Covid: Plea to wear masks on trains from Wales to England

Passengers on Transport for Wales rail services will be asked to continue wearing masks on journeys into England, even when they are no longer mandatory.

The UK government is ending compulsory use of masks in England next week and leaving it to transport operators to make their own rules.

TfW said the risk of catching Covid on public transport was low, but masks helped keep passengers and staff safe.

Masks are still required on all public transport in Wales.

However, mandatory coronavirus mitigation measures are being scrapped on public transport in England from Monday.

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has said masks will remain legally required on public transport.

A review of the coronavirus regulations in Wales is due on Wednesday, but no wholesale changes are expected.

TfW said it supported the advice on wearing masks from the Welsh government, adding: "We will also continue to ask passengers to wear face coverings on Transport for Wales services which have part, or all, of their journey in England.

"The risk of catching Covid-19 on public transport remains low and we would like to thank customers for helping to keep themselves, fellow passengers and our staff safe by following this advice."

Other operators have said they will ask passengers to follow rules within the country they are travelling.

Great Western Railway, which runs mainline services between south Wales and southern England, said it would remind passengers coming from England of the requirement to wear masks when travelling in Wales.

Its services in England will adhere to the industry's Rail Delivery Group (RDG) policy of following government advice to ask people to wear face coverings if an "indoor setting" is busy.

RDG said: "Train travel is low risk, with the majority of carriages well ventilated by air conditioning systems or by doors and windows.

"As restrictions lift, we will continue carrying out extra cleaning and providing better information about how busy services are, so that our passengers can travel with confidence."

Coach operator National Express said: "We are all responsible for keeping each other safe. We are advising customers to follow the guidance for the relevant country they are travelling in.

"We will ask them to continue to be considerate of others and respect their personal choices."

Both National Express and Stagecoach, which operates within Wales and across the border, referred to a statement made on behalf of the coach and bus industry by trade group the Confederation of Passenger Transport.

It said: "We expect that many people, especially in busy places, will follow the prime minister's call to continue to wear a face covering as a courtesy to others.

"Passengers, though, will find it difficult to understand why the prime minister has singled out public transport as somewhere to wear a face covering when a range of other activities share its characteristics.

"We now need to see clear guidance for operators and customers but, in the absence of regulations, it is important that we respect everyone's right to choose whether to wear a face covering."

Jo Goodchild from the Unite union called on Wales to retain mandatory face masks on public transport.

She said: "We are confident that the Welsh Labour government will follow the science and keep this requirement in place.

"The fact that the UK government is not going down this route in England will potentially put our members in an impossible position where they may be asked to police and enforce conflicting and confusing rules."

Peter Kingsland from campaign group Railfuture Wales agreed a difference in rules between Wales and England could place an extra burden on train conductors.

However, he added: "The lifting of the legal requirement to wear masks on trains will discourage such people [who are wary of train travel] from returning to rail in England and is to be regretted at a time when rates of infection are increasing.

"If the choice is between having Wales and England having different polices or Wales removing restrictions to follow the example of England, Railfuture Wales would opt for Wales retaining compulsory mask wearing at this time as this will encourage more passengers to return to rail."

Anthony Smith, chief executive of the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: "Passengers need to know what is expected of them when travelling. Face covering advice and information on both sides of the border must be crystal clear."