We’ve got it covered: Metrolink hands 500 masks to passengers
METROLINK staff handed out 500 face coverings as part of a campaign to encourage passengers to wear masks.
Transport staff and police officers held a pre-Christmas day of action at Victoria station.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Transport Unit worked with TravelSafe Partnership (TSP) staff and the new Metrolink ‘trambassadors’ to encourage passengers to wear face masks on-board the tram.
500 face coverings were handed out to passengers between 10am and 2pm.
Transport bosses said the latest passenger count shows that, on average, around 84 per cent of passengers are wearing face coverings across the morning and afternoon peaks while travelling on the Metrolink.
Between 10 to 15 per cent of people in Greater Manchester are exempt.
This shows that compliance rates are ‘high’, TfGM said.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, more than 7,000 free face coverings have been distributed to passengers across the network. TfGM’s customer director Stephen Rhodes, said: “When it comes to face coverings compliance rates are generally very good across Greater Manchester and I’d like to thank the public for playing their part in keeping our networks as safe as possible.
“However, we do still receive reports of people flaunting the guidelines, so it’s vital that we continue to hold these days of action and speak with people about the importance of wearing a face covering.
“The importance of this type of activity was further reinforced by the fact we gave out 500 face coverings during our latest day of action - and more than 7,000 to date.
“This education-first approach, which mirrors that taken by other police forces and major cities across the United Kingdom, will continue over the coming weeks into the new year and beyond.
“That said, it’s also important to emphasise that some people cannot wear a face covering for very valid and possibly unseen reasons so please consider this and show understanding when travelling.”