North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

[iMarkeh]

RE: North West Bus Service Changes due to Coronavirus outbreak

(05/05/2020 09:12)knutstransport Wrote:  The current plan (based on leaked documents) seems to be the government will expect office workers who can work from home to continue to do so and other people who are currently not working will start to return to work - with some exceptions like schools and pubs remaining closed for now. They'll also encourage staggered starting and finishing times to try and prevent overcrowded public transport services and so that workplaces are quieter.

With trains DfT can tell franchised operators to return to the usual service level and if they get fewer passengers than expected then DfT can give them revenue support.

While DfT could offer a bus operator grant to bus operators they'll probably leave it up to local authorities so what happens with commercial services and if DfT provide extra funding for local authorities will it be enough?

With trains, the DfT can do what they like as the operators are all on management arrangements with the DFT taking all revenue risk. Trains also need more notice to get everything back up as there is a lot of prep work in the supply chain so even if trains run empty for a short time, it will give time to get things back to 'normal' (Whatever that may be) prior to the majority of passengers using the service.

Buses will just go with the demand. Unfortunately, I fear that many operators will take a long time to adapt timetables and rather than increase the services ready for people working, they will wait until there are loads of overcrowded buses and then catch on that they need to put more buses out when 1/2 the passengers have found alternative ways to travel. That is normally how the bus industry deals with things.