THE Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel has welcomed the announcement from the Department for Transport confirming a government funding package to enable the continuation of vital bus services.
The package, which includes £167m of new funding nationally, will be available to bus operators for at least the next 12 weeks.
Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel are liaising with the county council to optimise the services provided to ensure the funding can be used to benefit key workers and other people using services for essential journeys.
Following government guidance to avoid non-essential travel, bus passenger numbers have fallen by over 90 per cent, meaning the financial support is crucial to cover the costs of providing essential services.
READ AGAIN: Latest food hygiene inspections for Oxfordshire
In the absence of this funding there was a danger these services would have to be withdrawn.
Phil Southall, Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel managing director, said: “This is welcome news from the government and will enable the continuation of vital bus services.
"It provides some stability for us at a challenging time and is crucial to ensuring we can cover costs for essential services.
READ MORE: 'Police should be tested for coronavirus first'
"We continue to play our role in the effort to tackle Covid-19, by ensuring key workers can get where they need to be.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here