Commenting on the government’s announcement that face masks will once again be compulsory on public transport Unite national officer for passenger transport, Bobby Morton said:

“The government has got to walk the walk and not just talk the talk. It is not sufficient to announce that face masks will once again become compulsory, this policy has got to be fully enforced in order to protect public health.

 “The government’s previous inconsistent messaging on face mask wearing is almost certainly going to result in a high degree of non-compliance.

 “Unite’s advice to bus drivers is clear. It is not their role to enforce mask wearing, their responsibility is to safely drive and operate the bus. The job of enforcing mask wearing is that of the bus operator and the police.

 “Unite has consistently warned that the requirement to wear face masks should never have been removed, while rates of Covid-19 remained high.  It is only the arrival of the new variant which has forced the government to act.”

Unite is the UK’s leading union and represents over 70,000 bus workers in the UK.

 ENDS

Notes to editors:

During the coronavirus crisis Unite is working to keep workers and the public safe, to defend jobs and to protect incomes.

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications officer Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235 or 0203 371 2067.

Email: [email protected]

Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.