Southern Vectis has received the industry standard mark ‘We’re Good to Go’ – which recognises its efforts to implement cleaning and social distancing measures for staff and customers during the coronavirus crisis.
The bus operator has been transporting key workers since March and, now that lockdown is easing, its team is looking forward to seeing many more passengers from across the island and from further afield.
Richard Tyldsley, General Manager at Southern Vectis, says:
“Thanks to hard work and determination from my colleagues, Southern Vectis has been providing essential travel continuously during the past four months – and now we are excited to be welcoming lots more people on-board.
“We have stringent cleaning regimes in place – including extra focus on touch points, which are regularly treated with anti-viral wipes. Our bus seating has been arranged to allow our customers to practice social distancing, and we have undertaken risk assessments in all our work places and at Newport and Ryde bus stations.
“Further measures we have taken include social distancing signposts and markings, hand washing facilities, access to hand sanitiser, and protective screens for our drivers. You could definitely say ‘we’re good to go’ – so we are delighted to have been recognised by this industry standard.
“With the summer months now upon us, we are busy making plans to re-introduce bus services to the many wonderful tourist locations that we are blessed with here. The Isle of Wight is beginning to emerge from lockdown and, as well as transporting people to work, our team is ready-and-waiting to help people enjoy all the gems the spectacular countryside and coast has to offer.”
Visit England launched the UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to provide a ‘ring of confidence’ for tourism as the sector works towards reopening.
I can’t see how they will be able to get many more people on board and still maintain the 2 metre gap between passengers. At the moment there’s only enough seating downstairs for about 15 people and not much more than that on the top deck. – Or are they going to put the one metre rule in place, ie: just sit next to each other as we did before this virus? If that’s the case, I, for one will be telling anyone with their nose sticking out from their face mask to cover it up.
social distancing on public transport will be lifted soon – why do you think masks were made mandatory. Transport is not sustainable at these lower levels of travellers and the shops and businesses cannot survive, without shoppers and clients.