First York bus service has welcomed the announcement by the Department for Transport (DfT) of a £167m stimulus package of financial support for 'crucial' bus services throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

The announcement - which means bus companies will collectively receive a coronavirus rescue package worth £167m over the next three months - enables First York to ensure continuity of operation for those who are dependent on the bus network during the ongoing pandemic, particularly key workers.

Bus services have seen a dramatic reduction in passengers as people are urged to stay at home. 

The company added that it was now working with City of York Council to ensure that bus provision continues at an appropriate level for each of the areas we serve.

It said: "First York over recent weeks has intensified cleaning regimes across vehicles and depots, embedded social distancing measures and (despite supply chain challenges) provided a wealth of personal protective equipment such as gloves and hand sanitiser. 

"We appreciate that Government advice also caught some travellers by surprise, leaving them with long-term tickets that could no longer be used.  In these situations, customer by customer we’ve been reviewing future travel credit, where appropriate." 

Marc Bichtemann, Managing Director, said: “We welcome today’s announcement from the Department of Transport. Our role as a bus operator has perhaps never been more important than now, as we perform a vital service in enabling key workers to move about as the nation comes together to tackle the coronavirus crisis. 

“While many other businesses can make the difficult decision to close their doors, buses are different; the national effort to fight the virus continues to include the provision of our services for key workers.  We are proud to serve our customers and proud of our teams delivering these vital services during these challenging times.”

First York is providing a special timetable to ensure vital routes continue to run. This includes services on the available Park & Ride network picking up and dropping off at more bus stops to provide additional connectivity for key workers and others making essential journeys.

Regular customers can be assured the company will work hard to get more frequent services back up and running as soon as the Government decides it is safe to do so.

Customers are advised to refer in the first instance to the First York website https://www.firstgroup.com/york for the most up-to-date service information, travel advice and information about coronavirus. We are working hard to reflect the latest service information across all our digital channels.