Moray bus services to move up a gear from lockdown level
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MORE bus services will be on the roads in Moray from next week.
Stagecoach said today it will start to gradually increase bus service levels in line with the Scottish Government’s plans.
From Monday, June 29, the company will provide around double the number of services that have been running as part of the emergency timetables in place since March.
Bus services will then be gradually increased, with plans to resume full timetables later in the summer. As well as local bus links, it includes Citylink and megabus coach services.
The step-up plans follow the Scottish Government announcement of restart funding for the bus network to help buses play a part in connecting people with workplaces, the high street and other key services as they start to gradually reopen.
In Moray there will be more frequent connections between Elgin, Inverness and Aberdeen. Services 35 and 10 will run hourly for the majority of the day, with additional journeys in the morning and afternoon peaks.
Buses to Lossiemouth will operate up to every 30 minutes from Monday-Saturday on service 33A/C, with hourly connections to Manitoba and Pinefield. An hourly service will operate on Sundays.
Services that will remain suspended include the 110, 133, 253, 258, 271, 248 and 405.
Stagecoach has launched a new smartphone "busy bus" indicator, which uses extensive data and artificial intelligence to provide a traffic-light indicator to help customers choose quieter services and maintain physical distancing.
Face coverings are mandatory on all public transport across Scotland.
Sam Greer, regional director Scotland for Stagecoach, said: "Buses will continue to play a crucial role in the country’s recovery ahead. As well as helping to restart our economy, they are vital in bringing normality back to many areas of our daily lives. They keep people connected and have a major role in delivering safer, cleaner and healthier communities."
A team of Stagecoach engineers are working to ensure the bus fleet is ready for the ramp-up in services. Buses which have been parked up during recent weeks will be deep-cleaned and will undergo checks in advance of going into service.
The bus firm will continue an enhanced cleaning regime which includes at least daily cleaning of all buses with a government-recommended sanitiser, with a particular focus on key touch points.
All buses will have a protective screen to provide a physical barrier between the driver and passenger. In line with government advice, as drivers are behind a protective screen, they do not need to wear a face covering.
Physical distancing measures will be in place on all bus services, which means that each individual bus has around 20% of normal passenger capacity.
Click here to download the Aberdeenshire and Moray timetables.
