The Chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee of the Parliament Sven Sester (Isamaa) sent an inquiry to the Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure Taavi Aasa (Center) regarding the safety of people in Elron replacement buses. Due to railway repairs, replacement buses are currently in use on the routes to Keila, Paldiski, Riisipere, and Kloogaranna in Harju County. 

Sester wrote that directing a full train of people to one or two buses significantly increases the risk of coronavirus infection, adding such a situation contradicts the Health Board's (Terviseamet) recommendation to meet the 2 + 2 requirement and ensure human safety. 

Elron's marketing and communications manager Mariis Adamberg told ERR due to railway repairs, Elron will order replacement buses on the Valingu-Keila route according to passenger statistics. "We try to ensure that all passengers fit reasonably into the buses, but the passengers are not always evenly distributed between the buses," she added. 

Adamberg said the 2+2 rule must be complied with in a situation where it is possible - this is how the government has explained when the social distancing rule was introduced. It is not always possible to ensure the 2+2 rule in public transport, and therefore no additional requirements have been established for public transport. 

"At peak hours, when there are more passengers on both trains and buses, passengers should consider using a face mask, as is the case in other European countries," said Adamberg. 

In order to avoid congestion on one bus and underfilling on other buses, Elron promised to improve information on the number of buses for the passengers. People are also referred by customer service assistants. 

In order to better accommodate passengers, the train company also plans to extend the timetable from June 25.

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