Now, you might usually think “Aye, really, they are just hungover,” but in the current climate, and because everyone is taking the extra precautions, Stagecoach South have announced that they are running a reduced service across their Andover network.
This is due to staff sickness and a number of the team self-isolating. Although we can probably make assertions that this is due to COVID, it may simply be that a number of drivers have got symptoms. We might find that the quicker the tests return negative, the quicker services return.
Until then though, Stagecoach South have announced that many services are returning to their March 2020 timetables across Andover. This also makes sense, particularly as Andover is actually in Tier 4 and there is a Stay at Home order.
Town Services
Services operating within the Andover boundary are running at least hourly unless it is normally less frequent. Where a revised frequency is shown, it is half the pre-Christmas service:
Service 1: 30min frequency
Service 3: 60min frequency
Service 4: 60min frequency
Service 6: 60min frequency
Service 9: 4 trips per day rather than 6
Service 12: 4 trips per day rather than 5
Service 13: 2-hourly frequency
Service 17 : 2 trips per day.
Service P20: 2-hourly frequency
Out of Town Services
Service 7: 1 trip per day from Andover rather than 4. 3 trips per day from Penwood to Newbury rather than 4.
Actv 8: Every 30 Minutes, run entirely by Salisbury Reds between Andover and Salisbury. Andover-Tidworth short journeys will not run.
Service 76: 60min frequency Andover – Whitchurch – Basingstoke
This is very unfortunate but at a depot with 55 drivers I believe up to 30 are absent at present. et’s hope things improve before the (possible) return of schools and colleges next week.