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Bosses at Lothian buses pointed to a huge 80 per cent drop-off in passenger numbers over the last week as the Capital went into lockdown.

Staff including drivers and engineers have been offered a choice of volunteering to work on full pay, taking paid holiday or lieu days just now or going into the Government's furlough scheme which offers sees staff taking time off work while receiving up to 80 per cent of their normal pay.

The move is seen as a way of securing jobs at the firm in the long term and avoids the need to consider other alternatives such as redundancies.

Nigel Serafini, Interim Managing Director, Lothian said: “The situation the whole country faces is completely unprecedented.

“As a commercial organisation the bulk of Lothian’s revenue is generated from fare paying customers travelling across our services.

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“Our teams in every area are working around the clock to deliver critical services for key workers while maintaining the wellbeing of over 2500 colleagues across our business.

“At the same time we are navigating our way through new legislation on the recently announced UK Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which we hope will allow us to safeguard jobs.

“We are working closely with Unite representatives to ensure our colleagues are kept up to date and provided with all relevant information on these matters.

“We are grateful to all of our colleagues for their continued loyalty, commitment and dedication and to all of our customers for their patience at this time.”

The Evening News understands a survey of Lothian buses’ staff has received 1,000 responses while bosses have been in crisis talks with union officials all week.

Lyn Turner, of Unite, said: “We’re working through this with the company to protect jobs and make sure the company comes through these troubling times.”

The wife of one driver told the Evening News: “A massive company like Lothian buses – it’s shocking.

“It could mean the loss of £700 or more a month. We’ve a disabled daughter who is petrified her dad will die. I feel as if I have a gun to my head.

“Over 20 years of loyal service and now getting shafted. How will we pay the bills?”

The Scottish Government has pledged to pay bus companies the amount of funding projected in this year’s budget regardless of the number of passengers who use services.

The cash pledge, which was announced by the First Minister at a briefing on coronavirus is intended to help support companies during the outbreak.

Under the current agreement, Transport Scotland reimburses bus firms for travel under the concessionary scheme for over-60s and disabled people.

Nicola Sturgeon announced this year’s funding will not be based on the true amount of travel but projections made at the beginning of the year.

According to Transport Scotland, bus operators will be able to access the £260 million available to support the concessionary scheme and bus service operator grant payments.

The difference between projections and the amount that will actually be paid to bus operators over the next four months is expected be between £46m and £92m, Transport Scotland has said.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “We are doing everything we can to support our bus industry in this unprecedented time.”

The move was backed by Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, who said: “Bus operators must survive to keep services running in these challenging times and get back up and running again as soon as this is over.”

Worried workers in different sectors, meanwhile, spoke of their fears at being told to turn up for work despite being non-essential staff as the coronavirus crisis deepens.

Parking attendants said they are “angry and anxious” about being asked to work during the lockdown, reporting incidents of abuse such as being spat on while working “needlessly” during the coronavirus outbreak.

One told the Evening News they are not ticketing anyone, including those parked on double yellow lines, and are expecting to be re-purposed towards the end of the week, potentially to mortuaries.

The council removed all pay and display restrictions in the city earlier this week and relaxed its contract with NSL which provides the parking attendants for the city.

However, the council is still enforcing and monitoring the roads to ensure freedom of movement for delivery vans and the emergency services.

One parking attendant, who wished to remain anonymous, said all they wanted was compassion.

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They said: “All we want is the same compassion and consideration that other employers are showing non-essential workers, rather than putting our health and safety at risk.”

Risk assessments were undertaken by the council prior to the decision to keep some enforcement ongoing, and they said it is the choice of the employer – in this case NSL – to decide whether their staff are considered key workers.

A spokesman for NSL added: “NSL is committed to supporting City of Edinburgh Council in its delivery of essential services at this unprecedented time.

“The safety of our staff and the people they come into contact with is of paramount importance to us, and we will continue to adhere to all government and public health guidance as it develops.”

Insurance and pensions giant Scottish Widows shut its 2,000-strong Dalkeith Road office yesterday after an employee tested positive for coronavirus.

“Unfortunately a colleague who is usually based at our Dalkeith Road office has been diagnosed with Covid-19,” said a spokesman for owners Lloyds Banking Group.

“While the colleague in question has not been in the office for eight days and was not symptomatic at that time, we have taken the decision to close the building for a deep clean as a precautionary measure.

“We have identified all colleagues who have been in close contact with the individual and while none have shown symptoms, we have asked them to self-isolate until the formal 14-day period has expired.”

About 250 of the 1,800 Scottish Widows staff at Morrison Street are still office-based, with that number expected to reduce further over the next few days.

The Scottish Government, meanwhile, will issue fresh advice to businesses who are continuing to flout new rules around closures in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking yesterday, Ms Sturgeon thanked the country’s business community, adding: “The vast majority of businesses have behaved responsibly.”

But she added: “I do remain concerned for some workers who have been put under unnecessary and unacceptable pressure.”

Lothian bus drivers and engineers asked to consider pay cuts under the Government's coronavirus furlough scheme in order to safeguard jobs