Mask-wearing in Taxis, Private Hire Vehicles and Public Transport

Mask wearing has proven to be a contentious issue in the UK. Recommended for their effectiveness at preventing the transmission of viral aerosols, mixed messages at the start of the pandemic meant the adoption of face coverings had been met by resistance from some.   

Transport providers have regularly found themselves in contact with those that don’t accept the rules. This was particularly true at the start of the pandemic when the UK Government were slow to introduce rules around face-coverings. Although public attitudes have generally changed in favour of mask-wearing, it seems that some transport organisations could be facing fresh resistance following ‘Freedom Day.’   

As of the 19th of July, mask-wearing rules are being relaxed meaning they are only recommended by the government and not mandated by law. This means that there is no obligation for passengers to wear a face-covering on journeys in taxis or private hire cars. Despite this, several prominent transport regulators, and providers have deemed it necessary to continue mandating mask-wearing as a term of use of their services.   

Aviation  

The biggest group continuing to enforce mask-wearing are airports and airlines. Commenting on this decision, a spokesperson for Heathrow airport said:  

“Airports are unique environments with an international passenger profile. This is why face coverings were mandatory at Heathrow before the government made them a legal requirement and they will continue to be mandatory at the airport after 19 July.”  

Also, despite UK guidance changing, airlines still need to conform to international guidelines such as those set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.  

Aside from the aviation industry, Transport for London (TfL) and Uber are two of the biggest groups committed to enforcing the use of face-coverings as a term of use.   

Transport for London  

Following the announcement that rules were to be relaxed on the 19th, TfL’s enforcement officers, station staff and bus drivers will continue to remind passengers that face-coverings are a requirement. Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, asked TfL to keep the use of face-coverings as a mandatory condition of travel.   

Over the course of the pandemic, Mr Khan has been a strong supporter of face-coverings as a measure to help protect the public. In an interview, he said:  

“By keeping face masks mandatory we will give Londoners and visitors the reassurance and confidence to make the most of what our city has to offer, while also protecting our heroic transport workers and those who may be vulnerable and rely on the network to get around our city...”  

Research from TfL into compliance with face-covering rules showed that the public have been very much on board with the rules. A reported 86% of TfL customers were wearing face-coverings across all services, while 74% of those not wearing them claimed to be exempt for medical reasons.   

Uber  

In a blog post published last Friday (16th July), Uber has stated that all riders and drivers are expected to wear a face-covering after the rules have been relaxed. Both drivers and passengers will be able to refuse the ride if either party chooses not to wear a mask. Speaking to The Independent, Ash Kebriti, Uber UK’s General Manager, said:  

“There is nothing more important than the safety of our drivers and the riders who use the Uber app. As cities continue to open up, we will ensure that face-coverings or masks continue to be a mandatory requirement, unless exempt, when travelling with Uber across the UK.”  

Uber go on to explain that people who repeatedly fail to conform to mask-wearing rules will permanently lose their access to the ride-sharing platform. This applies to both drivers and riders. They do advise that drivers and riders with exemption from the use of face-coverings should explain this via the app, or at the point of pickup. They suggest that those who are exempt contact Uber support.  

Others  

Several council leaders from the North East of England have written to Boris Johnson seeking legal powers to enforce the use of face-coverings beyond the 19th of July. They are extremely concerned as the area contains nine out of the top ten worst-affected areas in England. Local leaders don’t currently have the authority to legally enforce rules on face-coverings after this point.   

In Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham has enforced rules meaning that passengers on the region's trams will be required to wear a face-covering. The Metrolink is the UK’s largest light rail system and passengers will be subject to a £100 fine or prevented from travelling. The mayor cannot mandate these rules for rail or bus services in the area.  

The majority of transport providers have released statements explaining that they are adhering to the government guidelines. In most cases, this means that while they recommend the use of face-coverings, particularly during peak times, it will not be enforced.   

The broad relaxation of rules has been the subject of much debate in the scientific community. Many researchers across the globe are concerned about what the UK Government’s decision could mean for the rest of the world, particularly as rates of infection are rapidly increasing. However, trade bodies have widely lauded the decision, particularly those representing the nighttime economy and event organisers. It is clearly still an evolving situation and remains to be seen how the new rules will impact the country.