In response to the coronavirus, Nexus has lifted the 9:30am start to their concessionary benefits.

The change will affect those entitled to free off-peak travel on buses with a concessionary pass or a discounted Metro Gold Card, and will serve mainly to benefit senior citizens and disabled people – those most at risk to Covid-19.

Huw Lewis, Customer Service Director at Nexus, said: “This will hopefully give people more opportunity to travel when they need to without paying extra, but we would also like to remind all passengers that government advice is to only use public transport if the journey is absolutely essential.”

Nexus’s decision comes amid wider societal changes designed to promote social distancing, whilst still allowing vulnerable people to get the supplies they need.

Lewis said the decision was taken “in response to a number of supermarkets dedicating their first trading hour to older people, and also to a number of enquiries from our customers.”

With three supermarket chains operating in Jesmond, the extended concessions should make it easier for older people to shop within the first hour window.

Sainsbury’s, the supermarket chain situated closest to one of Jesmond’s Metro stations, have announced that as well as the first hour after opening being set aside for elderly and vulnerable customers, priority access to online delivery slots for customers aged over 70 or disabled will be given from Monday 26th March.

Tesco have adopted a similar policy, introducing a priority hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning from 9am-10am for the elderly and vulnerable.

Waitrose, Jesmond’s largest supermarket, are also employing the first hour priority, while “working on special deliveries for vulnerable customers”.

The change to Nexus’s charges comes amid a reduced service, with all additional peak hour services between Pelaw and Monkseaton or South Gosforth cancelled until further notice.