No change here: London to retain masks on public transport

London's mayor says mask-wearing will be required on the city's transport network even after legal restrictions in England are lifted on July 19

LONDON -- Mask-wearing will be required on London's transport network even after the legal obligation to wear them in England is lifted on July 19, the city's mayor said Wednesday. Sadiq Khan has asked the body that oversees transport in the capital to enforce the use of mask wearing on the subway, buses and trams as a “condition of carriage” — basically contracts between passengers and Transport for London. Khan said he is “not prepared” to put transport users “at risk” by removing the rules on face coverings after legal restrictions are lifted next Monday despite a big resurgence of the virus across the U.K. as a whole. Under the new approach outlined by Khan, enforcement officers would be able to deny access or eject passengers not wearing a mask while using the subway, buses and trams. London's Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police won't be able to get involved, though, as mask-wearing will no longer be required by law.