Face coverings now required on buses

Monday 27 July 2020

Anyone wishing to catch a bus will have to wear a face covering from today, Liberty Bus has announced, as buses return to their full seated capacity and cash is once again accepted on board.

Passengers will be refused travel if they are not wearing a face covering, apart from young children and those with breathing difficulties or a disability.

The move comes as buses are now returning to their full seated capacity after being limited to 50% of capacity for the last eight weeks.

While Liberty Bus has been strongly recommending the wearing of face coverings since they introduced limited seating capacity, it has only been optional. 

Pictured: It is now mandatory to wear a face covering on buses.

It has now become a condition of riding the bus as Kevin Hart, the company's Director, explained.

“As the number of cases in Jersey has remained extremely low, confidence in catching the bus has increased, and over the last three weeks we have had to leave numerous people behind at bus stops, having reached capacity," he said.

“We believe that making face coverings a condition of travel will enhance confidence in using the bus, therefore increasing revenue which we can put back in to running more frequent and later services.

"The timetable will remain as it is for the time being until we are confident that our customers are complying with the condition of carriage."

Pictured: Masks will be available for sale for the first few days of the new rule.

In order to help passengers into the new rule, LibertyBus will be providing face masks for sale on buses and in Liberation Station for the first few days of operation.

“Face coverings for our drivers will continue to be at their choice as it’s imperative that they are comfortable and have nothing blocking their vision when driving," Mr Hart added. "They’re also at a distance of more than one metre when in the cab and have limited contact time with passengers.”

The Government supports the idea of wearing face coverings on buses or in any space where physical distancing is not possible.

"As people increasingly use public transport, it will become harder for people to strictly adhere to physical distancing on buses," the Minister for Infrastructure, Deputy Kevin Lewis, said. 

"We therefore have agreed with LibertyBus that wearing of a face covering would become a condition of carriage in order to increase capacity on buses, meaning customers will need to cover their mouth and nose with a scarf, snood, folded cloth or cloth mask while on public transport.

“Cloth masks or nose and mouth coverings should not be used by children younger than two years or anyone who has trouble breathing or who would not be able to remove the mask themselves.”

Pictured: Cash payments are now available again on board but customers are being urged to continue to pay by AvanchiCard as no change can be given.

Meanwhile, LibertyBus have also had agreement from Government to reintroduce cash payment on board. However, in order to minimise the spread of covid-19, no change will be given.

Customers are therefore being urged to continue to pay by AvanchiCard, contactless, or to have the correct change.

Drivers will be able to issue a change voucher that will be redeemable from the customer service desk in Liberation Station where staff have access to washing facilities.

“The move from using cash to card has been extremely popular however we still have occasional travellers who prefer to pay by cash or have no other means of payment,” Mr Hart said.

“The move to offer a change voucher negates the need for the driver to handle as much cash as before as they have limited access to washing facilities out on the road.”