A CHIPPENHAM bus company is working flat out to make sure it is ready as it can be for children's return to school in September.

Faresaver director Justin Pickford says the family firm is doing everything it can to ensure services comply with latest government guidelines but not everything is straightforward.

He said: "Current Government guidance varies on a service by service basis. We have been told that buses which operate to provide dedicated home to school transport will be able to operate at normal vehicle capacity with every seat filled.

"Whereas other services, which are open to the general public, will still be subject to social distancing guidelines. This will restrict their capacity to approximately 50 per cent of normal.

"We are liaising with the various local authorities to determine where potential issues lie and are utilising government funding to provide duplicate vehicles where problems are anticipated.

"This funding, which amounts to £40 million nationwide, will be used to assist school bus operators in providing additional vehicles where required.

"Whilst this additional funding is gratefully received it doesn't change the fact that we only have a finite number of driving staff and vehicles available. We therefore will have to monitor loadings carefully on a daily basis and where we do experience capacity issues work with the local authority to see if solutions can be found."

He said that latest advice on face coverings for secondary age students is that it is strongly advised.

He said: "The wearing of a face covering on public transport has been mandatory since June. This still applies on buses unless passengers fall into one of the exemption categories.

"The latest guidance for secondary school age students travelling on home to school transport is that the wearing of a covering is strongly recommended due to distancing and sitting in bubbles or year groups not being possible."