MELBOURNE Sunshine West bus services will be restored as soon as possible, following the area earlier today being declared a Tier 2 Covid exposure site.
Initial bus driver unavailability had led to a number of Transdev Melbourne services being cancelled today, following an industrial precinct in Sunshine West being put on alert.
In merely a cautionary move, a total of 291 Transdev staff – comprising drivers, maintenance and operations members, Transdev confirms – from its Sunshine West Depot followed health advice and were tested and were originally advised to isolate until they receive a negative result, Transdev and the Department of Transport explained.
However, Transdev confirms it has subsequently received revised advice from DHHS that its drivers no longer need to isolate while they are waiting for their test results – and the company is currently working to restore normal services – and it expects to restore as many of these as possible, as quickly as possible.
Due to the number of drivers impacted, Route 903 is planned to run to a Saturday timetable, Route 429 will not run and Routes 426, 215, 216, 220 and 223 are operating on a reduced service today, they confirm.
A spokesperson for Transdev Melbourne told ABC magazine the edict affected a range of businesses in the industrial precinct after fragments of the virus were found in sewerage from the area.
The majority of the affected Transdev staff are based at its Sunshine West depot, but this also included other staff who have attended the depot, the company explains.
SERVICE CHANGES
An earlier statement on Transdev Melbourne’s website read: “We have been advised by DHHS that the chief health officer has declared the Sunshine West Industrial Precinct, which includes our Sunshine West Depot, as a Tier 2 exposure site due to Covid-19 fragments found in waste-water testing.”
“In accordance with the directions from DHHS, all Transdev Melbourne staff who visited the site between 9th and 19th August, 2021, have been asked to immediately test and isolate until they receive a negative result.
“Unfortunately, due to the significant number of staff required to test and isolate, we will have to make changes to our services this Friday, 20 August, 2021.
“Our Route 429 service will therefore not operate today and our 903 service will operate to a Saturday timetable only.
“The Routes 426, 215, 216, 220 and 223 will operate to a reduced frequency and there may be other impacts on other services operating from our Sunshine West and North Fitzroy Depots.
“We are advising all customers to please check our Twitter account before they travel.”
IMPACT APOLOGY
The Department of Transport says it’s working hard to minimise the impact of this disruption on its customers and will try and restore as many services as quickly as possible.
“We sincerely apologise to all customers whose journeys are impacted and thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we work through this difficult time,” it stated.
“We will continue to keep our customers informed of any changes to our services via Twitter account.
“We are proud to operate an essential service to the Victorian community and will continue to closely follow DHHS advice and take every precaution to keep our people, customers and community safe.
Photography: courtesy Trandev Melbourne