(01 Jul 2020, 9:39 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Even before all this, I always went out of my way to make sure I was as far away from other people as physically possible!

The thing is, if the operators are saying that they are not going to be enforcing the rules, then what incentive do passengers have to follow them.
As I've said before, it is the LAW to wear a face covering on public transport, if you're not exempt from wearing one, then you shouldn't be allowed on board without one!
Drivers might not want to enforce it, but they'd have no issue asking someone to get off if they can't pay, so why is wearing a face covering any different?

I get that it's a pretty hard thing to enforce without proof of exemption, but drivers should at least try and make an effort, as I said, yesterday I got 4 buses and not once was I asked why I wasn't wearing one. When they first started requiring it, I used several buses without a mask and it wasn't questioned then either. 

If this is going to go on for the foreseeable, then maybe they need to look into some sort of scheme like the blue badge for parking

(01 Jul 2020, 10:33 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Well, for start they could actually bother asking them to wear a mask!
Seriously though, if they then respond saying they're exempt, the driver lets them sit down, if they feel comfortable asking why they're exempt, then they should.
If they respond "Nah, you're alright", the driver should say "It's the law to wear a face covering when using public transport, unless you're exempt I'm going to have to ask you to leave".
If they then proceed to sit down, they should follow the same policy they use when someone boards without paying (whether it's a case of 'get over it and move on', or report them the police).

My main issue isn't necessarily with the people not wearing the face coverings, but the fact they're picking and choosing which rules to enforce

I mean, my asthma isn't severe enough to be shielding, but bad enough where I can't breathe through a mask.
Although if I'm not mistaken, they can leave the house from the 6th July as they don't fall under the ones that need to keep shielding until the end of July

(01 Jul 2020, 8:08 pm)streetdeckfan wrote Yeah, they've started doing it in Spennymoor and Bishop as well. Not so bad in Bishop where most of the traffic is buses anyway, but in Spennymoor, between filling in the stops and blocking off the parking bays, it's a complete nightmare!

(01 Jul 2020, 10:03 pm)James101 wrote What can the driver realistically do though?

’You should be wearing a mask’

’Nah you’re alright’, beeps pass, sits down.

Whole world of safety and liability issues if the driver is expected to leave the cab to deal with the passenger. Refuse to proceed and the ensuing disruption is greater than just allowing the passenger to ride. The police can take a week to follow up a burglary, good luck getting them to come out for an errant face covering.
 

Bet you’re over the moon you’ll finally be able to leave the house at the end of the month when the advice on shielding with those for severe asthma comes to an end.

(01 Aug 2020, 5:57 pm)idiot wrote Has The Foresters been confirmed?

(29 Aug 2020, 7:38 pm)Adrian wrote I regularly see on Social Media that people are complaining about specific passengers, or groups of passengers, not wearing face coverings on public transport. You never know how this stacks up to the reality, as people are always quicker to complain than praise, so I was wondering how wide spread are people finding this in reality?
Do you feel it is a barrier to returning to regular public transport use (if you haven't already)?

One thing I've noticed from a number of operators now in response, is a claim that they *cannot* enforce the wearing of face coverings. I'm wondering why they think this, as the guidelines available from the Government, titled 'Safer Transport Guidance for Operators', seems to state otherwise.



This regulation is clear that operators do have the powers of enforcement, but also points out that they're not obliged to use those powers. So this isn't a case of *cannot* - it's a case of *will not*

(29 Aug 2020, 7:41 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I made that very point a few months back on here and was basically told I was wrong

Basically, they're too scared to enforce it

(29 Aug 2020, 7:44 pm)Adrian wrote I don't know about scared, but certainly some operators have made a business decision not to enforce. That should be made clear in response to customers that direct complaints on this matter.

The law is clear that they have this power: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/592/regulation/5/made

(29 Aug 2020, 7:48 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I'd say they're more scared of the backlash from the drivers and unions if they decided to enforce it. 
Drivers on here have said they don't want the confrontation, but let's be real, if you don't like confrontation, then maybe a public facing job isn't right for you!

The business aspect is also obviously a decision, they're quite happy to enforce the rule about passengers paying to board, but enforce the law to wear a mask, nah, that's too much!

Even as someone who is medically exempt from wearing a mask, I still try and wear one as much as possible. If I'm on a double decker and I'm sat by myself upstairs, I'll take it off, but if someone comes up I'll put it back on. Unless it's too humid then I can barely breathe without the mask!

(16 Sep 2020, 6:50 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Right, so here we go again? One of the proposals for the regional lockdown is a return to essential journeys only on public transport. Of course, the defenition of essential is always rather fuzzy but for the time being we still have schools and workplaces open.

(16 Sep 2020, 7:00 pm)Adrian wrote Its not even public transport journeys that are the problem (apart from what has been said on the other thread, about social distancing). The cases seem to be coming from pubs, working mens clubs and schools. Yet in typical fashion, they target what isn't the problem. 

I'll leave it at this:

(16 Sep 2020, 7:17 pm)Andreos1 wrote I'm organising a get together with my mates. Gonna go dressed in hunting gear, stand on the moors and there's gonna be 20 of us. Police can't do a thing!

(16 Sep 2020, 7:17 pm)Andreos1 wrote I'm organising a get together with my mates. Gonna go dressed in hunting gear, stand on the moors and there's gonna be 20 of us. Police can't do a thing!

(16 Sep 2020, 7:57 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Don't forget your dogs, if you want people not to think you're merely minglin'.

(17 Sep 2020, 12:20 pm)streetdeckfan wrote I had a bit of a moan about the politics side of the local lockdown in the politics thread, but as for the public transport side, judging by MG's Tweet, it doesn't look like there's going to be any restrictions on using public transport, or even advise against it like there has in other regions (which, if true, really does point towards it being politically motivated rather than by the science).

(17 Sep 2020, 4:51 pm)Ambassador wrote I was due to bring all of my support and admin teams back into the office next week after 6 months at home. The vast majority of them (around 110) rely on public transport - specifically buses to get them into our offices.

As the guidance now states public transport is only for essential travel only (which includes work) we've taken their views on a Teams call today and we'll be asking them all to continue working from home until further notice. 

I'm hearing similar things from my peers across businesses as well.