The Welsh Government has announced that face coverings will become mandatory on public transport from 27 July, along with 2m social distancing.
However, Bus Users has expressed some concerns around exemptions for wearing masks and enforcement of these new rules, following confusion in England when similar measures were introduced. The charity wrote to the Welsh Government in June asking for clear guidance for operators and passengers.
Barclay Davies, Director of Bus Users in Wales said: “We welcome the announcement that face coverings and social distancing are to become mandatory on public transport in Wales. We now need to know exactly how these rules will be enforced and how passengers will be able to demonstrate a medical exemption preventing them from wearing a face covering.
“We are also concerned that social distancing measures, which greatly reduce capacity on board buses, will lead to passengers being left at bus stops. We need to ensure that anyone who needs to travel by bus is able to do so. Otherwise, people will turn to private vehicles, increasing levels of congestion and pollution, and undoing the gains made in this regard during lockdown.”
