Covid: Londoners feel 'in the middle' of restrictions over masks

London's key workers and commuters have reacted to conflicting advice and changes to rules around the wearing of masks being introduced on Monday.

The prime minister has said the government would "expect and recommend" face coverings to be worn in enclosed and crowded places, but it will no longer be mandatory from 19 July.

However, London mayor Sadiq Khan said he was not prepared to put Tube, bus and other transport users at risk by relaxing the rules on face masks.

Wearing face coverings has been mandatory on public transport for the past year to reduce the spread of the virus.

El Koulibaly has four children and has worked for nearly 15 years as a driver on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). He said masks offered protection to him and his family.

"The prime minister says that it's not compulsory. The mayor says it is compulsory. It's going to be a fight between them isn't it? We are in the middle," he said.

"Even though the train is empty, people come to sit behind you. I don't want somebody standing behind me to start coughing.

"My job is to take the train from one end to another end. I don't want to go sick. If I do, the trains are not going to move," he added.

Ermias Abraham has been a bus driver for 11 years and does not believe the wearing of masks will be forever.

"I know people might not feel comfortable wearing masks to work every day, it's as if you're losing you privacy," he said.

"But we are in a very difficult situation.

"It's good to have it and be safe, instead of taking it off and one person might catch it. For quite some time, until this pandemic is cleared, it doesn't kill you to wear a mask."

Allie, who did not want to be pictured, felt that people needed to be told to wear a mask.

"If there's a rule people will follow it. But if it's optional, it's too confusing and you can't really enforce anything," she said.

"Public transport can get really crowded and it's not always well ventilated and cases of the new variant are going up, so I think it would be madness just to scrap it."

Abidemi Joshua disagreed and felt people should have a choice. "If I really want to wear it, fine. If I don't want to wear it, fine," she said.

But she added wearing one now felt "important".

"For the government to be saying we should stop wearing the masks on the train and on the bus, I think it's very risky because unlike before, when you sat on the bus you had to sit alone, now people have to sit beside you," she said.

William Apawu, who works as a cleaner at Woolwich Arsenal DLR station, agreed it was a matter of personal choice.

"I think it's the best way to prevent the spread of the virus," he said.

"Although it might be stressful putting it on for a longer period of time, I think we've got no other option than to put it on to prevent the spread of disease.

"It's better than being infected by the virus."