Southern Vectis is removing seating restrictions on its buses from today (Monday) as social distancing requirements are lifted.
It is no longer a legal requirement to keep 1-2 metres away from others, which means businesses can return to normal with a full capacity. Up until now, Southern Vectis has blanked off a number of seats on each bus to enable passengers to keep a distance from others on board.
Andrew Wickham, Managing Director at Southern Vectis, says:
“Like the rest of the country, our team has endured an incredibly tough period, since the pandemic hit in March 2020. From the very beginning, we have provided essential bus services for key workers across the Isle of Wight – ensuring NHS and emergency workers, shop staff, carers and many others could travel and carry out their vital roles.
“Now it is time to cautiously embrace our new-found freedom, and travel by bus for leisure, as well as for work. As before, we are ensuring buses are one of the safest places to be – with stringent cleaning measures, including the use of anti-viral wipes on all touch points. However, with the one metre plus rule no longer in place, we have opened up all seats on our buses, except for those immediately behind the driver – so that we can operate at almost full capacity once more.
“The government has announced that wearing a face covering on public transport is no longer mandatory, and has given individuals the choice. We understand that this is a decision for each individual to make, but we urge our customers to consider others when travelling with us, and we strongly advise that they wear a face covering.
“With almost all on board seating available from Monday 19 July, for most journeys, there will be plenty of space for customers to keep their distance from others.
“One of the rare positive impacts of Covid is that it contributed to reduced congestion across the Isle of Wight – so it would be wonderful if we could all use this opportunity to leave cars at home and use sustainable transport instead. This could make a real impact in helping to improve the air quality here – whilst providing a boost for the local hospitality industry.
Article continues below this advertisement “Whatever their reason to travel with us, our customers can expect safe, clean, buses, ready-and-waiting to transport them wherever they want to go.
“I’d like to pay tribute to our entire team. As key workers, they have worked tirelessly to keep the island moving throughout the pandemic. Now we’re all looking forward to brighter times ahead.”
Great Southern Vectis doing their bit to get the infection rates right up there for an autumn/winter lockdown
Why are Southern Vectis not making the wearing of masks mandatory as the Government have advised? I can choose to wear a mask on a bus, but anyone can come and sit next to me without a mask on which compromises my safety. Southern Vectis along with all other transport providers have a duty of care for their passengers. or so we are told.
take your own responsibility then – you have a duty of care to yourself – do not travel on the busy services and if you are so worried, wear your own mask and use sanitiser – it isn’t difficult is it – stop expecting the bus company to hold your hand for you, like a child.
They should keep the notices up saying please wear face coverings. Even at the height of the lockdown there were plenty of arrogant selfish types who refused to wear masks. And no I’m not talking about the very, very few number of people who may have had genuine reasons of disability for not wearing one, we all know the types I’m talking about!
Sounds like a good reason to give them a very wide berth as profit before safety is the order of the day even masks are now optional. What was it BoJo said, proceed with caution! Not a chance.
Lack of social distancing on “Covid” Vectis has been the norm for several weeks now. The tannoy announcement on board has been saying that it’s ok to sit next to someone else for about the last three weeks or so. Highly irresponsible, if you ask me. -You can see where their priorities lay.
Wouldn’t get on a bus if my life depended on it…
Seen 2 many get on bus then sit down and off comes the mask….
Then the cover mouth but leave nose hanging out brigade !!!!@
So if I get on the bus MY personal choice to be 1+ metre apart from another passenger has been taken away ???? That’s wrong, Southern Vectis are just as irresponsible as the ferry companies. Shameful.
travel on a bus with less passengers then – your personal choice to board or not is still in place ..you can look at the number of customers on board already and then exercise your freedom of choice, whether to use the bus or not.
stop expecting everyone else to assess a risk for you – do it yourself, take responsibility for yourself – the bus company is not your parent and you are not a child.
So many comments voted down on here. Must be an awful lot of selfish people around.
Sadly there are. Selfishness seems to be the order of the day is Britain nowadays, and the Island has more than its fair share of selfish people.