Login Register WEST MIDLANDS WORCESTER & WARWICKSHIRE NORTH WEST SOUTH EAST NEWS CAREERS ABOUT US TICKETS Latest Coronavirus Travel Guidance for Passengers 13 July 2021 West Midlands North West Worcester and Warwickshire South East The government has announced that Step 4 of the roadmap will proceed from Monday 19th July, therefore some of the guidance around travelling on our services will change from this date. We would encourage passengers to take some time to familiarise yourself with the latest guidelines we have in place to keep you and your fellow passengers safe and how you can plan ahead to make your journey run smoothly. Social Distancing: From 19th July, all legal restrictions on social distancing will be removed. The 2m social distancing rule and 1m social distancing with a face covering rule will be lifted. All seating on the vehicle will be permitted to be used by passengers as required. Standing capacity will again be available on busy services. The wheelchair space is a priority use area for wheelchair users, we politely request that if a wheelchair passenger wishes to board, passengers seated in the wheelchair area kindly find another seat in order for the wheelchair user to travel. Buggies may be stowed in the buggy/wheelchair area, if no wheelchair is onboard. They must not obstruct the aisle and should be folded down at busy times. Parents & children will now be permitted to sit in the buggy zone area. At busy travelling times, it may not be possible to keep space between yourself and others and passengers may need to sit next to each other. You should continue to keep space between yourself and others when it is possible to do so, such as at less busy times and when waiting for the bus. When boarding the bus, please allow other passengers to get off before getting on and keep a sensible distance between you and others while waiting. Face Coverings: As part of Step 4 of the roadmap, the Government has removed the legal mandatory wearing of Face Coverings. However, the Government expects and recommends that face coverings are continued to be worn in crowded and enclosed spaces, such as public transport, when mixing with people you don’t normally meet. Government guidance still strongly recommends that wearing a face covering in enclosed or busy public spaces is an important factor in protecting yourself and others around you. In line with this recommendation, we respectfully ask that customers continue to protect themselves and others by choosing to wear a face covering onboard unless they are exempt. To avoid any confusion or conflict, we will not be asking our drivers to enforce any wearing of face coverings from 19th July. Assistance for passengers with Disabilities: Our drivers are still required to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act and assist passengers with a disability. Drivers will continue to assist passengers with disabilities by deploying wheelchair ramps, assisting passengers on and off the vehicle or assisting the passenger to a seat. Paying for your ticket: When paying for your ticket, passengers are encouraged to pay by cashless methods where possible to reduce the need for cash handling. Contactless Payment, Apple & Google pay are available on all Diamond buses. You can buy tickets on your mobile phone in advance using the Diamond Bus App. If you do pay with cash, please try to have the correct fare available. We will resume the issuing of change onboard from 19th July, however please remember that in some circumstances it may not always be possible for the driver to give the correct change. If you wish to make cash transactions please remember to follow hygiene practices and use hand sanitiser when out and about. Plan ahead for a smoother journey: The majority of our services have returned to normal schedules and with the lifting of social distancing measures, will return to full passenger capacity allowance from 19th July. In Step 4, the Government has lifted the advice for people to work from home and if you are preparing to return to the work place, we have lots of facilities to help you plan your journey. Our regional service updates pages can be found here: West Midlands | Worcestershire & Warwickshire | North West | South East Check our website for the latest timetable information. Service updates are available on both the website and the Diamond Bus App. Check our social media pages for service disruption updates. You may wish to consider planning your journey to avoid busy times, such early morning peak and afternoon school times and travel at quieter times if you can. To assist passengers plan their journey to avoid busy periods, we have a live passenger capacity feed on our mobile app to show if your bus is busy or not before it arrives (currently unavailable to South East customers). To find out more about this feature, please click here. Taking steps to protect yourself and others: The lifting of these restrictions does not mean the risks are over. This new phase aims towards returning to some normality safely and we all still have a part to play in managing the risks to yourself and others. We ask passengers to continue to follow the latest government guidelines regarding protecting yourself and others against Coronavirus Wash your hands with soap and water regularly for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitiser whenever you are out and about. Continue to wear a face covering in busy, enclosed spaces if you are able to. Please note, it is the customers responsibility to provide their own hand sanitiser and face covering as we do not provide these. Please do not leave used face masks on the vehicle, please take them with you and dispose of them safely when you have left the bus. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and dispose of your tissue safely after you have left the bus. Please keep windows open to improve ventilation around the bus. If you feel unwell, do not travel. Most importantly, if you, or anyone in your household experiences symptoms of coronavirus, please do not travel, stay home and follow Government guidelines. Enhanced Bus Cleaning Processes: The health and safety of our passengers and staff is priority for us, thats why we have introduced enhanced cleaning processes on all our vehicles. Every bus has been fitted with an anti-bacterial disinfectant kit for the drivers use; this can be used to clean the drivers working area and anywhere on the bus should they deem it necessary while out in service. More intensive cleaning regimes have been introduced during evenings when buses are stationed at our depots. We have invested in thermal fogging sanitisation equipment for each depot to eradicate Covid-19 virus on our buses. The thermal fogging equipment passes EN 14476 tests, which means it is effective against Covid-19. As part of the Rotala Plc Group, we were one of the first UK Bus companies to introduce this thermal fogging method of vehicle sanitisation across our fleet. Our staff have been fully trained and certified in disinfection fogging and use only the approved Covid-19 disinfectant that is also fabric friendly and safe to use. We are pleased to announce that we also now hold the ‘We’re Good To Go’ and ‘Safe Travels’ standard marks in recognition that our business is following government and industry COVID-19 guidelines. We have been working hard throughout the pandemic, to ensure our services operate with the upmost safety in mind and if you are travelling with us at this time or returning to our services after some time away, we are here to reassure you that you can do so with confidence. We are continuing to work with the government and local authorities. Government regulations will continue to be reviewed and Diamond Bus will update this information in-line with changes in Government Policy, please continue to look for updates on our website and social media pages. Further Information: For the latest up to date information from the Government regarding the lifting of Coronavirus restrictions, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-summer-2021-roadmap/coronavirus-how-to-stay-safe-and-help-prevent-the-spread This page was last updated on 13 July 2021. Tweet This Share on Facebook Plus on Google+ Latest news Manchester Poppy Day MANCHESTER POPPY DAY On Wednesday 3rd November 2021 Diamond Bus North West had the opportunity to support a great charity in the Royal Brit… Read more 05 November 2021 Diamond Fan Visit Our Tividale depot welcomed a special visitor today. 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