Coronavirus information

This page was last updated: 24/09/20.

The UK Government has stated that it is mandatory for passengers to wear face coverings while travelling on public transport in England, Scotland and Wales.

You must wear a face covering when travelling on our buses unless you meet the exemption criteria set by the government. To see the government guidance on face covering exemptions please follow this link ⇒

In Scotland it is mandatory for anyone over the age of 5 or over to wear a face covering, including all school buses (under 5s are exempt)

For more information please see here:

Please remember to bring a face covering or mask for your journey, it needs to fit well and cover your mouth and nose.
Put your face covering on before boarding the bus.
If you have an exemption and you are unable to wear a face covering please be prepared to inform the driver or show an Extra help to travel card (Journey assistance card). Please see here for more details ⇒
Please take your face covering with you at the end of your journey.

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We are now running more buses to help manage reduced capacity due to the social distancing measures we have in place following Government guidance. Please check the relevant Timetable section for the new frequencies and bus times. Thank you for your ongoing support, which is essential, as we work together to maintain safe travel across our networks.

Service Updates

People intending to travel should check the appropriate government advice for the region of the UK they live in. When using public transport allow extra time as travel may take longer than normal on some routes due to reduced capacity and social distancing measures.

For the latest service information in your area please click the link below.

Are you a key worker? Please tell us if you are concerned that our service changes don't meet your needs:

Keeping our customers safe

On our buses we are operating at a reduced capacity with around half of the seats being available. It is therefore possible that that you might see ‘Bus Full’ signs as some services reach their revised capacity more quickly.

If you are waiting at a bus stop and the bus drives past, it might have reached its reduced seating capacity. If the bus does stop, but is near capacity, the driver will only allow one person to board for every person that gets off, so you may need to allow extra time for your journey and be prepared to wait. With the latest version of the First Bus App you can now track your bus live on a map and it also displays how many seats are available on each bus.

First Bus App: Know where your bus is and if the wheelchair space is free and how many seats are available: Video ⇒

In addition, you will also see further measures in place to help you to adhere to social distancing guidelines. These include:

New capacity signs by the entrance of each bus
Seat signs and tape to clearly show where you should and shouldn’t sit to maintain a safe distance
Reminders to be considerate of other passengers
No standing

We are also taking the following action:

Thorough cleaning including regular disinfection of all grab rails and poles, entrance door handles, window ledges and other touchpoints. Virucidal detergents used.
We use a long-lasting sanitising treatment (Zoono Z71) on all buses and depots, which kills germs on surfaces. It is environmentally-friendly, uses no alcohol or dangerous chemicals, and is proven to be a highly effective antimicrobial surface sanitiser.
Encouraging good hand hygiene amongst all our staff
Embedded social distancing, and provided personal protective equipment such as gloves and hand sanitiser to all our drivers
Displaying NHS advice on our buses wherever it is practical to do so.

What else could you do to stay safe?

	Plan your travel in advance, avoiding peak periods
	Wear a face covering when on board (unless you meet the exemption criteria set by the government)
	On our double deckers, consider sitting upstairs (if you are able)
	Pay with contactless or purchasing your ticket in advance on our Mobile App
	Use the correct change if you must pay by cash
	No eating or drinking while on board
	Leave windows open to aid ventilation

We’d also value your help in staying up-to-date with the latest coronavirus information from the NHS or Department of Health and Social Care websites.

Wash your hands with soap and water frequently for at least 20 seconds.
Use hand sanitiser whenever soap and water are unavailable.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and place the tissue into the bin straight away.
We encourage all customers to switch to contactless payments and purchasing tickets via our Mobile app where possible.
We appreciate your assistance in helping to limit the spread of coronavirus.

Space Checker

Space Checker, the brand new tool from First Bus to help you plan ahead and travel with confidence. Space Checker allows you to see when your favourite bus stop and service is typically at its busiest and choose a quieter time to travel.

