Increase in bus services in Falkirk district

First Midland will be increasing its services from Monday, June 29 as the Scottish Government continues to ease lockdown restrictions.

The move will reflect an uplift in people travelling while support the physical distance guidance for those customers who need to use public transport.

New timetables will see an increase in frequency on many First Midland services to provide more buses and therefore more journeys along the routes.

Weekend services will also see some increases to try and match the demand for services by customers.

Andrew Jarvis, managing director at First Midland said: “We welcome the additional funding from Transport Scotland, which will enable us to increase services and support the continued wellbeing of our customers and drivers through ensuring safe travel on our buses.

“This is critical as more employees start returning to work following the government’s announcement that some non-essential shops can reopen on June 29.

“All our vehicles are now fitted with measures to ensure that customers who need to travel can adhere to the Government physical distancing guidelines.

“This includes signage to advise customers on where to sit to keep a safe distance and new technology to help drivers monitor the number of people on board at any one time.

“We are working very closely with the Transport Scotland and all other stakeholders to ensure that we continue to provide an appropriate level of service and information for those who use the bus.

“We expect there will still be occasions when customers may not be able to board their intended journey due to capacity levels being reached.

“We are therefore advising people to check their journey details in advance on our app, avoid busier periods which are currently the afternoon and allow extra time for their journey as they may need to wait if their bus is full when it arrives.

“The wellbeing of customers and our team is my number one priority, and I would like to thank customers for their ongoing patience and co-operation in these difficult times.

“I would also like to pay tribute to all my colleagues at First Midland who have been superb throughout the last three months and have helped keep the key workers of the region moving.

“As the lockdown continues to ease, we all have a crucial role to play in getting the wider population moving again safely.”

All passengers travelling on public transport must now wear a face covering unless they are exempt for specific medical reasons, or are under the age of five.

Full service information can be found at www.firstscotlandeast.com