Tag: public transport

Face coverings mandatory on public transport from Monday

Face coverings will become mandatory on public transport from Monday (22 June) as part of operators’ preparations for progress towards recovery and to reduce the risk of transmission.

The move was set out by the First Minister in tandem with the announcement that Scotland will move through phase 2 of the routemap in stages over the next three weeks.

It will apply to all passengers and staff in public areas, although there will be exemptions especially for those who are not able to wear a face covering for specific medical reasons. Children under five will also be exempt.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson stressed the importance of the new rules and that by wearing a face covering everyone is engaged in a collective responsibility to reduce the risk of transmission. He said: “Our message remains clear that public transport should be for key workers and those who need it most and can’t walk or cycle to work.

“Capacity is reduced to enable physical distancing and operators are not yet running full services. However, as we work towards recovery and more people return to work and further local leisure opportunities begin to open up it is vital that measures are put in place to protect everyone’s health.

“Transport operators continue to play a key role in supporting essential travel and in ensuring passenger confidence in public transport while maintaining physical distancing. The use of face coverings forms a fundamental part of gaining that public trust.

“We are asking people to take personal responsibility to do the right thing. Wearing a face covering while on public transport means you are playing your part in the collective effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus and reducing the risk to your fellow citizens.  These measures complement physical distancing and good hand hygiene, they do not replace them. ”

Roz Foyer, STUC General Secretary said: “Our overriding concern is the safety of transport workers and the general public, so we fully support mandatory face coverings for which transport unions have unanimously argued. 

“In conjunction with other key safety measures, this is a vital component in giving people the confidence and security to return safely to their work as a careful and sustainable relaxation of lock-down is enacted.”

Paul White, Director CPT Scotland said: “This is another boost to operators’ existing safety measures which are keeping buses safe for passengers and staff.

“Passengers have worked with bus operators and with each other to maintain social distancing guidelines; we will be looking to them to work with us to ensure the policy is a success”

Robert Nisbet, Director of Nations and Regions at the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Everyone taking the train wants to be able to travel safely and the vast majority want to help others do the same.

“By wearing face coverings on trains and at stations, passengers are helping to slow the spread of the virus and making them mandatory provides even greater clarity for passengers on how they can do the right thing when travelling.”

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “People thinking of returning to public transport have told us they want face coverings to be used by all passengers. Today’s decision will provide welcome clarity and will boost pressure on others to cover up.

“Transport operators must ensure that passengers who need to travel have clear advice to understand what is expected of them, who is exempt and how they can play their part to help keep one another safe.”

Advice on face coverings, including how to make one and instructions for using one, will be available on the Transport Scotland website.  This advice is being updated to include full details of the applicable exemptions.

Changes to Lothian bus services from Sunday

Lothian Buses will introduce an update to its critical services network from Sunday 21 June to help keep key workers across Edinburgh and the Lothians moving during this time.

Tram construction works in Leith will also start on 20th June, meaning that our services will be unable to serve Leith Walk northbound. Services 7, 14, 16, 22, 25, 49 will be diverted via London Road and Easter Road, heading north only and Service 11 will be diverted via Annandale Street, Bellevue Road, Mcdonald Road and Broughton Road on journeys to Ocean Terminal.

Since the introduction of the Critical Services Network on Sunday 29 March, teams across Lothian have continued to analyse customer travel patterns and customer feedback to ensure the business is meeting the needs of as many key workers and essential travellers as possible.

Customers can view updated timetables and plan journeys on Lothian’s website or through the Lothian app which offers journey planning tools and real-time service updates, all integrated with Google Maps.

It can be downloaded from tfeapp.com.

Network changes include:

Services with minor timetable changes: 1, 34, 106, 124, X27

Services with revised timetables: 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 14, 16, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 33, 35, 37, 38, 47, 48, 49, Airlink 100, 113, 43, X18

Services with revised route and timetables: 2, 7, 41, 49, 140, X28, 400

Service 2

Route extended to operate between Hermiston Gait and The Jewel.

Service 7

Route extended to Western Harbour on Monday to Saturday daytime, evening and Sunday journeys will continue to terminate at Newhaven.

Journeys towards Western Harbour will divert via Easter Road due to Tram construction works.

