Stagecoach East Midlands is to begin operating a dedicated shuttle bus service for NHS staff at the Hull Royal Infirmary.
The route will provide crucial transport links for key health workers commuting home from the Hull Royal Infirmary after their shifts.
Two buses will make up the new service, departing from the Hull Royal Infirmary at the main shift change times to take NHS staff home. One bus will serve a circular route of East Hull while the other will cover areas in West Hull.
The service is exclusively for NHS staff, including hospital ancillary workers such as porters and cleaners. The shuttle is not accessible by other members of the public, to ensure that key workers have quick and easy journeys home after their shifts. Staff will need to show their ID card to indicate to the driver that they are eligible for the service.
The service will run within the Hull urban area including the city boundary as well as Hessle, Anlaby, Kirk Ella, Willerby, Cottingham and Wawne and will operate flexibly, stopping in safe places on the main roads that are close to the passengers’ homes. Drivers will adhere to safety precautions and be conscious of stopping in convenient and well-lit places for NHS staff to alight the bus.
The buses will depart from the Hull Royal Infirmary site outside the Hull and East Yorkshire Women and Children’s Hospital off Lansdowne Street at 1345hrs, 1515hrs, 1845hrs and 2015hrs.
Matt Cranwell, Managing Director of Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “We want to do what we can to help support the fantastic NHS staff who are working tirelessly to protect and care for our communities during these challenging times.
“We are continuing to respond to the latest government advice by updating our services to ensure that critical routes are maintained wherever possible and by implementing additional cleaning and hygiene measures to protect our staff and passengers.”
Chris Norman, Deputy Director of Estates, Facilities and Development at Hull Royal Infirmary added: “We are extremely grateful to Stagecoach for helping our staff return home from work. We have an excellent working relationship with the company already and we would encourage staff to take up this offer of transport.”
