Face coverings and TfL

At the end of a lengthy press release issued last week to encourage travellers back to the Tube, buses and Overground Andy Byford, Commissioner of Transport for London (TfL), made a very important statement.

“Face coverings must continue to be worn, covering both the mouth and nose, in stations, on platforms and for the full duration of a journey, unless an exemption applies. While compliance continues to be high, TfL’s enforcement officers, as well as both the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police, will be highly visible to ensure customers remain safe by stopping people without exemptions from using public transport until they put on a face covering. Tough action is taken on those who do not comply.”

To date around 172,000 customers have been stopped from travelling with around 3,300 receiving a fixed penalty notice. TfL will be handing out free face coverings at key interchange stations.

In the media lead TfL was keen to emphasise the stringent steps it has taken to ensure that London’s transport system is cleaner than ever.  “The use of hospital grade cleaning substances, anti-viral disinfectant and UV light sanitising devices has helped ensure that independent testing has consistently found no evidence of coronavirus on surfaces or in the air on Tubes and buses.”

https://tfl.gov.uk

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Simon Grigor, United Kingdom

These words seem very reassuring but there remain many (far too many to believe that they are all 'exempt') passengers not wearing face coverings, or wearing them in a way that their nose and/or mouth is not covered. On my tube journeys I've yet to see a Met or British Transport Police officer.