Service 41

Revised timetable with the route extended to operate between Cramond and Kings’ Buildings.

Service 49

Route extended to Fort Kinnaird.  On journeys to and from The Fort, buses will no longer access the car park at Asda The Jewel and will continue along Milton Link instead.

Journeys towards Fort Kinnaird will divert via Easter Road due to Tram construction works.

EastCoastbuses 140

Route extended to operate between Musselburgh and Penicuik Town Centre on Monday to Saturdays.

Lothiancountry X28

Monday-Saturday daytime frequency increased to every 30 minutes between Bathgate and Livingston.  Short-working buses will terminate at Livingston Morrisons.

East Calder, Mid Calder and Edinburgh will continue to be served hourly.

Skylink 400

Route extended to operate from Fort Kinnaird to Gyle Centre.

The following services are not altered: 20, 44, 63, 139

The following services do not operate: 6, 10, 12, 23, 36, 42, 45, 61, 67, 200, 300, X12, X15, X25, X26, X29, X31, X33, X37, X44, X47, N3, N7, N11, N16, N22, N25, N26, N30, N31, N34, N37, N44, 104, 125, 126, 127, X5, X7, N106, N113, N124, X17, X38, X43, EX2, 275, 280, 287, N28, N43

Timetables can be downloaded below:

Lothian Buses Network – 21 June 2020

East Coast Buses Network – 21 June 2020

Lothian Country Network – 21 June 2020

First Bus announces app update to live-track bus capacity

First Bus, one of the UK’s largest operators, is launching an update to its mobile app that will enable customers across Edinburgh to live track not only the location of their next bus but also its available capacity, as the operator continues to develop ways to help customers social distance on board its fleet.

First Bus will be the first major bus operator to roll out live capacity tracking. This reduces uncertainty for customers and allows them to make informed decisions about their essential journeys.

Going live this week, the app update will show customers a bus icon on a map depicting the live location and available capacity of each vehicle in the vicinity. This new functionality will provide customers with the information they need as the bus approaches.

The innovation has been made possible by First Bus’s new passenger counting functionality, announced at the end of May. Data from this system feeds directly to the First Bus app in real time.

With social distancing guidance being observed at the same time as lockdown restrictions are being relaxed, this additional capacity will allow customers to travel in comfort and safety. To further support social distancing, and in addition to passenger counting, seats on each bus are now clearly marked indicating where customers should sit.

First Bus continues to encourage cashless payments, and use of the App to purchase mTickets, to reduce the need for contact between customers and drivers.

Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director of First Bus in Scotland, said “We are really proud to have been able to fast-track this technology to ensure safe, informed travel during these difficult times.

“Our buses provide an essential service for our customers and we are doing all we can to support them.”

This latest update from First Bus forms part of its ongoing work to improve the customer experience.

Changes to Lothian Buses timetables from Sunday

Lothian Buses will introduce an update to its critical services network from Sunday (17 May) to help keep key workers across Edinburgh and the Lothians moving during this time.

Since the introduction of the Critical Services Network on Sunday 29 March, teams across Lothian have continued to analyse customer travel patterns and customer feedback to ensure the business is meeting the needs of as many key workers and essential travellers as possible.

Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses, said: “Over the past six weeks, our services have provided vital links for those who require to travel for work or to obtain essentials such as food and medicine.

“Our teams have continued to monitor customer travel patterns and have listened to both customer and colleague feedback. Today we are announcing additional revisions to our Critical Services Network which will better meet the needs of key workers and those for whom travel remains essential.

“Every team across our business has continued to go above and beyond to provide these vital services and my thanks go to each and every one of them both on the frontline and behind the scenes. I would also like to thank our customers who have shown an enormous amount of support and understanding throughout what continues to be an incredibly challenging operational time.”

Customers can view updated timetables here and from Wednesday customers can plan journeys on Lothian’s website or through the Lothian app which offers journey planning tools and real-time service updates, all integrated with Google Maps. It can be downloaded from tfeapp.com.

Lothian Buses network changes include: (download here)

Service 3

Revised timetable with additional journeys from Mayfield in the early morning, Monday to Friday.

Service 4

Route extended to operate between Asda The Jewel to Oxgangs every hour. Buses will turn at Oxgangs Bank (just before the library).

