75pc of bus passengers following face mask rule
NINE IN 10 TRAVELLING ON TRAM NETWORK ARE COVERED UP
THE vast majority of commuters are now wearing face coverings when travelling on the buses, trams and trains.
According to the latest figures, there is around 90 per cent compliance on the trams, with around
75pc of bus-users donning the face shield to travel.
The government’s advice is for people to work from home if they can, and to avoid public transport if possible.
However, for some people public transport is a necessity and with the reopening of non-essential shops and as some secondary school children return to the classroom, use of public transport is expected to increase.
In, Greater Manchester, staff have been handing out masks to Metrolink users but many have stuck to the rules by wearing their own, whether that be a bandana or something more official. However, some passengers have noticed that the same rules do not seem to apply to drivers of public transport. That’s because, according to government guidance those in a number of jobs, including transport operators, are not required to wear a mask. A spokesman from Transport for Greater Manchester said: “Public transport drivers are exempt from wearing face coverings under DfT guidance as it can affect their ability to drive. They are enclosed in their cabs or behind screens and following all other hygiene precautions laid down by their employers for controlling coronavirus.”
Stagecoach added: “Our drivers have a protective screen that acts as a barrier. If your driver needs to leave their cab, they must wear a face covering.”
Public transport drivers are exempt from wearing face coverings Transport for Greater Manchester spokesman
FLIGHTS between Manchester and Dubai were back in business as the airport’s first post-pandemic Emirates plane touched down at Terminal One.
It will have been a whole new experience for travellers, with face coverings and temperature check trials now a condition of travelling through the hub.
The 14-day quarantine for many of those landing at any UK port will also alter the travelling experience, with passengers expected to be ready with an entry form or face a £100 fine, before being in quarantine for 14 days or face a £1,000 fine if they fail a spot check.
It’s a world away from the 2019 flying experience, but the resumption of flights by the airline giant – to be followed on Monday by a raft of other returns including Ryanair’s – could mark a crucial turning point for Manchester Airport, with passenger numbers having spiralled from 80,000 to an estimated average of 700 a day in recent months.
Meanwhile, more than 75 per cent of the hub’s staff have been furloughed with a 10pc pay cut for the entire work force in place until March 2021.
So the arrival of flight EK017 at Manchester Airport at 11.42am yesterday, ahead of its return to Dubai
We have taken comprehensive steps to keep passengers, colleagues and communities safe Jason McVeigh, Emirates
at 2.05pm may have been a moment of cautious celebration for Manchester Airports Group boss Charlie Cornish, who has joined an industry-wide appeal for government funding and a ‘road map’ to the lifting of quarantine, which they warn will be a huge deterrent to those considering air travel.
The relaunch means passengers can now fly in and out of Manchester to 30 destinations on Emirates’ network – although travel restrictions still apply for many of these. It’s also the airline’s first UK relaunch outside London. The twiceweekly Boeing 777300ER flights to MAN will operate every Wednesday and Sunday, with the inbound flight departing Dubai at 7.20am and arriving at noon. The outbound flight will depart at 2.05pm and arrive in Dubai at 12.20am the next day.
Jason McVeigh, Emirates deputy airport services manager at Manchester, said: “Our teams in Manchester and Dubai are delighted to be resuming flights for passengers, reconnecting the North with Emirates’ global network after a pause. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board and have taken comprehensive steps to keep passengers, colleagues and communities safe.”
Julian Carr, aviation director at the hub, said: “It’s great to see Emirates resume its services for passengers to Dubai from Manchester Airport.”
He added: “The route provides vital connectivity between the two destinations and beyond, through the airline’s vast onward network. With a host of safety measures already in place, the security of all our passengers and staff continues to be our number one priority, as we connect people across the globe.”
Emirates is handing out free hygiene kits including masks, gloves, hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes.