Stagecoach East Midlands says its bus services in Mansfield will continue running over the festive season.

Matt Cranwell, Stagecoach East Midlands managing director, said: “The easing of lockdown rules over the festive period is welcome news to us all, and although our region went into tier three on 2 December, many people will still need to travel out and about for work, education, essentials, and with most shops re-opening, to get their Christmas shopping.

“We have worked closely with local authorities around the level of services needed to support the county during the Christmas period and to help ensure we continue to play a key role in reconnecting family and close friends, getting people where they need to be.

“Our Stagecoach colleagues will be working hard over Christmas to keep people connected, and you may even see our drivers out and about in their festive costumes in an effort to raise vital funds for our charity partner Macmillan. But be assured that we continue to have strict Covid-19 secure protocols in place to allow customers to travel safely and with confidence.”

Stagecoach advised customers to:

• Plan ahead wherever possible to try and avoid busy times and routes
• Use contactless to pay for your journey wherever you can
• Come with a face covering to wear throughout your journey and bring your hand sanitiser
• If you feel unwell or have any Coronavirus symptoms, please do not use public transport

Services will run as normal right through to Christmas Eve. Buses will run as normal throughout the day until early evening. Services 1, 11, 14, 15a, 23b, 53a and Pronto will finish early at around 8pm. Service 200 will not run on Christmas Eve or New Years Eve.

As in previous years, services will not run on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day.

On 27th and 28th December a full Sunday service will run.

A Saturday service will run on 29th December, 30th December and New Year’s Eve with a few additional early morning Service 1, 6 and 16 journeys.

Services 1, 11, 14, 15a, 23b, 53a and pronto will finish early at around 8pm on New Year’s Eve.

Normal services will resume from Saturday 2 January 2021.

For more details on services and to find your local bus timetable for the festive period, visit the Stagecoach website https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/east-midlands/christmas/christmas-timetables.