Designed using recent passenger data, this new platform acts as a prediction of how much space will be available on your service - up to 7 days in advance.

Space checker currently provides information for the following areas, and we will be including all of our operating areas soon:

Glasgow, West Yorkshire, York, South Yorkshire, Bristol, Bath and the West, Leicester, Potteries and Worcestershire.

FAQs

Please find information and FAQs below on what we are doing to provide a safe operating environment for customers and employees:

Is it safe to travel on a First bus?

Yes, and with operators and customers working together we will provide a bus network, that is safe and allows everyone to complete their journeys. In line with UK Government advice, we are continuing with the systematic daily deep cleaning of our vehicles and facilities and screens are fitted to all cabs, separating drivers from passengers. Drivers also have access to gloves and hand sanitiser and all staff are encouraged to wash their hands regularly.

To help with this we are asking our customers to:

Wear a face covering when on board (unless you meet the exemption criteria set by the government)
Please be aware of others who may have a priority need to travel
Look out for ‘Bus full due to social distancing’ messages on the destination display, which means the bus might not stop
Be prepared to allow extra time or waiting to complete your journey

Who may and may not travel on your buses?

People intending to travel should check the appropriate government advice for the region of the UK they live in.

There are currently no restrictions on passenger type and everyone is welcome on our buses if they follow government and First Bus guidance, and they are not feeling unwell. Anyone who is suffering from coronavirus symptoms including a persistent cough or high temperature, should not travel, and should follow public health guidelines.

What timetables are in operation?

The majority of our services are running and we have made changes to our services to better support key workers, and to help manage reduced capacity due to the social distancing measures we have in place following Government guidance. Please check the relevant local sections of our website for the new frequencies and bus times. ⇒

Are there any imminent timetable changes?

Please check the relevant local sections of our website for the new frequencies and bus times. ⇒

What assistance is provided for disabled passengers?

Support for disabled passengers remains the same as before coronavirus, see here for more details ⇒

We offer our full support to wheelchair users who want to travel with us. While many of our seats are blocked with signs or tape, our wheelchair spaces remain available. All our buses have a dedicated area for wheelchair users; other passengers are required to give up the space for wheelchair users. Please ask the driver for assistance if you require any help. If the driver needs to leave their cab to provide passenger assistance they will wear a face covering.

Wheelchair users have priority over everyone else for the use of the designated wheelchair space, since this is the only place in which they can travel safely.

If the ramp is required please keep a 2 metre distance whilst the driver puts the ramp in place.
The driver will keep the time they are within 2 metres of you to an absolute minimum.

What steps is First Bus taking to maximise social distancing, at stops and on board?

If you are waiting at a bus stop and the bus drives past, it is likely it has reached its reduced seating capacity. If the bus does stop, but is near capacity, the driver will only allow one person to board for every person that gets off, so you may need to allow extra time for your journey and be prepared to wait. With the latest version of the First Bus App you can now track your bus live on a map and it also displays how many seats are available on each bus.

In addition, you will also see further measures in place to help you to adhere to social distancing guidelines. These include:

New capacity signs by the entrance of each bus
Seat signs and tape to clearly show where you should/shouldn’t sit to maintain a safe distance
Reminders to be considerate of other passengers
No longer allowing standing

Seat signs will show where you shouldn't sit:

Capacity signs by the entrance of our buses. This will show the maximum passenger capacity for each bus:

What should passengers do to socially distance, at stops and on board the bus?

Plan your travel in advance, avoiding peak periods
Please observe social distancing on-bus and at bus stops
Wear a face covering when on board (unless you meet the exemption criteria set by the government)
On our double deckers, consider sitting upstairs (if you are able)
Pay with contactless or purchasing your ticket in advance on our Mobile App
Use the correct change if you must pay by cash
No eating or drinking while on board
Leave windows open to aid ventilation

Do bus passengers need to wear a face mask/covering to get on your buses?

