Bus firms in West Yorkshire will start ‘limited passengers’ policy on Monday

Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union, has spent the last month hammering out the policy with the bus companies and the two passenger transport authorities (PTAs) covering the region.

The policy will see double decker buses take a maximum of 24 passengers, with 13 on the top deck and 11 on the bottom.

Single deckers will carry a maximum of 13 people. These figures represent between 25-30 per cent of normal passenger numbers.

Once these numbers have been reached, a ‘full’ notice will be displayed at the front of the vehicle. The number of buses in operation will be reviewed regularly, with extra buses being put into service with the intention of running a regular service and reducing waiting times.

The news comes after major bus and train firms have increased services this week with strict restrictions still in place last week.