Further £167 Million to Maintain Bus Services Announced by UK Department for Transport

The British government has been implementing measures to assist those who must travel for work, such as doctors, nurses, cleaners and firefighters, while most of the population have been asked to stay at home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The British Department for Transport announced a further £167 million to maintain bus services for key workers, during the next three months of the COVID-19 lockdown, on 3 April 2020. The measure will be on top of the £200 million the government already announced, along with a up to a £30 milllion more which can be "reallocated".

We’re supporting the bus industry with nearly £400m to...

✅Protect vital services
✅Ensure NHS and other staff can get to work
✅Help bus operators withstand the impact of #coronavirus

Find out more 👉https://t.co/LqRuwv5eWO #COVID19 #StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/JDQEXIfytk

— Dept for Transport #StayHomeSaveLives (@transportgovuk) April 3, 2020

​"As a condition of the funding, bus operators will be required to maintain necessary services at a level which is sufficient to meet much reduced demand, but also to allow adequate space between passengers on board", the Department for Transport and the Treasury said in a statement. "This is expected to be up to 50% of normal service levels", they added.

While government ministers repeatedly emphasised that they want people to stay home in order to "save the NHS" they did recognise that it was nonetheless essential for transportation around the country to be maintained in order for "key workers" to travel to and from home.

Graham Vidler, Chief Executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK which represents the private coach and bus industry, said, that the addition funding is, "designed to plug the gap between the costs of running essential routes and revenue currently being received, and will help the country through the outbreak by allowing critical journeys to continue".