Young people are being asked to remember to wear face coverings as they travel to and from school and college as the West Yorkshire Combined Authority continues to support the huge effort to get education back on track.
Over 20,000 children and young people have returned to schools and colleges this September, and the Combined Authority, in partnership with councils, operators, and schools, has run an additional 200 journeys each weekday to ensure passengers are safe and
can observe COVID-19 guidelines. In addition, the Combined Authority already coordinates 400 dedicated school bus services across 140 schools across the region.
Initial feedback is that the measures taken by the Combined Authority and its partners are helping to address the additional pressures created by the COVID-19 pandemic, but work is continuing with schools and others to address issues as they arise. Parents
and students are being asked to play their part by making sure they are aware of the guidelines on travelling to and from school, including:
- Everyone over 11 must wear a face covering on the bus, unless exempted for medical or other reasons. Where this is the case, assistance cards can be downloaded from the Metro website here and can be printed out to show to public transport staff or simply
shown to staff on your mobile phone
- Face coverings must be worn on school buses and regular bus services
- Normal fares apply with students being asked to pay using an MCard or app where possible
- For shorter journeys consider walking, cycling, or scooting to school if possible
- When travelling in a car, consider parking a few streets away and walking the short distance
- If you are car sharing with other households, leave seats free, open windows and wear a face covering
- Do not travel if you or any member your household is displaying any COVID-19 symptoms