The Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, has written to CILT members to encourage the public transport sector to raise awareness of and encourage the public to download the NHS' Covid-19 app.
In the letter to transport operators, he says: "We are seeing Covid-19 cases rise across the country and I continue to be immensely grateful for your ongoing hard work in ensuring that our transport services continue to run and that passengers can travel safely on the network. Nevertheless, we all need to do as much as we can stop the spread of the virus and save lives.
"The NHS Covid-19 app is an important tool that is helping the NHS to understand where and how quickly the virus is spreading so that our response can be quick and effective. Alongside contact tracing, it notifies users if they are at risk of contracting the virus, allows people to record their symptoms, book tests and check into venues across the country. It is vital that as many people as possible download and use the app to protect themselves and others.
"The launch of the app has already seen success, with over 18 million downloads on Apple and Android devices so far. But there is more we can all do to raise awareness and encourage the public to download it, and I am keen that the transport sector plays its part.
"As a public-facing industry, the transport sector is in a unique position to reach the travelling public. I am asking you to promote the app as much as you can to encourage people to download it. Your customers also have a direct benefit in downloading the app because it is the only way people can be traced while using public transport, given QR location codes are not currently used on the network.
"Examples of how you might promote it include directing passengers to it during the booking process on your websites and apps, by including an ask in your communications collateral and announcements and by word of mouth.
It is vital that we all do as much as we can to spread this message and I will personally be promoting it, along with my ministerial team. By doing so, we
are all doing what we can to save lives and control the spread of the virus."