Bus passengers 'to be encouraged' to wear face coverings as dozens of Sheffield services resume next week

First South Yorkshire and Stagecoach Yorkshire are bringing in the new timetables from Monday, June 1 following the Government’s announcement of a new bus, tram and light rail restart programme.

Both firms say they have introduced new measures to ensure buses are clean and safe and journeys can be undertaken in a covid-19 compliant manner.

Stagecoach say buses will be cleaned daily with a government-recommended sanitiser, with a particular focus on key touch points, and additional in-service cleaning where possible.

First Bus say they have adopted ‘industry-leading’ measures to ensure safety guidelines are followed including capacity tracking technology and enhanced seat signage.

All buses will continue to have a protective screen to provide a physical barrier between the driver and passenger and face masks will also be available for drivers.

And in line with government advice, both Stagecoach and First will encourage passengers to wear a face covering.

Social distancing measures currently in place on all bus services mean each individual bus has around 20 per cent of normal passenger capacity.

The Government also announced further funding for bus operators to help the firms manage reduced on-board capacity.

Customers can find full details of the new First South Yorkshire timetable at www.firstgroup.com/south-yorkshire and the new Stagecoach Yorkshire timetable at www.stagecoachbus.com.

Phil Medlicott, managing director of Stagecoach Yorkshire said: “Buses are going to continue to play a crucial role in the country’s recovery ahead.

“As well as helping restart our economy, they are vital in bringing normality back to many areas of our daily lives.”

Garry Birmingham, managing director of First South Yorkshire, added: “The Government guidance is still to avoid public transport so we urge customers to consider if they need to use the bus to travel, and if so to avoid where possible typically busier times of the day.”

“Our drivers and the support teams behind them are continuing to work hard at keeping bus services running. The assistance and understanding of our customers will help us in managing on-board capacity during these challenging times.”