Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has ordered Transport for London to enforce face masks on public transport even after July 19, Freedom Day. Face masks have been mandatory for the past year to reduce the spread of the virus. He claimed that he was not ready to put the bus, Tube and other transport users at risk. He claimed:
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If you are in London, you need to follow the rules.
As England moves towards removing all its restrictions, London becomes the first English city to make face masks mandatory after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. The rule does not only apply to public transports but also to pubs and restaurants when not seated.
Transport for London (TfL)
Mr Khan has made masks a mandatory condition of carriage for trams, bus, Tube, DLR, Overground and TfL Rail. As such, face masks would be listed as a legal condition in the agreement between TfL and its customers. Clearing his point, Mr Khan said:
We know from the government's own advisors and from the World Health Organisation, that wearing a face covering indoors does reduce transmissions. It leads to greater public safety and greater public confidence as well
The face masks will also be mandatory in taxis and private hires by both the passengers and the driver.
The employment plans
Since Mr Khan did not have national backing on his plans, he facilitated making the Face covering clause a ‘condition of carriage.’ These are contractual conditions that the passengers have to follow. He said:
This is an imperfect solution. We are working on passing a bylaw to make it a law too.
When asked about his plans for enforcement of this new rule, he told BBC Breakfast:
We employ a number of enforcement officers, over 400. They will be making sure if anyone's not wearing a face mask, they will be reminded of the importance of doing so.
Realising that people might revolt against such an action, he expressed his concern and said:
It's not perfect. [It] would have been better if national rules applied across the country to avoid any confusion.
Further, he also tried to convince people by unfolding the motive of face coverings. According to him, this would provide people reassurance and confidence so they can make the most of their time in London.