Service 16

Frequency increased to every 15 minutes between Silverknowes and Morningside Monday to Saturday daytime with improved morning running times. Torphin, Colinton and Oxgangs will continue to be served every 30 minutes.

Buses terminating at Morningside will operate a loop via Morningside Drive, Craighouse Road, Craighouse Gardens, and Balcarres Street.

Service 19

Revised timetable with all journeys operating to and from Leith Street

Service 21

Revised timetable with additional journeys. Route extended from Westside Plaza to Clovenstone Roundabout.

Service 30

Frequency improved from every 30mins to every 20mins on Monday to Saturday daytime.

Service 37/47

Revised timetable with most Monday to Friday service 37 buses now serving Deanburn (except a few early morning and late evening journeys which will continue to serve Ladywood).

Introduction of hourly service 47 from Penicuik Ladywood to Granton Harbour, Monday to Friday to provide additional links to Straiton, to the NHS sites at Lauriston Place, the Western General Hospital and a service for residents of Granton Harbour/Waterfront Avenue.

Service 41

On Mondays to Saturdays the last evening return journey to Cramond is withdrawn.  The Sunday service is also withdrawn.

Service 44

Minor timetable changes on Monday to Saturday. Sunday frequency improved from every hour to every 45 minutes

Minor timetable changes: 1, 7, 11, 14, 22, 25, 26, 27, 31, 33, 34, 38, 48, 63.

No changes to services 5, 8, 20, 24, 29, 35, 49, 100.

 

East Coast Buses network changes include: (download here)

Service 106

Monday to Saturday daytime frequency increased to every 30mins Edinburgh to Haddington, with the hourly service to/from Dunbar maintained.

Service 113

Revised timetable introduced to coordinate with Service 106.  Last journey from Edinburgh & Pencaitland withdrawn.

Service 124

Revised timetable introduced, including an additional morning peak journey from Longniddry to Edinburgh on Mondays to Saturdays.

Service 139

On Saturdays, the last evening return journey is withdrawn.

Service 140

No change.

 

Lothian Country network changes include: (download here)

Service X18
Minor timetable changes on all days of the week, including a new Journey introduced from Whitburn to Edinburgh on Mondays to Saturdays at 07:52

Service X27
Revised timetable on all days of the week

Service X28
Revised timetable on all days of the week, including a new earlier morning journey from Livingston Bus Terminal to Bathgate and a later Sunday evening journey from Edinburgh to Bathgate.  On all days of the week, the last evening journey from Edinburgh which currently terminates at Deans North will extend to Bathgate.

Letters: Public services more vital than ever

Dear Editor

The National Health Service has always been valued as a people’s organisation. This value has always been appreciated – but never more so than today.

This lesson on the importance of people’s services shows the way our society must be run. If the NHS is vital, so are gas, electricity and water. As are the railways, buses and trams. Make them public services, too – serving the people.

The value of the NHS to the people is immense: a publicly funded service, available ever day.

Also ever day, 30 million people travel to and from their places of work using rail, bus and tram.

Work, in order to live, is a necessity. These transport industries must also become part of a fully funded, publically owned service with the NHS. It can be arranged and organised as a public service.

The NHS has been our lifeline. People have always guarded the principle of a service of the people.

How right that is!

Tony Delahoy 

First Bus launches educational pack to help Edinburgh kids carry on learning

Scotland’s biggest bus operator has created and launched a new online educational resource to support the home-schooling efforts of parents and teachers in Edinburgh during the Coronavirus lockdown.

Local bus operator First Scotland East has teamed up with teachers from across the country to develop a resource pack for schools, with the aim of providing primary aged children with a fun filled set of activities focused around buses.

With the Coronavirus outbreak delivering a trying time for thousands of people, the team at First Scotland East wanted to give something back and support the communities they proudly serve every day with their local bus services across Edinburgh.

The pack, which is based on the curriculum for excellence criteria, aims to educate kids on the benefits of using public transport, through a series of engaging, educational tasks.

Each page has been created specifically around the core educational framework of the curriculum for excellence; literacy, numeracy, creativity and problem solving.  Each activity is coded to enable teachers to track and monitor how children are getting on with each sheet.

