In a statement today, Reading Buses say they will be relying on the goodwill of their customers to be respectful to each other and wear a face covering from Monday July 19.
At the same time, the bus operator says it also respects that face coverings on board public transport, including buses, will be a personal choice for each traveller.
“We will be adopting government guidance as we have done throughout the pandemic,” said Reading Buses Chief Executive Officer Robert Williams.
“We understand that people will still want everyone to wear a face covering when travelling and we would encourage people to do so to help support and protect each other,” Mr. Williams said today.
“At the same time Reading Buses want to reassure people that it will still be safe to use a bus.
“All of the other measures we have in place such as keeping the windows open for good ventilation, enhanced cleaning regimes, having hand sanitiser available on every bus, and the physical separation of the driver, continue to still be in place.
“Even if sitting near strangers, the majority of our seats are forward-facing and high backed which provides more protection than sitting face-to-face with somebody,” said Mr. Williams.
“It was very rare that our buses were full and crowded before Covid so there is no reason to expect things will suddenly change. On double deck buses it is also worth checking to see if there is more space upstairs.”
He added: “The risk should therefore be minimal to anyone travelling with us – especially if they elect to wear a face covering themselves.”