A study is needed to understand the risks of COVID-19 transmission on public transport.
Public transport usage is currently well below 2019 levels, but as travel and economic activity resume, the number of people using public transport will have to increase.
These environments could transmit COVID-19 through close proximity and interaction with contaminated surfaces, and so we need to understand this risk.
Solving the problem
TRACK is a multidisciplinary project designed to address knowledge gaps around COVID-19 transmission on public transport. TRACK will develop a novel risk model that can simulate infection risk through three transmission mechanisms (droplet, aerosol, surface contact) within different transport vehicles and operating scenarios.
We need to deepen our understanding of COVID transmission in public transport and keep applying the latest science to our work across the network to reduce transmission.
Professor Phil Blythe, Professor of Intelligent Transport Systems, Newcastle University
TRACK is a collaboration between Leeds University; Cambridge University; Imperial College London; Newcastle University; Public Health England (PHE); Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl); and the Department for Transport (DfT).
This programme of work has been granted funding of £1.6 million by UK Research and Innovation(UKRI), for an 18-month period.