In England, Scotland and Wales it is now mandatory to wear a face covering on Public Transport unless you have an exemption. Failure to do so may result in a fixed penalty notice of up to £100. To see the government guidance on face covering exemptions please follow this link ⇒

Please remember to bring a face covering or mask for your journey, it needs to fit well and cover your mouth and nose.
Put your face covering on before boarding the bus.
If you have an exemption and you are unable to wear a face covering please be prepared to inform the driver or show an Extra help to travel card (Journey assistance card).
Please see here for more details ⇒
To see the government guidance on face covering exemptions please follow this link ⇒
Please take your face covering with you at the end of your journey.

Please see our face coverings page for more information ⇒

Will the driver refuse to let me on if I’m not wearing a face mask/covering?

It is your legal responsibility to wear a face covering when travelling on public transport unless you have an exemption. The driver cannot enforce this but you may be liable to a fixed penalty notice of up to £100 if you refuse.

Who is exempt from wearing a face covering?

Exemptions for the use of face coverings will apply to those with certain health conditions, disabled people and children under the age of 11 (in England and Wales) or under 5 (in Scotland). Children under the age of 3 should not wear face coverings.

To see the government guidance on face covering exemptions please follow this link ⇒

Why are your drivers not wearing a face mask/covering?

Our drivers have face masks but may not be wearing a face covering or mask while driving as this can be distracting. And for those who wear glasses there is a risk these get steamed up while driving. The cab has a protective screen to separate the driver and passengers.

Why is my driver wearing a mask when they help vulnerable people?

Our drivers have to leave their cab when helping vulnerable customers and so are following the advice to wear a face covering as they are now in an open area of the bus and briefly in closer contact with the passenger.

Will key workers get priority boarding?

No, but we have made changes to prioritise our service network around the needs of key workers.

Will I need to leave extra time for travel

Passengers should follow Government guidance and leave extra time for their journeys.

Is the driver responsible for managing social distancing measures?

Our drivers will advise customers wherever possible but they cannot enforce social distancing measures.

Please note the seating measures we have introduced are advisory for customers and we will not be asking our drivers to enforce them or leave their cab area, unless operating the manual bus ramp. Our driver will help advise customers when boarding where seats are available.

What additional cleaning is taking place?

Our buses are comprehensively cleaned every night by our expert team of cleaners, including regular disinfection of all grab rails and poles, entrance door handles, window ledges and other touchpoints. We use a long-lasting sanitising treatment (Zoono Z71) on all buses and depots, which kills germs on surfaces. It is environmentally-friendly, uses no alcohol or dangerous chemicals, and is proven to be a highly effective antimicrobial surface sanitiser.

Will you be providing face masks or hand sanitiser for passengers?

No, customers should use their own sanitiser and face covering.

Please see the government advice on using and making a face covering:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-wear-and-make-a-cloth-face-covering.

In order to maximise social distancing, when is best to travel and when is best to avoid?

There is usually sufficient capacity on our buses but it's best to plan your travel in advance. Our busiest periods are in the middle of the day, so it is best to travel in the morning and late afternoon. This will help ensure we provide our services to as many customers and key workers as possible while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

With the latest version of the First Bus App you can now track your bus live on a map and it also displays how many seats are available on each bus.

We also advise that you try to travel before the last service of the day, to avoid the risk of the last service bus being full. We will not be able to run extra buses after the last service bus.

What happens if the bus I want to catch is full?

On our buses we are operating at a reduced capacity with around half of the seats being available. It is therefore likely that that you might see ‘Bus Full’ signs as some services reach their revised capacity more quickly.

What happens if the last service of the day is full?

We advise that you try to travel before the last service of the day, to avoid the risk of the last service bus being full. We will not be able to run extra buses after the last service bus, and you may have to arrange alternative transport.

Are you still accepting cash on your buses?

Yes, we are and there is no government advice currently to stop accepting cash, but please try to use the exact fare. However, we encourage all of our customers to buy tickets using the First Bus App or to pay by contactless card when boarding.

