Government Coronavirus Measures Changes to Bus Services

GOVERNMENT CORONAVIRUS MEASURES: CHANGES TO BUS SERVICES

• Measures reflect reduced travel and keeping key workers communities connected
• Temporary reduced service to operate from Monday 23/03/20
• Changes follow new government advice on social contact + non-essential travel
• Stagecoach support for national effort to help tackle challenging situation
• Safety and well-being of customers and bus employees  remains top priority
• Full details of new timetables available online at stagecoachbus.com

Temporary changes to bus services in Stagecoach West Scotland are being introduced by Stagecoach from Monday 23^rd March 2020 following new government advice around social contact and non-essential travel to help combat the coronavirus.

A reduced timetable will operate across the region until further notice. The timetables have been carefully created to ensure that critical routes are maintained wherever possible.

It follows extensive action by bus operators to enhance cleaning regimes and protect the safety and well-being of customers and bus workers.

Separately, the bus and coach industry is also engaging with government to help ensure the long-term future of bus services, which are critical to the economy and local communities, is protected.

Fiona Doherty, Managing Director for Stagecoach West Scotland said: “Along with other bus operators and key sectors, we are working hard to support the national effort to tackle the current challenging situation.

"The safety of our customers and our employees is at the heart of everything we do. We also know that our bus services play a vital role in keeping the country running and ensuring key sector personnel get to work.

“Following the latest government advice, we have reviewed our timetables and made temporary changes which reflect the reduced level of travel. Our objective has been to focus resources on where we know they are needed most at this time.

“We are working hard to best maintain essential services, safeguard jobs and ensure the long-term sustainability of a sector which is central to our economy and communities.

“We will continue to monitor the position, liaise closely with government and other authorities, and respond as appropriate to what is a dynamic situation.”

Services will operate a Sunday service or an enhanced Sunday service across Ayrshire, Glasgow and North Lanarkshire with many services staring earlier than they would on a Sunday to allow key workers to continue to access employment. Services in Dumfries and Galloway will operate either a Sunday service or an emergency timetable.

Since the impact of the coronavirus in the UK, Stagecoach has implemented additional hygiene measures to protect passengers, frontline bus workers and office-based staff.

In addition to well-established and rigorous cleaning regimes, there has been more frequent cleaning of main customer touch-points on buses, such as hand poles and grab rails.

Customers can stay up to date with all the latest news from Stagecoach on Twitter @StagecoachWScot or by signing up to their email mailing list. Full details are available at stagecoachbus.com.