Changes to FifeBus and Dial-a-Ride to protect our vulnerable communities

This article is more than 3 years old

Fife Council continues to review and adjust its activities to maintain critical services to Fifers, in line with ongoing updates from the government about Covid-19 (coronavirus).

To protect older people and our most vulnerable clients during these very challenging times, and ensure we keep our most essential services running, the council has revised the free accessible transport available to people who have difficulty using mainstream public transport.

Fife Bus, better known as Dial a Ride (DAR) - a group shopping service transporting client groups to shopping destinations - and Ring & Ride (R&R), a door-to-door service taking people to their required destination, are changing or being cancelled.

This is to help reduce social contact and so the council focuses on vital services.  We continue to offer essential travel on a one-to-one basis - essential travel being attending medical appointments, GP visits and essential shopping trips.

Government advice is to avoid unnecessary travel on public transport and limit social contact, especially if you are over 70 or have an underlying health condition. Following this advice all group travel will be cancelled from Friday 20 March until further notice.

From Friday 20 March:

  • There will be only one -passenger on a vehicle at any given time.
  • Drivers will apply strict hygiene measures, such as wiping down door handles/seat grips etc. between journeys.
  • The service will operate only during the day Monday to Friday.
  • Only journeys classed as a priority (i.e. no other help/means available) will take place to allow as many as possible to use the service.
  • Ring & Ride (door-to-door transport) will offer a Fife wide service for essential travel only.
  • Services cancelled to protect our communities are Bingo, Community Centre, Lunch club travel and Dial-a-Ride (group travel to shopping destinations from outlying areas).

Council FifeBus staff will keep up-to-date with what is happening in the local community -signposting passengers to other services who can also help. For example, taxis offering free travel to the most vulnerable, volunteer food deliveries etc.

The council continues to review the services it provides in line with changing circumstances and any government advice/measures.

Phone: 03451 55 11 88