Designed to suit the abilities of children from P1 right through to P7, the pack contains a series of activities to appeal to each age and stage, as well as tapping into children’s love of all things bus.

From creating posters on the environmental benefits of using the bus, to writing about a favourite bus journey, a word search, a ‘build a bus’ challenge, an acrostic poem and the opportunity to design a bus, the pack has been created with fun as well as education at front of mind.

Andrew Jarvis, Managing Director of First Bus in Scotland, (above) said: “With much of the UK effectively ordered to stay at home for at least the next few weeks, we wanted to support the thousands of schools, teachers and families who are home-schooling and keeping children entertained during this unprecedented time.

“Just a few weeks ago, it was almost inconceivable that these restrictions would be in place, which only underlines what a challenging, dynamic and rapidly evolving situation the UK faces and one which First Bus is monitoring and responding to day-by-day, hour-by-hour.

“Rest assured everything is being done to keep key workers mobile as the nation comes together to limit the spread of coronavirus. I hope our activity packs will provide another means of helping to keep younger children occupied and is just a small gesture from everyone at First Scotland East to bring some light relief to families during this difficult period.”

The educational pack is available to download for free, from the website link: www.firstscotlandeast.com/kidspack

They have already been well received by a number of teachers, parents, children and schools around the country.

In the near future, the packs will be available to download from all First Bus UK regional websites.

Bus Passes: public transport information

Due to COVID-19 and the current travel restrictions in place, Transport Scotland’s card production bureau who produce the National Entitlement Cards (bus passes) closed on Friday 27 March until further notice.

This means that no new or replacement cards will be issued from this date and until the production bureau reopens.

The UK and Scottish Government advice is for people to stay at home and not travel unnecessarily, however we understand that some people may have essential travel requirements and have therefore made temporary provisions with the bus industry, where someone has an essential need to travel but has been unable to obtain a card due to this closure, that they explain their circumstances and the driver will allow them to travel.

If you have a valid card which does not register on the ticket machine, during this time you should not exchange your card with the driver for a 7 day temporary pass, as you will be unable to obtain a replacement card within those 7 days. The driver will allow you to travel whilst retaining your card.

If your card has recently expired and you have been unable to get a replacement, please show your expired card to the driver. The driver will let you travel.

If you have lost your card please explain to the driver that you have been unable to obtain a replacement card due to the closure of local authority offices and the card production bureau. The driver should allow you to travel.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause however we appreciate your understanding and co-operation during this challenging time.

If you have any questions or concerns these can be addressed by emailing us at concessionarytravel@transport.gov.scot

Stagecoach praises ‘heroes behind the wheel’

  • Stagecoach details additional steps being taken to support key workers, local communities and supply chain
  • Public transport continues to play a vital role in the country’s efforts to beat COVID-19
  • Measures include dedicated shuttle buses for NHS workers in some areas, support for communities and additional capacity to distribution centres
  • Timetable improvements have also been made following key worker feedback

Stagecoach has publicly thanked its employees right across the country for the fantastic work they are doing in keeping key workers moving as part of the national effort at this difficult time.

Public transport, especially the bus, has become even more important to the country to ensure that vital public services continue in the face of COVID-19.

The country’s biggest bus and coach operator also outlined additional steps being taken to provide extra support for key sector workers. This includes dedicated shuttles and demand responsive transport for healthcare workers as well as measures to support local communities, the supply chain and distribution networks.

Helping the country’s valuable NHS workers

In London, Stagecoach is working with Transport for London to run specific and dedicated shuttles for NHS staff working at the new 4,000 bed Nightingale emergency Hospital.

A dedicated shuttle bus service is being provided for NHS staff at Hull Royal Infirmary, Kings Mill Hospital in Mansfield and the Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby. The shuttle is only accessible for key workers, ensuring they have quick and easy journeys home after their shifts.

In Aberdeen and the surrounding area, the NHS megarider ticket continues to offer discounts to NHS workers.

In the Scottish Highlands, free travel is available for NHS staff in the Inverness area going to or from Raigmore Hospital and New Craigs between 7-10pm through a dial-a-bus service that can be booked up to the day before.

