Bus drivers on the frontline in the global pandemic are being protected with fully sealed protective cabins made by RH Bodyworks.

The Suffolk-based accident-repair specialist was commissioned to design a permanent solution to protect bus drivers from infection while on frontline duty. It has now made more than 100 units for a London bus operator.

Andy Sage, General Manager at RH Bodyworks, said: “It is a great project to be involved in. We do feel that we are making a difference and helping to protect essential workers against the pandemic.”

Most buses already had assault screens to protect drivers from passengers, but the screens had gaps at the top and bottom and were not sufficient to stop the coronavirus being transmitted from one person to another.

“The operator sent us a bus that we could have on-site. From there, we could design a mock-up and work on it to perfect the unit. Our primary objective was to fully-protect the drivers, but it had to be cost-effective. It was a completely new design built from scratch,” said Andy.

Massive demand for Perspex screens meant mass-producing the product has been challenging, as has the logistics of sending technicians to London to install the screens on-site.

“Like many other transport companies, as soon as lockdown was announced commercial activity slowed down considerably but we remained open because many of our customers operate in key areas such as the food supply chain which had high demand for deliveries ,” added Andy.