Glasgow 's iconic Subway has been “decimated” by Covid-19 with nearly 30 staff testing positive and four in hospital, we can reveal.
An insider said the “serious outbreak” was running rampant with 28 staff members self-isolating.
At least four were hospitalised in the last 10 days.
The Record’s revelations come after Strathclyde Partnership for Transport bosses revealed more than 5000 people a day were using the service – nicknamed the Clockwork Orange – last month despite the stay-at-home order.
In December, about 8500 people were travelling on the subway on weekdays when Level 4 restrictions were in place across greater Glasgow. During the last national lockdown in March into April, that figure was only around 1500.
A source said: “Covid-19 has completely infiltrated the Subway system from management, control staff and station personnel to drivers and cleaning staff.
“There is a serious, massive localised outbreak of coronavirus running rampant throughout the Glasgow subway system.
“People are terrified and extremely worried as management have constantly misled them and refused to keep staff informed of the continuing and dangerous situation.
“There have been multiple occasions when staff members have been tested, then returned to work, for them to be informed they are positive for the virus.
“The workplace areas where the confirmed sick have been are not being cleaned thoroughly.
“The people who have worked with these confirmed cases are not being sufficiently informed.
“It is worrying that staff members are not being encouraged to have tests as this would cause staff shortages as the staff would have to take time off to be cleared of the disease.
“Management also seem to be aggressively against staff using track-and-trace apps. It is well known that management and office staff have not been following distancing rules and, as a result, numbers of staff have been decimated.
“This is creating an enduring strain on every single person and will only get more pervasive as long as this is allowed to carry on.
“All the staff want is for someone to held accountable for the health and safety of the members of the subway system.”
SPT has previously said: “We are following all Government and public health advice and regularly review our own risk assessments across SPT to ensure our staff are as safe as possible.”
An SPT spokesperson said last night: “Subway has continued to operate throughout the Covid lockdowns to assist keyworkers who still need to travel and have no alternative.
"This current lockdown period has seen a widening of keyworker roles with construction, manufacturing, and other essential services including health appointments continuing, so demand for services has been greater.
“We are following all Government and Public Health advice and regularly review our own risk assessments across SPT to ensure our staff are as safe as possible.
"Staff are fully aware of all health advice and the responsibility they have to keep themselves, their colleagues, and the public safe – ensuring they wash their hands and maintain safe physical distance as much as possible.
"We have increased cleaning regimes in both public and staff areas and all staff must follow the protective arrangements in place, this includes cleaning and sanitising their work/break area before and after use.”
“While we have endeavoured to continue to offer our usual high standard of customer service, staff are aware the priority is to maintain a safe physical distance both for their safety and that of the public. Our social media and advertising encourages card payments as much as possible, and most transactions are by card. In addition, the Subway now takes contactless payments so we expect card use to keep increasing.”
