Time to stop advising people to avoid public transport – says FirstGroup boss

Transport giant FirstGroup has urged the Government to stop encouraging people to avoid trains and buses.

Chief executive Matthew Gregory claimed it is time to “move away” from appealing to passengers not to use public transport for non-essential journeys.

Despite coronavirus lockdown restrictions easing in recent weeks, the Department for Transport continues to tell people to “stay off public transport if they can” due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Latest figures show that road traffic has returned to 83% of pre-lockdown levels

• But train use across Britain and bus use outside London is at 16% and 29% respectively

Passenger watchdog Transport Focus has written to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps urging him to review the Government’s communication strategy.

FirstGroup is Britain’s largest bus company and also a major train operator.

It saw its shares tumble by 23% on Wednesday after revealing a “material uncertainty” over its ability to continue as a going concern as its pre-tax losses widened to £300 million for the year to March 31.