Nottingham City Transport has set a date of Sunday June 28th to return to normal timetables on most of its buses – following this unprecedented period when only ‘core’ services are running due to the COVID-19 Coronavirus ‘lockdown’.
As movement restrictions are gradually eased by the Government, Ruddington’s public transport users will once again be able to catch a bus to Wilford and the City via Clifton Road and Wilford Road when the Navy 3 service (above) is reinstated. Also our Green 10 service will be extended again to take passengers through to Ruddington Fields Business Park at peak times and on Sundays. Only the N48 Nightbus (and NCT’s other overnight services and University buses) will remain suspended for now.
Since lockdown was introduced on March 23rd, the operator has revealed the number of people using its buses has fallen by 90%. Now the government is providing financial support to bus companies to enhance their services whilst passenger numbers increase as the lockdown restrictions are relaxed. This is to provide maximum capacity for people to be able to space out when they travel.
Announcing the changes, NCT Commercial and Operations Director, David Astill, says: “With restrictions being gradually relaxed and the government providing financial support to bus operators over the next few months, we are now able to return our services to normal from June 28th”.
He continues: “Customers returning to our services can travel safely by following the Safer Travel Guidance for Customers. This includes boarding one at a time, sitting in a window seat, washing or sanitising their hands regularly and by following the mandatory requirement to wear a facial covering on public transport from June 15th”.
NCT says it’s also consulted with Unite Union representatives – and all Nottingham City Transport staff are being issued with updated guidance to enable them to keep safe in the work environment.
Ruddingtonians returning to public transport from June 28th are asked familiarise themselves with NCT’s Safer Travel Guidance rules (illustrated above) and to make use of NCT’s recently launched online “Capacity Checker” to see how quiet or busy their bus may be before they travel.
