(13 Mar 2020, 1:25 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I wouldn't say that's sensationalist at all. They're perfectly reasonable steps to take to help prevent the spread

But then again, I'd argue that you should already be cleaning everything properly, not that I'm saying you aren't! Just the fact that everyone went and bought every hand sanitiser/soap available makes me think people weren't being hygienic before!
In fact, I would have probably gone a step further and made contactless payment required for transactions under £30 (assuming the customer's card supports it)

Restaurants aside, I’m not sure how similar measures could be implemented on buses. By definition they are confined spaces with hard plastic surfaces and passengers in close proximity. Passengers whom are disproportionately elderly and disabled.

In effect it is now past the point of trying to prevent the population at large from catching the virus, but trying to prevent or at least stagger the rate at which older people catch the disease. Control of public transport could be critical in this.

 As the OP states, the second threat is the economic impact a downturn in patronage will have directly and the indirect effects of further decline on the high street and diverted government funding. I think Stagecoach will fare well. First have this week strengthened their commitments to turning around UK Bus into profit. I think Arriva will take the biggest hit. Things seem stable in the NE but situation is already pretty dire in areas like Cheshire where they’re long past trimming evening and Sunday services and withdrawing whole routes and imposing restrictive 40 minute frequencies on core routes, which can only lead to further decline. Combined with the heavy penalties to be imposed for the Northern franchise and DB’s pressure to reduce debt I can only see the sale of Arriva coming back around.