From today, everyone must wear a face covering when travelling on public transport in England.
Announcing the update on Friday, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps asked people to start taking their covering with them whenever they leave the house.
‘If you do need to travel, in the same way that you would pick up your phone, wallet or keys when you leave the house, please remember to bring a face covering,’ he said.
We take a look at the latest rules, whether they apply to children and what the penalties are for not observing them.
What are the latest rules on face coverings – where do I need to wear one?
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From today, in England, it is mandatory to wear face coverings when travelling on public transport, and failure to do so can lead to fines up of to £100.
Under the new rules, operators can force passengers to leave rail or bus services if they fail to cover their nose and mouth.
In addition to this, as a last resort, the police and Transport for London authorised personnel can issue fixed penalty notice of £100 or £50 if paid in 14 days.
As per previous advice, face coverings must be worn whenever you are ‘in an enclosed space where social distancing isn’t possible and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet.’
A cloth face covering must cover your nose and mouth while allowing you to breathe comfortably.
People are asked not to use medical-grade PPE masks to ensure these remain available for frontline staff.
Face coverings can help reduce the transmission of Covid-19 because the virus is spread when droplets are sprayed into the air when infected people talk, cough or sneeze.
You must wash your hands before putting them on and taking them off and wash them regularly. There is full advice for this on the government’s website.
It is not mandatory to wear face coverings when boarding public transport in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although all devolved governments recommend the use of them.
Where can I get a face covering for free?
The government website states that hundreds of thousands of face coverings ‘will be handed out for passenger use at many locations across the rail network in England from Monday.
‘The one-off initiative, which will run for several days at a number of stations, will see coverings provided free of charge to support passengers and help them travel safely.’
Alternatively, you can make your own face mask from a whole range of materials, including an old T-shirt, a bandana or even a pair of socks.
Can I use public transport?
While public transport remains operating with the number of services slowly increasing, the advice still stands that you should avoid it wherever possible, instead choosing to walk, drive or cycle to your destination when possible.
That means if you can work from home, you should continue to do so.
Do children have to wear face masks on public transport?
Children under the age of 11 are exempt from the new rules, as are people with ‘certain health conditions and disabled people.’
In other settings, children under the age of two are not required to wear face coverings.
‘Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of two or those who may find it difficult to manage them correctly, for example primary school age children unassisted, or those with respiratory conditions,’ the current advice states.
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