Article from BTNews 8 JUNE 2020
Mandatory face coverings + London clampdown
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps was the duty cabinet minister to announce at the daily press conference last Thursday (4 June) that face masks would become mandatory to wear on public transport from 15 June.
This is the same day non-essential businesses in England reopen to the public.
He told the Downing Street briefing that the public transport network was facing “increasing challenges” as more people return to work and school.
Mr Shapps said: “We are doing what many other countries have asked transport users to do. The evidence is that wearing face coverings offers some, albeit limited protection.”
In what it claimed was a bid to reduce congestion Transport for London also announced that Freedom Pass holders will be unable to travel on buses or tubes during the morning peak period. It means over 60s will not be entitled to free travel before 09:00 on weekdays, but disabled Freedom Pass holders will be unaffected and described the measures as ‘temporary’ saying it was part of a funding agreement with the government after it bailed out TfL.
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
John Jones, West Ham
The idea that over 60’s travelling on London’s public transport early in the morning causes congestion is quite crazy. The Freedom Pass should have started at 65 in any event and not at 60, which is a left over from when women retired at that at that age.