In Glasgow, Stagecoach is working with bus operator McGill’s to increase travel options for key workers with four buses an hour between Glasgow and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and shared ticketing.

In South Wales, Stagecoach is offering free travel to NHS workers as part of the bus support package from the Welsh Government, and is serving eight hospitals in the region. Local authorities in other some parts of the UK are also introducing free travel for NHS workers.

In the South West, as a result of a partnership with the hospital trust, NHS workers are being offered free travel to the Royal Devon Hospital.

In the west of England, NHS staff at Southmead Hospital in North Bristol and NHS staff in Gloucestershire can access discounted fares.

In partnership with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Stagecoach has provided an extension to the 14/14A service between Oxford and John Radcliffe Hospital to provide access for hospital staff to a temporary parking facility.

Providing extra support for healthcare organisations

In Hartlepool, the Tees Flex dmand responsive buses are being kept on standby to help with patient transport services.

In London, Stagecoach’s West Ham Garage is being used by the London Ambulance Service to commission new ambulances and also re-commission old ambulances with the support of the AA.

Supporting local communities

In Inverness, bus drivers are helping Highland Council with deliveries to remote rural communities.

In Aberdeen, a new shopper shuttle service has been introduced between the Countesswells housing development and local supermarkets.

In Merseyside, Stagecoach and Arriva are accepting Merseyrail train tickets on buses at times when the rail network is not running.

Extra support for the supply chain

Capacity on buses to the Europarc food production site in Grimsby has been doubled and all services are now running as double deckers to help with social distancing. This service has also been duplicated between Cleethorpes Pier and Grimsby Town.

Double the number of services are now running to Moy Park in Lincolnshire, one of Europe’s leading poultry producers, to help with social distancing.

To help keep the supply chain moving, additional capacity is being provided to Amazon distribution sites in Fife, Northampton and North Bristol.

In Manchester, extra services are being provided to service local business parks and the major Amazon distribution centre.

In the Midlands, extra services are being provided for the distribution centres at the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal near Rugby, and the distribution centres at Swan Valley in Northampton.

Encouraging feedback to enable timetables to be improved for key workers

Across the country, Stagecoach has been revising its timetables to cater for the reduced demand in travel following the government’s advice to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel.

The timetables have been developed to continue supporting key workers on their journeys to and from work, but Stagecoach has also encouraged feedback from its customers on specific changes they would like to see.

As a result:

In West Scotland, extra journeys have been added between Cumnock and Ayr Hospital and between Cumnock and Kilmarnock to help cater for key worker shifts.

In Aberdeen, temporary timetables have been enhanced to cater for morning shifts at hospitals as well as offshore workers connecting to the heliport.

In addition, discussions are ongoing with local authorities across the country on how Stagecoach buses not being used in public service might be able to provide extra support with food deliveries and other essential public services.

Martin Griffiths, Stagecoach Chief Executive, said: “Key workers across Britain are working incredibly hard as part of the national effort to beat the coronavirus. I’m extremely proud of all the great work that our own teams are doing to keep the country moving, including getting our vital healthcare workers to hospitals.

“Our own heroes behind the wheel and their colleagues in support roles are really putting their country and their local communities first. We know from the feedback we’ve received from many customers across the country how much their selfless efforts are appreciated and we are doing everything we can to keep our people and our customers safe.

“We are also trying to play our part through special initiatives in partnership with local authorities and the NHS to support key workers, the supply chain, distribution networks and other vital services.

“It’s important that we all follow the government and public health advice to tackle the epidemic and pull together to support each other at this time.”

Stagecoach is strictly following government and public health guidelines, including those from the World Health Organisation, to keep its employees and customers safe.

A number of extra measures have been put in place including:

  • Asking passengers to pay by contactless wherever possible, or have the correct change for their journey if they can. Alternatively payments can be made online or via the App.
  • Supplied thousands of bottles of personal hand sanitiser to employees with larger refill bottles at depots.
  • Ensured that nearly all buses are fitted with security screens which have been adapted to provide a barrier to help prevent transmission of the virus.
  • Launched an enhanced cleaning regime of buses and workplaces, which is being strictly adhered to and includes extensive cleaning of the key touch-points such as the ticket machines, hand poles, and cash tray.
  • Carried out extensive customer communications asking people only to travel if necessary, and to practice social distancing by using a single row per person if possible, avoiding the two rows directly behind the driver and keeping a safe distance between the driver and other passengers.

