people in the vehicle
- if the vehicle is your responsibility, clean the door handles and other areas that people touch
On your journey
When driving, you should anticipate more pedestrians and cyclists than usual, especially at peak times of day. You should allow other road users to maintain physical distancing by, for example, giving cyclists room at traffic lights.
You should limit the time you spend at garages, petrol stations and motorway services. You should maintain physical distancing from others and pay by contactless methods, if possible.
You should wash or sanitise your hands before your journey and if you are the driver, you should encourage passengers to do likewise.
Completing your journey:
When finishing your journey, we recommend you wash or sanitise your hands as soon as possible and ensure regular cleaning of keys or fobs, door handles and steering wheel.
- Legislation associated with mandatory wearing of face coverings
- Further guidance on face-covering
- How to wear and make a cloth face covering
Arriving at College Carparks:
Park your car in a space away from other vehicles to allow you and others who may be travelling with you to maintain social distancing while making your way to the College buildings. If the carpark is busy with pedestrians, wait in your car until it is safe to make your way into the campus.
When entering any of the College buildings, please use the hand sanitiser provided, or wash your hands following good hand hygiene advice as soon as possible.
Can I car share with fellow staff?
The Scottish Government has advised that those from different households should not car share for travel to and from campuses and should not travel together in cars during breaks or lunchtime.
When are the campuses re-opening?
Home working remains the default position. There is a gradual build up to the re-opening of the campuses for certain activities in order to ensure that the site is safe and covid secure.
How will I know what to expect when I return to campus?
Guidance on the practical aspects of returning to campus is attached here Covid 19 Staff Guidance.
How are decisions being made about the re-opening of the campuses?
We are following all relevant Government Guidance including from Health Protection authorities and sector specific guidance. As previously advised, there is a Re-Opening Project Board chaired by the Principal which meets on a weekly basis to review the work by the various work streams. Qs and As are generated following these discussions.
When will I see my Department’s operational plan and risk assessment?
Your Manager will have prepared a plan for your area so please discuss this with them.
Where can I find out more about what is being done to re-open the College buildings or if necessary continue to work at home?
Follow this link for more information on the work that’s going on to ensure our staff and students can continue to work and learn in a safe environment.
When can I gain access to the campuses?
All College Managers have undertaken risk assessments for their offices and teaching spaces in order to make sure staff and students can return to work and study in a safe environment. In addition all Managers have completed a Staff Operating Plan and your line manager should have discussed this with you.
What are the remits of the Re-opening Working Groups?
The broad remit of each working group can be seen here Reopening working groups.
I would like the opportunity to influence any changes being made to my work area and working practices, how can I do this?
We have introduced a suggestion scheme call ‘Idea Box’ on the HIVE platform and we would encourage all staff to use this to share any ideas they have. These ideas will be shared with the relevant reopening working group for consideration. Additionally suggestions you have should be discussed with your line manager.
Will the nurseries at each campus be open?
The Nurseries on each campus were open for the start of the new term and are working to the guidance issued by the Scottish Government guidance issued on reopening early years learning and childcare services.
How long will these plans be in place?
The College continues to re-open the campuses in line with Scottish Government Guidance.