Which First Bus ticket offices and customer service centres are open and which are closed?

Please check the relevant local sections of our website for details of any local travel shops that are open. ⇒. For customer service enquiries you can call us on 0345 646 0707. Our lines are open from 9am to 5pm Mon-Fri. Our quieter times are usually between 11am and 3pm so you may prefer to call then as there will be less of a wait to speak to one of our Customer Support Agents.

If you prefer, you can fill out the contact form here instead ⇒ We will get back to you as soon as we can but please be aware that for lost property enquiries our response time is usually within 3 working days for all other enquiries this could take up to 14 days.

What happens if my travel plans change or I am unable to travel due to this infection, will you refund me?

Certain pre-paid tickets allow full flexibility of use and for some, such as single tickets on our m-ticket App, we have extended the expiry to allow customers more time.

Our general Terms and Conditions still apply but we will look at each customer’s situation. The best way to contact us to talk about your ticket or change to travel plans is set out below – rest assured we’ll look into your enquiry and come back to you as soon as we can.
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For mobile tickets (mTickets) bought in our app, please email our mTicket support team mticket-support@firstgroup.com. Please include the mobile number and email address associated with your mTicket account . Alternatively, please call us on 0330 094 7577.
For subscription tickets, please email first.etickets@firstgroup.com and include the email address and telephone number associated with your subscription.
For tickets you’ve bought on our website to print at home (eTickets, e.g. airport services), please call:
0345 646 0707 and select option 2 then option 2 or complete a contact us form.
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For all paper tickets, please call 0345 646 0707 and select option 2 then option 3 or email us at: SSC-TicketEnquiries@firstgroup.com

Will I be able to get a pushchair on board?

We are asking customers with a pushchair or buggy to consider the travel needs of vulnerable passengers and those in a wheelchair or with restricted mobility. This may mean that you have to leave extra time or wait to complete your journey.

Will I be able to get a wheelchair on board?

We are asking customers to consider the travel needs of vulnerable passengers and those in a wheelchair and will do all we can to prioritise access to the wheelchair space for a wheelchair user.

We have a new feature on our First Bus app which gives wheelchair users live updates that show if the wheelchair space is available on buses nearby and helps them plan their journey.

Can I use a bus if I am feeling unwell?

Government advice is that people shouldn’t travel if they are suffering from coronavirus symptoms including a persistent cough or high temperature and should follow public health guidelines.

Are you making hand gel available to your drivers?

Yes, we were one of the first bus operators to do this and we have made hand sanitiser products and gloves available for all staff.

Please watch our videos for information and advice for travelling on the bus during the coronavirus situation:
	Travel safely on our buses: Social distancing and travel information: Video ⇒
	Face coverings: Video ⇒
	First Bus App: Know where your bus is and how many seats are available: Video ⇒
	Cleaning on our buses: Video ⇒

At First Bus we’ve quickly adapted during the Coronavirus pandemic to support our customers. Please see here to learn more about how we’ve kept our key workers moving ⇒

For important extra information please see here:
Face coverings information ⇒	Guidance from First Bus about who does and does not need to wear a face covering on our buses, and the rules that apply.
Government guidance ⇒	Official UK government coronavirus guidance and support page. Comprehensive guidance on living in the UK during the coronavirus outbreak, with guidance, support, statistics and announcements.
Risk Assessment ⇒	First Bus Covid 19 Risk assessment

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We’re absolutely committed to being there for our customers and you can contact us by phone on 0345 646 0707 between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and we're available on Twitter 7am until 7pm Monday to Friday, and 9am-5pm weekends and bank holidays. Please see our Help and Support page for contact details.

Staying in touch and up-to-date

This webpage will always have the latest information and guidance for customers, so please do check back here regularly and closer to your journey. You can also help us to communicate quickly and easily with you by registering with us here:

Thank you for your continued support.