For more information about Stagecoach or to check the latest timetables visit https://www.stagecoachbus.com/coronavirus

Lothian: Bus service changes from tomorrow

Lothian Buses will introduce an update to its critical services network from tomorrow (Sunday 12 April) to help keep key workers across Edinburgh and the Lothians moving during this time.

Since the introduction of the Critical Services Network on Sunday 29 March, teams across Lothian have continued to analyse customer travel patterns and customer feedback to ensure the business is meeting the needs of as many key workers and essential travellers as possible.

Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director at Lothian Buses, said: “Over the last few weeks, we have seen how important our services are for those who are required to travel during this unprecedented time.

“When we introduced our Critical Services Network under two weeks ago, we asked employers to feedback any concerns from their employees and I am proud that today we can announce the introduction of network changes which will address the majority of these issues and make essential travel easier for those who themselves are working in extremely difficult circumstances.

“Our teams across the business have continued to show their loyalty, dedication and support to their customers and colleagues, working around the clock to provide these vital services. My thanks go to each and every one of them both on the frontline and behind the scenes, and also to our customers who have been incredibly supportive and understanding during this time.”

Customers can view updated timetables and plan journeys on Lothian’s website or through the Transport for Edinburgh app which offers journey planning tools and real-time service updates.

The network changes include:

Service 1 – Seafield to Clermiston: Minor timetable changes, particularly in the early morning.

Service 2 – NEW The Jewel to Surgeons’ Hall: This service will run on an hourly frequency on Mondays to Saturdays to provide links from Prestonfield, Craigmillar and Niddrie to Asda at The Jewel.

Service 3 – Clovenstone to Mayfield: Minor timetable changes with a later evening journey from Mayfield to the City Centre.

Service 4 – NEW City Centre to The Jewel: This service will run on an hourly frequency on Mondays to Saturdays to provide links from the City Centre and Bingham to Asda at The Jewel.

Service 5 – Hunter’s Tryst to The Jewel: Revised timetable with later evening journeys introduced.

Service 7 – Newhaven to Royal Infirmary: Revised timetable on all days of the week.

Service 8 – Muirhouse to Royal Infirmary: Revised timetable on all days of the week.

Service 11 – Ocean Terminal to Hyvots Bank: Revised timetable on all days of the week.

Service 14 – Muirhouse to Greendykes: Revised timetable on all days of the week.

Service 16 – Silverknowes to Torphin: Revised timetable on all days of the week.

Service 19 – NEW Granton to City Centre: This service will run on an hourly frequency on Mondays to Saturdays to provide links from Granton and Pilton to the Western General and the West End.

Service 20 – Ratho to Hermiston Gait: The Sunday service will be withdrawn.  No Change to Monday to Saturday timetable.

Service 21 – Clovenstone or Gyle Centre to Royal Infirmary: On Mondays to Saturdays the daytime frequency is doubled to every 30-minutes, with one bus per hour operating to Gyle Centre and one bus to Westside Plaza.  Early morning journeys on all days of the week will now start from Broomhouse Road to improve links to the Western General, Leith and the Royal Infirmary. 

Service 22 – Ocean Terminal to Gyle Centre: Revised timetable on all days of the week.

Service 24 – West Granton to Royal Infirmary: No change

Service 25 – Restalrig to Riccarton: Minor timetable changes

Service 26 – Clerwood to either Tranent or Seton Sands: Minor timetable changes

Service 27 – Silverknowes to Hunter’s Tryst: Revised timetable on all days of the week.

Service 29 – Silverknowes to Gorebridge: No change

Service 30 – Clovenstone to Musselburgh: Revised timetable with daytime frequency to and from Musselburgh increased to every 30-minutes.  On Mondays to Saturdays a later evening journey is introduced from Clovenstone to Musselburgh. 

Service 31 – East Craigs to Bonnyrigg Hopefield or Polton Mill: Revised timetable.  On Sundays, the frequency will be reduced to every 60-minutes, with buses operating between East Craigs and Hopefield only; Polton Mill will not be served (Service 49 will continue to provide links to the City Centre).

