Masks ‘recommended’ on buses

BOSSES at the West’s main bus company First Bus are “recommending” that their passengers continue to wear a face mask from Monday, as the Government’s requirement to do so is lifted.

The company is embarking on a campaign to persuade people to keep masks on when on the buses, but the rule will not be mandatory.

First Bus said it was “following government guidance”, but Bristol and the West of England are set to be among the odd-ones-out when it comes to the question of whether passengers on public transport should be required rather than requested to wear a facemask from Monday.

Yesterday, West of England metro mayor Dan Norris, who is responsible for public transport in Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North East Somerset, added his name to an open letter signed by six metro mayors across England.

It called on the Government to keep mandatory masks on public transport in England.

But one difference between the metro mayors of West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Liverpool, North of Tyne and the Sheffield City Region and the West of England’s

Mr Norris is that the first five have some powers to override the relaxation of mandatory maskwearing in certain locations, and said they would use them.

The five metropolitan areas in the north have greater control and for some, a system of public transport franchising, which means they can enforce mask-wearing, while Mr Norris can only ask First Bus passengers to keep masks on.

Earlier this week, First Bus said it would not be requiring passengers to wear masks, but yesterday went further than before in saying it was “recommending” masks.