TFL Message for Buses users.
I am writing to let you know that from Saturday 23 May, we will begin the phased re-introduction of the requirement for passengers to touch in on London’s buses.
Customers who use buses on 85 routes which are served by single-door and New Routemaster buses will be required to touch in using their Oyster, Contactless or concessionary card on the reader as they board. This is the first step towards returning all of London’s buses to being able to accept payments once further safety measures have been introduced to protect bus drivers. The requirement to touch in will follow on more routes over the coming weeks, and there will be announcements and signage in place on bus doors to let customers know they need to touch in.
Middle-door boarding was brought in as a temporary measure to protect bus drivers, as card readers are usually located at the front door adjacent to where the driver sits. This meant customers were not required to touch in when making a bus journey. We have since worked to return card readers located by the middle doors of New Routemasters and introduced a wide range of safety measures, including working with our bus operators and trade unions to make changes to the protective screen around the driver. On the buses where these changes apply, all protective screens have now had the openings where cash was previously accepted sealed off, in addition to the vinyl screen that was fitted a number of weeks ago to close communication holes. This step will be taken across the network to further boost safety for drivers which, once completed, will enable customers to touch in again as normal across London’s entire bus network.
Customers who use buses on 85 routes which are served by single-door and New Routemaster buses will be required to touch in using their Oyster, Contactless or concessionary card on the reader as they board. This is the first step towards returning all of London’s buses to being able to accept payments once further safety measures have been introduced to protect bus drivers. The requirement to touch in will follow on more routes over the coming weeks, and there will be announcements and signage in place on bus doors to let customers know they need to touch in.
Middle-door boarding was brought in as a temporary measure to protect bus drivers, as card readers are usually located at the front door adjacent to where the driver sits. This meant customers were not required to touch in when making a bus journey. We have since worked to return card readers located by the middle doors of New Routemasters and introduced a wide range of safety measures, including working with our bus operators and trade unions to make changes to the protective screen around the driver. On the buses where these changes apply, all protective screens have now had the openings where cash was previously accepted sealed off, in addition to the vinyl screen that was fitted a number of weeks ago to close communication holes. This step will be taken across the network to further boost safety for drivers which, once completed, will enable customers to touch in again as normal across London’s entire bus network.
We also have a rigorous cleaning regime in place across our whole transport network using new, anti-viral fluid in stations, depots, bus garages, trains and on buses, including inside the driver’s cab. Hand sanitiser dispensers are also being introduced across the transport network, including at all bus stations. We are also asking customers to use a face covering when using our services and masks are available for all bus drivers.
The requirement to touch in will restore our ability to collect accurate data on the number of passengers using buses. This will help us plan for the national requirement for people to maintain a two-metre distance from each other wherever possible. We have increased the number of bus services we are running over the past week and are now operating 85 per cent of the normal service and are working to return to a full service as soon as possible. However, the requirement to maintain social distancing means capacity on the bus network is hugely reduced compared to what it was before the crisis. The clear advice from the Mayor and Government is to avoid using public transport wherever possible to free up the limited space available for those who have no alternative means of transport. People who can continue to work from home should continue to do so, and we are asking people to walk or cycle if they can using the existing and extensive new cycling lanes and widened pavements that we are introducing as part of the London Streetspace programme.
The requirement to touch in will restore our ability to collect accurate data on the number of passengers using buses. This will help us plan for the national requirement for people to maintain a two-metre distance from each other wherever possible. We have increased the number of bus services we are running over the past week and are now operating 85 per cent of the normal service and are working to return to a full service as soon as possible. However, the requirement to maintain social distancing means capacity on the bus network is hugely reduced compared to what it was before the crisis. The clear advice from the Mayor and Government is to avoid using public transport wherever possible to free up the limited space available for those who have no alternative means of transport. People who can continue to work from home should continue to do so, and we are asking people to walk or cycle if they can using the existing and extensive new cycling lanes and widened pavements that we are introducing as part of the London Streetspace programme.
Bus drivers are playing a vital role during this crisis and we are asking that passengers follow signage and the advice of drivers and TfL staff when travelling on the network. Anyone using buses should help us maintain social distancing wherever possible by respecting the space of fellow passengers to keep everyone as safe as possible.
I hope this has been helpful. Please find a link to the press release below, and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
With courtesy of TFL
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