Service 33 – Wester Hailes to Sheriffhall: Minor timetable changes on all days of the week.

Service 34 – Ocean Terminal to Riccarton: Revised route and timetable with buses now serving Heriot Watt Research Park.

Service 35 – NEW Ocean Terminal to Sighthill: This service will run on an hourly frequency on Mondays to Saturdays to provide links to Holyrood, Chalmers Hospital and the Eye Pavilion at Lauriston Place.

Service 37 – Silverknowes to Penicuik (Deanburn or Ladywood): Revised timetable with early morning journeys re-timed to better connect with Service 7 at Kaimes Crossroads for customers travelling to the Royal Infirmary.  On Mondays to Saturdays an additional journey will run from Ladywood to Silverknowes.  On all days of the week, there will be a later evening journey from the City to Penicuik.

Service 38 – West Granton to Royal Infirmary: Revised timetable with early morning journeys re-timed, and an additional journey introduced at the busiest time between West Granton and the Royal Infirmary.

Service 41 – Cramond to Surgeons’ Hall or St. Andrew Square: This service will now operate on an hourly frequency between Cramond and Surgeon’s Hall on Mondays to Saturdays or Cramond and St. Andrew Square on Sundays.  The section of route to Marchmont and the Grange will be withdrawn; Service 24 will continue to serve these areas.

Service 44 – Balerno to St Andrew Square: Revised route and timetable introduced.  The City Centre terminus will be changed from Leith Street to St. Andrew Square (North-side).  The Sunday frequency is reduced to hourly.

Service 48 – Gorebridge to Royal Infirmary:  No Change

Service 49 – The Jewel to Rosewell: Revised timetable with additional morning journeys introduced on Mondays to Saturdays.  The daytime journeys between The Jewel and the Royal Infirmary will be extended to and from Sheriffhall Park & Ride, providing Danderhall and Fernieside with more buses to and from the City Centre/Leith.

Service 63 – Gyle Centre to Queensferry: The last evening journey from Queensferry to Gyle Centre is withdrawn on Mondays to Saturdays.  The Sunday service will be withdrawn.

Service 100 – Waverley to Edinburgh Airport: The timetable will be curtailed with the first journey from the City Centre at 04:00 and the last bus from the City Centre at 18:00.  From the Airport, first and last journeys will be 04:30 & 18:30.  The frequency will be maintained at every 30-minutes.

Service 400 – Gyle Centre to Royal Infirmary: Revised timetable – early morning journeys will have revised arrival times at the Royal Infirmary.  On Sunday evenings, the 22:45 journey from the Royal Infirmary will no longer operate.

National Express: Full suspension of Services from Midnight 5 April

National Express will fully suspend its national network of scheduled coach services with effect from midnight Sunday 5 April.

Chris Hardy, managing director of National Express UK Coach said: “We kept a limited coach network running to be able to help those individuals with essential travel needs but it is no longer viable to continue to do this.

“Passenger numbers continue to fall as the public rightly follow government advice to avoid non-essential travel. The decision to temporarily suspend all services is the right one based on the current unprecedented circumstances and I hope our passengers understand this.

“It is very clear that the critical thing we must do to protect our NHS and save lives is to stay at home. All journeys before Monday 6 April will be completed and we will ensure customers are not stranded but until further notice, we will not be running any services.”

Passengers who had travel booked can choose to hold the ticket and amend for future travel within the next 12 months, free of charge, regardless of the terms and conditions. Customers do not need to make contact until they wish to rebook.

For passengers who do not want this option, a full refund will be issued for cancelled services in line with terms and conditions.

Full details are available on the National Express website www.nationalexpress.com.

Chris Hardy added: “Our drivers, customer service teams, customer contact centre and the wider National Express team have been working incredibly hard to keep our services running safely and we thank them for their efforts.

“We are speaking to them about what this means and will continue to do all we can to support everyone who works in our business at this challenging time.

“We know this is a worrying time. We take the welfare of our customers and employees extremely seriously and will continue to take guidance from the Government to ensure we do everything we sensibly can to keep them safe.

“Regular updates will be provided through our website, social media channels and email alerts.

“When the time is right, we look forward to resuming services and welcoming customers back on board.”