May 17 2021
In response to an increased demand to travel following the easing government restrictions, from Monday 17 May it will be possible to use every forward facing seats on buses in England. This decision, which is likely to only impact a small number of bus services at busy times of day, follows a risk-based examination of a range of factors including safety measures introduced by operators, face covering compliance as well as Covid-19 infection numbers and vaccination rates.
Commenting on this decision, a CPT spokesperson said:
“Operators are doing everything they can to keep the country moving and ensure people can travel with confidence. This includes running additional services where demand is high and providing up to date information on busy buses via apps and websites.
“As restrictions ease and more people begin to move around places public transport will be busier than we have seen during the pandemic. On busy routes at busy times this means it may not always be possible to socially distance and some passengers may need to sit next to each other. Where possible we are encouraging passengers to plan their journey in advance and travel off peak if they can."