WITH Wales having moved into alert level zero this weekend, buses in the Newport area are changing the way that they operate.

The changes to lockdown rules, which came into effect on Saturday, August 7, haven’t made too much of a difference to the way that transport operates in Wales.

Passengers aboard public transport are required to continue wearing face coverings while travelling – unless exempt due to other health reasons.

This is a contrast to the rules in place across the border in England, where face coverings are no longer mandatory.

But, with the alert level changing, Stagecoach has announced a key change to its services in Newport and Gwent.

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For the first time since May 2020, change will be handed out to passengers who don’t have the exact change needed.

In recent times, Stagecoach has been operating an exact fare policy.

This measure has been put in place to reduce the amount of contact between staff and passengers – in a bid to keep people safe and secure during the pandemic.

But, despite the change, customers are still being encouraged to use contactless payments, or to purchase tickets online.

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A spokesman for Stagecoach South Wales said: "We have been operating an exact fare policy since May 2020 in response to feedback from our customers and drivers to provide added protection and reassurance during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

“Following the latest Welsh Government guidance for Level Zero, we will be able to give change again on our services from August 7. We still encourage customers to use contactless payments or buy their tickets on the Stagecoach App or website.

“Customers have been advised of this change through our communication channels. For further updates, follow @StagecoachWales on Twitter".