TfL insist masks will remain compulsory on London transport
Transport for London will insist that passengers wear masks after July 19th as the government allows restrictions to be lifted elsewhere.
Opinion polls show strong support for the measure, and contrasts with a relaxation in policy on national rail services such as Southeastern which are under the control of the Department for Transport and not TfL.
The rule will apply to buses, the tube, DLR, London Overground and tram.
Bus cuts
In other London transport news, a bus survey due to begin soon which could pave the way for heavy cuts has been delayed until September.
London Travelwatch had been calling for a delay to see levels of usage when a greater level of normality had returned.
The survey was insisted upon by the DfT after government insisted on heavy cuts under the most recent financial agreement.
Despite the delay is passenger usage surveys, a number of central London bus routes are already seeing substantial cuts in frequency before it’s known what future demand could look like.
With annual cuts up to £700 million expected in coming years, cuts are expected to spread widely.
TfL already have 1,500 fewer staff than planned before the pandemic.
There are concerns that rule or no rules, enforcement will be limited.
This isn’t freedom, masks should be optional at this point and shouldn’t be mandatory, I’m on transportation everyday and it’s 50/50 mask and non maskers.
This is getting beyond ridiculous now
BRAVO! I’m pleased that someone has the common sense to recognise that a crowded Tube Car, Bus, DLR carriage, etcetera, is the RIGHT PLACE to wear a mask!
While I don’t exactly look forward to wearing a mask during the dog days of summer, I would much rather deal with that than fall victim to a bout of COVID-19!
I am with you 100% Paul SuperUnknown. I would rather wear a mask on a crowded bus train tube etc rather than risk catching covid-19. The wearing of mask on public transport and in crowded places also actually helped to keep the flu epidemic rates lower last winter.
Too many people have already abused the wearing of mask rule when they know they are clearly not exempt and should be wearing a mask to protect themselves and others. If they have also not had their covid-19 vaccinations this puts their fellow passengers at even greater risk of contracting Covid_19.
I would urge everyone to get their covid-19 vaccinations as soon as possible if not already done so and to wear a mask on public transpoirt and in confined spaces otherwise Covid-19 infections rates will continue to rise.
TFL and the Police need to do more checks on the London Trabsport network to ensure the rules around the wearing of face mask are be adhered too. Otherwise I can see a further lockdown over winter including the Christmas period.
Here Here Graham and PaulSuperUnknown. I could not agree with the both of you more.. The refusal to wear mask on public transport and in confined spaces or where there are large numbers of people in supermarkets etc is essential to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 infections.
Otherwise I too can see the whole Country going back in to lockdown over the winter months of 2021/2022 with many venues and businesses being closed again.
Sorry N but you are so selfish. Is it that difficult to wear a mask? It is not to protect you (although it may help), it is to protect others. Try and think of others.
Aren’t you being selfish expecting me to wear a mask? For your information I did at the beginning but I was struggling to breath, as I have mild asthma and suffer from high anxiety issues, it was hell for me, but as ever you virtue signallers like to call others of a different opinion selfish when it is you who are selfish, you are acting like it’s still March 2020, get a grip
So follow your own example and preaching and think of others and maybe come out of your bubble and see that this isn’t entirely black and white rather than jumping on your high horse
So you have a medical exemption. You didn’t say that in your original comment.
We’re in the middle of a pandemic and masks help reduce transmission. It’s black and white in that everyone who can wear a mask should wear one, and everyone who can’t, shouldn’t.
The reasons it’s 50/50 out there are mixed messaging from government, lack of enforcement, and ignorance/selfishness on the part of the general public.
Again, if you have a medical exemption, don’t wear one. But don’t witter on about ‘freedom’ and how they should be optional when they should be mandatory for anyone who isn’t medically exempt, just as they have been for the last year or so.
We have the vaccines now, so when do you propose we go back to complete normality? Covid is here to stay, get used to it.
We are now in endemic and Covid will now be seasonal like the cold and flu, we are not in a pandemic now.
And yes you may scoff at freedoms but I do believe in freedom of choice, it’s your choice to wear one and I’ll support it just as I’ll support others who choose not to, it’s called a difference of opinion do learn it, it’ll help you
With more than half the country vaccinated there’s literally no reason to go into further lockdowns now, Covid is here to stay like the flu, the time now is to get used to it.
N is right in saying covid is here to stay – there is no cure. But the reality is, for unvaccinated people covid isn’t anywhere near the same risk level as colds and flu (even colds and flu shouldn’t be lumped together, the flu can be deadly).
I can say this with confidence after listening to my mother, aunt and uncle die of covid. Note I say listening, of course I couldn’t be there. My mother died with a stranger holding her hand, on speakerphone and she must have been so afraid. That is not a cold. That isn’t even flu. Covid kills unvaccinated people in the cruelest way.
So yes, covid isn’t going anywhere. That’s why we need to carry on masking up until the vaccine rates are high enough. If you want masks to be over faster, get vaccinated and encourage others to do the same. Refusing to wear a mask, socially distance or get vaccinated is going to continue this nightmare for all, indefinitely.
If this doesn’t bother you N, think about the next time your asthma is bad and you can’t get seen at hospital because the wards are packed with covid patients and the doctors don’t have time to deal with you. I want this to be over and that means not dragging it out any longer than it has to be.
Sadly the Delta variant is really taking hold again now with over 50,000 new cases being recorded very day. We do need to keep certain restriictions in place while we try and help get the economy grow and to save businesses from closure.
I think mask wearing (unless your genuinely medically exempt like N) and social distancing should remain in place for the time being at least
Otherwise as Covid cases continue to rise we may well be forced in to another lockdown to protect the NHS especially Hospitals as it is still virtually imposssible to get a face to face appointment with a GP.