Only one person is allowed in a carriage at a time. The men and women - some contractors and others government employees - mop the floors,disinfect windows and handrails with chemicals that NSW Health says will kill the coronavirus.
At stations,Opal readers and other frequently used surfaces are sprayed down in a bid to stop the spread of COVID-19. The cleaners wear glasses,gloves and long shirts,but no masks as they work their way across the empty carriages.
The government would not provide the number of cleaners working on the network,but said the increased efforts would continue into “the foreseeable future”.
“TfNSW is working closely across all our agencies and external operators to protect our customers,employees,and theirs,during the coronavirus outbreak,” a TfNSW spokeswoman said.
Rail,Tram and Bus Union NSW secretary Alex Claassens said it was critical frontline staff were being protected while working.
“Public transport is an essential service and despite the risks,transport staff are coming into contact with hundreds of people every day,” he said.