Stagecoach in South Wales revises timetables from Monday 20th April

Stagecoach in South Wales has provided an update on further changes being made to its timetables in response to government advice on avoiding non-essential travel.

Further revised timetables will be in place from 20th April and are now available on the Stagecoach website and are also being sent out on Twitter. These temporary timetables, which will operate across the region until further notice, are continuing to be revised to ensure that critical routes are maintained wherever possible.

From 20th April, there will be revised timetables until further notice

There are no Sunday services until further notice

Encouraging feedback to enable timetables to be improved for key workers

The company has revised its timetables to cater for the reduced demand in travel following the government’s advice to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel.

The timetables have also been developed to continue supporting key workers on their journeys to and from work, with feedback being encouraged from its customers on specific changes they would like to see. As a result:

· Service 151 has been diverted in the morning to serve Morrison’s in Risca

· Services 120/130 and Service 122 now operate from the top of the Rhondda Fawr to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital to help cater for key worker shifts

· Service X24 has additional earlier and later journeys to help cater for key worker shifts

From Monday 20th April

· The first Service 25 will connect with Service 27 to serve Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil

· Service 56 will divert via Peacehaven for key worker shifts

· Service B has an additional journey in the evening and has an additional service in the morning to help cater for key worker shifts

· Service 95A in Aberdare and Service 79 in Merthyr Tydfil both have an additional mid-morning journeys to aid social distancing

· Service 132 has additional morning journeys from Porth to Maerdy and a later journey from Cardiff to Tylorstown to help cater for key worker shifts

· Service 60 has an earlier morning journey to Pontypridd and will also connect to Service X4 going to Cardiff at 06:43 to help cater for key worker shifts.

Stagecoach in South Wales is also offering free travel to NHS workers on all its services with the exclusions of: England, Megabus and Traws Connect services 40A/B/C and 43/X43. Details are available on the stagecoach website

https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-wales/free-nhs-travel

Stagecoach in South Wales has also shown their appreciation for the hard work that the frontline staff and key workers are doing all over the UK by showcasing a number of messages on the front of their buses. The ‘not in service’ message that displays on bus screens will now be replaced with the following:

· Save lives

· Stay at home

· Only travel if your journey is essential

· Thank you key workers

· Thank you NHS

Stagecoach is strictly following government and public health guidelines, including those from the World Health Organisation, to keep its employees and customers safe. A number of extra measures have been put in place including:

· Asking passengers to pay by contactless wherever possible, or have the correct change for their journey if they can. Alternatively payments can be made online or via the App.

· Supplied thousands of bottles of personal hand sanitiser to employees with larger refill bottles at depots.

· Ensured that nearly all buses are fitted with security screens which have been adapted to provide a barrier to help prevent transmission of the virus.

· Launched an enhanced cleaning regime of buses and workplaces, which is being strictly adhered to and includes extensive cleaning of the key touch-points such as the ticket machines, hand poles, and cash tray.

· Carried out extensive customer communications asking people only to travel if necessary, and to practice social distancing by using a single row per person if possible,

avoiding the two rows directly behind the driver and keeping a safe distance between the driver and other passengers.

Customers can stay up to date with all the latest news from Stagecoach on Twitter @StagecoachWales or by signing up to the email mailing list. Full details are available at:- https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-wales/urgent-service-changes-covid19-2020